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Skil 5080-01
- Excellent torque
- Wide speed range
- Compact, easy to use
TACKLIFE Laser Guide
- Versatile
- Easy to use
- Sturdy material
Rockwell RK3441K
- Sturdy
- Easy to transport
- Impressive speed
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Even though drill presses have become smaller over the years, many wood and metalworkers have yet to pull the purchase trigger due to the lack of space in their shop.
However, with a mini or small drill press, such as the models listed below, you don’t need to about a thing.
In today’s guide, you’ll learn what the best small/mini drill press is out of the 25 models we researched in depth.
Best Small/Mini Drill Press – WEN 4208
The best small/mini dill press of all time, or at least the best one out of the 25 we researched, is the WEN 4208.
This 5-speed machine is incredibly user-friendly, wallet-friendly, and hardly takes up any space on your workbench.
The WEN 2408’s key specifications can be found below—
- 1/3-HP Motor
- ½-inch Keyed Chuck
- 8-inch Swing
- Onboard Key Storage
You may have noticed that the 4208’s motor is only 1/3 HP, which is smaller than what you’d typically find in a benchtop model.
However, the tinier motor helps in reducing its overall size while also providing plenty of torque and speed for all sorts of drilling jobs.
This tool has no difficulty punching holes into one-inch-thick wooden boards and half-inch metal bars.
Its 8-inch swing draws a pretty clear picture that the 4208 is a small/mini drill press.
However, it sports a half-inch keyed chuck that drills between 740 and 3140 RPM, making it more than capable of working with soft and dense materials.
Take a look at this WEN-produced video to see what the 4208 can offer.
Pros
- Excellent torque
- Wide speed range
- Compact, easy to use
- High-quality construction
Cons
- Could come with larger motor
The WEN 4208 is an absolutely wonderful small/mini drill press that works incredibly well in nearly all situations.
Top small drill press in the Market Compared
| Product Image | Product Name | Features | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best Overall -WEN 4208 |
| Check Today's Price |
| Best Premium -JET J-2530 |
| Check Today's Price |
| Best Budget -EURO TOOL DRL-300.00 |
| Check Today's Price |
 | SKIL 3320-01 |
| Check Today's Price |
 | Shop Fox W1668 |
| Check Today's Price |
 | Gino Development 01-0822 |
| Check Today's Price |
 | SE 97511MDP |
| Check Today's Price |
Reviews of Best small drill press
Best Premium -JET J-2530
Key Specifications
- ¾-HP Motor
- 5/8-inch Keyed Chuck
- 15-inch Swing
- 115V and 230V Compatible
The JET J-2530 is larger than most small/mini drill presses with a swing of 15 inches, but its base hardly requires any space on your workbench to mount.
The ¾-HP double-ball bearing motor offers 16 drilling speeds of between 200 and 3630 RPM, so it can work extremely well at boring holes into metal, wood, and plastic.
The ball bearings are permanently lubricated to produce the most torque with a 5/8-inch chuck.
The large worktable is easy to lift, and rotate, and tilt up to 45 degrees to the left or right.
Adjusting the position of the drive belt is also fairly easy if you’ve worked with a drill press before, and a built-in work light holder enhances visibility while drilling through delicate objects.
Pros
- Powerful motor
- No vibration regardless of speed
- No runout
- Easy to assemble
Cons
- Con 1
The JET J-2530 is the largest small/mini drill press you can find, but if you need to work with larger stock, the wider swing and worktable will definitely come in handy.
Best Budget -EURO TOOL DRL-300.00
Key Specifications
- 100W Motor
- ¼-inch Chuck
- 3-3/8-inch Swing
- 5000/6500/8000 RPM
The EURO TOOL DRL-300.00 is the smaller drill press on our list, and it’s also the most cost-efficient.
This drill press is usually used for making jewelry and drilling through circuit boards—essentially, any task that requires a delicate touch—but it can also work quite well at drilling through small wooden boards and plastic pieces.
The DRL-300.00 offers three high-speed drilling options of between 5000 and 8500 RPM, so it’s not the optimal tool for drilling through metal bars.
The quarter-inch chuck also indicates that hard metal objects would more than likely warp the drill bit, so stick to less dense materials if you get this machine.
Pros
- Sturdy
- Easy to transport
- Impressive speed
- Easy speed adjustment
Cons
- Could come with bigger chuck
The DRL-300.00 isn’t the best tool for metalworking, but as for woodworking and jewelry-making, you won’t find a better small/mini drill press.
SKIL 3320-01
Key Specifications
- 3.2-amp Motor
- ½-inch Keyed Chuck
- 10-inch Swing
- Laser X2
The SKIL 3320-01 is a 3.2-amp drill press that offers a 10-inch swing for boring holes into small and moderately-sized workpieces.
The motor does an excellent job at driving the half-inch chuck at speeds of between 570 and 3050 RPM, so whether you’re working with metal, wood, or plastic, the 3320-01 can be your go-to small/mini drill press.
The superior 2-beam laser system provides an accurate guide of where the bit will penetrate the surface of your workpiece.
Like other small/mini drill presses, you’ll need to manually reposition the drive belt to drill at your desired speed.
The worktable is wide enough to support larger workpieces to ensure that it does come falling off the side of the table when plunging the drill bit.
Pros
- Adjustable depth stops
- Laser system for precision
- 45° tilting table
- 5 speed settings
Cons
- Could be less noisy
Although it is a lot noisier than most small/mini drill presses, it’s also one of the most feature-packed and easy-to-use models on the market.
Shop Fox W1668
Key Specifications
- ¾-HP Motor
- 5/8-inch Keyed Chuck
- 13.25-inch Swing
- Spindle Sander
The Shop Fox W1668 is another feature-packed small/mini drill press for woodworking and metalworking shops.
It features a heavy-duty (for its size) ¾-HP motor that drives 5/8-inch bits at speeds of between 250 and 3050 RPM.
The wide variance in drilling speed is ideal for working with all types of materials, from dense metals to flimsy plastics.
There’s also a spindle sander attachment that you can use to shape plastic and wooden workpieces while also removing dulling the sharp edges of sheet metal.
Adjusting the drive belt can be tricky if you’re not used to working with drill presses, and the included chart is actually the source of the problem.
However, don’t let the chart problem discourage you from seeing what the W1668 can do. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OESJrojmV0
Pros
- Multi-speed settings
- Powerful performance
- Tilting table
- Spindle sander attachment
Cons
- Could come with a clearer chart
The W1668 is a fantastic small/mini drill press that works in all sorts of situations, and the spindle sander attachment makes it much more versatile.
Gino Development 01-0822
Key Specifications
- 1/8-HP Motor
- ¼-inch Keyed
- 6.75 x 6.75-inch Worktable
- 8500 Max RPM
The Gino Development 01-0822 is an incredibly small/mini drill press that offers three different speed settings, each of which are capped at 5000, 6500, and 8500 RPM.
However, at such quick speeds, you won’t be able to get much metalworking jobs completed with this tool, especially since it sports a tiny quarter-inch chuck.
Its small work table of 6.75 x 6.75 inches indicates that the drill press takes very little space, which isn’t surprising seeing as how the 01-0822’s motor is rated at just 1/8 HP.
However, this small/mini drill press is built to last (cast iron base and worktable), and it’s also much quieter than its peers.
Pros
- Robust and compact
- Good torque in low revolutions
- Great precision
- Easy to adjust speed
Cons
- Could provide more drilling power
The Gino Development 01-0822 is a fantastic small/mini drill press designed to tackle smaller projects like jewelry making and drilling through crown molding.
SE 97511MDP
Key Specifications
- 5000/6500/8000 RPM
- ¼-inch Keyed Chuck
- 6-9/16 x 6-9/16-inch Work Surface
- 1-inch Spindle Travel
The SE 97511MDP is what many people call a mini-benchtop drill press.
Its smaller worktable compared to other drill press models improves space-efficiency while also keeping moderately sized blocks of wood and plastic secured tightly.
This drill press plunged up to an inch deep into workpieces at a rate of between 5000 and 8500 RPM.
The 97511MDP comes with a quarter-inch chuck, which isn’t ideal for drilling through metal bars, even when properly lubricated, but it works great on less dense materials like circuit boards and delicate pieces of jewelry.
Pros
- Lightweight and compact design
- Three different speed options
- Dismissive vibration
- Have a depth stop function
Cons
- Could deliver more torque
Despite its limited drilling capacity, the SE 9751MDP is one of the top-performing small/mini drill presses that’s specifically made for high-precision projects.
Benefits of Mini Drill Press
Here, we’ll quickly go over the benefits of a mini drill press and who would benefit from this tool the most.
High-Precision Drilling
These tools come with smaller motors as opposed to most benchtop and full-sized floor standing models.
Although this limits the torque rating somewhat, it also gives you full control over and where you drill.
The tinier chucks prevent you from drilling wider holes than necessary when undertaking specific jobs like drilling crown molding or modifying circuit boards.
Portability
One of the key selling points of a small/mini drill press is its portability.
Being able to take the tool with you wherever you go has its benefits, especially you do most of your drilling work in the field rather than in the comfort of your workshop.
Space-Efficiency
Regardless of where you do your drilling, there will always be a place to mount your small/mini drill press.
These tools hardly require any benchtop space since their bases are smaller and their worktables take up less air space.
Who Needs a Mini Drill Press?
Anyone could use a mini drill press, from woodworkers, metalworkers, jewelry makers, and circuit board fabricators. It also wouldn’t hurt a homeowner to have one, just in case.
FAQ’s
Here, we’ll quickly address the most commonly asked questions about small/mini drill presses.
Small/mini drill presses are more often than not a type of benchtop drill press, but it all comes down to the size of the tool. Small/mini drill presses are all about space efficiency; they come with smaller bases, smaller worktables, smaller chucks, and smaller motors. Basically, they’re not as powerful as benchtops. If you need more power to drill through thicker workpieces, then you might need to choose a benchtop or even a floor drill press.
Admittedly, small/mini drill presses aren’t as versatile as benchtops or floor models. However, their extra-precise drilling performance makes them ideal for more challenging jobs that cannot be solved through brute drilling force. This includes drilling holes into stone-studded jewelry, drilling slowly and carefully into flimsy crown molding, and modifying plastic figurines. You can also punch holes into thin sheet metal and even bars, depending on the small/mini drill press model.
As you can see from the items listed above, there is no one brand that specifically dominates the small/mini drill press market. However, you will notice popular names like SKIL, Jet, and WEN. However, don’t be afraid to give the other brands a try, especially if you’re looking for a more specialized small/mini drill press for delicate jobs that require maximum precision and care.
They can be, especially if your field of work requires high-precision drilling that you might not get in a floor or typical benchtop drill press. That said, these tools aren’t as versatile as larger drill presses, simply due to their smaller motors and limited torque ratings, but you can use certain models like the WEN 4208 or J-2530 for metal and woodworking.
Summary
Today, we’ve shown you what the best small drill press is out of 25 models we researched in detail.
We’re more than certain that you’ll find value in any of the products listed above, whether it’s the best-overall WEB 4208 or the highly specialized SE 97511MDP for jewelry making.
If you’re unsure which drill press is right for your workshop, we’d be happy to assist in the comments section.