# Best Pillar Drill 2026: 9 Ranked, and the Numbers That Don't Add Up Source: https://www.ranked10.co.uk/home/best-pillar-drills Published: 2026-09-18 | Updated: 2026-09-19 | Prices checked on Amazon UK on 2026-09-18 The number doing the most selling on these listings is usually borrowed from a different row of the same spec sheet. Take any pillar drill here and read the chuck size and the metal capacity, not the headline figure. The Einhell 450W bench drill quotes a 50mm chuck and 50mm drilling capacity in both wood and metal — yet its own bullet calls 50mm the maximum drilling depth, and the same table lists the motor at "450 Amps", where a 450W motor on 230V draws about 2A. The Scheppach promises 40mm in wood in its bullets while its spec field says 13mm. The Bosch sheet credits a 710W motor with 650 Nm of torque, which at 2,500rpm works out at roughly 170kW. We ranked nine of the best pillar drill models on Amazon on four things we could actually check: chuck size, stated metal drilling capacity, motor wattage against the Amps printed beside it, and price. Review counts were read, not trusted as proof. Where a listing contradicted itself, we say so with both numbers, and we say what the machine is genuinely for. ## The ranking ### 1. Bosch PBD 40 Bench Drill, 710W, 13mm Chuck - Price: £279.00 | Amazon rating: 4.5 from 869 ratings - Full review: https://www.ranked10.co.uk/home/best-pillar-drills/bosch-pbd-40-bench-drill - Buy on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00766C1A8?tag=ranked10-21 Top of the list because its 13mm chuck and 13mm metal capacity agree, and it is the only bench drill press here with a digital speed and depth readout. This is the pillar drill to start with because the two numbers that matter agree: a 13mm chuck and 13mm drilling capacity in metal. That is not a given in this list. At 710W through a two-speed gearbox it tops out at 2,500rpm, and the digital system reads speed and depth as you work — the sort of thing that stops you scrapping a hole in oak. However, the same sheet credits that 710W motor with 650 Nm of torque. At 2,500rpm that works out at roughly 170kW, so treat the torque figure as a typo rather than a selling point. In practice the quick clamp and parallel guide are what you are paying the extra for. The clamp grips round stock, which is where most bench drilling goes wrong, and the keyless chuck retightens itself on the bit. The 40mm wood capacity covers hinge and dowel work; for steel, 13mm is the honest limit and it is the number the chuck matches. That said, £279 is roughly double the Scheppach and more than twice the Silverline, and it arrives in carton packaging with no stand and no vise. If your work is occasional shelf brackets, this is more machine than the job needs. Pros: 13mm chuck and 13mm metal capacity match, unlike several listings here; Two-speed gearbox with variable speed and a 2,500rpm top end; Digital readout for both drilling speed and drilling depth; Quick clamp holds round material as well as flat; 869 ratings at 4.5 stars, the largest review base of the nine Cons: £279, the highest price in this list; Sheet lists 650 Nm of torque, which a 710W motor cannot produce at 2,500rpm; Supplied in carton packaging only — no stand, no vise; No laser or work light, unlike the Scheppach at £120 less ### 2. Einhell TE-BD 750 E Pillar Drill, 750W, 16mm Chuck - Price: £339.00 | Amazon rating: 4.3 from 634 ratings - Full review: https://www.ranked10.co.uk/home/best-pillar-drills/einhell-te-bd-750e-pillar-drill - Buy on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07BQ6R19K?tag=ranked10-21 Second because a 16mm chuck and 16mm metal capacity match and the MK2 taper takes morse bits, but its listed 12 Amps implies 2,760W from a 750W motor. This is the most capable pillar drill press in the list on paper: 750W, stepless 450–2,500rpm, a 16mm quick-action chuck and a separate MK2 socket for morse taper bits. Crucially, the 16mm metal capacity matches the 16mm chuck, which is the check that separates an honest listing from a padded one. The table does the practical work: it adjusts for height, tilts and swivels, and has width extension elements for long stock, with an LED lighting the cut. The depth stop is easy to set and the LCD shows the speed you have dialled in. Twelve Amps at 230V would be 2,760W, however — nearly four times the 750W the motor is rated at. The listed 60 Nm of torque would need about 15.7kW at 2,500rpm. Even so, at £339 it costs more than the Bosch, and the speed control is electronic rather than a mechanical two-speed gearbox. If you need repeatable high-torque work in steel beyond 16mm, neither this nor anything else here will do it. Pros: 16mm keyless chuck plus an MK2 taper socket for morse bits; Stepless 450–2,500rpm with LCD speed readout; Table tilts, swivels and extends for large workpieces; Adjustable depth stop and LED work light; 634 ratings at 4.3 stars Cons: £339, the most expensive machine here; Sheet lists 12 Amps, which at 230V implies 2,760W rather than 750W; 60 Nm of torque is not credible from a 750W motor; Included components list only 'Bench drill' — no chuck key or clamp stated ### 3. Scheppach DP60 Bench Pillar Drill, 710W, 13mm Chuck - Price: £159.00 | Amazon rating: 4.1 from 414 ratings - Full review: https://www.ranked10.co.uk/home/best-pillar-drills/scheppach-dp60-pillar-drill - Buy on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08D87DDDK?tag=ranked10-21 The value pick at £159 with laser, LED and digital display, but its bullets claim 40mm in wood while its own spec field says 13mm. Third on kit per pound, not on raw power. For £159 you get a 13mm keyless chuck, a cross-line laser, an LED and a digital readout of speed and depth — features the two machines above charge far more for. Its own bullets claim holes up to 40mm in wood and 13mm in steel. Meanwhile the spec field on the same page gives 13mm in wood and 13mm in metal, a three-fold gap between two lines of one listing. In practice the two-speed gearbox spreads 170–880rpm and 490–2,600rpm, which is a genuinely useful range for a variable speed pillar drill, and the 100mm stroke with 280mm chuck-to-base clearance takes long bits and taller work. The 350 x 300mm base and 9.4kg build keep it steady on a bench, and the supplied quick-release clamp holds flat and round stock. The catch is the 16 Amps on the sheet, which at 230V would be 3,680W from a 710W motor, and a 4.1-star average from 414 ratings that is the lowest here, with 15% of the breakdown at two stars or below. If you need a machine for daily steel work, this is hobby-grade. Pros: £159 for a 13mm chuck, laser, LED and digital speed/depth display; Two speed ranges, 170–880rpm and 490–2,600rpm; 100mm stroke with 280mm chuck-to-base clearance; 350 x 300mm base with a quick-release clamp supplied; 7 years of EU spare part availability listed Cons: Bullets claim 40mm in wood; the spec field says 13mm; Sheet says 16 Amps where a 710W motor draws about 3A; 4.1 stars from 414 ratings, the lowest average in this nine; 13mm is the stated ceiling in steel, so not a metalworker's machine ### 4. Silverline 262212 Bench Drill Press, 350W, 13mm - Price: £115.99 | Amazon rating: 4.2 from 756 ratings - Full review: https://www.ranked10.co.uk/home/best-pillar-drills/silverline-350w-bench-drill - Buy on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B002QRYEBQ?tag=ranked10-21 The best bench drill under £120 if you want a simple belt-drive press: 13mm keyed chuck, 5 speeds, 756 ratings and no inflated headline figures. The cheapest machine here that still has a cast base and a 13mm chuck, and nothing on its sheet contradicts anything else. 350W, 2,650rpm, five belt-drive speeds, 13mm in wood and 13mm in metal. As a pillar drill for a home workshop, that is the whole spec you need. Belt drive means you move the belt to change speed rather than turning a dial, which is slower but has fewer parts to fail. The fixed head and adjustable cast table are the reason a bench drill press beats a hand drill for accuracy: the bit cannot wander because the head cannot move. It takes a 13mm bit, so the practical ceiling in steel is modest. Worth noting the compatible-devices field on the same page calls it a floor drill, against a title that says bench. The trade-off is convenience: five fixed speeds, no digital readout, no laser, no work light, and a keyed rather than keyless chuck, so the chuck key lives within reach. It also lists one year of EU spare part availability, against seven for the Scheppach. Pros: £115.99 with a 13mm chuck and 13mm metal capacity that agree; Strong cast base and machine table for stability; 5-speed belt drive, 350W, up to 2,650rpm; 756 ratings at 4.2 stars; No contradictory figures anywhere in the spec sheet Cons: Keyed chuck — you need the chuck key for every bit change; 1 year of EU spare part availability, the shortest here; No laser, LED or digital speed display; 350W is the joint-lowest power of the mains machines here ### 5. Einhell TC-BD 450 Bench Drill, 450W, Variable Speed - Price: £123.75 | Amazon rating: 4.3 from 384 ratings - Full review: https://www.ranked10.co.uk/home/best-pillar-drills/einhell-bench-drill-450w - Buy on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0987VJLBD?tag=ranked10-21 Cheap for a variable speed pillar drill at £123.75, but its listing is the worst offender here: a 50mm chuck and 50mm metal capacity sit beside a '450 Amps' motor figure. On the headline numbers this looks like the bargain of the group: 450W, 2,650rpm, a 50mm chuck and 50mm capacity in both wood and metal for £123.75. No drill in this list comes close. The same page then says the motor draws "450 Amps", where a 450W motor on 230V draws about 2A, and a bullet describes 50mm as the maximum drilling depth. Three different meanings for one number. What is actually there is reasonable: a three-arm rubberised handle for controlled feed, a ball-bearing spindle, a drilling table that adjusts infinitely in height, rotates 90° and tilts 45°, and a depth stop. In theory a 50mm chuck is enormous — on a 13.6kg bench drill with a 42 x 21.8cm footprint, that is not a thing you see. That said, the second bullet on the listing describes a brushless motor powering through overgrown lawns, text lifted from a completely different product. Which means the written spec here deserves less trust than the photographs. If you want a pillar drill with a straight, checkable spec sheet, the Silverline costs £8 less. Pros: £123.75 for a 5-speed variable speed bench drill up to 2,650rpm; Table adjusts for height, rotates 90° and tilts 45°; Adjustable depth stop and ball-bearing spindle; 4.3 stars from 384 ratings; 13.6kg with a 42 x 21.8cm footprint Cons: Sheet lists '450 Amps'; a 450W motor at 230V draws about 2A; 50mm chuck and 50mm metal capacity are not credible on a 13.6kg frame; One bullet describes a grass cutter and lawn mowing; 50mm appears as chuck size, wood capacity, metal capacity and drilling depth in one listing ### 6. Dirty Pro Tools 350W Pillar Drill, 13mm, 5 Speed - Price: £74.99 | Amazon rating: 4.3 from 160 ratings - Full review: https://www.ranked10.co.uk/home/best-pillar-drills/dirty-pro-tools-pillar-drill - Buy on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0883CT86X?tag=ranked10-21 The cheapest machine with a cast iron table at £74.99, though its own bullets quote a 290mm swing and a 250mm drill in the same list. At £74.99 this is the cheapest 13mm pillar drill here, and the only one whose Amps figure nearly holds up: 1 Amp at 230V is about 230W against a 350W rating, close enough for a belt-drive machine. Chuck size and metal capacity both read 13mm, which is the pair to check. You get a cast iron table with slots for clamping, a telescopic chuck guard and an aluminium motor housing, with five belt-drive speeds up to 2,600rpm. In practice the slotted table is the useful part — it lets you bolt down a vise or clamp, which is how you get repeatable holes rather than one lucky one. However, the same bullet list calls it a 250mm drill and gives the swing as 290mm, while the dimensions field reads 16 x 16 x 58cm. The 18kg shipping weight is heavier than the 13.6kg Einhell that claims twice the capacity, which tells you which frame is built up. If you need a name brand with a spares network, this is not it. Pros: £74.99, the lowest price in this nine; Cast iron slotted table for clamping work down; 5 speeds up to 2,600rpm from a 350W motor; Telescopic chuck guard and aluminium motor housing; 4.3 stars from 160 ratings Cons: Bullets quote a 250mm drill and a 290mm swing on the same listing; 1 Amp listed against a 350W motor, which works out nearer 1.5A; No brand-name spares network; country of origin listed as China; Only 160 ratings, the second-smallest base here ### 7. Clarke CDP102B Bench Drill Press, 350W, 13mm - Price: £119.85 | Amazon rating: 4.1 from 75 ratings - Full review: https://www.ranked10.co.uk/home/best-pillar-drills/clarke-cdp102b-bench-drill - Buy on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01FT128E0?tag=ranked10-21 A 350W, 5-speed press at £119.85 with a drilling depth gauge, held back by a one-word listing and only 75 ratings. Spec-wise this is the Silverline's twin: 350W, 2,620rpm, five speeds, a 13mm chuck, 13mm in wood and 13mm in metal, at £119.85. Nothing contradicts anything else in the sheet. By contrast, its listing runs to a single bullet reading "Portable" and nothing more, which is thin for a £120 machine. A drill press for wood and metal at this price is a fixed-head, belt-drive machine: you set the belt to the speed you want, clamp the work to the table, and feed with the handle. The included drilling depth gauge is the practical extra — it is what turns a drilled hole into a repeatable one. Where it falls down is evidence. There are 75 ratings, with 12% of the breakdown at two stars or below, against 756 ratings for the Silverline at the same money. At the same time, a 4.1 average from 75 buyers is a small sample. Either way, if you want a large review base before you spend, this is not the one. Pros: 350W, 5 speeds, 13mm chuck and 13mm metal capacity; Drilling depth gauge included; £119.85, within a few pounds of the Silverline; Belt drive up to 2,620rpm; Compact, portable format Cons: Only 75 ratings, the smallest review base here; 4.1 stars, the joint-lowest average with the Scheppach; The entire bullet list is the single word 'Portable'; No laser, LED or digital speed display ### 8. KATSU Mini Bench Drill Press, 100W, 6mm Chuck - Price: £64.99 | Amazon rating: 4.3 from 539 ratings - Full review: https://www.ranked10.co.uk/home/best-pillar-drills/katsu-mini-bench-drill - Buy on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00KBYXPCU?tag=ranked10-21 The cheapest way into a bench drill press at £64.99, with the only listing here whose Amps figure agrees with its wattage. This is a different class of machine, and the listing is mostly straight about it: 100W, a 6mm chuck, 6.35mm in wood and 3.18mm in metal. Compare that with the 13mm metal capacity the £75 and £116 machines claim. The 0.55 Amps at 220V works out near 121W, which is the closest a listing here comes to its own wattage figure. Speed is set by moving the belt between three pulley positions — 0–8,500rpm, 0–6,500rpm or 0–5,000rpm — and a handle lock holds the head down for repeated holes. In practice it drills small holes straight in plastic, thin sheet and softwood, which a hand drill will not do reliably. The catch is torque: 45 inch-pounds is about 5Nm, and at 8,500rpm that would need roughly 4.5kW from a 100W motor. Even so, at £64.99 with 539 ratings at 4.3 stars, it is the cheapest honest way to try a bench drill press before spending three figures. Do not buy it for anything above 6mm. Pros: £64.99, the lowest price here; 0.55 Amps at 220V is consistent with the 100W rating; 539 ratings at 4.3 stars; Three pulley speed ranges, topping out at 8,500rpm; Handle lock holds the head down for repeat holes Cons: 6mm chuck and 3.18mm metal capacity — small work only; 45 inch-pounds is impossible at 8,500rpm from a 100W motor; A '0 to 8,500rpm' claim describes a belt-drive machine; 5.25kg with a 12.8 x 10.9cm footprint leaves little room for stock ### 9. ZELCAN Magnetic Drill Press, 1100W, 40mm Boring - Price: £209.49 | Amazon rating: 4.4 from 35 ratings - Full review: https://www.ranked10.co.uk/home/best-pillar-drills/zelcan-magnetic-drill-press - Buy on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08V4F387V?tag=ranked10-21 Not a bench machine at all — a magnetic drill press that grips steel with 12,000N, listed because it is the answer when the hole goes in a beam. This one is the odd entry and worth saying plainly: there is no table and no base to clamp to a bench. It is a magnetic drill press that anchors itself to steel with 12,000 N of electromagnetic force, bores 40mm across and 50mm deep at 550rpm, and runs on a 1100W motor. £209.49 buys a very different tool from everything above. The numbers here are the loosest in the list. "1100 Amps" is printed where the motor is rated 1100W — mains tools draw single-digit amps, not four figures. The chuck is given as 1.6 inches, about 40.6mm, which does match the 40mm boring diameter and the 40.64mm metal capacity. It ships with 11 core drill bits, a coolant tank, a safety rope and a drill chuck. That said, at 4.4 stars it has the highest average here, from only 35 ratings — the smallest sample of the nine. If you want a benchtop pillar drill for a home workshop, this is the wrong tool by design. If you are drilling into an installed beam or a girder, it is the only one here that can. Pros: 12,000 N electromagnetic base anchors to steel with no bench needed; Bores 40mm across and 50mm deep at 550rpm; 11 core drill bits, coolant tank and safety rope included; 11kg at 25 x 8 x 33cm — portable to the workpiece; 4.4 stars, the highest average here Cons: No table or bench mounting — not a pillar drill in the usual sense; '1100 Amps' listed against a 1100W motor; Only 35 ratings, the smallest review base in this nine; Useless on timber, plastic and anything non-ferrous ## Verdict For most homes, the Silverline 262212 at £115.99 is the safe buy: a 13mm chuck and 13mm metal capacity that agree with each other, 756 ratings, and nothing on the sheet contradicting anything else. If you want the laser, LED and digital depth readout, the Scheppach DP60 costs £43 more and gives up nothing in chuck size. Meanwhile, if you can spend £279, the Bosch PBD 40 is the most capable bench pillar drill here and the only one with a digital speed and depth system. And if your holes have to go into a steel beam rather than a bench, no pillar drill will do it — the ZELCAN magnetic press is the one tool here for that, with 12,000N of grip.