A reliable workbench can serve you for a lifetime, be that in domestic or commercial uses. But its potential and longevity are reliant on several factors that you should consider when browsing.
In this buying guide, we will take you through our handpicked range of the best workbenches and explain your key considerations when shopping for a new workbench.
Optimise your workflow today by choosing the best workbench for your purpose.
Our Choice of the Best Workbenches
We offer an impressive range of workbenches, each with its own unique features aimed at a wide range of implementations, be they residential, industrial, or commercial. To help you decide between them, and streamline your browsing experience, we have picked out our favourite categories in the range.
- Half Undershelf Workbenches: Like our half undershelf workstation, this model comes with a short chipboard shelf beneath the main surface, which is ideal for extra storage as well as leg room for seated work.
- T-Bar Workbenches: This is our standard workbench, with a simple yet durable chipboard top and reinforced metal leg frame for added stability.
- Full Undershelf Workbenches: With a spacious chipboard shelf below the worktop, you can keep bulky items out of the way but still easily accessible while you work.
- Heavy-Duty Mobile Workbenches: If you want a workbench that can be moved easily around a busy and highly adaptive workshop, our portable workbenches are a prime choice, with high-strength chipboard shelving and lockable wheels for stability.
Workbenches VS Workstations: What Is The Difference?
Workbenches and workstations are very similar, but do stand as two separate types of equipment. Workstations are far more complex in their composition, and exist as a specialist variation of the standard workbench.
We have plenty of workstations to choose from, each designed to fulfil specific tasks:
- T-Bar Workstations: Perfect heavy-duty working and come with sturdy chipboard shelving for additional storage.
- Long Packing Workstations: Ideal for assembly and packing in workplaces such as storerooms, warehouses, and workshops.
- Wide Packing Workstations: A horizontal variation of our long packing workstation, with two dispenser poles for roll and bubble wrap.
- Undershelf Workstations: Similar to our T-bar with a wide chipboard surface beneath the tabletop for storing bulky items.
- Half Undershelf Workstations: This is identical to the above model, but the chipboard undershelf is half the size, leaving leg room for those that need to sit at their workstation.
How to Choose the Best Workbench for You
Whether you are carrying out general DIY at home or in your garage, or more heavy-duty tasks within a workplace, you need a workbench with the right strengths. But with so many different types out there, it can be tricky to know exactly which to go for.
When choosing the best workbench for you and your task, you should always:
1. Consider Its Size and Capacity
You need to first make sure that the workbench you choose will provide adequate space for your intended purpose, this includes the load capacity of the table itself which is a vital consideration if you are working with weighty items and want to do so safely.
2. Opt For Reliable Durability
Once you have the perfect dimensions marked down, the next thing you need to look for is a material that corresponds to the work at hand. Workbenches can be made from a wide range of high-strength materials, including hardwood and metal.
Hardwood is a good all-round choice, generally speaking. However, if you are working with power tools that produce a lot of heat, sparks, or flames, then a metal surface would be better.
3. Test Its Stability
You need your workbench to be sturdy while you carry out tasks on it. Make sure the legs are supported and do not cause any wobble. Instability in a workbench can cause harm to you and those around you, especially if you are working with hazardous equipment and tools that require precision.
Some workbenches are made to be mobile, with four wheels fixed to the base of the surface, and though these may not be appropriate for extremely hardwearing work, the wheels are often designed to lock.
4. Consider Organisational Features
Some workbenches are made with tier systems above or below the main surface, which you can use to store extra supplies and tools within reach. If you are working with a lot of small items, for example, nails and screws, you may want a workbench that includes a space for storage.
5. Look For Functional Versatility
A simple, fixed workbench will suit most people and most kinds of work, but some more unusual practices may require a wider range of motion. Some workbenches are made with the ability to tilt and can also come with adjustable heights within the legs. If you require angled work or a more adaptable approach to working, this may be an important thing to consider.
6. Consult Your Budget
The final thing to take into account is, of course, price. Though you need a workbench that suits the work you want to carry out on it, and comes with additional functionality and features to aid the process, you also need a model that is affordable.
Luckily for you and your budget, we offer a wide range of workbenches and workstations to suit almost any application and price constraint. Within our range, you are sure to find the perfect workbench for you.