Top 10 – Best Floor Drill Press (2024 Ultimate Guide)

Option #1: WEN 4214 12-Inch Variable Speed Drill Press

Option #2: Shop Fox W1848 Oscillating Floor Drill Press

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Shop fox have been known to create very impressive benchtop drill presses, however,  they have added a great floor drill press.

This machine is equipped with a powerful ¾ HP motor that operates off 110V. The drill chuck can accommodate drill bits with a shank of between 1/64 – 5/8’’.

It is practically a 2 in 1 machine that has floor drilling functionality and is designed to be a sander as well.

So if you want a powerful tool that has the added benefit of being a sander, then this floor drill press can definitely work for you.

It has a rack and pinion style level which provides precise and accurate control to the spindle. The spindle on the Shop Fox W1848 floor drill press can move 3-1/4 inches.

I must say I was quite impressed by this floor presses table. Although not to much of a fan of it being round. It still provided full flexibility as the table can turn 90 degrees in both directions.

This table (which is 12-3/8 inches in diameter) is also fitted with slots to allow for a multitude of grip and clamp options which is a huge plus.

As always I almost always look for product information and guides. Shop fox provides very detailed information in this regard.

They give you a:

Specification sheet (Which provides in very good detail all the technical parameters including shipping and product dimensions).

One thing I found very reassuring in this guide was that they provide bearings that are permanently lubricated and shielded. Meaning they are no maintenance items.

This is great as it increases the overall life of your motor and the floor drill press itself.

User Manual  - Thus manual is very standard 52 pages in length.

What I found extremely helpful however is that the operations and assembly section comes with picture instructions.

If you are anything like me, pictures are everything when it comes to user manuals and I must say the Shop fox floor drill press passes with flying colors.

They give nuggets of warning and notices as well. Safety is a must when using and operating mechanical tools.

Lastly, they provide a detailed parts list.

This is great because it gives you an indication of exactly what your machine is made of and the specific part number if you ever need to get it replaced.

I must say this floor drill press surprised me it’s robustly built, and has a strong motor.

It definitely makes the list as one of the best floor drill presses, and one I definitely recommend worth checking out.

Option #3: BILT HARD 13 inch Floor Drill Press

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The BILT HARD 13 inch Floor drill press has a very high powered drilling operation.

This is one of the best floor drill presses due to it’s versatility.

It operates off 120V and has a wide speed from 220 3600 RPM with 16 variable speeds with this range.

The induction motor is also quite powerful (3/4 HP) and it surpasses the standard amperage found for such motors being around the 5A range.

In terms of versatility is has a keyed chuck with a range of 7/64’’ to 5/9 inches. Making it extremely adept to drilling everything from high processed steel to softer materials such as your plywood and certain plastic polymers.

This entire machine is made from cast metal, making it very strong and sturdy.

I personally really like the 11.41 inch working table. It comes with slots and holes which really make it really easy to clamp any material for perpendicular or angled drill holes.

The spindle housing can swing 13-1/4 inches whilst being able to travel down 3-1/8 inches. It is controlled controlled using a lever that operates off a pinion and rack.

The pinion and rack system really improves the overall control it gives you the overall leverage to really get clean and solid cut holes even on extremely hard material such as highly abrasive materials (i.e. stainless steel).

This floor drill press is also certified by the CSA , an internationally recognized organization primarily dedicated to safe and sustainable products.

I really like this when looking to floor drill presses because it gives me the impression, that the manufacturers of the BILT hard floor drill press are dedicated to producing a quality product.

Overall this floor drill press is great value for money. It comes with great user manual and instruction guide to get everything put together.

Option #4: Jet JWDP-12 12" Variable-Speed Drill Press (716000)

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The JET flood drill press is designed to for woodworkers.

It is a powerful drill press with a very strong ½ HP motor and 5A induction motor making it adept at drilling through many different materials such as wood, steel and plastics.

I am a big fan of it’s 10’’ x 16-1/8’’ cast iron base, and the large paddle switch found on the head of the drill chassis. Making this motor very well adapted to tight spaces and ergonomically designed with safety at the forefront.

It has the typical 5/8’’ drill chuck and the spindle can travel over 3-1/8’’ allowing for a cuts at a variety of depths.

What is very interesting about this drill is that JET has their very own proprietary laser technology they call XACTA for increased drilling accuracy.

This drill press really surprised me, the large ergonomic knob is very easy to operate. It also uses the standard pinion and rack mechanical system to allow drilling without losing torque.

On top of all the above features, there is an LED light which you can switch on for increased overall visibility, especially when working on tight and intricate drilling operations.

The JET Floor drill press has a retractable roller which provides for extension support and quick adjustments to the working environment. Making the tool very agile.

The most impressive thing about this drill, and this really got me excited is that they provide a 5 year product warranty. That is huge!

In the floor drill press industry, getting 2-3 years is fantastic. 5 years is super rare. This gives great comfort knowing that you will get a floor drill press that is strong and reliable, and that you can easily request maintenance of latent defects at no cost.

One thing I was not very happy about is that they are very thin when it comes to the operating manual, product datasheet and parts list. All they seem to provide is a 20 page document.

This is not up to standard with the other floor drill presses who provide much greater information around the safety, operation and maintenance of their presses.

However with all of these said and done, This is one of the best floor drill presses on the market without a doubt.

Option #5: Grizzly Industrial G0784-15" Heavy-Duty Floor Drill Press

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Grizzly are  well known brand, especially when it comes to industrial floor drill presses.

The G0784-15 floor drill press however is compact and can well fantastically in your mechanical or woodworking workshop.

Its an absolute workhorse. The 2HP motor is able to draw 8.6A of current. To give you a bit of background, the industry standard is between 5 – 6A.

So by getting this drill press you are absolutely ensured to have a very powerful floor drill press.

It is very agile as well, the taper spindle has 15 inches of swings, coupled with very granular downfeed control. A sturdy base which comprises of a 14’’ x 15’’ precision cast iron table makes this a really good choice.

The table has plenty of T slots which make it extremely easy to mount and secure any material you want to drill.

The head has been equipped with the same rack and pinion control mechanism as the adjustable table, which very easily can move 7-13/16 inches vertically.

This coupled with a table tilt of 60 degrees in either direction will give you ample options when looking to drill perpendicular or angled holes through any material.

It is also equipped with a great feature to allow you to drill either left or right.

I am not a fan of their 1 year warranty. Industry standard for these types of machines is usually between 2 – 3 years. So I must say I am slightly disappointed on that front. It also uses 220V and not 110V. Which is something worth noting.

I must say that I commend their manufacturing process. The parts are made following very strict manufacturing procedures in line with ISO 9001 factor standards.

They have great documentation which includes product manuals, the parts list and the general operations and assembly documentation.

If you are looking for a great floor drill press with advanced adjustability and good speed options, then the Grizzly is one , if not the top 3 best floor drill press you can find.

Option #6: Klutch Floor Drill Press - Variable Speed with Digital Display

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The Klutch floor drill press is a sturdy, compact and power option.

It has a 5/8 inch capacity drill chuck making it extremely versatile with a wide array of drill bit. It also has a maximum drilling capacity of 6 inches with a the vertical stroke.

This provide great range in which the drill can operate.

The worktable is square 14’’ x 14’’. If you are a fan of circular working table, then this could get a bit of getting used.

However it is very spacious and provides ample spaces and t-slots to install any clamps and fasten drilling material accordingly.

The working table can also tilt 45 degrees either direction, allowing for a multitude of different drilling options.

One thing that I do like a lot about this floor drill press, is that it has a built in chuck storage, making it easy to store you chuck key.

It has a large and clear digital display which provides RPM reading during your drilling operations.

It uses a MT2 arbor adapter with a JT3 chuck having a maximum of 5/8’’.

What is interesting you will also find that the chuck has a rubber stow spot on the side of the drill. This is a small feature but it greatly increases grip and drilling efficiency.

For the price that you will be paying for this floor drill press, it is very difficult to find one that will be of better quality.

However it should be noted, that although this floor drill press is not for ultra precision metal works, it will do the job for almost 99% of what your typical wood worker or DIYer would require.

Which for me is more than enough.

Option #7: Sunex 5000A 16-Speed Floor UL/CSA Drill Press

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The SUNEX 16 speed floor drill press is a great addition to anyones workshop.

It has a heavy duty ¾ Hp motor with a 5/8 inch drilling capacity. Furthermore it has been thoroughly tested and approved by international testing bodies.

The best feature about this floor drill press is that it has a table that can easily rotate 360 degrees, whilst being able to flip 45 degrees in either direction.

I am a bit disappointed by the information provided by this manufacturer in terms of the user manual and product item information. I feel that they could have made it a bit more robust.

Either way is is a very sleek looking floor drill press, not the most powerful but can definitely do a decent job.

Overall though it is very easy to use, and that is why it makes the list of the best floor drill press. You cannot go wrong with this drill press.

Option #8: JET J-A5816 15-Inch 1-Horsepower

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JET are on of the marque manufacturers of high quality floor drill presses.

All of their drill presses come with variable speed motors, coupled with stepped pulley systems to allow for continuous and seamless variable speed transmission.

The J-A5816 model is no different. It comes with a 16 step variable speed between 400 and 5000 RPM. It also has a 3’’ column diameter which makes it easier to provide maximum drilling support.

The s-1/4 inch quill allow for overall greater accuracy, making this floor drill press a really solid overall option.

JET also provides the standard 2 year limited warranty with all of their products.

The turning handle is very easy to use and this drill comes pre-assembled making it very easy to put together.

The motor is very quiet, yet still very powerful.

The after sale support is synonymous with JET, they have extremely good technical support either through their call centre or via the use of their product and user manuals.

The base is however a bit on the shallow side (20-7/16’’ x 14-3/16’’), and it would’ve been great if it was a bit wider.

The motor is 1HP, and it can connect to the mains supply at either 110V or 230V single phase.

This floor drill press has the whole works, an LED speed display screen, depth stop for accurate and repeatable measurements, an head lock to keep the overall housing in place and an adjustable table rack to allow for flexibility during the drill.

The J-A5816 definitely makes the list of the best floor drill press.

Option #9: Powermatic PM2800B, 18-Inch Drill Press, 1 HP, 115/230V (1792800B)

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The Powermatic floor drill press is a fantastic drill press especially for woodworkers.

It is simple to use and provides great performance and additional functionality.

The floor drill has a 6’’ quill with just one rev of the handle. It is also coupled with a 5/8’’ keyed chuck for robust drilling operation.

The variable speed without the need to apply any belt changes is a great feature. The large cast iron base provides further stability as well.

Making it easy to drill into large and uneven logs of wood.

There are a couple of interesting features, these include two independently adjustable LED lights and it the table can easily be rotated 90 degrees.

The motor has 1 HP operating at 115V.

One thing worth noting is that this drill press like all normally operating non reversing drill presses are capacitor start. This means that you can reverse drill if you were to install a DPDT switch tightly connected with your induction motor.

One thing that this floor drill press is missing is that the table does not have the X slots. This makes it a bit cumbersome to use.

Option #10: SHOP FOX W1680 1-Horsepower 17-Inch Floor Model Drill Press

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The Sho Fox W1680 floor drill press is a very popular name in the world of professional, and DIY woodworkers.

This drill press has been known to have extremely high quality drill presses that are very high performing and extremely durable.

It superbly technically sound with a couple of amazing feature that are worth highlighting.

It has a 1HP alimunium finned motor that operates at 110V. The swing of the drill is 17’’ and the drill chuck can handle drill bits from 1/16’’ all the way up to 5/8’’. Which is standard for such machines.

It uses a JT-3 arbor and the spindle can travel 3-1/4’’ operating at a speed of between 150 and 3050 RPMs (12 speed variability).

This is an extremely powerful and compact floor drill press. What I find even more impressive is that it is also very accurate. This is due to the Morse Taper spindle. This spindle basically allows you to produce clean, precise and consistent cuts with very little setup.

The 14 diameter tilting table is a great. It has a “6-X” slot design making it easy to mount any material either wood or metal. This table can tilt 90 degrees in either direction.

What makes this machine so much more versatile than its counterparts is that is has a maximum 31-1/2 inch drilling depth from chuck to table.

Enough of the technical information, this drill press also just looks good. It is very aesthetically pleasing. This coupled with it’s rugged solid cast iron construction and stable ground table make it one of the best if not the best floor drill press in the market.

My Overall #1 Top Pick - WEN 4227T 13-Amp 12-Speed Floor Standing Drill Press

Final Thoughts on the best floor drill press

I hope this guide has been helpful to you, in your search of the best floor drill press. 

Feel free to share this information with anyone else you think could benefit from it. Whether they are professional woodworkers or your occasional weekend warrior. 

There is a floor drill press for everyone.