About this deal
Vertical clamping, inboard measurement markings, tool storage, and wobble-free chassis design are some of the attributes we valued highly in testing. At first glance the Clarke bench looks similar to our winning Workmate, with legs that can be deployed or folded to give two possible working heights. It also has a step so you can put a foot on it comfortably to steady the bench while using a saw, or can reach high up if working on a tall parts such as a bumper. If money was no object, we’d choose the innovative Mac Allister Folding Workbench. It is easy to use, and the size of the surfaces makes it much more useful for most automotive tasks. It also folds down neatly for storage.
All our products, bar the Stanley, have cross-pieces providing additional bracing between the legs, with the WORX and Keter turning these braces into practical tool storage. The stated maximum weight capacity is 100kg, but it felt wobbly even when we loaded it with a wheel and tyre. It’s best left for lighter duty jobs such as painting, where the price means you won’t be so worried about messing it up like you might a more expensive workbench. Clarke CFWB1 Draper provides limited information on this workbench, but it’s not our shortlist’s most sophisticated or advanced product. It’s by some distance the cheapest, which is a compelling advantage, though you get what you pay for with this workbench. The work boards themselves are larger too, with handy measurements for length and angles which could make fabricating parts easier. Once you’ve finished working, the Draper collapses easily and folds almost flat to make storage easier.Adjustable pegs also simplify the job of positioning objects on the table. The only product which doesn’t come with clamps is the Stanley – the main reason it achieves a lower points score than our test-winning WORX. Maximum Load Weight Clamps range from basic handles to more sophisticated affairs, but any clamp ought to pin even heavy timbers firmly in place. Bosch claims you can dismantle their product in five seconds, which is an impressive claim if hardly ground-breaking. Our primary concern — and the reason for its relatively low overall score — is that this is the most expensive product we tested, yet it doesn’t excel in any specific area. Pros
Of the products we tested, WORX’s reinforced-steel chassis and Keter’s 3D design were particularly impressive tools of the trade. The really remarkable feature of the Workmate is the maximum load capacity – a whopping 250kg. That’s enough to hold a Rover V8 engine. We didn’t test it to that extreme, but it certainly felt perfectly secure with our heavy wheel and differential. Mac Allister Folding Workbench 850MM – Recommended
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There are some downsides though. The half-hour it takes to assemble the bench might be forgotten after a while but is certainly an irritation at the time. But the weedy 100kg capacity means you’ll be a little limited as to what the Minotaur can be used for, and it feels a little wobblier when faced with a heavy wheel or other weighty component. Weight is more significant, especially if you’re going to be lugging a bench up and down your stairs alongside tool bags and other equipment. That saving is almost enough to buy the third-placed Minotaur. It’s flawed in many ways, but we loved the ability to tilt the jaws to work on awkward items.