WEN 4210 Vs 4212 – Which Drill Press is Best?

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WEN have been manufacturing high quality and robust power tools that have received many plaudits from those who have used them over the years.

Of all their power tools, we found that their drill presses are their best ones. In this review we will be looking at two of the best ones currently manufactured by WEN. We will look at the functions and features of each one and then compare them with one another.

Drill presses are unique types of drills that you will find in any metal or wood crafter’s workshop across the land. Although cordless hand held drills are the most widely used types of drills, they do not provide the same level of efficiency and accuracy for drilling into soft metals and wood that drill presses do.

What a drill press is, is an upright drill which has been bolted onto a work table with a platform and holes where your work piece can be placed on. Work pieces can be clamped down or positioned to make sure you get a hole drilled exactly where it is needed.

This is something that obviously can not be done with a hand drill as the hole is likely to move slightly. A drill press will guarantee more accurate holes each and every time. As a result of its ergonomic design, stress to the users body is also eliminated with a drill press as the power tool does all the hard work.

Drill presses are particularly useful for larger construction jobs and for professional tradesmen, such as furniture makers who require greater levels of precision. They are also desirable amongst those individuals who need a fast level of output.

In our review we will specifically focus on both the WEN 4210 and the WEN 4212 drill press. We will determine each of their strengths, weaknesses, and our recommendation on which one you should purchase.

WEN 4210

Table of Contents

This particular model has a powerful 3.2 amp motor, meaning it can tackle almost all jobs that it is put up against. It will make particularly light work of any wood work piece you put in its path. It will also easily go through most metals that are between 2 and 3 inch thick.

The 4210 will be able to put a hole in thinner steel work pieces, but will struggle with thicker steel. The drill press can be set at 5 different speeds, which range from 600 RPM at the lowest setting through to 3,100 RPM on the highest setting.

When drilling through tougher and thicker work pieces like metal, the lower speed settings should be used. For softer materials, such as wood, the higher speed settings should be used to increase efficiency.

This model of drill press is bigger than most others currently available on the market. This means it can handle larger work pieces. It also means you have a bigger table space so that you can drill holes that are as deep as up to 2.5 inch.

Its work bench has the ability to tilt at an angle of as much as 45 degrees, both to the right and to the left. This enables you to drill holes at perfect angles. The drill press also has a gauge for adjusting the depth and can be locked into place – a feature that is not normally found on most drill presses.

Check out the price of the WEN 4210

The 4210’s LED light helps to illuminate the bench. Additionally, there is a laser guide which shows you exactly where the drill head will be. This will help to increase the accuracy and precision of your work.

Specifications

A 3.2 amp motor
Up to 3,100 RPM
A total weight of 54.4 lbs.
An LED bench light
A laser guide
A 45 degree angle
A maximum drill depth of 2.5 inch

Pros

An abundance of good features
A good range of speeds
Work bench can tilt up to 24 degrees
Work bench is illuminated

Cons

Manual adjustment of tensions on the belt is required to change speed
Thick steel can not be drilled through due to the motor not being strong enough

What we don’t like about the WEN 4210

Although it is not a big issue, in order to change the speed setting on this model the drill press needs opening and the tension level of the belt adjusted accordingly – depending on whether you want the speed decreasing or increasing.

The 4210 will struggle when it comes to drilling through the thickest of metals, such as steel. Its 3.2 amp motor is just not strong enough for such tasks. If you do want to try and drill through steel we recommend using the lowest speed setting and taking lots of care.

What others say about the WEN 4210

“I’m sure it’s not appropriate for professional use but it will allow to drill holes at home that you are 100% guaranteed to screw up otherwise if you tried it with a hand drill.”

“I’ve been using this one for a while and have been very impressed. It’s done everything I’ve asked of it thus far.”

WEN 4212

This model by WEN features an impressive 4.5 amp motor meaning it is highly powerful drill press that will handle pretty much all jobs that come its way. It will make light work of both hard and soft work pieces.

Although it will easily go through metal, be sure to select the correct drill bits. This will stop them from becoming damaged or breaking altogether. The 4212 is able to operate at a wide range of speeds. Its range is from 530 RPM through to 3,100 RPM.

The lower end of the drill presses speed capabilities are perfect for when going through thicker maters such as hardwoods and heavy duty steel. Use the higher end of the speed controls when going through softwoods such as pine. Its work bench is large meaning it is capable of handling the biggest of work pieces. The 4212 can accommodate a thickness of as much as 5 inch. Along with its impressive swing, this model is able to tackle most professional grade projects.

This model boasts a work bench that can tilt to a maximum angle of 45 degrees to both the right and to the left. This gives it the versatility to drill angled holes. As standard, this model comes with a laser guide that is built in for those times when you need accurate work doing. The press drills work table is made out of a cast iron meaning it is super strong and will last for a life time, even with heavy use.

Check out the price of the WEN 4212

Specifications

A 4.5 amp motor
Up to 3,100 RPM
A total weight of 62.4 lbs.
A 45 degree angle
A maximum drill depth of over 3 inch

Pros

A robust motor
A good range of speeds
A strong build
Long length of the spindle

Cons

Manual adjustment of tensions on the belt is required to change speed

What we don’t like about the WEN 4212

We struggled to find anything we do not like with this model. One slight niggle is that it can be quite difficult to adjust the height of the table shaft.

What others say about the WEN 4212

“Simply amazing machine for the price. It is well worth the extra $50 to step up from the 4210 to get the following features: mechanical variable speed (no more mucking with the belts), laser guide, digital speed readout.”

“Very happy with this drill press. Easy to assemble with good instructions. Very quiet smooth motor with very minor vibration to the table. Love the variable speed control and RPM digital readout. Also, the rotary depth gauge wheel works great for setting the drill depth or using a drum sander to set and hold that position to free your hand to hold your work piece while sanding.”

Conclusion

Both of the WEN press drills are high powered power tools that are capable of doing pretty much any job that comes their way. Although the 4210 has lots of power and can handle almost all tasks, it is the 4212 that is the more powerful of the two models and can handle the most heavy duty of tasks.

The motor on the 4212 is 4.2 amp so it gives it an edge over the 4210. It can comfortably drill through more dense materials, such as thick steel, with absolute ease. We do advise that when drilling through these types of materials that you use the appropriate drill bits.

Something else we liked about the 4212 is that it has a better ability of speed control meaning you can perfectly adjust the drill presses’ speed to suit your needs rather than relying on the standard preprogrammed settings.

Regardless of which WEN model you go for, you should be highly satisfied with your press drill. However, with only a slightly higher price tag, we recommend the 4212 as it is much stronger than the 4210. This means you can work on larger more heavy duty tasks.