In a hurry? The WEN 4214 is an entry-level 12-inch drill press made by one of the lesser-known brands. That said, it is one of the best selling drill presses and is popular especially among the amateur woodworking crowd. While it is large and powerful enough for most projects, if you are a metalworker, you might want to look at other products instead.
Drill presses are a staple in many workshops. They come in several different sizes with 12-inch ones like the WEN 4214 reviewed below being one of the more common ones.
Continue reading to see whether the product is worth getting. Among other things, we will take a look at the specifications and quality of the WEN 4214, at its advantages and disadvantages, and at how it compares to some of its competitors.
WEN 4214 Drill Press: The Basics
Before diving into the WEN 4214’s advantages and disadvantages – and into how it compares with other drill presses, let’s take a look at the product itself.
Specifications
The WEN 4214 is a 12-inch benchtop drill press. It operates using a 2/3 HP induction motor, drawing 5 amps. Its speed ranges from 580 to 3,200 revolutions per minute and is conveniently displayed on its digital face.
It comes stocked with a 9.5 x 9.5-inch cast-iron table. The table can tilt either direction for a total of 90 degrees of rotation.
Quality
Quality is the most important part when buying a power tool, and the WEN 4214 is built to last.
Its construction is mainly metal which means that over time there will be little to no failure due to material choice. There is no major design flaw that leads to poor quality of the machine either – its construction is very purposeful and well-thought-out.
Usability
Every WEN 4214 has a built in depth gauge that will help you with the precision of each cut. The depth gauge shows how much you’ve adjusted the depth of each knob.
The drill press also has a guiding light that will illuminate your material as you cut it. It is laser-equipped to ensure you line each job up perfectly. Lastly, its speed is variable to ensure that your drill press is optimized for the material type and thickness, drill size, and depth of cut.
Should You Buy the WEN 4214?
There are a lot of different reasons to buy the WEN 4214 drill press, and there aren’t many downsides in doing so. It’s not an expensive tool for what it achieves, and it offers a lot of versatility as far as jobs that it can complete are concerned.
It is a good tool to have in the corner of your woodshop, garage, or shed because you are sure to find a project in which the WEN 4214 will be the best choice.
Pros of the WEN 4214 Drill Press
This drill press has a lot going for it – below are some of the main advantages it offers.
It’s affordable.
The number one advantage of the WEN 4214 is its price.
It is much more affordable than its competitors, even though it doesn’t underperform. Although it’s a less expensive option, the WEN 4214 is a high quality, versatile drill press with useful functions. If cost is the driving constraint and you don’t want to sacrifice the overall functionality of your drill press, the WEN 4214 is worth placing at the top of your “to-consider list.”
It offers different speed settings.
A drill press is no good if the speed is fixed.
Fortunately, the WEN 4214 has a variable speed that ranges from 580 to 3,200 revolutions per minute.
It’s powerful.
This drill press creates a surprising amount of power from its 2/3 horsepower motor.
It drills quickly and effortlessly through wood and thin sheet metal. For a drill of this size, that is a decent amount of power, and for the WEN 4214’s price, the power delivered is on the higher end.
It’s constructed rigidly.
The metal construction of the WEN 4214 means that it’s not only a durable piece but also that it’s a rigid drill press. In other words, it is stable and doesn’t move easily while in use.
This is very important because it improves accuracy, results in cleaner holes, and gives less room for error.
Cons of the WEN 4214 Drill Press
While the WEN 4214 drill press is a solid product and has many advantages, there is one major drawback that you need to consider before you decide to buy it.
It offers no spindle lock.
The major downside of the WEN 4214 is that there’s no spindle lock.
The spindle lock makes it so neither the chuck nor drill bit can turn. Since there is no spindle lock, the bit can rotate when it is undesirable to do so.
Who Is the WEN 4214 Drill Press Ideal For?
The WEN 4214 drill press is a very versatile tool and accommodates different people.
You can find a use for it if you’re a machinist, mechanic, carpenter, woodworker, construction worker, hobbyist, or even a metalworker.
It performs best when working with wood, but there’s nothing stopping it from drilling into softer metals and plastics. It’s low-cost, has a smaller profile and low weight meaning everyday hobbyists can enjoy it just as much as professionals.
What Are the Alternatives?
When you’re looking for a drill press, there are a lot of options. While the WEN 4214 is well-worth considering, you shouldn’t disregard other brands’ products either.
One of the competitors of the WEN 4214 is the SKIL 3320-01. A drill press with more features, reliability, and priced higher is the Jet 716200 Jdp-15B. Another benchtop unit that can be compared to the reviewed product is the Shop Fox W1668. It offers more features and is more robust than the WEN but is more expensive too.
If, on the other hand, you think you could use something smaller, consider the WEN 4208 which I reviewed earlier. You should also check my comparison of the four most popular WEN drill presses.
Summary
If you are looking for a drill press to help you with woodworking or lighter metalwork – and a 12-inch one will be large enough, then you should certainly keep the WEN 4214 at the top of your list. Especially so if you are a hobbyist or do not need to be using a drill press too often.
The reason for that is that while this product is not the best one out there in terms of functionality, it is very solidly built yet affordable.
If you want to learn more about drill presses in general, make sure to also check my articles about what they are used for, about drill press vises, and about must-have accessories.