Who Makes The Best Magnetic Drill Press?

A magnetic drill press is a very useful tool in a variety of applications and is often times irreplaceable when drilling large holes that require a lot of down force. Large holes that would take you 30 minutes to drill with a standard corded drill can take you less than 5 minutes with a magnetic drill press. Today we are going to tell you what brand, features and specifications to look for when choosing a magnetic drill.

What Brands Do We Recommend?

Brands We Trust: Dewalt, Milwaukee, Metabo and Hougen

The general rule of “you get what you pay for” very much applies to buying a magnetic drill press. Name brands like Dewalt and Milwaukee are going to give you the best value and performance. These machines will hold up to a professional working environment and provide you with hassle free operation. They also include credible factory warranties that will protect your investment if you do encounter a problem.

Magnetic drill press machines do take a lot of abuse and tend to be worked very hard. With this being the case, we find that getting a rugged machine that can withstand some abuse is well worth the extra money. The most common failure points on a magnetic drill press machine will be the electric motor or the electric magnet. Both Dewalt and Milwaukee have proven to us over the years to be the most durable as we have had zero failures on either.

Dewalt DWE1622K Magnetic Drill Press (2-Speed)

The Dewalt DWE1622k is our number one pick for our fabrication needs. It comes with a 10 amp motor 2-speed motor that runs at both 300/450 RPM. This drill features an overload light that will keep the motor within a safe operating load pressure which in return will give you confidence you’re not overheating the motor. If it’s being overloaded the light will flash and you can adjust your pressure accordingly. This drill is rated with a 2-inch annual cutting capacity and has 4 3/8 inch of travel. The magnet is plenty strong allowing you to apply up to 741 lbs of drill point pressure. This machine also comes paired with a 3 year limited warranty from Dewalt.

This by far the best drill under $1000 and it’s power and durability are unmatched by cheaper brands. You can view a full list of specs on Dewalts website.

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How Do Manufactures Measure Magnetic Drill Press Sizes?

Typically a magnetic drill press’s capacity and power is measured by its maximum annular cutting capacity. You’ll find that name brands like Dewalt and Milwaukee will give you accurate performance numbers, while cheap off brands tend to inflate their performance numbers. They do this to try and convince buyers that their drill are more capable than other manufactures. So if you do buy a cheaper off brand machine be careful when drilling large annular holes.

Are Cheap Chinese Brands Any Good?

In general, we tell customers to stay away from cheaper brands as they don’t perform as well and are not as durable as name brand units. That being said they do work and can be useful to certain users who really don’t have the budget to spend on a more expensive machine. We often times tell potential buyers that these off-brands are equivalent to buying a tool from Harbor Freight. They usually work decent and can get the job done, but they are not very durable.

Evolution EVOMAG28 Magnetic Drill

The Evolution EVOMAG28 is one of the most popular off-brand drills on the market as it has proven itself to work well. It has a maximum cutting diameter of 1-1/8 inch and comes in at almost half the cost of the Dewalt we recommended above. This can be a great value for non-professional users who will not be using their drill everyday.

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Is It Important To Have Adjustable Speed Settings?

Having speed settings on a magnetic drill press can be very useful as different speeds tend to work better on different types of metal. For example on mild steel and aluminum a higher speed setting like 450RPM will yield the best results. On other materials like titanium and stainless steel you will find that a lower speed setting will work best.

If you buy a machine that does not have a speed adjustment you can still get the job done, but it will not be as efficient. Speed settings are often times only included on more expensive drills.

Do All Mag Drills Come With A Keyed Chuck?

Not all mag drills come with a keyed chuck so it’s important to read what is included with the drill. A keyed chuck will allow you to secure and use a normal drill bit on your machine. It’s highly recommended to have one in order to get the most functionality out of your machine.