Since 1951, WEN has been providing professionals with high-quality power drill presses. One such model is the WEN 4214 released in 2014. This fairly new drill press has a lot of rave reviews and recommendations. It has a variable speed control, a generous spindle travel, as well as a fairly beefy motor. If you're looking for a drill press, then make sure to read our in-depth review of the WEN 4214 12-inch drill press. 

Without further ado, let us get started with our WEN drill press review.

Speed

The speed is another very important factor in a drill press. The variable speed allows you to adapt to the material you are drilling. Some material like metal will require a low drill bit speed while others like wood can work comfortably with a high speed. The WEN 4214 12-inch drill press can deliver a variable speed of 580-3,200 RPMS, which is very versatile and allows you to work with a wide area of materials.

Furthermore, the variable speed can be adjusted on the fly providing you with more ease. One feature that we like is that the variable speed locks in position and you do not have to readjust it every time. Lastly, the digital readout meter makes it very easy to never lose track of your speed.

Size

The size will determine if the drill press is suitable for your purposes or not. If the drill press is too small, it cannot fit larger materials. It will depend on the size of the material that you work with.

This model has a throat depth (also called swing) of 12-inch. This means that it will gladly drill to a maximum of 6 inches from the edge of the stock material. Past 6 inches, your material will collide with the column of the drill press. Its 12-inch throat depth is more than adequate for most professional or home use, depending on material size.

In addition to the throat depth, the Wen 4214 has a generous 9-1/2 x 9-1/2 inches cast-iron table. You can put fairly large materials on it and along with its 3-1/8 inches spindle travel; you can drill in thick material as well.

Construction

One thing that we like about the WEN 12 drill press is its construction quality. It is mostly made from metal, which means that it is a very durable drill press that is built to last.

Angle

Making beveled drills with this model is also very easy. The table can tilt 45-degree to the right and 45-degree to the left. Once tilted, it can easily be locked in position.

Other Functions

The 5/8" Keyed Chuck can easily be opened or tightened with a standard Chuck key. In addition, the 5/8” Chuck can accommodate more than standard drill bits. For example, you can easily retrofit a sanding bit pad or a chisel holder for making mortises, amongst others. It is very versatile and not limited to only drilling holes, which is a great value for money.

User-Friendliness

The build construction is top notch and made from mostly metal and durable plastic for the motor housing. It should last many years.

The base is made from cast iron and fairly large which brings a lot of stability to your drilling. It even has mounting inserts that allow you to bolt the unit to a workbench for even more stability.

The X-pattern laser clearly illuminates your drill area for even greater accuracy and ease of use.

#2. Price of WEN 4214

Price is where we think that WEN did a nice job with this drill press. It is competitively priced and pound for pound is very similar to the Craftsman 12-Inch drill press, which is also a good unit at this price point. It is hard to find a better model with the same feature set and power at a lower price.

Compared to other equally competitive and excellent drill presses, we think that the price is reasonable. Especially considering that this drill press has a solid build quality as well as versatility which will make it a useful power tool in the long term.

However, bear in mind that this is not the most powerful or "best" drill press out there. While it can be used for professional drilling on wood, it simply cannot compete with more premium and versatile models like the Powermatic PM2800B or Shop Fox W1668 that excel at drilling in both wood and metal.

#3. Pros/Cons of WEN 4214

Pros

• Powerful 5-Amp 2/3 HP inductive motor. Can penetrate both wood and thin metal sheets with great ease.
• Variable speed of 580-3,200 RPMS. Offers great versatility when working with different types of material. Digital speed read meter on the front panel.
• Excellent build construction from metal. Very durable drill press.
• Table can be tilted 45-degree to the right or 45-degree to the left for angular drills.
• Large and stable base that can be bolted to a workbench.
• X-Pattern Laser for more accuracy.

Cons

• Will have difficulty drilling through thick metal, especially steel.

#4. How to Assembly

Out of the box, the WEN 4214 comes disassembled and requires assembly. It is very easy to do so as all the parts are straightforward and fit into one another in a seamless way. If you still require some help to mount this drill press, then here is a very helpful review from Mario Monti that also shows you how to assemble it.

Who Should Buy?

The WEN 4214 is an easy buy. It is affordable and has a decent feature set that will be very useful in the workshop. We recommend this product mostly for drilling in wood that is not more than 3-1/8” thick. If you want to drill in metal, it is an entirely different story. This model simply lacks the power to deliver a satisfactory drilling experience in metal - especially a high-density material like steel. Instead, we recommend more performing models like the Powermatic PM2800B or Shop Fox W1668, to name a few.