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Bench drill vs floor pillar drill: height and weight

Updated: 2026-10-21

A bench drill and a floor pillar drill do the same job: they hold the bit on a column so the hole is square and the depth can be repeated. What changes is the height of that column, the mass on the floor, and whether your longest board still fits. RS Components puts it the same way. Bench machines are bolted down. Floor machines are often taller for larger pieces. The [Bernardo pillar drill comparison](/hub/workshop/bernardo-pillar-drill) is the price table. This page is only the height decision. Minis of about 3 kg are a skip. A qualifying purchase can earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.

A bench drill and a floor pillar drill do the same job: they hold the bit on a column so the hole is square and the depth can be repeated.

Our top picks

Einhell Einhell TC-BD 450 bench drill

Best overall

Einhell Einhell TC-BD 450 bench drill
8.6/10about £123.93
View offer
SIP SIP Pro F16 floor pillar drill

Alternative

SIP SIP Pro F16 floor pillar drill
7.4/10about £385.55
View offer
Draper Draper 95092 floor pillar drill

Alternative

Draper Draper 95092 floor pillar drill
6.8/10about £703.90
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Same job, different column
  2. 2.When the bench drill is enough
  3. 3.When the floor drill earns the footprint
  4. 4.The condition

Same job, different column

Buy the floor drill when the work is taller than the bench column, not because pillar sounds more serious. The Einhell is about 59.8 cm and 13 kg. The Bosch is 11.2 kg, and its carton dimensions are not a floor column. The KATSU 100221 is about 69 cm. The Draper 38255 title says 580 mm. The SIP Pro F16 is 46 x 25 x 160 cm and the Draper 95092 is 1,650 mm. A low garage ceiling fails that column before the chuck size matters. Taller is not more powerful. The floor SIP is 550 W. The bench SIP is 750 W at 48.5 kg and about 100 cm. Do not merge watts and reach into one purchase.

When the bench drill is enough

For ordinary wood, a bench drill is rarely the limit. UK Workshop owners often prefer a stand around 700 mm. That is experience, not a measurement of these ASINs. An Einhell near 60 cm will drill hinges and brackets. The Bosch at 11.2 kg and the Einhell at 13 kg are a one-person lift, and they walk if you do not bolt them down. The SIP B20 at 48.5 kg is a two-person lift onto a bench built for it. If the bench will not take that mass, you need a stronger bench or a floor drill. A long board can hang off the end if you support it and clamp the part under the bit.
Einhell Einhell TC-BD 450 bench drill

Testsieger

Einhell Einhell TC-BD 450 bench drill
8.6/10about £123.93
View offer

When the floor drill earns the footprint

The floor drill earns the space when the piece is too tall for a 58 to 69 cm bench column, or when you want the bench left clear. The SIP F16 states 80 mm of travel, 16 speeds from 220 rpm, MT2, an NVR switch, a chuck guard and a pulley-cover interlock. Amazon lists 42.6 kg. A Cromwell listing for SIP 01714 shows 27.5 kg. Do not average them, and there is no review block. The Draper 95092 is 78.2 kg, with a BS-approved plug, a no-volt switch and a chuck guard, plus a cell that says portable. The capacity cell says 19 mm and the chuck bullets say 3–16 mm. That mass is a two-person move, worth it only if you needed the height and can live without owner reports.

The condition

Choose the bench drill unless the workpiece or the ceiling forces the floor column. If the piece fits under about 60 to 70 cm, or you can swing the head past the bench, bolt a bench machine down. A tall frame or a door on end points at the SIP F16 first, and at the Draper 95092 only if 78 kg and a named BS plug are requirements you accept without reviews. A 160 cm column needs headroom for the bit and your hands. A heavy column on a soft timber floor wants a pad that does not rock. Motor, slowest speed and the plug stay on the main comparison.

Common questions

Is a floor drill more accurate?
Not by itself. Both formats hold the bit on a column. Accuracy comes from a stiff setup and a clamp. A heavier column resists flex, and the Draper floor drill is the heavy one at 78.2 kg. An unclamped floor drill is still a crooked hole.
How much space does a floor drill need?
More than the footprint on the carton. The SIP F16 listing is 46 x 25 x 160 cm. The Draper is 1,650 mm tall. You also need swing for the board, a path around the base, and ceiling above the top of the head. A spare corner that is already the route to the freezer is not that space.
Can I put a bench drill on a stand?
Yes, and many woodworkers prefer a stand near 700 mm to the height of a crowded bench. The stand has to carry the mass. Eleven kilograms is a different stand from 48.5 kg. Bolt the drill to the stand, and fix the stand so it cannot walk.
What height are the floor drills in this set?
The SIP F16 is listed at 160 cm. The Draper 95092 is listed at 1,650 mm. Bench machines here cluster around 58 to 69 cm, with the Einhell near 59.8 cm. The Bosch carton dimensions do not describe a floor column. Measure your ceiling against the floor figures before you order.
Is 78 kg a two-person move?
Yes. The Draper 95092 is listed at 78.2 kg. Plan two people and a way across the threshold. The SIP amazon weight is 42.6 kg, while a trade listing for the same model number shows 27.5 kg, so do not lift to a weight you have averaged.
Will a bench drill take a long board?
Often, if you swing the head past the end of the bench and support the board. The limit is throat and table, which several listings do not state, and the height under the chuck. A long board is not automatically a floor-drill job.
Are the SIP and Draper floor drills reviewed?
Not on these amazon.co.uk listings. There is no customer-review block to read. You would be buying stated height, guards and, on the Draper, a BS plug, without owner reports in this set. A special-features cell that says portable fights the 78 kg Draper.

Related pages

How to use a pillar drill

Pillar drill buying guide

Best pillar drill UK

Bernardo pillar drill

Pillar drill for metal: slow speed, peck and clamp

Sources

Public UK and manufacturer sources from the research digest, last checked on 21 October 2026.

  1. HSE: PUWER overview (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  2. HSE: Work equipment and machinery introduction (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  3. HSE: UK law on the design and supply of machinery (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  4. BSI: BS EN 12717:2001+A1:2009, safety of drilling machines (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  5. Bernardo: bench drilling machine TB 16 T, 230 V (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  6. ManoMano UK: pillar drill buying guide (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  7. DIY Doctor: using a pillar drill (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  8. Metaldrilling.co.uk: drilling mild steel (retrieved 21 October 2026)