Always ensure you look carefully at the features and design of the workbench to see whether it is the right option for you. For instance, is there any degree of adjustability and does it offer a detachable surface? How multifunctional is it, and what can it be used for? All these things will help you to make the right decision. Load capacity Offering a maximum clamping depth of 34mm, its full width of 525mm achieves a mid-table finish in our comparison chart (below). All of our shortlisted workbenches have pre-drilled holes which accommodate plastic pegs (aka bench dogs), allowing you to move them around and create a flexible work surface area. One of the biggest names in DIY, Stanley know a thing or two about making the best folding workbench. The solid plastic construction and wealth of clamping holes make this a seriously handy and portable bit of kit.

There are various manufacturers you can choose from when it comes to portable workbenches, and the above ones that we have highlighted are among the best folding workbenches UK consumers can consider. Draper provides limited information on this workbench, but it’s not our shortlist’s most sophisticated or advanced product. It’s by some distance the cheapest, which is a compelling advantage, though you get what you pay for with this workbench.All our products, bar the Stanley, have cross-pieces providing additional bracing between the legs, with the WORX and Keter turning these braces into practical tool storage.

A folding or portable workbench is incredibly handy – with these multi-purpose workbenches you can take your work surface with you to the job and hide it away when you don’t need it anymore. The Keter is particularly impressive, offering loads of horizontal space for resting drills, saws, spirit levels and other essential items while clamping an object. Looking like the sort of workbench that belongs in a proper workshop, the Arbor Garden Solutions Pressure Treated Workbench is a rustic thing of beauty. Standing at 6 feet long and with seriously chunky legs and cross bracing, you could hammer away on this solid workbench for years without it breaking down. The load-bearing capacity of just 200kg is the second-lowest we recorded (Draper hasn’t published figures for their product), though we did like the PWB 600’s integral storage tray and grippy feet.If the Keter resembles a Transformers robot, the PWB 600’s emerald paint colour and the bamboo top could only have come from Bosch. However, we must praise Bosch’s combination of an aluminium frame and a waterproof bamboo top. Not only is this the most aesthetically pleasing product to store in your tool shed, but it’s also convenient. Clamps range from basic handles to more sophisticated affairs, but any clamp ought to pin even heavy timbers firmly in place. Bosch claims you can dismantle their product in five seconds, which is an impressive claim if hardly ground-breaking. Our primary concern — and the reason for its relatively low overall score — is that this is the most expensive product we tested, yet it doesn’t excel in any specific area. Pros

Our shortlisted benches all have grippy (if compact) feet, reducing their propensity to slip on anything other than polished surfaces. If you want something cheap and cheerful to hold your timber in place occasionally, it’s hard to argue with Draper’s value for money. Pros Supplied with four clamps, it’s an attractive and practical design finished with water-repellent materials, making it great for outdoor work in harsh conditions. Definitely not designed with portability in mind, this is the best workbench for carpenters and a sturdy workspace for DIYers. It’s ideal for when you want a solid workbench to work on and somewhere to store your power tools. Constructed from pressure-treated CLS timber, it’s just as comfortable out in the garden as it is in the garage. This solid wood bench is not going to rot away on you any time soon. The maximum widths we tested ranged from 384mm on the Keter to 850mm on Stanley’s FatMax, with the latter more than sufficient for most jobs.

My Top Recommended Workbenches

Make sure you look at the dimensions so you can see what the surface space for working it. You can then ensure it is ideally suited to your needs based on the types of tasks you tend to carry out. Any workbench will be between 800mm and 900mm high once assembled, though taller patrons, in particular, should look for products approaching the latter height to avoid stooping. Of the products we tested, WORX’s reinforced-steel chassis and Keter’s 3D design were particularly impressive tools of the trade. The Workmate Plus has a lightweight but rigid folding frame. It can support up to 250 kg but can easily be carried too. The other handy thing about the frame on this workbench is that you can set it to two different heights. Simply fold in the four legs and you’ve got a low sawhorse as well.