Buyer’s Guide: The 6 Best Workbenches for Garages and Workshops

At its most basic, a home or small garage starts with sturdy, versatile, and capable workbenches. The suitable workbenches will help you perform all the necessary work, whether wood, metal or electronics.

We spent some time researching the best workbenches in the market,  and may we present to you the 6 best workbenches for garages. 

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Our Top Picks

Best Value	Best Price	Best Feature
Great performance, with a great price. WORX WX051 Pegasus Folding Work Table & Sawhorse	Most wallet-friendly option. Keter Folding Workbench	Best performance, with prices secondary. Lifetime Products Wall-Mounted Work Bench

How We Select The Workbenches

The workbenches in this list were selected based on several factors: size, pricing, and flexibility. Home garages and workshops may have different needs than a serious industrial garage, meaning the type of workbenches may also be very different. 

Size: Home garages and workshops often do not have ample space to host the largest and most advanced workbench. Instead, home garages may even need to share space with your car, bike, children’s things, and man cave. 

When we selected the workbenches for this list, we did not pick oversized benches. Instead, we focus on the benches being just right in size and can perform the tasks you commonly perform at home.

Pricing: Home garages and workshops are often self-funded. The tools and things purchased are not an investment if you measure strictly by ROI. 

You buy these tools not to help you perform tasks, but they would not help you make money. This is not the case of a plumber purchasing plumbing tools to do his job better and make more money per hour. 

On top of a workbench, a home garage or workshop will need many tools that may also cost a lot of money. This means when we select the workbenches here, we try not to go overboard with the budgeting. We recommend workbenches that can do their job well and at an affordable price. 

Your savings can be channeled into purchasing better quality tools for your garage, such as chainsaws, drills, or air compressors. 

Flexibility: With a home garage or workshop, you usually want flexibility in many ways. The workshop needs to be able to handle wood, metal, electrical or electronic works. The tools and furniture may need to be mobile and portable so you can store them away in case you need to park your car inside your garage or work outdoors on the front porch. 

We also consider issues such as expandability, as you can make the workbench larger or smaller, depending on your needs. 

When we select the workbenches, we try to pick workbenches that can either be moved or stored away. We also try to get workbenches that can be expanded to accommodate occasional larger projects.

Best Workbenches for Garages and Workshops

The best workbench for home garages and workshops are:

Keter Folding Workbench

We included the Keter Folding Workbench on our list because of two things, size and portability. This may be an excellent option for you if you need a workbench’s functionality but require mobility as well.

The workbench’s foldable feature also made it easy to transport. For example, you may enjoy working outdoors on and off and may need to be able to move your workbench around. When you need to move the workbench, simply fold it and bring it with you.

Even more, this portable, lightweight design is remarkably robust. This is because the Keter Folding Workbench is made with heavy-duty resin, making it tough, durable, and weather-proof. Familiar with portable workbenches, stability may be less than desired. Nonetheless, the aluminum legs still do a remarkable job.

The Keter Folding Workbench can also accommodate a miter saw and even comes with two 12-inch wood clamps to support your woodworking projects. This makes the Keter Folding workbench excellent for woodworking, aside from handling other common metal, electric or electronic work as well.

Why We Like This: It is a truly mobile solution. You can fold the workbench into briefcase size and transport it with your car or truck. It is also easy to set up, comes with wood clamps, and can accommodate a miter saw as well.

2x4Basics 90164MI Work Bench

If you prefer to have more control of your workbench, the 2x4Basics 90164MI may be something you want to consider.

The reason? The bench comes with only the brackets, legs, and shelf attachments. You are free to decide what type of workbench material you prefer. Wood, MDF, or stainless steel? All yours to decide.

You also will have the whole workbench and shelvings delivered to you in something akin to an IKEA box. You are free to decide on the final design of your workbench.

For example, you decide the bench’s height, width, and length. 2x4Basics 90164MI’s workbench can be as big as 4 feet (1.2M) wide and 8 feet (2.4M) long.

It also comes with brackets for adding shelves to the top of the table. This means you also get to decide the position and height of the shelvings. With 2x4Basics 90164MI, you get maximum ability to design and build a totally customizable workspace.

The accompanying brackets and legs are well constructed and robust to support the material you are working on. Each shelf on the table can support an amazing 1,000 pounds (453KG) thanks to the heavy-gauge structural resin used in their construction.

Our only worry about 2x4Basics 90164MI is the lack of mobility. The workbench may not be portable enough. However, installing castor wheels at the bottom of the table legs may help here.

Why We Like This: A complete DIY solution. Gives you full control of how big and wide your workbench should be. Also, choose the type of materials you want for your workbench. This way, you can maximize whatever space you allocate for your workbench.

Fedmax Mobile Workbench

The Fedmax Mobile Garage combines sturdiness, durability, and mobility.

The sturdiness and durability start from the benchtop. The Fedmax has a rigid steel frame that supports up to 1000 pounds (453KG). It comes with tough acacia hardwood, well known for its impact and scratch resistance. The bench will take your projects and many tools with a smile.

The mobility and portability element comes from its strong, smooth-moving casters. These casters are also lockable, making them sturdy enough to handle your garage work. The wheels are removable as well. Simply replace the castors with leveling feet if stability is more important than mobility.

The height of the steel legs can also be changed from 28 to 44 inches (71 – 112CM). However, changing workbench height may be less straightforward. You must remove the retaining bolts and manually elevate the table to adjust the height. Measuring and setting the table height properly before using the workbench may be a good idea.

If we are to nitpick, we would say that the bench top thickness can be improved. Acacia may be hardwood, but at only one inch thick, there is always the fear of it breaking.

Why We Like This: Durable construction, with optional lockable castor or leveling feet. Comes with an acacia benchtop and can take up to 1000lbs (453KG) weight. You also can control benchtop height. 

Olympia Multi-Purpose Workbench

The Olympia Workbench’s main selling point is its flexibility. Looking at the bench, you can easily set it up for woodworking and metal works, even as a soldering station.

Its sturdy workbench offers a safe, roomy workspace that can handle powerful equipment and heavy impact work. It also has an integrated grounded power strip with three outlets and 13-watt fluorescent cabinet light. This makes it easy to connect your tools to the power supply and get working quickly.

You can also reach your tools quickly with this workbench, thanks to its two ball-bearing sliding drawers and the pegboard. Arrange your usual tools on the pegboard to get them quickly. Use the bottom shelves to store heavier tools such as saws or power tools.

The side of the bench is also kept clean and simple, meaning you can easily attach clamps without worrying about things such as wires or dangling wrenches.

Why We Like This: It may just be the furniture you need for your garage, as it has ample storage space for tools, thanks to the pegboard, drawers, and shelvings. It also has an integrated power strip and cabinet light, making it easy to connect to power and start work. 

WORX WX051 Pegasus Folding Work Table & Sawhorse

If you are looking for a worthy competitor to the Keter Foldable Workbench, check out the Pegasus Multi-Function Work Table.

Mobility-wise, it is just as good. Fold it flat, and transport it around easily in your car or truck. It can double as a workbench, or you can fold the bench top away, and the Pegasus becomes a sawhorse.

But the winning feature that the Pegasus has is its expansion capability. You can actually purchase another Pegasus and connect them together to form a longer workbench. You can also fold two Pegasuses down, and you instantly get two sawhorses that can allow you to perform sawing. If two Pegasuses are too much, you can always purchase its smaller sister, the Pegasus Sidekick.

Four clamp dogs and two fast clamps are installed onto the Pegasus’ 775 square inch surface. It closes with a snap to a slim 5 inches deep and 32 inches tall. Aluminum is used as reinforcement to provide the plastic stand a strong foundation. Each Pegasus can handle weights up to 300 lbs (136KG).

Why We Like This: Mobility, expansion ability, and durability. The Pegasus can be combined with each other to form bigger work benches and folded down to form sawhorses. It also comes with clamps and can handle up to 300lbs (136KG) of weight.

Lifetime Products Wall-Mounted Work Bench

Suppose space is at a premium in your garage, or you only require a workbench for occasional work. In that case, Lifetime Products’ Wall-Mounted Folding Work Table may be your best option.

Lifetime Products’ Wall-Mounted Folding Work Table is mounted to the wall to help you save space. The small design has a sturdy work surface to handle various in-home or on-site repairs. The sturdy pegboards allow you to place your tools and items within easy reach. The table legs are also adjustable, from 34-42 inches (86-106CM).

Whenever you need to work on something, simply pop open the table, fold it down, and you have a sturdy table to work it. When you are done, simply fold the table back up, freeing up lots of space.

The workbench can support up to 150 pounds (68KG) of weight. A 5-year limited warranty is included with your purchase as well.

The only issue you will need to accept with the Lifetime Products’ Wall-Mounted Folding Work Table is its lack of mobility. When you bolt the table to the wall, it will stay there and cannot be mobile or transportable.

Why We Like This: This workbench is a total space saver, allowing you to fold the table away when you do not need it. It also comes with a pegboard for easy storage of tools.  

What To Look For When Buying A Workbench?

When shopping for a workbench, the key is to be clear on what you need. Make decisions on size, mobility, durability, stability, and style before purchasing. At times you may have to trade off one area to get more of the other – for example, more mobility may result in less stability. 

Size: One of the most critical areas to think about for workbenches is size. Start by looking at the space in your garage and the type of work you may be engaging in. How big do you need it? 

If you are working primarily on small projects, you may not need anything too big, as the space could be used to keep other tools or furniture. On top of that, if you prefer to have some mobility on your workbench, you may be better off settling for something smaller so that it is lighter and easy to transport. 

Mobility: Do you prefer to have a consistent workplace? Or do you enjoy setting up a workspace under the sun and then working outdoors? If the latter is your choice, you may need to consider a more mobile workbench. 

At its most basic, a mobile workbench should come with a castor, allowing you to wheel your workbench somewhere. This option will enable you to keep your workbench large and stable. They are, however, less transportable. You can push your workbench out from your garage and work on your car porch, but not load it up your truck and work at a different site. 

Truly mobile workbenches are usually smaller and foldable, making them easier to transport. The trade-off here is you may have to accept lesser stability on the workbench, as it may not have the weight to keep itself stable. Fold it down, and load it up your car or truck to take it to work anywhere you want. 

Durability: Will you engage in primarily simple work, or will you be doing heavy impact work such as hard hammering? If the latter is what you will mainly be doing, you may need a durable workbench.

In this case, consider going with tougher materials such as acacia wood, hard-maple, or aircraft-grade plywood. These wood are durable and rugged and should last a while before you have to replace them. 

However, some may want something that is not as tough and durable but can easily be replaced or smoothened. If you are part of this camp, you can consider getting a Medium-Density Fiberboard (MDF) top. 

Stability: A stable workbench may come in handy, especially when working on high-precision work such as soldering or sawing.

When it comes to workbenches, stability usually comes from having sturdy legs and heavier overall weight. Combined, these two factors can help you achieve excellent stability, so you can work with great confidence. 

However, stability may require you to sacrifice mobility, as stable workbenches are not commonly foldable nor easily transportable. It may be wise to have a sturdy, heavy workbench in the garage and a foldable, portable workbench if you intend to work elsewhere. 

Style: Style may not immediately relate to your workbench but is related to how you intend to organize your tools and materials around the workbench. 

Some like to keep them neatly packed inside drawers and bins under the workbench. Some want a pegboard where they can easily see and reach out for the tool when they are working. 

Some prefer to build shelves on the wall their workbench faces, so they can store things there. There are, of course, some mobility junkies that love to have everything packed inside a large shelf, with castors that they can push around. 

Your workbench may reflect your personal storage and organizational style, so you should also think about style when you shop.

FAQ About Workbenches

Should I Varnish My Workbench?

Some individuals prefer to varnish their workbenches with polyurethane for protection and to make it simpler to clean up spills like glue. Some want to create a better color contrast to help with their work, so these individuals will paint the benchtop. 

Some people enjoy working on slip-free surfaces, especially when doing intricate woodworking. Which means they would leave the workbench untreated. Some just apply a lighter finishing, such as linseed oil. 

When it comes to varnishing your workbench top, personal taste will play a role here. So, feel free to do whatever you want to your workbench. 

What Is The Best Wood For Workbench Top?

The debate here will be if you want durability or easy replaceability. If you prefer durability, you will want to get the hardest material. This ensures the wood surface can take the heaviest of punishments you will unleash on it and still last a long time. 

In this case, go with acacia wood, hard-maple wood, or aircraft-grade plywood. 

There is, however, another school of thought. Instead of wanting the hardest benchtop, they prefer cheaper materials that they can repeatedly smoothen to get a brand new surface. Since it is more affordable, they can replace it easily as well.

If you prefer the second option, you may want to check out materials such as Medium-Density Fiberboard (MDF) 

What Is The Best Height For A Workbench?

The best workbench height is the height that you are comfortable working in. You last want to work hunched all day on the bench and get back pain. 

Generally, a workbench height of around 33-36 inches (84-91CM) is ideal for most people. Do take in mind while setting up your workbench, wear the footwear that you will commonly wear when working in your garage. Most work boots have thicker soles, which may raise your height. 

Depending on your preference, you may like a lower or taller workbench. You may need to experiment a bit to determine what suits you. This may come in handy if your workbench comes with adjustable bench heights. 

How Thick Should My Workbench Be?

When it comes to thickness, you may need to balance durability and usability. A thicker workbench means higher durability. But when your workbench is too thick, you may have usability issues such as the inability to fit in clamps or vices. 

The advice is to keep your workbench thickness to be no thicker than 4.25 inches (10.8CM.) This allows you to achieve a degree of durability and maintain an excellent usability level for your workbench. 

How To Improve My Workbench’s Sturdiness?

There are things you can do to improve the sturdiness of your workbench. You can start by adjusting the leveling feet. A wobbly workbench can sometimes come from uneven workbench legs. 

By adjusting the leveling feet, you can adjust the workbench legs to be in great contact with the floor. This should improve stability and then sturdiness.

Next is to pile some weight on it. The weight pushes the workbench harder to the floor, improving its stability. You can create shelvings underneath your workbench top and store heavy tools such as saws and power tools. 

You may strengthen the workbench legs if you want to go the extra distance. This can be achieved by reinforcing the joint where the table legs meet the workbench. Add wood strips around the top of the table leg and put screws into the table legs and the workbench. This increases the surface of the table legs, making them sturdier. 

You can also add support beams for the workbench legs at the lower end of the legs. This spread the weight evenly between the table legs, helping it to achieve a higher level of sturdiness.