Considering a WorkMate 125 (WM125) workbench? And why not — they sell for under $30, they have great reviews, and they take up almost no storage space!
We bought one of these workbenches in order to test it out (plus I wanted to build some stuff in my garage as well).
What Is The WorkMate 125?
No matter what you are working on, there are few tools that are more useful than a portable workbench. Almost all jobs can benefit from working in a comfortable standing position and with a stabilized focus, which is exactly what this workbench does: it lifts whatever you are working on to waist height and it can clamp it tight.
The WorkMate 125 (WM125) costs about $30, it is foldable so it an be hung on the wall
The WorkMate 125 has a foldable design, sort of like a TV tray, where the legs come together and the top folds down. The top is made of two pieces of coated plywood which can come together in a clamp action. This movement is controlled by the two handles at the front of the workbench which will pull the far piece of wood towards the one that is closer to the user. This means in addition to being a table this workbench can hold your work as well.
WorkMate 125 Review
This is a super popular, very attractive workbench because it’s light at about 15 pounds and strong enough for most uses, with a weight capacity of 350 pounds. It has steel legs and a wood top, with a large number of plastic parts so it is definitely a light-duty workbench that is best used occasionally or to aid your heavier workspaces.
The WorkMate is relatively easy to put together, with the total build taking about 20-30 minutes. This will take a little longer if you don’t watch our instructions video as the included instructions from Black+Decker are definitely not as clear as they could be.
Once built the table is workable, but it doesn’t feel professional grade. It won’t wobble but it’s not the sort of thing you feel like you’d want to stand on for very long or put a table saw on top of.
This Black+Decker table is 30 inches high when opened, making it a nice work space, especially for small work working projects.
The wood pieces on the top have a maximum open size of just over 13 inches, which means this workbench will be one of the largest clamps in your shop, which will come in handy from time to time, especially if you are short on bar clamps. The clamping action is aided by 4 included “bench dogs” (swivel peg grips) which can go into the top of the workbench to hold things using these vertical bars.
The table has a little wobble to it since it’s only 15 pounds and the materials just aren’t overbuilt, plus the joints aren’t exactly precision engineered. This is essentially like working with two portable plastic horses with a table between them. It’s fine for placing a small miter saw on when you are building a deck and need a place to work, but it’s not something you’ll want to rely on for heavy loads or use as a full-time bench.
If you are searching for a functional, affordable portable workbench that you don’t need to worry, then this is one of the best ones sold today. It’s not heavy-duty but it’s affordable, lightweight, and offers excellent value.
WorkMate 125 Alternatives
If you like the looks of the WM125 but you want something cheaper, stop your research now because nothing exists!
If you want something heavier duty then you can check out…
- Black+Decker Portable Workbench WM225 – $50 – 450 pound capacity
- Black+Decker Portable Workbench Project Center WM425 – $120 – 550 pound capacity
- Black+Decker Workmate 1000 – $120 – 550 pound capacity
- Worx WX051 Pegasus Folding Work Table – $120 – 1000 pounds as a sawhorse and 300 pounds as a table
WorkMate Workbench Build Manual Video
One great way to learn about a product is to watch it being built. Here is our build video for a WorkMate 125. You can get the full instructions in our guide article.