Clamps range from basic handles to more sophisticated affairs, but any clamp ought to pin even heavy timbers firmly in place. 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. The stated maximum weight capacity is 100kg, but it felt wobbly even when we loaded it with a wheel and tyre. It’s best left for lighter duty jobs such as painting, where the price means you won’t be so worried about messing it up like you might a more expensive workbench. Clarke CFWB1 Offering a maximum clamping depth of 34mm, its full width of 525mm achieves a mid-table finish in our comparison chart (below). If the Keter resembles a Transformers robot, the PWB 600’s emerald paint colour and the bamboo top could only have come from Bosch.

Of the products we tested, WORX’s reinforced-steel chassis and Keter’s 3D design were particularly impressive tools of the trade. That saving is almost enough to buy the third-placed Minotaur. It’s flawed in many ways, but we loved the ability to tilt the jaws to work on awkward items.Vertical clamping, inboard measurement markings, tool storage, and wobble-free chassis design are some of the attributes we valued highly in testing.

The Keter is particularly impressive, offering loads of horizontal space for resting drills, saws, spirit levels and other essential items while clamping an object. Mine have had a hard life and they still function although one of them has sagged a little in the middle so that it's no longer flat. They're heavier that they look but very easy to carry and store/transport and for that reason they have made my B&D Workmates redundant. They take literally seconds to erect or collapse - much faster than anything else I've ever used. Weight is more significant, especially if you’re going to be lugging a bench up and down your stairs alongside tool bags and other equipment. Some classic Morris owners might buy this good-value workbench just for the name, but it has another useful feature. In addition to the conventional clamping action of the two plank-like work surfaces, they can also be individually tilted to 45 or 90 degrees. This makes it far easier to hold awkwardly shaped or large components. Mac Allister seem to have reinvented the wheel with this workbench. Unlike the others in the test, it doesn’t follow the ‘replica Workmate’ formula, instead using a mainly plastic construction and a clever folding mechanism.Some manufacturers etch measuring tapes, angle compasses and even operating instructions onto the surface of their benches. This approach can be confusing if you look at them upside down, but we’d always recommend a product with these markings over ones that don’t. It’s a simple addition, yet it can reduce the need for additional tools and streamline the process of fine measurements mid-job.