BoschWork Bench PWB 600 (4 blade clamps, max. load capacity: 200 kg, in Carton Packaging)

I had almost given up on finding a proper folding workbench. Like many I have given-up on the original Black & Decker range since whey introduced the cheap plastic caps that the threads screw into, as these break all too often. Indeed the B&D range is so cheaply made that they provide no meaningful service life. The Draper, Clarke and Sealey versions are no better, although the Woolcraft range has some redeeming features but lacks outright strength.But the new Bosch PWB 600 is in a different league to them all.The machining, fit and finish of the load-bearing parts is incredible. The folding action is super smooth, easy to accomplish and produces either a stable platform or an ultra thin square shape for easy storage. The extra large top deck is welcome, as is the use of bamboo and you can even snug-up a stool or similar as the overhang at the rear can cater for your knees. The dogs are well made, do the business and stow away at the rear of the lower green bar with the Bosch logo. Of equal quality is the tool tray, which is a well finished metal tray that should cope with robust use and it does not get in the way. The black bar near floor level means you can slip a foot or toe on it to provide extra stability when wrestling with more challenging project.Hard to find many negatives, but being picky I would have liked the imbedded metal ruler to fit flush with the surface and have inches as well as metric. A slightly larger span to clamp larger parts, without resorting to the dogs, would have been nice too.Clearly designed with the professional in mind, the price (given the quality) will attract the premium end of the DIY market. For the DIYers that have suffered a failure of the other types of workbench should look at this too, whatever their budget.A must have item for the mobile professional or the DIYer who is looking for a product built to last - fantastic!

Initial impression: seems sturdy enough, locks and is stable when folded out. Work table height is slightly lower than ideal for me, at 840mm (i am1.85m tall), but is better than the B&D Workmate, at 800mm, which always gave me back ache. If I am prepared to live with the increased thickness when stored it looks likely I can add another 20 to 40mm to the worktop height fairly easily.. There does appear to be a lot of plastic in this item, a concern, although the major components are metal or timber. I have taken out the 3 year extended warranty which should cover it (as it happens Workmates are no better, possibly a bit worse). Reasonable weight (just under 12kg) and easy enough to carry and set-up/fold away. First job was to trim and rebate a 4 x 4in replacement newel post - securely held, no issues.

I am very impressed with the Bosch version of the Black and Decker Workmate (which I used to own and this replaces for me) as it really is a well engineered and properly product designed item. The folding action is very easy and results in a sturdy platform for working on; which is the main requirement after all! In terms of materials the use of Aluminium rather than sheet steel for the frame means that there is no paint finish to chip and go rusty (if kept outside in a shed), no sharp edges and also results in a lighter item to carry around. I think the folded depth is a bit less that the Workmate too. I was intrigued by the use of Bamboo for the worktop pieces and they do seem to be very dense and harder that the usual plywood used for these surfaces so should be very durable in use. The finish on the Bamboo surfaces is quite shiny so I do find that work-pieces have a tendency to slip about so it would have been better to have a more matted finish but this will probably improve with use and wear (or you could run a bit of abrasive paper over it). I don't know if the tool tray is so useful but is handy for pencils and small tools - you can't keep things in it when the bench is folded though. One thing I did find with the tool tray is that it obstructs the front underside edge of the worktop so it is not possible to hook a clamp under the front edge which is slightly limiting in where you can position things. The only other item which might have been better is the cross bar at the front base of the frame, on the Workmate there is a full width step which you can rest a foot on to steady the bench, the Bosch one is quite flimsy so I would have liked this to be a bit sturdier so that it could perform a similar function. It's a shame that a great British invention was not further developed along these lines but that seems to be a familiar story! Really recommended if your Workmate is clapped out or you are considering a first time buy of a folding workbench.