“Benchtop Mortiser is a must-have tool in any woodworker’s tool kit”
Benchtop mortiser helps to make precise joints (rectangular or square) in the wood effortlessly. They can be used on any type of wood that include teak, oak and others.
It is portable, lightweight and can be used to operate from different angles to make mortise and tenon joinery. They are safe, quiet, and won’t generate lots of dust while operating.
There are several brands that provide a wide array of mortiser models. It can be challenging to shortlist the best choice without proper information or guidelines.
Here are some of the must-to-consider factors to purchase the best benchtop mortiser.
- Motor Power –
A machine should have adequate power is crucial to complete the task. With the difference in designs of various models, the motor rating will differ from one model to another. The motor power rating will range from 1/2 HP to 2 ½ HP. However, these machines won’t need large motors to work best.
- Speed –
The motor speed is expressed in RPMs, and the common speed range will be from 1700 – 1750 RPMs. If the bit rotates faster, then there will be more chances of burning mortises walls due to heat build-up. So, use the machine at proper speed levels (RPMs).
- Chuck Size –
Benchtop models generally accept chisel sizes of about 1/4″, 5/16″, 3/8″, 7/16″, and 1/2″. Most models out there take a chuck size of ½-inch. The size will ensure that you can use all chisel bits of your choice with this mortiser. Also, opt for a machine that offers easy and quick bit changes.
Using this information and after doing thorough research on various products, we compiled a list of the best benchtop mortisers (explained in detail with their features, pros and cons).
Also, we recommend you to read our detailed “Buying Guide” to get a clear idea of benchtop mortiser and how to pick your best option, as per your requirement.
Best Benchtop Mortisers
| Benchtop Mortiser | Motor Power | Chuck Size | Warranty | Buy Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jet Bench Mortiser | ½ HP | ½ inch | 5 year | Check On Amazon |
| Powermatic Bench Mortiser | 3/4 HP | ½ inch | N.A | Check On Amazon |
| Shop Fox Bench Mortiser | 3/4 HP | ½-inch | 2 year | Check On Amazon |
| Makita Chain Mortiser | 1 HP | ½ inch | 1 year | Check On Amazon |
| RIKON 34-260 Benchtop Mortisers | 1/2 HP | ½ inch | 5 year | Check On Amazon |
| Delta Mortiser | ½ HP | ½ inch | A | Check On Amazon |
6 Best Benchtop Mortiser Reviews
1. Jet Bench Mortiser
Jet is one of the most popular options out there if you are looking for a benchtop mortiser, as this model comes with a high user rating.
The Jet Bench Mortiser is present in the 1st position in this article as it is the most reliable and durable option present in this article. This is due to the reason that you get an excellent build quality in it along with a 5-year long warranty. It can offer this without being highly expensive or paying an extra premium for this. It uses rugged cast iron and steel for its construction that should easily last for a long time. Although due to its construction, it weighs about 44 pounds, that is a bit on the higher side.
You get a ½ HP electric motor in this benchtop mortiser that runs using 120-volt electricity input. It is able to offer a motor speed rating of 1752 RPM that is quite decent when compared with other options out there. Its ½ inch chisel capacity is also quite great for wood working. As for the head stroke, it is rated at 4 ¾ inch that should be more than enough for most users out there.
Best Features:
- ½ inch chuck size
- ½ HP electric motor
- Motor speed rating of up to 1752 rotations per minute
- 5-year long warranty
- Great build quality using cast iron and steel
- Offers ½ inch chisel capacity
- Includes the support for 4 ¾ inch head stroke
- Easy to use controls
Pros:
- Highly reliable and durable construction with a 5-year warranty
- Offers decently powerful ½ HP electric motor
- Comes included with three bits and a chuck key
Cons:
- Slightly heavy with a large form factor
- Motor could have been more silent
2. Powermatic Bench Mortiser
Bench Mortiser from the brand Powermatic has a powerful motor that runs at a speed of 1725 RPM with the voltage 115V. Although it is a heavy tool weighing 90 pounds, It is a pretty decent tool with many sophisticated features.
The machine comes with an in-line depth stop feature that stops it at depths that are preset avoiding racking to the base. It also features a double lock system that holds the workpiece of 0 to 5 inches thick firmly from the top and from the side to avoid slippage.
The mortiser features a heavy-duty handle that has reversible action which means you can change it from one side to another effortlessly without having to use any tools. Furthermore, it is designed to have great stability as well as accuracy with work surfaces that are larger than usual on the table and on the fence.
Best Features:
- Motor speed: 1725 RPM
- 5-year warranty
- Integrated chisel and bit spacers
- Reversible handle
Pros:
- Easy to handle
- Comfortable to use
- Reliable warranty
- Sturdy build
Cons:
- Table and fence finishing is not up to the mark
3. Shop Fox Bench Mortiser
Shop Fox is a subsidiary of Woodstock International that specializes in manufacturing small machinery for DIY and commercial applications.
Shop Fox’s bench mortiser runs on a 3/4 HP motor to deliver a steady speed of up to 3450 RPM. With this speed, you can easily power through a wide range of hard and soft wood. The motor has an aluminum-finned housing along with a fan-cooled system to prevent it from overheating. The mortiser features a unique swivelling base that allows easy off-the-bench operations.
The bench mortiser is equipped with a ½-inch drill chuck that provides precision and eliminates the need to change chisels and bits. Besides, the extra height allows you to use stock up to 7-⅜-inch thick. It is equipped with a heavy-duty fence to ensure the wood workpiece is stable and does not wobble. There is also an adjustable extra long 22-inch steel handle with six different indexed positions for providing leverage while working.
Shop Fox backs this bench mortiser with a 2-year warranty from the original date of purchase.
Best Features
- Motor speed of 3,450 RPM
- 2-year warranty
- Durable cast iron construction
- Adjustable depth stop rod
Pros
- Powerful and heavy-duty option
- High accuracy
- Easy and safe to use
- Lost of adjustable options
Cons
- Poor quality control
- Poor customer service
4. Makita Chain Mortiser
Makita is one of the more premium and high-end power tool brands out there that is known for making expensive options. Its mortiser is also on the expensive side due to the higher price.
The Makita 7104L benchtop mortiser is the most expensive option present in this article. Even though this is a premium model, it is neither the most powerful nor the most feature-rich option. In other words, if you want a better value for money, you should look elsewhere. It comes with a 10.5 amp electric motor that is quite powerful and offers a 1 HP power output. This power gets used to power its ½ HP chuck at a high-speed thanks to its 3200 RPM electric motor.
This benchtop mortiser weighs 38.1 pounds that can be handy for transporting it from one place to another. It has this weight while having a great build quality that is always great to have. Unfortunately, it only has a 1-year long warranty that is a let down for the given price tag. Its razor-sharp chain allows you to cut lap joints of up to 5 ⅛ inch with high accuracy. You can also find a large adjustable vise and knob in it for easily holding logs.
Best Features:
- ½ inch chuck size
- 5 amp electric motor
- 1-year long warranty
- Decent build quality
- High grip vise and knob for holding large logs
- Cut lap joints of up to 5 ⅛ inches
- Weighs 38.1 pounds
Pros:
- One of the only portable options
- Easy to use design with minimal controls
- Decent performance with the 10.5 amp electric motor
Cons:
- Highly expensive and not a value for money option
- Only has a 1-year long warranty
5. RIKON 34-260 Benchtop Mortisers
RIKON is one of the well-known brands offering a wide range of woodworking tools that are suitable for both DIY to heavy-duty applications. They manufacture economical, consistent, and high-quality products.
This RIKON professional 34-260 benchtop X-Y mortiser has a sliding X-Y axis table that allows for boring mortises by positioning your work precisely. It is equipped with a powerful 1/2 HP motor delivering up to 1750 RPM. So, it handles and cuts mortises even the heavy-duty tasks and the toughest of the woods without stalling. It has a spacious chuck that accommodates sizes of 5/8 inch or 3/4 inch of chisel bits making it a versatile bench mortisers.
It provides constant, solid cutting of numerous mortises with a dovetail column having an adjustable stop. With its gas-filled stabilizer, the device controls the upward and downward chisel motion while working to make you feel safe. Furthermore, this X-Y directional table with adjustable stops offers ultimate positioning control and lets you focus on your work effectively.
Here the front controls move either side-side or forward-back and dual dovetail ways. It is a drill-press type machine designed to cut accurate mortises for doors, furniture, shutters, cabinetry, etc. Also, it includes a fence, 2 extensions, a tool holder, a hold down, and 4 chisels along with this tool. It comes with a 5-year long warranty from the original date of purchase.
Best Features
- 1/2-inch chuck size
- Powerful 1/2 HP TEFC motor
- Gas-filled stabilizer
- Dovetail column ways with adjustable stop
- Operates with a speed of 1750 RPM
- Accepts 3/4-inch or 5/8-inch shank chisels
- Hand wheel to control left-to-right movement.
- X-Y directional table for precise and consistent cut
- Backed by 5 years warranty
Pros:
- Handles even the toughest wood materials
- Easy to operate that won’t cause collisions.
- Offer decent performance with a 120V motor
- Safe to operate with a lot of adjustable options
Cons
- Poor quality control
- A bit expensive product.
6. Delta Mortiser
Delta is another highly popular brand of power tool whose benchtop mortiser has a high user rating because of the features offered by it.
This Delta 14-651 benchtop mortiser offers a lot of things to the user that makes it a great value for money option. As you would expect from any other option present in this article, it comes with a ½ HP electric motor. While this motor is not the most powerful one, it is more than enough for powering the given ½ inch chuck size of this benchtop mortiser. A great thing about this chuck size is that it is quite common due to which you can find a wide range of chisel bit options for it.
You get a great build quality along with a 5-year long warranty with this benchtop mortiser that is always great to have. It simply means that it can easily last for a long time without running into any issues. The base of this mortiser is made out of cast iron with dimensions of 16 ¾ inch by 13 ½ inch for optimum stability while working on a given workpiece. Its motor is able to generate a motor speed of 1725 RPM that is quite similar to other options out there.
Best Features:
- ½ inch chuck size
- ½ HP electric motor
- Motor speed rating of up to 1725 rotations per minute
- 5-year long warranty
- Highly stable cast iron base
- Great build quality for reliability and durability
- Easy to use controls and design
Pros:
- Standard chuck size for support for various chisel bits
- Comes with a large size work surface for ease of use
- Offers decent performance as compared with other options
Cons:
- Slightly large in size
How to Choose a Benchtop Mortiser:
If you are unsure about which benchtop mortiser suits you best from the above list. To help you in choosing the perfect one, we are here with a detailed and complete buying guide related to benchtop mortisers. In this guide, you came to know what factors to consider, its benefits and some FAQ’s.
Let’s get into the details of what factors to consider while shopping for a benchtop mortiser.
1. Motor Power:
A machine with adequate power is essential to perform your work quickly and effectively. With the difference in designs of various models, the motor power rating will differ from one model to another. The motor power of a given model will let you get an idea of its performance.
Usually, the motor power is measured in horsepower (HP), in which the standard motor power rating range of this benchtop mortiser will be 1/2 HP to 2 ½ HP.
However, the fact is that this mortiser unit won’t require large motors to work best, why because the motor drives only an auger bit. The force needed for the chisel is provided when the user pulls down on a long lever. In some cases, the motor power is given as 6 amps or 10 amps, in which a higher power rating results in better performance for a mortiser.
2. Motor Speed:
Motor RPM is vital to consider before buying any power tool, including this benchtop mortiser. A general rule is that the faster the bit rotates (RPM), the more chances of burning the walls of the mortises due to the build-up of heat, particularly while using bits of larger diameter. Most mortisers will run with a speed of 1700 – 1750 RPMs, and it is quite difficult to adjust the speed.
3. Chisel Capacity and Bit Changes:
Most benchtop models take up to 1/2 X 1/2 inches mortising chisels. A few claim taking chisels of about 5/8-inch or even 3/4-inch. Except it is a larger, heavy-duty machine, you won’t have to pay attention to these claims. Moreover, benchtop models are light-duty machines that are not meant to force the larger chisel sizes into hardwood. Retain that the user will supply the essential power to force the chisel into the wood.
Other than chisel capacity, one has to find a machine offering easy and quick bit changes, preferably with few required tools. A tool and chisel holder at the machine’s back will make it convenient to use. Usually, all benchtop models accept the chisel sizes of 1/4-inch, 5/16-inch, 3/8-inch, 7/16-inch, and 1/2-inch, which are more than enough for most requirements. ensure that you use all chisel bits of your choice with a given benchtop mortiser.
4. Head Travel:
It is crucial to determine the head travel or stroke of the machine before buying a benchtop mortiser. It indicates how far down the bit travels while pulling on the lever. However, stroke capacity will be from 4 ¾ – 6 inches. You should not cut a mortise that deep, yet the extra travel gets you down to the workpiece even before cutting.
In case, if the head travel of the mortiser is too small and the workpiece distance is large, then shim under the workpiece to make it get closer to the bit. Also, you have to seek out the distance between the table and the head. If this distance is larger, then it can mortise thicker workpiece and vice versa.
5. Depth Stop:
Just like a drill press require such a system, a mortiser require a depth stop to control the depth of the mortises. Pick a machine offering easy to adjust depth stop, which is accurate and won’t flex much under the load. The mortise’s bottom should be a minimum of 1/16-inch deeper than the length of tenons. If it goes a bit more, it may go through the other side of the workpiece, yet is otherwise fine.
A benchtop mortiser with an adjustable depth stop is considered the best option, why because this feature will ensure you not to cut deep by locking down while you drill. However, it works automatically that let you not to make manual adjustments.
6. Fence and Hold Down:
The fence system is crucial on a mortiser, and you need a large and flat fence to operate this benchtop mortiser effectively. If possible, pick a fence that is moved back and forward with a rack and pinion gear system, and stay parallel during its movement. If the fence of the mortiser is not dead flat across the face or 90° to the table, we suggest adding an auxiliary fence, which is made of wood and shimming in between two fences to produce your required accuracy.
Also, a hold-down system is essential to consider for benchtop mortiser. A lot of force is needed to withdraw the bit from the wood while driving the chisel into hardwood. One has to lift the workpiece off the table unless it has a solid hold-down. Ensure the hold-down is flat to have full contact with the wood. Moreover, it is not so thin to cut through the top wood surface that creates a dent while you retract the bit. Mostly, woodworkers prefer to use hold-downs provided by the manufacturer that they can either modify or shim the hold-downs for improving their performance.
7. Mortising Head:
A mortising head will hold the chisel used in mortising. However, some machines come with fixed heads, while others are rotatable. We suggest you choose the one having a rotating head, as it let you adjust as per your preference. This suits best while dealing with off the table projects or hard-to-mortise materials.
8. Hand Lever:
One can complete their work/job much easier with a longer handle mortiser, as it provides more leverage. So, check the build quality and the length of the feed lever before buying a mortiser machine. A few models allow their lever to be repositioned to either side of the machine as per the user requirement. It has to be flexible enough that let you move it with ease and thereby it enables you to match the right position for the job.
9. Work Area:
The working surface is an essential feature to contemplate. Always prefer to choose a unit having a large working table, which allows you to handle even the large workpieces comfortably. For instance, some options offer a work surface of 8X10 inches, while other options offer size of 14X16 inches, which is easily used to work on large wooden pieces. So, a machine with a large work surface on both the table and fence is considered the best option.
10. Inbuilt Storage:
An inbuilt storage compartment of the mortiser won’t let you lose any of the accessories. Moreover, it saves a lot of time, why because you have all the essential equipment in the onboard case without searching them here and there. Some models offer an integral chisel and tool holder rather than an ordinary storage box.
11. Warranty:
It is another essential feature to consider before buying a benchtop mortiser for your garage or workshop. It ensures that you can use a given model for a long time without running into any wear and tear issues. Most models out there come with a minimum of a 1-year warranty, while others offer a 5-year long warranty. Pick a model that offers a long warranty that comes within your budget range.
12. Safety Switch:
A safety switch will protect the benchtop mortiser effectively from getting damaged. Thus, it prevents any accidental or unauthorized use of the tool. So, ensure to pick a model with this feature.
13. Rotating Table:
A mortiser with a rotating table will help to glide either in the X or Y axes to provide maximum output. It means they move either back and forth or side to side.
14. Other Features:
Some additional features will help you a lot in using the mortiser with ease. Here are the two best features you have to check while buying a benchtop mortiser.
A few models with a riser block will raise the head almost 2-inches higher from the table, in which you need to cut mortises in oddly thick workpieces.
The head of the mortiser is removed from its base and repositioned at 180°, which let you mortise off the table while cutting a mortise in the middle of a large object. Also, it let you cut a mortise in the object that is assembled. Or else it is impossible to do. The turning head will hang the workbench, you can rig up anything to put mortises in. However, you won’t require this feature quite often, yet it comes in handy for some antique restoration projects where the piece is not fully disassembled.
Why do we Require Benchtop Mortiser?
Here are some reasons that let you know why we need this benchtop mortiser. Take a look at those benefits to use this benchtop mortiser.
- High Performance – In spite of its compact design, the machine offers excellent performance on all wood types.
- Easy to Use – Even though, you are not a professional, the machine features a well-located control system that simplifies the entire operation.
- Large Work Area – This machine is quite comfortable to handle large workpieces due to its extensive cast iron table.
- Lightweight – The mortiser is lightweight that prevent fatigue even after using it for a longer time.
- Multifunctional – It let you operate the machine from different angles by rotating the head.
- High Speed – These tools will guarantee high-speed operations that let you finish the mortises quickly within no time.
- Onboard Storage – This onboard storage compartment will allow you to store extra chisels and other accessories without getting much stress.
- Durable – This tool is made of rigid material that easily resists regular wear and withstands jobsite toucher.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Ans: Yes, we can use a drill press as a mortising machine, yet it won’t offer the same level of efficiency as an original mortising machine. However, a special attachment is required to make use of a drill press to the mortise. Moreover, a drill press won’t have a guide fence or hold-downs that make it less efficient and take a longer time to do the work. So, we advise you to opt for a bench mortising machine.
Ans: However, floor-standing mortisers offer more power, yet these days, most benchtop mortisers offer adequate power to perform any type of work that you need to complete. Also, the benchtop models are compact, smaller, and lightweight that makes them a perfect option to use for smaller workspaces.
Ans: It is a specialized electric-powered tool designed to cut a rectangular or square hole into a wood piece. Mortising is simply the action to put a hole into a piece of wood to make it fit another piece inside. Thus, it is known as a mortise and tenon joint that is used most often in woodworking.
Conclusion:
While there are a lot of wood working tools out there, a benchtop mortiser is the perfect option for making angled joints. Apart from being highly powerful, they are also quite accurate because of the features that they offer. You can learn more about such features offered by the best benchtop mortisers in this article mentioned above. While we have also mentioned a detailed buying guide with benchtop mortiser features in this article, some of you might be still confused. Thus, we are here with some of our favorite picks when it comes to choosing the best benchtop mortiser for your needs:
- The Jet Bench Mortiser is the most reliable and durable option present in this article. It offers an excellent build quality and a 5-year long warranty with it. Its ½ HP motor also offers great performance to the user for peace of mind.
- You can consider the Powermatic 1791264K benchtop mortiser if you want a highly powerful option. It comes with a highly powerful 1 HP motor along with a ½ inch chuck size. Apart from being highly powerful, its motor also offers a 5-year long warranty.
- If you are on a budget, then you can go with the Shop Fox Bench Mortiser as it is the cheapest option present here. Despite its lower price tag, you get a 3450 RPM electric motor in it along with a ½ inch chuck for ease of use.
Make sure to share your thoughts in the comments section. You can also post any questions down there if you have any!
