Workmate 825 Deluxe Dual-Height Workbench, WM825-XJ

Ok putting this thing together should have taken a few minutes, but after looking at the instruction for 5 minutes I just threw them away and watched a youtube video. The instructions have no bearing on assembling the workmate and may as well be written in Ancient Greek for all the use they were. Sort it out black and decker. As for the item itself it is nice and sturdy. Although the handles seem very wobbly and loose compared to my old workmate. Just another example of using cheaper materials/ fixings I suppose that we`ve come to expect in modern day life. I did have one issue when it was assembled, the plastic strip that runs from one handle to the other (to help with tightening both handles when only one is being turned) was all twisted and not connected underneath. So had to fiddle about with that to get it all lines up and reconnected. Not the end of the world but 5 minutes of fiddling about with a new item which I shouldn't have needed to do.

These are a great workbench, the last one I had over 20 years, (and left it when moving house, stupid !) This model WM825 Plus, dual height is very sturdy, just fold the legs out, move two spring release levers and up she comes, very practical. The only slight problem I am having is the left side table top jaw screw is slipping a bit, like a slightly stripped thread, to save a lot of time, effort and money I contacted B & D Support Department and asked if they would just send the item 125 as shown in the booklet. But as it is in the 30 day u/g period they will NOT help, they want me to return it to Amazon, and get a replacement, even though Amazon say contact B & D for help. "They were very unhelpful." I can get the part from partshopdirect.co.uk for £2.99 plus postage ! what would be the cost of a carrier return etc. after all, it is for DIY use, and an easy part to replace. The world has gone mad ! But at the end of the day a great fold down workbench, and now I know I can get all the parts without trying to get any sense out of Black & Decker Support Department, and I say to myself, what was the point of registering this product anyway ! Mike B.

The assembly instructions, some pictures without any words, just don't cut it. Go to YouTube and find a video called "How to Assemble the BLACK & DECKER™ Workmate® Plus Work Bench". It's a 3 minute silent video that shows you exactly how to set it up. Only one thing is missing from the video. I finished setting it up and then realised I had a couple of washers in the bag. The guy in the video didn't use the washers. So, do as he does, but when you clip the red plastic bit (the knob) into the black plastic bit (the handle), put a washer between them. That's where they should go and really I should have known that but was following him so closely, I didn't look at what might be left over. If you do make the mistake as me, squeezing the end with a pair of small pliers will allow you to push it back out and put the washers in. Bit fiddly though. Not that they make much difference. It's a washer between two bits of plastic so only really a spacer. The next problem I had was when it was all together, one end of the large piece of wood was about 1 to 1.5mm higher than the rest. B&D provide you with a cheap plastic tool for tightening the bolts. I loosened them, put the plastic tool aside and used a wrench and socket to get them all level. Not that it would make that much difference. It's for gripping things, so a perfectly level surface all round isn't that important, but if you end up in that situation and find it as annoying as I did, that's how you sort it. Oh, another thing. You might find it's not quite lined up. There are lots of reviews here about the thing that makes the handles move together, stretching and not working anymore. To adjust it perfectly safely, hold one handle still while moving the other gently. You'll hear a click. Check to see if it's lined up. If not, repeat the process until it is. Do it slowly and not very fast, one click at a time. Once you have them lined up, then you shouldn't need to do that again. Another note about those dual handles. Having the ability to move both with just one hand is really useful but when they begin to get tight, use two hands to finish the tightening off. That way you won't stretch the piece that joins them. Have had a bit of a play with it this evening. All works good. The dogs that are included are good for gripping all shapes of items. For some jobs, I'll be using some clamps I already have too. It weighs around 15kg, and I'm honestly surprised how little space it takes when you fold it down. I can't complain about the price. I got in the Black Friday sale, and it was only £78.49, so great value for money. It's a superb premium piece of kit. They should have spent more on making decent assembly instructions though. So, a premium workbench with a cheap booklet and cheap plastic tool. Solution: Use a socket and wrench plus watch a video of it being set up.

This is my second Workmate. The first lasted 20++ years which says a lot about its quality. I like its sturdiness with the spread legs when sawing timber. Its ability to clamp items vertically between its jaws for planing. Its solid worktop to which you can hold items with clamps. Minor niggles. The rubber feet come off too easily - cured with some silicone sealant. There are two sharp steel projections at the back - I put some insulating tape on them. Otherwise great product.

The workmate 825 is just fantastic and it was for a great price also - great value for money - easy to put together and very very strong and my last one i had must have been 40 years plus old and i think was the first time they were made for sale - so if this one lasts as long as my first ( which is still ok ) but i wanted the new one with two clamping points and as i say if it lasts as long as my forst one i shall be one happy person , thye are a must if you are a handyman of any discription - I LOVE IT .

I already own two 'original' workmates from decades ago. They have served me well, but they are showing their age. So I bought this 'top of the range' model as a 'treat'. I wish I hadn't. The main problem is that the working surfaces are not firmly fixed even though the steel frame is good and solid (and unchanged from the original design). The extra features have clearly been designed by people who have not properly understood how these benches are used. 1) the front surface can be turned up to clamp vertically. This is great but the mechanism is poorly designed with far too much slack. Production costs would have been no higher if the slots and lugs had been proply matched so this is down to poor design not cost saving. 2) the rear surface can be placed in a choice of three positions. This would be great, except that the fixing is now so sloppy you can no longer treat it as a workbench for clamping your job too; if you gently knock it it comes out. 3) the rear surface is larger. This would be great except it still has the original short support pieces, so the back half projects out 'on a limb' so it is not a surface you can use for much: all that holds it in place are some tiny plastic wings; one whack of a mallet would probably snap them off. Finally, as many have pointed out, the instructions have a page missing and six parts are not mentioned in the parts list. Probably I will use this dissappointing object for 'spares' to replace lost or worn out parts on my original workmates.

yes up to standard and easy to use

Instructions useless, had to find how to assemble from Youtube. Winder handles wobble (even with fixing pins bashed in) making it unpleasant to use. We ordered the the unit “without” the rear jaw turning up through 90 degrees, we received the unit with the quick click handle that makes it raise the rear jaw. I expected the unit as ordered, to have a non 2-position rear jaw, with a quick clap & release front handle. All the from handle on this model does is enable the rear jaw to be raised. Also, the rear large jaw, just loosely slots into the frame release/adjustment holes and does not securely lock into place for use or for when the unit is collapsed or transported/stored. I bought this for my elderly Father who wanted it for woodworking, if he tried to move it or adjust the 3 position rear jaw, then due to looseness of that jaw which won’t lock securely into the frame, he could risk injury when trying to use it. It was bad enough for me trying to assemble & then operate safely, let alone an 87 year old person (who I might add, is still very competent & skilful in his use of tools. We want either a full refund or the correct unit sending please ‘fully assembled’ Also, as the unit is now unable to be disassembled, ie the handles cannot be removed due to the stupid pin fixing arrangement. We’re also not prepared to try & dissemble the front jaw, as this was also a nightmare trying to make sense of the very poor pictorial only, assembly sheet, (hence the need for YouTube) All in all, I cannot believe how the quality of Black & Decker products have gone down, which leads me to believe that your buyer has not sent us a genuine B&D product & we have been sold a cheap ‘pirate’ version. I’m sure B&D wouldn’t send such poor assembly instructions as it came with. Even the Black & Decker label sticker on the workmate seems not to be genuine in the way it is applied & looks. It’s actually stuck over some gaps/square holes in the front of the top frame which is easy to puncture through during normal use, which at best, would then make a brand new unit look very shabby & even worse quality. (It also looks different from the picture of advertised workmates & even the item as displayed in the YouTube video of the same model number unit. Firstly please issue a full refund. I also won’t be returning or repackaging this unless as mentioned, someone collects & packages this, or it’s actually replaced with the correct item I ordered. I look forward to your positive reply Many thanks Richard Wall