BLACK+DECKER 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.

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 .

A wonderful work bench. The only downside was preparing it for use. The handles were impossible to attach and I had to resort to using wire! The instructions were aweful. But it still is a great item.

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.

I was really looking forward to using the BLACK+DECKER Workmate Plus, but I never used it due to very poor components. (1) The PLASTC spacers that lock the backboard into the 3 positions worked Twice before they stopped locking the lugs that locked had gone out of shape. I had seen other comments saying the the older models had metal lugs. It does not take much to realise that metal spacers will be far superior to plastic.(2) The single handed operation belt was too slack and kept coming of the cogs.(3) The roll pins that hold the handles on are ridiculously hard to hammer in making them impossible to remove if you need to return or sell on boxed up. I would have thought that a "thin bolt the same size of the roll pin with a locking nut" would have been a lot better than a roll pin.(4) The Black + Decker Workmate Box was so flimsy that the top where the cut out handle is, ripped apart as the Amazon delivery man passed it to us he said the the box was to thin for the weight of the contents.All of the above problems happened whilst I was assembling The Workmate, therefore I never got round to using it. I contacted Amazon and they agreed for me to return it. I had to return in the original box heavily Sellotaped with the handles sticking up as I could not remove them because of the roll pins. Assembled watching You Tube as the Instruction Leaflet did not even show the plastic spacers let alone where they should go.Black + Decker need to make some small but important modifications.I had no problems with Amazon I contacted them on the Telephone and they were fantastic many thanks to Giovani who arranged the return process.

Excellent call for money. A great tool that nobody should be without.