Skil's New Benchtop Line and 20V Compact Series: 11 Workshop Tools Worth a Look

Introduction

Skil has refreshed its workshop lineup in two directions at once. First, five core benchtop machines from its legacy product line have been upgraded, aimed at pros and home-shop makers alike. Second, the brand has pushed hard into cordless, with a premium XP rear-handle circular saw and a redesigned 20V compact series that includes four standard tools plus a one-handed circular saw.

This guide walks through all eleven tools, what each one does well, and who each is actually for.

Skil Benchtop Disc and Belt Sander

The upgraded disc and belt sander is built for angle work. The belt tilts up to 90 degrees, so you can sand at a variety of angles, and the leveling table gives you a stable reference. With the belt set upright you can sand a piece of wood against it and then bring it back down flat for the disc side.

It also handles more than wood. Metalwork is on the table too, which makes this a flexible single machine for a mixed-material home shop.

Skil Benchtop Band Saw

The band saw keeps things practical. It includes a miter gauge, two speeds, and an easy belt adjustment for changing speed ranges. Swapping the plate is a quick-release affair, and a clear view mirror window lets you watch the blade as you adjust it, which makes setup less fiddly.

A three-by-three throat reduces blade vibration and keeps it steady for cleaner cuts, and a bump switch can be pulled out to keep the machine safely stopped around kids or anyone who should not touch it.

Skil Benchtop Scroll Saw

The scroll saw is the detail-oriented machine of the group. It has a flexible light you can position anywhere you need it, plus a blower that clears sawdust out of your line of sight while you work. The tabletop bevels, and there is a foot pedal, a feature many scroll saw users will be genuinely excited about.

Skil Benchtop Drill Press

The drill press brings the features most people hope for in a benchtop unit: a laser to line up your drilling point and LED lighting so you can see exactly where you are working. Cutting capacity is 10 inch top to bottom.

It is also a five-speed machine. Loosen the housing and move the belt to change speeds, which matters when you move between wood and different metals. A depth stop handles repetitive drilling at consistent depth.

Skil Benchtop Grinder

The grinder rounds out the benchtop series with a coarse wheel and a fine wheel for different applications. Two thoughtful touches stand out. The LED light bulb is replaceable, which is uncommon at this level and keeps the tool usable for years rather than becoming unworkable if the light fails. There is also an incorporated water tray so you can dip workpieces as you grind.

For precise work, a magnifying lens helps you see what you are doing, and a v-groove helps hold the piece in place while grinding.

Skil XP 7-1/4 Inch Rear Handle Cordless Circular Saw

This is the flagship of the cordless push. Designed to cut wood with large dimension capacity and a 60-degree bevel, it also handles concrete cutting and scoring, and fiber cement. It is driven by two 5Ah batteries and carries an integrated dust port that doubles as an auxiliary handle, giving you control over where the dust goes. Dust collection is strong, and the rear-handle layout replicates the worm drive experience that carpenters have known for the last hundred years, now in a cordless package.

Positioned under the Skil XP branding as a premium cordless performer, this is a professional-grade saw rather than a hobbyist tool.

Skil 20V Compact Series: Drill Driver

The 20V compact series covers four standard tools, starting with the drill driver. The whole series averages about 17 percent smaller than the previous generation while delivering the same performance, and the new versions are lighter too. Built-in lights are a big deal for work in small spaces, cramped corners, or dim construction sites.

Skil 20V Compact Series: Hammer Drill

The hammer drill shares the compact series platform, so you get the same smaller footprint, lighter weight, and equal performance as the prior version. The hammer function is what you want for masonry work, and the compact size makes it easier to get into tight spots.

Skil 20V Compact Series: Impact Driver

The impact driver benefits most from the compact redesign. Its smaller body is genuinely useful for reaching into awkward positions, and the ergonomic, lightweight form keeps fatigue down on longer jobs. The integrated work light again earns praise for dark jobsites and enclosed spaces.

Skil 20V Compact Series: Impact Wrench

The impact wrench completes the four standard compact tools. It shares the same 20V platform, so batteries and chargers carry across the whole line, and it inherits the same size and weight reductions as the rest of the series.

Skil 20V One-Handed Compact Circular Saw

The newest addition to the 20V line is a one-handed circular saw. It can cut through toolbox material or a two-by in a single pass, and it is lightweight and ergonomic, which makes it a strong choice for overhead cuts or one-hand work where a full-size saw is overkill.

The compact form factor is the story here: it is much smaller than it first appears, which is exactly what you want when working in confined spaces.

Overall Buying Advice

If you are building out a home shop, the five benchtop machines cover sanding, resawing, detail scroll work, drilling, and sharpening or grinding in one consistent ecosystem, and each has at least one feature that punches above its class, such as the drill press laser, the grinder’s replaceable LED and water tray, or the scroll saw foot pedal.

On the cordless side, the compact 20V series is easy to recommend because the tools are smaller and lighter than the previous generation at the same price point while delivering the same performance, and one battery platform covers all of them. The XP rear-handle saw sits above that line for users who need professional worm drive character in a cordless tool.

Conclusion

Skil’s refresh is coherent: better benchtop machines for the shop, and a lighter, just-as-powerful 20V cordless line for jobsite and home use. Match the machine to the work you actually do, and most of these tools make a clear, low-risk case for themselves.