Review: The Smoby Black and Decker Centre Workbench

Please note that we were gifted this product in return for a review

I have been a fan of Smoby for a while now and voted for their fabulous products in the BlogOn toy awards recently. So, when I was told that we would be given the chance to review the Smoby Black and Decker workbench, I was thrilled.

Black and Decker is a name synonymous with DIY and I love the fact that they have put their name to this miniature version of their well-known workbench. This toy is something that one of my brothers would have absolutely LOVED when he was smaller (and would probably still love now!).

Rex has often seen both Ross and I fixing things both in the house and the garden and he loves problem-solving. His motor skills have always been pretty good but this really helps to extend that. He knows each tool by name and what they do – and it helps that there are some flash cards showing exactly that!

First impressions

Smoby is the perfect brand to take on this famous DIY brand. Both of them have been around for many years and they have come up with innovative, clever ideas in the past. Rex loves his roleplay and imaginative play so the workbench has plenty to keep him busy!

When I saw the size of the box in our outside storage where the postman leaves our parcels, my eyes nearly popped out of my head – and I believe any child would be thrilled to get a present of this size for their birthday or under the tree on Christmas Day!

Assembly

Assembly is pretty straightforward. The instructions are easy to follow and you will it fairly quick to assemble. No adults spending the whole of Christmas Day constructing anything here – just your kids on the workbench! It took me just over an hour on my own.

The bench itself is really easy but all the tools need putting together (they just snap into place), the vice needs to be put on the bench and the stickers need to be put on too. There are loads of parts to it, so best constructed without small helpers around! The great thing is that there are no batteries, screws or nails (in the grown-up sense anyway!) to apply.

Playability

The Smoby Black and Decker is the perfect size for Rex who is 3 years and, at 103cm, there is plenty of staying power for a number of years to come.

There is plenty to keep him busy with an incredible 82 accessories which includes 7 tools, nuts and screws, nails, construction plans, a fantastic vice (reminds me so much of my Grandad’s shed!) and a mechanical ruler. In good news, there is also plenty of storage space for all the tools on the workbench, meaning they can be hung where little hands can reach them. The saw slips into a slot on the bench, there are little holders all over the place and a small shelf unit underneath the bench too.

Rex loved the working drill and went around telling the rest of us that it was ‘dangerous’ whilst he proceeded to ‘drill’ the carpet! What is even better is that it is not battery operated. It also has a switch for a reversable option and means that, just like the real thing, it tightens and loosens screws. He also enjoyed pushing the nails through the pin board on the main part of the bench. I was surprised at how much he knew about each tool and what it did!

The other thing I was really pleased to see is that Smoby don’t just leave the workbench down to the kids imaginary play. They have flashcards for each tool which work with the Smoby Bricolo app that helps little ones to recognise them and their uses. There is also a little construction set and 4 cards showing different vehicles you can put together. Rex and I spent hours together doing this with him working the screwdriver and drill and me putting the pieces into place.

Final Thoughts

This is the sort of toy which looks durable and long lasting. It is big enough to keep kids occupied without taking over the room and using up too much space. It is one of those things which offers up something else every time you look at it and, whilst Rex has a short attention span, I firmly believe that this one has longetivity.

The Smoby Black and Decker Centre Workbench is available from Argos for £55. It measures H103cm, W56cm, D34cm and is suitable for age 3 years and over with a manufacturer’s 1 year guarantee.

I definitely feel that it is worth the money. This is going to last Rex a long time and bring him different methods of play for many years to come.