So I want to buy a drill press because lets face it drilling nice holes in metal is nigh impossible to do with a hand-held drill.
Both Northern Tool and Harbor Freight have cheap Chinese made drill presses, Does anyone have experience with these or similar drill presses?
The quills aren’t very rigid, so if you want precise holes in metal, I’d look elsewhere. I have one from Harbor Freight, and it works ok, but you get what you pay for.
My dad has a mid-range Home Depot Ryobi, pretty much just one step up from the Harbor Freight setup. It’s not much better as far as accuracy but it has built in lights and laser centering plus changeable belts for alternate torque. You have to pound the shaft together when you get it though so accuracy isn’t amazing. If you just want to drill holes either the HF or HD would be fine, if you want precision you’ll have to pay for it.
Have you tried looking on Craigslist?
You might be able to find a full sized and older one that will work better.
Our Drill press is a Montgomery Ward from like 1930. Better than any cheap chinese drill press.
Harbor Freight’s are pretty good I have two one is some fifteen years old, just buy a good centerpunch. Harbor Freight sell’s a pretty good spring loaded punch for fairly cheap.
For Hobby use, Harbor freight is fine.
One job, I had to drill a 3/4" hole through a 1" steel plate by hand after drilling a 1/4" pilot hole and let me tell you…it was about as fun as it sounds! When those things bind…
That’s when you wish you had a portable plasma cutter 
I have the ryobi 12" with the laser… The accuracy issue isn’t all due to the drill alone.
Unless you use stubby bits, it will wobble.
I can’t find any stubby ones locally so I made a starter bit. by breaking a 1/4" bit near the base and resharpening the tip.
I’ve got an 8" in Benchtop Delta I’ve been trying to sell, I’m thinking about putting it in the local want ads.