From my experience there are good and bad 'Workmates'.
I have had and used one of the original types, very similar to the Clarke one below, and it has given some 30+ years of faultless service. It has long vice screws and the jaws are well located and don't move about when you don't want them to. very quick and easy to fold and unfold, I used to lift it up and 'flick it' to unfold before pressing the locks down. It would fold again as quickly when it was unlocked again. If you can get a good one of this type, with the A frame legs, I would recommend it as suitable for what you need it for. Add to it a couple of G cramps and maybe a couple of low cost sash cramps and it will do most tasks.
There are also the X frame leg workmates. I have never used one and so can't comment on whether they are better or worse then the A frame type.
I bought one of these multi-function ones thinking it would be an improvement. It wasn't. More then once I was 'bitten' by the folding legs at the bottom when folding or unfolding it to use. It was awkward to manage and heavy. Once, the top failed to lock and collapsed on me. The moving jaw has too little thread and so has very limited movement. The 'fixed' jaw is located with 'keyhole' slots for different positions to make up for the vice screws being too short. This set up is awkward as the screws are only just long enough for each of the 'fixed' jaw positions so you will constantly be adjusting the position of the fixed jaw.
Also, if you try to grip something small at one end of the vice, the other end will pop off the keyhole location when you start work. You have to add a block at the other end of the vice jaw of near the same size as the thing you are working on. There is also the option to lift up the vice jaw to clamp downwards. I have yet to find something that it can hold that still allows me to work on it. G cramps are better and more flexible for use. Do not get one of these.
I also have one of these for taking out in the car for small jobs.
It is good but doesn't have any means of keeping it still when working with it. I will need to screw it to a board that can then be clamped down onto a table when needed.
Notice that when it is on a flat surface, floor or table, you cannot turn the vice handles without lifting it up every turn. Awkward when there is nothing in it but very awkward when trying to hold some work in the vice at the time. Ok for some uses.
Does £6 in 2003 equate to about £24 now? If so that is the price of the basic Work Mate available at my local Ironmonger's shop*. I might start off with that,or the next one up is "dual height" which is £64.
