You will want to make a permanent addition for your garage with the best bench vise. The best bench vise is made of heavy-duty steel and will last a lifetime.
You might find some tools that are cheap, but bench vises don’t.
Even the most expensive bench vises are not that costly. A good, functional bench vise is not too expensive.
We have hand-picked the top bench vises on the market and compiled them into this article. A bench vise that is reliable, quality, and lasts forever is the best. It is also a great investment.
Quick Look: Top Bench Vise
Product Summary: Our TOP Picks For The Best Bench Vise
We give the Yost 400 Series Vises our highest recommendation for bench vise value. These tools have everything you need in a quality vise. They are durable, made of quality cast iron, and feature a 360-degree pivoting base. The clamping mechanism is smooth and well-built.
They are manufactured in China so they might not be the best choice for all buyers. They offer the best bench vise value for the money.
The Yost 800DI Series is a great option if you have the money to buy a better quality American vise.
These vices made of ductile iron (DI), are the latest generation of Yost tools that have been in existence for over 100 years. The Yost 800 Visebasically is the gold standard in American-made vices.
Finally, if you’re a DIY enthusiast on a tight budget, the Wilton 11104 10 cm is an affordable, value-oriented tool that easily wins our pick for best bench vise at the lowest cost.
This vice is a solid cast iron vice and it’s a real workhorse. What it lacks in quality craftsmanship, it makes up for with simplicity and functionality at an extremely low price.
Different Types Of Bench Vises
There are three types of bench vises on the market: end, benchtop and front. Every woodworking bench vise can be a great choice, but it is dependent on the type of project you are working on that will determine which vise you choose.
Front Vises
Front vises attach to your workbench directly from the front. Woodworkers love these vises because of the way they can be mounted to their workbench from the front. All of this can be done without a longboard protruding into your walkway or workspace. Rapid action, also known as quick-release, is a feature that the best front workers vise have. Rapid action lets you quickly adjust the vise size and then place it with just a quick twist of the handle.
Benchtop Vises
Benchtop vises (also known as machinists vises) attach to your workbench using the top. Some benchtop vises attach to the surface of your workbench while others bolt through the table. The strongest attachment is made possible by a bench vise, which bolts through the table.
While some vises can be used for certain tasks or materials, the benchtop vise can be used for all. The benchtop vises are strong and have high clamping pressure. These vises can be used to hold your project from the workbenches, which is very useful for welding or wrenching. They are ideal for mechanics and metalworkers, but they have limited use in woodworking.
End Vises
End vises are, as you have probably guessed, mounted to the end a workbench. Although they look and work the same as front vises it is important to understand that their intended purpose differs from front vises. End vises are preferred by woodworkers who have to do a lot of surface planning and flattening. To hold the board in place, you can place a board on top of a workbench. Next, place a small metal peg inside the jaw and flip up the dog. To reduce the chance of your dog striking the board with a costly hand plane, both dogs should be seated below the boards surface.
Review Of The Best Bench Vises
Yost 400 Series Best Value Bench Vise For The Money
The top Yost 400 Series vices are available in five sizes: 400 (11 cm), 455 (14) cm), 460 (15cm), 460 (15cm), 460 (14cm), 460 (15cm), 460 (15 cm), 460 (17 cm), 465 (17cm), and 480 (20cm).
We recommend the 14 cm model 455. This is the most affordable.
These tools are some of the most well-known DIY-grade bench vises. We think they’re a better quality than Grizzlys entry-level vise. Although it is difficult to pinpoint exactly why we feel this way, it comes down to the high quality materials and craftsmanship. Yost vices perform at all levels better than any other product we’ve tested.
You should choose the vice at 15 cm, 17cm or 20cm for heavier jobs. For most DIY tasks, however, you’ll be fine using either the 14 cm nor 11 cm model.
The main bodies of the 40 Series are constructed from cast iron. The screws, handles and diamond-serrated jaws are made from stainless steel. These are exactly the materials that you would expect to find in a quality vice.
Things we enjoyed
- Bench vise with the best value and quality
- Cast iron and stainless-steel construction
- 360-degree swiveling base
- Pipe-specific jaws integrated below the main serrated jaw
- Several sizes available
Things we didn’t like
- Made in China
Yost 800-DI Series Best Premium USA-Made Bench Vise
The 800-DI Series is a great option if you’re willing to spend more on a higher quality vice.
The 2,032 cms are not available in the 400 Series. They can be ordered in the 865-DI (17cm) or the 880-DI (20cm).
The price difference between the two models is largely due to the differences in materials. The 800-DI vices (hence the DI) are made from 65,000 PSI of ductile iron (hence, the DI), while those of 1,016 cm are made of standard-cast iron.
Cast iron is brittle and can have very little flex. Ductile iron with nodular graphite parts is more flexible and can withstand greater loads and torque without cracking.
The 800 Series also has a reversible main jaw. You can turn it on the shaft to add 3-10 cm more opening. It expands from 18 cm up to 28 cm using the 17 cm vise.
Things we enjoyed
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Made in USA
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Lifetime Warranty (unlike 400 Series)
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360-degree swiveling base
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Incorporated pipe jaws in addition to main serrated Jaws
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Reversible main jaw to allow for larger openings
Things we didn’t like
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Only two sizes available (a 10 cm or 13cm model would be more affordable)
10 Cm Wilton 11104 Best Cheap Bench Vise
It won’t be a Wilton 11104 winner for its looks or craftsmanship. It makes up for what it lacks in aesthetics with its functionality. It is hard to find a more powerful or heavier duty vise at this price.
This vise has more 5-star reviews than the 400 Series Yost vices.
People buy this tool because it is reliable, cheap, and works well. The bench vise includes all the essential features that you need in a bench vise such as a swiveling base, serrated jaws, and a locking mechanism.
Wilton’s model is only available in one size (10 cm), which is a problem for most DIYers.
What To Look For When Buying A Bench Vise
There is not much to think about when looking for the best bench vice. They are supposed to do a few tasks and they will get a pass grade if they do them well.
We have seen too many poor-quality vises, even those that are more expensive, that can’t do the simple things they should (even the simpler ones).
Too much play
Low quality vises will be identified by any play in the main screws when they are tightened. The shaft and handle should not feel loose or play. It should feel solid, even when you tighten it a fraction of an inch at once.
This is something you won’t be able to tell unless you have the vice in your possession before purchasing. You can trust our top picks for clamping power.
Although the Wilton vice is not perfect, you can still expect some inconsistencies from such a cheap tool.
Locking / Swivel Base
You will also want to ensure that your bench vise has a locking swivel base. When you find yourself working at awkward angles, a swivel base is essential.
Another sign that your vise is low-quality is when you try to tighten the upper jaws by running into the swivel bases.
This is again something you can’t really know without actually testing the unit. However, all three of our top picks for swivel bench vises passed the test easily.
Serrated Jaws
It is important to ensure that both the main jaws and vice have grooves.
The serrated jaws greatly improve the tool’s ability to grasp and lock onto any object of any material. Pipe jaws are also important as it is almost inevitable that you will need to clamp a pipes at one point or another during your life.
No Aluminum Alloy please
Lastly, don’t buy an aluminum-alloy vise, no matter what you do. Don’t. Although they may seem lighter, vices are designed to be as strong and durable as possible.
Here’s a great article that explains the engineering and parts of a few different vices.
Roundup Winner: Our #1 Choice For The Best Bench Vice
Overall, we would recommend the Yost Vice 400 Series, specifically the Yost 455, as the best bench vise for money.
This tool is a good choice for DIYers as it has a sufficient vice. The quality, construction and durability of this bench vice are unmatched in this price and class.
Bench vises can be described as simple tools. The best bench vise should be one that you only buy once.
Click here to see some other types of clamping devices
