The 10 Best Bench Vises for the Job

Stuart Wellbert
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Bench vises serve many purposes, but no matter how many purposes you need them for, one thing you can count on is that your bench vise will be the workhorse of your shop.

NameCategoryProduct
Wilton 11104 Wilton Bench ViseBest OverallWilton 11104 Wilton Bench Vise
Olympia Tools 38-604 Bench ViseBudget PickOlympia Tools 38-604 Bench Vise
Yost Vises 750-DI Multi-Jaw Rotating Combination Bench & Pipe ViseUpgrade PickYost Vises 750-DI Multi-Jaw Rotating Combination Bench & Pipe Vise

1. Wilton 11104 Wilton Bench Vise

Our rating: 9 / 10

Wilton 11104 Wilton Bench Vise

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Pros:

  • GIA Certified Diamond Benchstone
  • Made in America Certified Diamond Benchstone
  • Mountable bench vise for your bench
  • Resharpens professional razor-sharp edges in your field
  • Creates razor-sharp edges in a fraction of the time
  • Portable Oval Luggage
  • Fold up compact travel option with extra easy access to contents
  • Rolling carry-on that locks in place when open
  • Expandable packing space
  • Durable, zippered suitcase with garment bag included

Overall Length 4-Inch, Jaw Thickness 2-Inch (with bonus 4 Front Jaw Clamps).

2. Yost Vises 750-DI Multi-Jaw Rotating Combination Bench & Pipe Vise

Our rating: 9 / 10

Yost Vises 750-DI Multi-Jaw Rotating Combination Bench & Pipe Vise

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Pros:

  • Versatile Vise
  • Very Heavy Duty
  • Easy Engineering
  • Durable

This vise is perfect for all-around use. It can be used for metalworking, woodworking, auto mechanics and even setting up the power tools. This vise is not only sturdy but also very versatile. If you want a quality vise you’ll want to get this one.

3. TEKTON 4-Inch Swivel Bench Vise

Our rating: 9 / 10

TEKTON 4-Inch Swivel Bench Vise

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Pros:

  • Easy to Use
  • Useful for Woodworking
  • Ratchet Jaw “ Locking Mechanism Ensures That It Won’t Slip
  • Sturdy Base Can Hold Big Jobs
  • High Quality Construction

Cons:

  • Bench Vise Works For Small Jobs Only
  • It Would Be Better If It Comes With A Wrench
  • Requires Some Adjusting

This is a multi-functional, award-winning product that will come in handy if you have to do some woodworking. The vise has a ratchet pawl system, which is a locking mechanism that prevents it from slipping.

The vise’s wide, anodized aluminum table acts as a sturdy base to hold big jobs. The vise has high-quality construction and provides 150 lbs of clamping force. It has been praised for its ease-of-use by woodworkers and this versatility.

The vise does require some adjusting, and it won’t hold a small work piece like a glue bottle. It won’t hold a piece of wood that is too heavy. It’s also recommended that you leave the item you are clamping on the table and work on it top-side, to avoid damaging the vise and the workpiece.

4. Yost Tools Vises 445 4.5" Heavy-Duty Utility Combination Pipe and Bench Vise

Our rating: 9 / 10

Yost Tools Vises 445 4.5" Heavy-Duty Utility Combination Pipe and Bench Vise

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Pros:

  • Heavy-duty and versatile product
  • Great for all kinds of DIY projects
  • Electric-powered
  • Rack and pinion gear system
  • Includes a table and a vise adjusts to various angles
  • One-year guarantee

Whether you’re a carpenter, a mechanic or just a DIY enthusiast, you’re probably looking for a vise that’ll help you complete your various projects in the comfort of your own home.

This is where the Yost Tools Vises 445 4.5-Inch Heavy-Duty Utility Combination Pipe and Bench Vise, Blue is a great option.This vise is electric powered, so you can simply clamp it on any surface to make the most of its impressive strength.

And for those of you who are passionate about woodwork, this vise comes with a variety of attachments, so you can fix any of your tools onto the vise and create your perfect workstation.

5. Yost LV-4 Home Vise 4-1/2"

Our rating: 8 / 10

Yost LV-4 Home Vise 4-1/2"

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6. PanaVise 381 Vacuum Base PanaVise

Our rating: 8 / 10

PanaVise 381 Vacuum Base PanaVise

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7. Olympia Tools 38-604 Bench Vise

Our rating: 8 / 10

Olympia Tools 38-604 Bench Vise

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Pros:

  • Wide range of jaw opening
  • Great clamping force
  • Body is made of cast iron
  • Solidly built
  • Very affordable
  • Comes with mounting hardware

Jaw, Adjustable.

This bench vise from Olympia Tool is affordable, simple and easy to use.

The jaw of this bench vise opens up to wide creating plenty of space to accommodate all kinds of work. The jaw sits low on the jaw and creates plenty of space for you to drop your implements.

8. Milling Machine Lockdown Vise

Our rating: 7 / 10

Milling Machine Lockdown Vise

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Pros:

  • Durable
  • Very sturdy
  • Has large height adjustment range

Cons:

  • Not a good fit for a milling machine with a higher table height
  • The jaws are not as strong as some other vises in its price range

The end of your work session finally arrives. It’s time to adjust the tool’s jaws off of the work piece. You lean over and grab the tool with both hands. Then, you pull and pull, but it doesn’t budge. You readjust, and try again. Still, nothing. You ask a coworker for help, but they’re not much help either.

This is the end of the story, or is it? Luckily, there’s a machine designed to deal with this kind of incident. It’s called a bench vise. Also known as a workbench vise, this workbench fixture is a machine that has, you guessed it, gears or screws that open and close the tool’s jaws. Although a bench vise is by no means the most expensive tool that you can buy, it’s one that you definitely need in your workshop if you work with tools at all.

9. Grizzly Industrial G7062-5" Multi-Purpose Bench Vise

Our rating: 5 / 10

Grizzly Industrial G7062-5" Multi-Purpose Bench Vise

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Pros:

  • Great locking clamp
  • Quality build
  • More affordable option
  • Range of uses
  • Made in the USA

The MF902 is a great choice for a bench vise. The bench vise is sturdy, which is one of the most important factors with a bench vise. It is made of 100% steel, including the body, jaws, and base. The jaws are flat so they don't pose a risk to the user.

This model boasts a 150-pound load capacity. The base is 5-1/8" wide with a 7-1/2" jaw opening. The jaw length is 6-1/2". The MF902 has a nice, 4" pressure bar with a gap of 1/2". The MF902 is a 7-1/2" bench vise. It is 12-1/4" high, 8" wide, and 5" deep.

Features:

10. Wilton 14500 4500

Our rating: 5 / 10

Wilton 14500 4500

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Pros:

  • Easy to adjust two-swivel vice
  • 15-inch throat capacity
  • Swivel base is attached
  • Cast iron metal

2-1/4-Inch Throat Width.

The Wilton 14500 Swivel Base Reversible is an essential mechanical vise, which can easily grip metal, wood and other non-metallic materials. The vise also has a swivel base, which keeps it from moving or tipping when you apply pressure to your workpiece. In addition, the swivel base can be locked for extra stability. The base converts from right-handed to lefthanded and can rotate 45 degrees in either direction. The vise itself, without the base, weighs just over 19 pounds, and it features a polished brass construction with a nickel plating. The vise also comes with a cast iron carrying handle. The reversible jaws also double as screw and pipe jaws.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What are the best bench vises?

A bench vise has a reputation of being a tool used by professional mechanics rather than a tool for the home or garage. And while this is understandable, a bench vise is very useful for everyone to own, especially if you don't have space or need for a larger and heavier vise.

The truth is that the smaller and lighter a bench vise is, the less functionality it tends to have. However, the upside to that is these vise types take up less space, and for the most part, are cheaper.

But if you're a casual hobbyist and only use your vise occasionally, then almost any vise is fine. Our suggestion is to go with a mid-range option that is slightly heavier and bigger than a typical vise. This way, you get more features for the significant price jump.

How do I choose a bench vise?

A good bench vise is built to last. Craftsmen have relied on bench vises for centuries to turn wood, metal, and even plastic. The first types of bench vise were simply a tool built to hold items. It was a simple concept that was built so well, its durability and strength evolved into the bench vises we know today. A good bench vise makes woodworking so much easier. You'll find them invaluable on a workbench when building furniture, a plant stand, welding, fabricating parts, or any time you need to hold something with the right amount of force.

What are bench vises used for?

Bench vises are the workhorse of the tool world. They are essentially portable clamps for your bench. They are useful for holding objects to your workbench to make certain that you can perform the tasks you intended at your surroundings. Senco has been a solid industry leader in this category for years because of the fact that its product lines have been so versatile and their bench vises have been so affordable. Out of the SENCO brand, most mechanics and woodworkers favor the DK253A, a popular go-to model that has been on the market for decades.

What bench vises are made in USA?

We were surprised to find many bench vises are still made in the USA.

However, we also found that most were lacking in features, and others were costly high-end models.

Overall, our quest to find the best bench vises included only one made-in-USA model, and we sincerely believe this is the best vise on the market.

Conclusion

A bench vise is a crucial piece of equipment for home improvement or home mechanics, and any other kind of work that involves metalworking and/or woodworking. This guide will walk you through what to find, what features to look for, and how much money to spend on your vise. It will also direct you to our in-depth review of each one of the best vices in the market today.

Our Recommendation

NameCategoryProduct
Wilton 11104 Wilton Bench ViseBest OverallWilton 11104 Wilton Bench Vise
Olympia Tools 38-604 Bench ViseBudget PickOlympia Tools 38-604 Bench Vise
Yost Vises 750-DI Multi-Jaw Rotating Combination Bench & Pipe ViseUpgrade PickYost Vises 750-DI Multi-Jaw Rotating Combination Bench & Pipe Vise