The Best Bench Vises

Bench vises are an essential in any wood shop or workshop. I can’t recall how many times I’ve used one to clamp down pieces for sanding or metal for bending over the years. Heck, I even use a vise to build my own golf clubs!

In this post, we take a look at some of the best bench vises for the money on the market right now. You’ll see a variety of vises and the reasoning why they are our favorites.

Let’s jump right into our list of the best bench vises.

IRWIN Tools Multi-Purpose Bench Vise

The IRWIN tools multi-purpose bench vise has rotating pipe jaws and a 5-inch width. The fused steel handle allows you to quickly and easily adjust the bench vise easily and the swivel base lets you have 360-degree rotation. The included anvil is there to keep the vise steady while you are working.

No matter what your project might be, if you want to keep it steady so you can get your work done, you will be able to do this with this bench vise. Customers report that after using the bench vise that have had great results. There were a couple of issues that were quickly resolved by the company to the delight of the consumers. The company stands behind each of its products.

Yost Vises 445 4.5″ Utility Combination Pipe and Bench Vise

The Yost Vises 445 4.5 utility combination pipe and bench vise has a bench-mount vise with 4.5” nominal jaw width and 0.125” – to 2” – diameter pipe capacity. This provides the ability to clamp for light-duty applications. The 360-degree swivel base adjusts the direction of the jaws so you can properly place and lock in place. The vise has a cast iron body with steel U-channel bar to be durable. The flat portion acts as an anvil as well as an additional work surface.

The top jaws are replaceable and there are permanent pipe jaws which are grooved for enhanced grip. So you do not experience unwanted sliding there are rubber washers. The 180-degree swivel base mounts to a workbench to provide you all the clamping action you need for light-duty applications. The hand-tightening and lock knob on the base secures its position. If you need a great bench vise for light-duty applications, this is a great vise for you.

Yost BV-4 Bench Vise

The Yost BV-4 4” bench vise is a general-purpose bench vise that is designed for a regular home craftsman. No matter what your job is, you are going to need a bench vise in your home workshop. This bench vise has been built for durability and dependability and constructed from 30,000 PSI cast iron.

The swivel base allows for 120-degree with two lock-downs. Yost has been in business and providing quality products since 1908. The bench vise has a 2.5” by 2.5” anvil work-surface that is perfect for light metal bending and shaping. The 4” wide machinist jaws allow you to grip your project easily and the machined T bar provides smooth operation.

Yost LV-4 Home Vise 4-1/2″

The Yost LV-4 Home Vise is a 4 ½ inch swivel base vise that you can use for your home workshop. The vise is made from cast iron which features steel vise jaws, threaded spindle assembly and a lockdown. You can rotate the vise up to 240-degrees on its base so you can get a better working position. The built-in pipe jaws allow you to hold small pipes and tubes that are 0.6”D to 1.85”D. The blue powder coat is durable.

The improved base features four mounting holes to mount the vise to the workbench. The bolts are sold separately but it is recommended that you use 3/8” bolts to mount the Yost vise to the table. With the improved base design, the side to side movements of the vise has been reduced. Whether you are an avid shop worker or if you use the shop from time to time, you need to have a good bench vise so you can get all of your tasks done without the trouble of trying to keep it still.