Best Bar Clamps in 2022

If you’re a woodworker or a DIYer, you know that having the right tools is essential for getting the job done right. Bar clamps are an invaluable tool for any woodworking project, and finding the best bar clamps for your needs can be a challenge.

Before you begin looking for bar clamps, it’s important to understand the different types of bar clamps and how they work. There are two main types of bar clamps: parallel jaw clamps and spreaders. Parallel jaw clamps have two fixed jaws that move together to hold material in place, while spreader clamps have two arms that move away from each other to hold material in place.

Once you’ve decided on the type of bar clamp you need, it’s time to start shopping. When shopping for bar clamps, look for ones made of durable materials like steel or aluminum. Look for bar clamps with wide bases that provide stability while you’re working. Make sure the clamp you choose has adjustable jaws so you can easily adjust the size of the clamp. Also, consider investing in bar clamps with quick release triggers, which allow you to quickly and easily open and close the clamps.

Finally, consider the length of the bar clamps you’re considering. Longer clamps are great for larger projects, but for smaller projects, shorter clamps may be sufficient.

Finding the best bar clamps for your projects can take some research, but it’s worth it to have the right tools for the job. With the right bar clamps, you can easily and quickly complete any woodworking project.

1. IRWIN QUICK-GRIP Clamps, One-Handed, Mini Bar, 6-Inch, 4-Pack (1964758)

IRWIN QUICK-GRIP Clamps, One-Handed, Mini Bar, 6-Inch, 4-Pack (1964758)

Informations:

NON-MARRING PADS: Maintain a solid grip while shielding your workpiece from dings and dents.

STRONG: Hardened steel bars are incorporated into the resin composition to prevent flexing and bending.

QUICK-GRAP CONSTRUCTION: One-handed triggers rapidly release the clamps.

EASY-TO-USE: Perfect for working in restricted spaces and clamping tiny workpieces

140 lbs. of force: Maintain the integrity of your workpiece and apply 150 lbs. of force evenly.#

Review:

When I opened the item, I saw that 2 of the 4 pieces lacked the stationary piece's anchor. Additionally, the two screws slipped out because there were no nuts for the two bolts. I can no longer utilize two of them. Since I had already purchased a comparable Harbor Freight item, I reasoned that the Irwin brand things would be of higher quality. But I was very mistaken. The Irwin products are significantly less in weight AND do not include all the parts. Go to HF instead of these and avoid them!Update: Irwin got in touch with me shortly after the review to talk about this. To send a replacement, they needed my address. I suggested that they send me just the two bolt/nut sets, however despite my request, they provided a replacement set. Well, at least it was simpler than fumbling with the hardware, and I now have more than four functional clamps, so excellent service. Nevertheless, why not just do it correctly the first time?

2. SMALLRIG Top Handle Grip Cheese Handle with Cold Shoe Mount for Digital DSLR Camera - 1638

SMALLRIG Top Handle Grip Cheese Handle with Cold Shoe Mount for Digital DSLR Camera - 1638

Informations:

COMPATIBILITY: This SMALLRIG camera handle grip can be mounted to a camera cage directly with two pieces of 1/4-inch screws (the adjustable distance between two pieces of 1/4-inch screws is 30mm-40mm). It fits any cage with the standard 1/4-20 thread on top, including the SMALLRIG cages 2087, 2049, 1982, and 1889, as well as all other cages from the company.

Beautiful designYou will feel extremely safe transporting the rig with this sturdy and light handle stabilizer rig since the SMALLRIG flexible handle is composed of aluminum alloy, which is light, strong, and durable.

The SMALLRIG camera handle has numerous 1/4" and 3/8" mounting points, allowing for the connection of various SMALLRIG rigs for extra attachment possibilities and DIY operations.

TOP HANDLE: This SMALLRIG top handle is designed for handheld shooting and comes with an integrated shoe mount for a microphone and LED lights. It can easily support the weight of a big cage rig with a variety of attachments.

All SMALLRIG camera rigs are covered by a YEAR guarantee, and if you have any problems with your purchase, please contact us. We'll do our best to assist you within 24 hours.#

Review:

fantastic stuff I adore how robust and adaptable the handle is. On my Ursa small Pro, I use a plate (also from Small Rig), and the two of them work well together for my cameras. Due to my tripod posture, I would like if the handle were a little shorter in height, however this does not lessen its value in my eyes.

3. END OF ROAD 8 piece Quick Fist Clamp Mounting Kit - 90010

END OF ROAD 8 piece Quick Fist Clamp Mounting Kit - 90010

Informations:

Fist clamp mounting kit with speed.

8 of our best-selling clamps in 3 different sizes, conveniently packaged at a discount

4 original quick fist, 2 super quick fist, and 2 small quick fist clamps are included in the package.#

Review:

I invested a lot of time figuring out the best way to attach different equipment to my roof basket based on the work at hand. I have a strong sense that I choose the proper path. My first test involved a 180-mile journey that included 20 miles of gravel road. I have no problems about the Quick Fist mounts; they performed flawlessly. Due to the particular hardware required for mounting to a roof basket, the lack of hardware was not a problem. I chose to mount it with "u bolts" and lock nuts. I added $5 to buy the hardware for four clamps. Could not be more content. You're welcome, Quick Fist!

4. JORGENSEN 4-pack Steel Bar Clamps Set, 6-inch & 12-inch Medium Duty, 600 Lbs Load Limit

JORGENSEN 4-pack Steel Bar Clamps Set, 6-inch & 12-inch Medium Duty, 600 Lbs Load Limit

Informations:

The sliding head can be held securely at any place along the bar thanks to the multiple-disc-clutch design, which consists of one spring and a hardened, plated steel clutch disc.

Maximum opening capacity: 6

Review:

I wanted a solution to get my bike up and out of the way because I have a studio loft apartment in the city. Although I had bought this bike hoist, I really didn't want to drill into the concrete beams and ceiling because they were already spaced just perfectly. Although I am aware that the load limit rating is for clamping pressure rather than "outward" pulling power, I still believed that my bike should be able to be supported by the 1,000 pound load restriction.The protective caps had to be taken off because they kept coming off. However, once more, this is more a result of my own "non-tradition" use of these bar clamps than a problem with the clamps themselves. I'm as joyful as can be!

5. Yost Tools F106 6" FClamp

Yost Tools F106 6" FClamp

Informations:

Heavy-duty f-clamp

powder-coated surface

2.5 inch

Easy adjustments with a two-plate clutch system#

Review:

I've been working with wood for more than 50 years. These clamps are nice. Will you work with them to create a bridge? No. But I do not construct bridges. I create shop fixtures and furniture.I put them to the test by clamping, gluing, and screwing together 2x4s for an overhead lumber rack. With these clamps, pulling the boards together as I needed to was not at all difficult.However, I did discover one issue. The pads appeared to be prone to separation. similar to each and every other bar clamp I've bought in the previous 50 years. But as a PROFESSIONAL, I also happen to have glue in my store. Therefore, I used glue to secure them so they wouldn't fall off and get lost. Oh my, how tragic that was.Excellent clamps for a fantastic price, five stars!

6. Yost Tools F124 24" F-Clamp

Yost Tools F124 24

Informations:

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Review:

I've been working with wood for more than 50 years. These clamps are nice. Will you work with them to create a bridge? No. But I do not construct bridges. I create shop fixtures and furniture.I put them to the test by clamping, gluing, and screwing together 2x4s for an overhead lumber rack. With these clamps, pulling the boards together as I needed to was not at all difficult.However, I did discover one issue. The pads appeared to be prone to separation. similar to each and every other bar clamp I've bought in the previous 50 years. But as a PROFESSIONAL, I also happen to have glue in my store. Therefore, I used glue to secure them so they wouldn't fall off and get lost. Oh my, how tragic that was.Excellent clamps for a fantastic price, five stars!

7. WORX Clamping Sawhorse Pair with Bar Clamps, Built-in Shelf and Cord Hooks – WX065

WORX Clamping Sawhorse Pair with Bar Clamps, Built-in Shelf and Cord Hooks – WX065

Informations:

Foldable and sent fully assembled for ease of transport and practical storage

When used simultaneously, two (2) tough and portable thermoplastic polymer sawhorses with a combined weight capacity of 1,000 lbs.

includes cord hooks and an integrated shelf for storing tools, cords, and other things.

Contains two (2) removable bar clamps that can be attached either vertically or horizontally depending on the needs of your project.

2.5-inch folded depth and an 18-inch maximum clamping width#

Review:

These are excellent and a great deal given that they each have a clamp. These sawhorses are described as "low duty" in several evaluations. That's a bad use of the term, in my opinion. Yes, they are plastic, but it's a sturdy plastic, and they are securely held together. According to the manufacturer, they can support up to 1,000 pounds. To me, that's not light duty. They are now light in the sense that they don't weigh much. That seems to be a benefit to me. There are, of course, some circumstances in which you NEED a really hefty sawhorse to serve as a highly stable base. If that applies to you, these sawhorses won't be useful. However, they work great for everyday tasks like cutting 2x4s, painting doors, connecting boards, etc. Highly suggested.

8. IRWIN Tools QUICK-GRIP Handi-Clamp, 1 1/2-Inch (59100CD)

IRWIN Tools QUICK-GRIP Handi-Clamp, 1 1/2-Inch (59100CD)

Informations:

strong handle and a hatchet eye

a highly skilled tool made for heavy construction

improved cutting angle for less fatigue#

Review:

For certain things, this little ratchet clamp works well. It works on flat objects but struggles with curved or rounded objects. It wants to fall off the project far too easily due to the wobble-head ends. Nowadays, it looks like every clamp has "wiggly" ends. On the majority of my projects, rigid ends would be preferred. To be fair to this clamp, it DOES WORK VERY WELL FOR WHAT I BOUGHT IT FOR. It was necessary for me to tighten the lock on a cam-lock cinch strap.However, because of those darned wobbling ends, other things I've tried to use them for don't work out so well. I believe it would be preferable if one jaw was fixed and the other could move.

9. Kreg KHCCC 90° Corner Clamp

Kreg KHCCC 90° Corner Clamp

Informations:

working with "T" joints and 90° corners

maximum capacity is 1".

"V" and Wedge Clamp pads made of cast aluminum

Utilizing a thumbwheel to easily adjust clamping pressure, the Automaxx Auto-Adjust technology

Drive a pocket-hole screw through the cutout without removing the clamp.#

Review:

The tool functions flawlessly, however to get it where it is in the photos, I had to make two modifications. The first is that the clamping pressure was essentially nil. I discovered a remedy for this someplace, and it seems to function. The tool must be cycled once the adjustment screw has been partially back-out, and it must then be set to the proper pressure. Shame on Kreg for sending things in this condition when they should have done this at the manufacturer. The second adjustment was necessary because the boards were slightly out of square (by 1 to 2 degrees, which naturally magnifies over cabinet distances since 1 degree equals.017"/1 inch). When I checked the jaws for squareness and flatness, I discovered that one of them was slightly off in a direction that matched what I had noticed in the clamped boards. I thoroughly smoothed the problematic jaw with a file, and now they are square and reproducible. The clamp is now extremely accurate and convenient to operate.It is sad that Kreg could have created the tool in this manner, falling short of their usual quality standards. They should correct this before losing the public's trust in a well-designed and practical product.
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Matt Grabowsky

My name is Matt Grabowsky and for over two decades I have been observing technological and social trends, talking about them and explaining them in an accessible way.