Best Workbenches & Vises

When it comes to automotive repair, home improvement and crafts, the adage is true: if you want something done right, do it yourself! But, if you’re going to set up a shop of any kind in your basement, attic, garage or spare room, getting started on or expanding an existing workspace is possibly intimidating. If you’ve got questions like “what is the best workbench?” and “what kind of bench vise do I need?” on our mind, then the NAPA experts are here to help you get the best shop equipment for your home workshop.

Reliable shop and garage workbenches keep your space functional and organized. A bench vise is easy to set up or remove from your workbench and acts as a super-strong set of helping hands. Check out these tips and tools from the NAPA experts and let us help make your at-home workshop dreams a reality!

What is a Workbench?

A workbench is any sturdy, flat-topped table. Some over-enthusiastic folks might just slap some particle board on a couple of old sawhorses and call it a workbench, but that is a potentially dangerous mistake! Workbenches for garages and shops need to support not only the weight of any project material on which you’re working but also the heavy tools you’re using. Most importantly, it should withstand the vibration and impact force from sawing, grinding and hammering.

Best Workbenches for Garages & Shops

The best models like this NAPA Workbench consist of a solid steel frame with a durable steel or wooden work surface. It assembles quickly and easily, and the powder coat finish resists dents and rust. It also features a triple outlet power strip and two USB ports on the side so you can plug your tools in directly to your workbench and avoid stretching power cords across the room. This bench has an integrated peg board for hanging tools, and the smooth-close ball bearing storage drawer has a 100-pound weight capacity, letting you keep everything in place.

Besides a strong, stable work surface, a workbench should always provide organization and storage. This Tool Storage Workbench from Homak features three storage compartments with HMC Security Locks and a 1 ½-inch thick plywood work surface with a weight capacity of 250 pounds. The black and gray epoxy is powder coated for the industry’s toughest finish. For a fully customizable option, look no further than this Craftsman Tools Workbench. Measuring 72 inches wide by 41.25 inches high, this authentic Craftsman workbench is topped with a solid inch of gleaming butcher block and has a 1,450-pound load rating. The metal backsplash runs the full width of the work surface, preventing small bolts and parts from rolling off the back. Add on the Craftsman 2000 Series 4-Drawer Storage Module for upgraded storage and organization.

If you need to relocate your project, check out the Craftsman 2000 Series 7-Drawer Steel Rolling Tool Cabinet. The sturdy casters ensure you can keep your workstation portable, and the toe locks keep it stationary. Whichever model you choose, don’t forget to add an absorbent roll of PIG Grippy Workbench Liner. Cut it to fit the drawers of your workbench or use it to cover the work surface to absorb any fluid and prevent small parts from rolling away.

What is a Bench Vise?

A bench vise is one of the most important pieces of equipment you can have in an at-home workshop. From metalworking and woodworking to automotive repair, home repair and artistic endeavors, this elegantly simple device mounts to the work surface of your workbench and acts as a second set of hands to keep things secure and stable while you work.

Workbench vises consist of several components, usually made of heavy-duty metal, ideally grey, ductile iron. This type of iron is an ideal metal for crafting vises as it resists cracking and splitting under stress and can absorb impacts from hammer blows with minimal denting. Bench vises attach to your workbench with a solid base, and certain models offer swivel bases and tilting bases. The vise has two jaws—one stationary and one dynamic. The stationary jaw mounts to the base, and the dynamic jaw opens and closes with the threaded main screw controlled by a long bar known as the handle.

Good Ad-Vise: NAPA Has the Best Bench Vises

From utility vises and machinist vises to all-terrain vises and drill press vises, NAPAonline.com carries all the top-selling workbench vise models from world-renowned brands like Irwin and Wilton. Want to take your project out of the workshop for the day? Check out this lightweight, weatherproof and versatile Wilton ATV Vise bundle. It mounts to the hitch receiver of your ATV and comes with a set of screws, a mounting bracket and a 360-degree locking handle. The Wilton 8” Mechanics Pro Vise features a precision-machined slide bar to minimize movement and vibration in the front jaw. It is crafted with 60,000 psi ductile iron, and the enclosed spindle maintains smooth operation by keeping lubricants in and contaminants out of it.

A bench vise is the perfect way to securely hold just about any material on which you’re working. Use it to clasp the chrome work from the 1997 Toyota 4Runner you’re polishing. When it’s time to countersink some screws, your bench vise will hold that 2 x 4 steady. For plumbing work, consider adding some pipe jaws to your vise kit. These small inserts secure to the jaws of your vise with screws and hold pipes in place for the perfect cut or soldering work. Replace smooth jaws with serrated jaw inserts for an even more secure grip. NAPA has a solid grip on all your bench vise needs.

Now you can Get Up & Go faster than ever! Discover all bench vises and workbenches for sale now on NAPAonline.com. Participating NAPA Auto Parts stores offer a convenient Buy Online, Pick Up in Store option so you can get back on the road in no time. You can also check out our Free One-Day Shipping on more than 160,000 items to 98% of US customers!