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Best Hammers For 2020

Whether your a custom home builder like us, a handyman, carpenter or a DIY expert, having good quality tools is important if you want a great result. That’s why we’ve put together this article discussing the best hammers for 2020. Unlike review sites that buy a bunch of hammers and test them in a lab somewhere just so they can write a blog post. We actually buy new hammers along with tons of other tools and test them on our job sites every single day. By actually working with these tools for months at a time on real job sites doing real work, we come across situations you just can’t duplicate in a lab test. The hammers we suggest for 2020 are based on our actual results doing all sorts of jobs like building new homes, decks, kitchens, bathrooms and additions.

No matter what kind of job you’re doing, our best hammers list is here to give you top buying advice. Every hammer on our best hammers list has been extensively used by us on real job sites. But they’re are lots of different types of jobs and therefore different kinds of hammers. So, not only will we choose the best overall hammer, but also the best one when your on a budget, doing trim work, framing and demolition as well – plus everything in between.

To make our best hammers for 2020 list, the hammer needs to score at least 4 out of 5 stars in our review and deliver on the things workers care about most. We only use the best tools on our job sites so the junk gets tossed where it belongs. We focus on design and comfort, weight, durability and especially value.

Our Top 10 Hammers For 2020

THE BEST OVERALL HAMMER OF 2020

Estwing E3 16S 16 oz. Straight Claw Hammer

BUY ON AMAZON FOR AROUND $20 BUCKS

THE BEST CURVED CLAW OF 2020

Estwing E3 16S 16 oz. Curved Claw Hammer

BUY ME ON AMAZON FOR AROUND $20 BUCKS

THE BEST 12 OZ. HAMMER OF 2020

Estwing E3 12C 12oz. Curved Claw Hammer

BUY ME ON AMAZON FOR JUST UNDER $20 BUCKS

THE BEST 20 OZ. HAMMER OF 2020

Estwing E3 20S 20 oz. Straight Claw Hammer

BUY ME ON AMAZON FOR AROUND $25 BUCKS

THE BEST BUDGET HAMMER OF 2020

Craftsman 16 oz. Fiberglass Curved Claw Hammer

BUY ME ON AMAZON FOR UNDER $10 BUCKS

THE BEST 2LB BLACKSMITH HAMMER OF 2020

stanley fatmax antivibe blacksmiths hammer

Stanley 2lb Fatmax Antivibe Blacksmith Hammer

BUY ON AMAZON FOR AROUND $25 BUCKS

THE BEST 3LB MINI SLEDGE HAMMER OF 2020

estwing mini 3ld sledge hammer

Estwing 3lb Sledge Hammer

BUY ME ON AMAZON FOR UNDER $14

THE BEST 12 OZ. RUBBER MALLET OF 2020

the best 12 oz rubber mallet estwing wooden handle

Estwing 12oz. Rubber Mallet

BUY ME ON AMAZON FOR UNDER $15

THE BEST 16 OZ. BRICKLAYER HAMMER OF 2020

16OZ estwing brick layer hammer link pic

Estwing 16oz. Bricklayer Hammer

BUY ME ON AMAZON FOR AROUND $30 BUCKS

THE BEST 24 OZ LONG HANDLE HAMMER OF 2020

estwing 24 oz long handle framing hammer link pic

Estwing 24 oz. Long Handle Hammer

BUY ME ON AMAZON FOR UNDER $35 BUCKS

Best Hammers For 2020 In Depth Reviews

It doesn’t matter if you’re a custom home builder like us or a DIY homeowner, you need good quality, reliable tools. And whether you’re a skilled carpenter or a handyman, at some point your probably gonna need a hammer.

As with any other tool, the quality of your hammer matters. Especially so if your living depends on it. People may think that a hammer is just a hammer, but if you’ve done any construction work then you know better. With so many different hammers out there for sale, finding the best hammers for 2020 can be a difficult task. We’re in your shoes, constantly at Home Depot looking at all the new tools trying to figure out what’s best. That’s why we buy em all and use them on our job sites. We only want the very best for all of our workers. Here’s a list of our favorites featuring the top hammers for 2020. These are the hammers we actually use on our job sites.

best hammers for 2020 esting 16s

#1 Estwing E3 16S 16 Oz Straight Claw Hammer

The best overall hammer you can buy for 2020.

The Estwing E3 16s 16 oz. rip claw hammer is forged out of 1 piece solid steel and fully polished. Balance is the best in the business. It has a bonded and molded Grip that reduces shock up to 70% and will not come off. This is the perfect hammer for general, and light to medium duty. Nail hammers are designed for striking common and finishing nails and nail sets. Made in the USA.

  • Designed for use in general, light to medium duty jobs
  • 1 piece forged steel head and handle
  • Rip claw is designed to pull nails
  • Handle and head are fully polished
  • Molded and bonded grip reduces shock up to 70%
  • Grip is guaranteed to stay on handle
  • Balanced hammer design for comfort and control
  • Made in USA

Review: 5.0

The Estwing 16 oz straight claw hammer is our overall pick for best hammer of 2020 for so many reasons. In the construction industry Estwing hammers are the standard, delivering just about everything you could possibly want from a hammer. A perfect balance, comfortable grip, great head with a good feeling swing and solid strike. Most of all, when your working hard all day, you need a hammer that just feels good and the Estwing e3 16s does just that. The grip is super important when it comes to hammers. In all the years I’ve personally worked with Estwing I’ve never lost control or had one fly out of my hand. That goes for all the Estwings on this list.

The weight is enough to do whatever you need. You can tap it soft enough to drive a trim nail or hard enough to frame. The head’s just the right size. It doesn’t get struck when your framing tight corners like big head hammers but it’s big enough to frame or demo with. The balance is super important too and this hammer has it. It’s hard to miss a nail head when swinging this thing even though the heads not that big.

It’s one piece of solid steel which makes it’s super durable. The grips fantastic and feel great in your hand even when banging nails all day.

Straight claw hammers like this one are great for demo but also do a good job of pulling nails when you have to.

Whether your a DIY homeowner or carpenter that drives nails for a living this is a hammer you’ll want in your tool box. Perfect for everything from everyday use, trim nailing, framing or even demolition. We have Estwing hammers that are over 20 years old and still look like new no matter what we do to them. These things are practically indestructible and we use them on every job we do.

The Estwing E3-16C typically costs a little more than $20 which is a small investment for something that’ll last a lifetime.

best hammers of 2020 estwing e3 16c 16 oz hammer

#2 Estwing E3 16C 16 Oz Curved Claw Hammer

One Of the best overall hammers you can buy for 2020.

The Estwing E3 16c 16 oz. curved claw hammer is forged out of 1 piece solid steel and fully polished just like our overall winner the E3 16s. Balance is just as good as the strqight claw and still among the best in the industry even with the clawed design. It has a bonded and molded Grip that reduces shock up to 70% and won’t come off. Almost the very best hammer you can buy in 2020 for general, and light to medium duty. Nail hammers are designed for striking common and finishing nails and nail sets. Made in the USA.

  • Designed for use in general, light to medium duty jobs
  • 1 Piece forged metal head and handle for extra strength
  • Curved claws are designed to pull nails efficiently
  • Handle and head are fully polished
  • Molded grip reduces shock up to 70%
  • Grip will never come off of handle
  • Balanced hammer design for comfort and control
  • Made in USA

Review: 4.9

The Estwing 16 oz curved claw hammer is our second pick for the best hammer of 2020 and stands out for all the same reasons as the straight claw version. Estwing hammers are the standard delivering just about everything you could possibly want from a hammer. Perfect balance, comfortable grip, a great head with a good feeling swing and solid strike. Most importantly, they feel great even when banging nails all day. Then why is it #2.

It’s all about the claw. In every way the E3 16s and E3 16c are the same exact hammer except for the claw design. Curved claws are a little better at pulling out nails, especially in tighter areas, however we don’t spend much time pulling nails. If we did then we’d prefer to use a cats claw or some other tool that’s much better at pulling nails than a claw hammer. So even though technically this design is a little better at pulling nails, we just don’t really care all that much.

On the other hand this design is worse for demolition work and a bunch of other things we do with a hammer’s claw so for that reason it’s slightly worse for us overall but still one of the best hammers you can buy at a super cheap price that’ll last for decades.

best 12 oz hammer for 2020

#3 Estwing E3 12C 12 Oz Curved Claw Hammer

The best overall 12 Oz. hammer you can buy for 2020.

The Estwing e3 12c 12 oz. curved claw nail hammer is forged out of 1 piece solid steel and fully polished. It’s balance is among the top of the industry. Featuring a bonded and molded grip that reduces shock up to 70% and will not come off. This is the perfect hammer for general and lighter to medium work. Nail hammers are designed for striking common and finishing nails and nail sets. It’s curve claw is for pulling common nails. Made in the USA.

  • Designed for use in general and lighter to medium duty jobs
  • 1 Piece forged metal head and handle for extra strength
  • Curved claws are designed to pull nails efficiently
  • Handle and head are fully polished
  • Molded grip reduces shock up to 70%
  • Grip will never come off of handle
  • Balanced hammer design for comfort and control
  • Made in USA

Review: 4.9

The Estwing 12 oz curved claw hammer is our pick for the best overall 12 oz. hammer for 2020. Just like the other Estwing hammers on our list it has a great feel and perfect balance. It’s super durable, will last just about forever, is pretty cheap and even looks great. So why is it #3 on our overall list.

We don’t have anything bad to say about the hammer. Landing at #3 is all about it’s size. A 12 oz. hammer is great to have in your tool box and really it’s something every carpenter should have, but for most things we do it’s a little on the small size.

The 16 oz. version can do just about everything the 12 oz. hammer can and more. 12 oz. is a little small for demo work and framing. Because it’s lighter you’ll have to swing it more often or harder to drive a nail or demo something. It’s just wasted energy and a pain in the neck to do all day. If your a handyman or DIY homeowner used to lighter work this may be the best size for you but we’d still get the 16 oz. version just in case you need it some day. And you probably will. You really need both sizes in your bag but for the majority of day to day work pros use the 16 oz. hammer.

This size is ideal for jobs in tight spaces where it’s tough to fit a bigger hammer though so every now and then it really comes in handy. For under $20 bucks why wouldn’t you want to have one.

At this size the curved claw is better than the straight. Because it’s smaller and a little sharper the nails come out easier. Still not as good as using a cats claw but better. Since you won’t be using a 12 oz. for demo there’s really no point in buying the straight claw over the curved.

Estwing e3 20s best hammer for 2020 review

#4 Estwing E3 20S 12 Oz Straight Claw Hammer

The best overall 20 Oz. hammer you can buy for 2020.

The Estwing e3 20s 20 oz. straight claw nail hammer is forged out of 1 piece solid steel and fully polished just like all the other Estwing hammers on this best of 2020 list. It’s balance is among the top of the industry, especially for a hammer of this size. Featuring a bonded and molded grip that reduces shock up to 70% that will not come off. This is the perfect hammer for general and medium to heavy work. Nail hammers are designed for striking common and finishing nails and nail sets. It’s straight claw is for pulling common nails and great for demolition. Made in the USA.

  • Designed for use in general and medium to heavy duty jobs
  • 1 Piece forged metal head and handle for extra strength
  • Straight claws are designed to pull nails and are great for demolition
  • Handle and head are fully polished
  • Molded grip reduces shock up to 70%
  • Grip will never come off of handle
  • Balanced hammer design for comfort and control
  • Made in USA

Review: 5

The Estwing 20 oz straight claw hammer is our pick for the best overall 20 oz. hammer for 2020. Just like all the other Estwing hammers on our list it has a great feel and perfect balance. It’s super durable, will last just about forever, is pretty cheap and even looks great. Estwing makes the best hammers in the industry by far and they’re what you’ll find craftsmen using on all of our job sites every single day. But why is this one #4 on our list of the best hammers for 2020.

It’s all because of the size. When you need the extra size of a 20 oz. hammer, this ones the best. But we don’t need a 20 oz. hammer nearly as much as a 16 oz.

The 16 oz. hammer is what we do the vast majority of our work with. Every now and then we scale the hammer size up or down to fit a particular job but it’s not something we’d want to do for very long. Swinging a 20 oz. hammer all day can wear on you and doesn’t really have much benefit over a 16 oz. hammer unless you need that extra power for a particular reason. If your knocking beams around, banging a wall in place of maybe doing some demo work, then a 20 oz. might be best. In those cases it’s good to have one in the truck. And they’re not that expensive.

A 20 oz. hammer is great for demo work because it’s big enough to do some damage but you can still drive nails with it. Because these hammers are so well balanced you can even tap in small trim nails if you have to. It’s a big benefit to using one of these over a small sledge hammer which is really only good for demolition.

Even though a 20 oz. is pretty big for a hammer it can still do just about anything a small size hammer can do except fit into tight spaces. Although every now and then it’s long handle does come in handy.

craftsman 16 oz fiberglass hammer

#5 Craftsman 16 Oz Fiberglass Rip Claw Hammer

The best budget 16 Oz. hammer you can buy for 2020.

Complete your next construction project with a Craftsman 16oz Fiberglass Curved Claw Hammer. It’s suitable for use in a variety of projects from banging nails to hanging photos and more. This 16 oz fiberglass hammer features a forged high carbon steel head that provides long life and durability. The ergonomic handle design has a ribbed surface to provide superior grip so it stays safely in your hand while working. The vibrant red handle allows for high visibility, enabling you to easily locate it in a crowded tool box or bag.

  • Fiberglass core adds strength and durability in the handle while reducing vibrations
  • Durability: over strike protection where fiberglass handles are most prone to break
  • Designed to provide the feeling of wood
  • Ergonomic grip has a ribbed surface and flared end to provide a firm grip and reduce slippage
  • Forged high carbon steel head for durability
  • Craftsman limited lifetime warranty

Review: 4.8

This 16 OZ. fiberglass curved claw hammer by Craftsman is less than $10 bucks which makes it the best budget hammer you can buy. Don’t let the price fool you into thinking just because it’s cheap that it’s low quality. We would recommend it or use it if it was. This is actually a really good hammer.

The weight and balance are both really good and so is the feel. It sits comfortably in your hand and has a nice swing with a good solid hit. The heads a great size too. I hate when companies try to compete with Estwing by making hammers with some strange gimmick head that nobody will ever use. This Craftsman 16 oz. hammer is a solid tool that’s super cheap.

The curved claw is probably better than a straight claw with this hammer because it’s fiberglass. Even though Craftsman says they reinforced the handle where fiberglass hammers commonly break that won’t do much for demo work. If your using a hammer for demolition we’d recommend a steel hammer made by Estwing, but for everyday carpentry work this hammer works just fine.

Fiberglass hammers have traditionally had issues with braking at the handle where most of the force goes during a hard strike. Craftsman says they fixed the issue with this model and we’ve never had any issues.

The ergonomic handle isn’t just a gimmick. We’ve had zero issues swinging this thing even with a sweaty hand. That grip really does feel good.

If your looking for a really good 16 oz. hammer and don’t plan to do any demo work this is a solid choice and it’s super cheap. However if your a pro that makes a living off their tools then spend a couple extra bucks and buy an Estwing. You never know when that extra strength from the steel construction will come in handy.

stanley fatmax antivibe blacksmiths hammer

#6 Stanley 2lb Fatmax Antivibe Blacksmith Hammer

The best 2lb. blacksmith hammer you can buy for 2020.

2 lb. FatMax AntiVibe Blacksmith Hammer with patented tuning fork design reduces vibration that can cause wrist and arm injury. Forged, one piece steel construction for increased strength and durability. Rim temper reduces incidences of chipping. Traditional New England pattern head design. Ergonomically designed handle with rubber grip for increased comfort and performance.

  • Ideal for striking unhardened metals
  • Exclusive rim temper reduces incidences of chipping
  • Forged, 1-piece steel construction for increased strength and durability
  • Precision balanced
  • Patented Antivibe design reduces harmful vibration that can cause wrist and arm injuries
  • Traditional New England pattern head design
  • Ergonomically designed slip resistant handle with secure rubber grip for increased comfort and performance
  • Limited Lifetime Warranty

Review: 4.7

If you’re looking for a serious hammer designed for working with unhardened metal then this is the one to buy. Stanley claims to have something called antivibe technology built into the handle to reduce vibration on impact. I don’t know exactly how they do it but whatever that technology is it works. Banging with this hammer all day long doesn’t really bother my hands at all and that’s a must for me.

The handle feels really good. It’s slit resistant and formed to fit really nicely in your hand. I’ve never had any issues even working without gloves.

The head is perfect for what the hammer does and so is the one piece design. You don’t want a hammer like this that’s not forged out of one solid piece of steel or you’ll risk snapping it. I like that I can bang with this thing as hard as I want all day long without worrying about the handle snapping off which is something that’s happened to me with lower quality hammers in the past.

It’s a specialty hammer for sure but if you’ve got the right kind of work for it then this is the hammer I’d use which is why it made our best hammers for 2020 list.

estwing 3lb mini sledge hammer pic

#7 Estwing 3lb Mini Sledge Hammer

The best 3lb. mini sledge hammer you can buy for 2020.

Since 1923, Estwing has taken pride in designing and manufacturing the world’s most durable, comfortable and attractive hammers. All claw hammers, axes, specialty tools and pry bars are manufactured to the highest possible standards and offer a true value to both tradesmen and craftsmen alike. Estwing continues to innovate and produce new hand tools. Our engineers work continually to create the most revolutionary and long lasting hand tools on the market.

The Sure Strike 3lb mini sledge hammer from Estwing, has a forged steel blue painted head which is hardened and tempered. Both faces are fully polished. Designed for striking cold chisels, brick chisels, punches, star drills, spikes and hardened nails. Both faces are beveled. This drilling hammer has an 11 in. jacketed and textured yellow fiberglass handle which allows for heavier blows in an environment where there is limited swing. A strong reliable tool you can count on.

The Sure Strike line of fiberglass tools from Estwing has forged steel heads with fiberglass handles for strong reliable tools you can count on.

  • Ideal for driving hardened nails and cold chisels
  • 1 piece forged head and handle offer lasting durability
  • Both faces are fully polished to create a smooth, solid surface
  • 9 in. handle provides a strong, solid grip
  • Molded, shock-resistant grip reduces impact stress by up to 70%
  • Forged steel head – Maximum strength and durability for a lifetime of hard work
  • Balance and Temper – The most durable, longest lasting striking tools available
  • Heavy hitting hammer – Perfectly balanced to deliver powerful blows with an easy swing
  • Fiberglass handle – Lightweight, durable handle offers a comfortable controlled swing with a ribbed grip to prevent slips
  • On the job versatility – Use with chisels, punches, star drills, hardened nails & more
  • Made in the USA

Review: 4.8

Ask any construction worker from just about any trade and they’ll tell you they have a 3lb mini sledge hammer in their bag or truck. There’s so many situations where these come in handy it’s just a standard tool every worker caries. It doesn’t matter if your a plumber, electrician, framer, mason or finish carpenter, eventually you’ll have to bang something hard for some reason and this is the best everyday hammer to do it with.

Because this hammer is so heavy with such a big head and short handle, it’s gives you a lot of power in tight situations.

  • The grip feels great which is really important with a sledge hammer. The last thing you want is to slip or lose control with one of these things while your taking a big swing.
  • The balance and feel are both great too which is also super important. It’s easy to hit the spot your aiming at every time. Believe me, you don’t want to hit the wrong thing while taking a swing with this hammer.
  • The 3lb mini sledge from Estwing makes our list of the best hammers for 2020 primarily because of how much of a staple a mini sledge is to us and this is the best one we’ve found. I can’t even list all the different times these have come in handy on a job site. We do a lot of banging and demo with the standard 16oz. – 24 oz. hammers too but sometimes the added weight and bigger head of a mini sledge is just what we need.
    estwing 12 oz rubber mallet with wood handle

 

#8 Estwing 12 Oz Rubber Mallet

The best 12 oz rubber mallet you can buy for 2020.

Complete your next construction project with a This Sure Strike 12 oz. Double-Face Soft Hammer from Estwing is well suited for assembling furniture, setting dowels and handling wood projects that require non-marring blows. The hammer features two distinct types of heads, one soft and one hard to accommodate versatile jobs. Built to last, it is designed with a genuine, top grade, 10-1/2 in. curved hickory handle with triple wedge construction, creating a solid, dependable structure.

  • Ideal for a range of delicate projects
  • Dual faces offer versatile use
  • Durable tips include one made of soft rubber and one made of hard plastic
  • Tips connected by forged steel for lasting strength
  • Triple wedge construction securely fastens the hammer to the head
  • Built for Pros. Framers, roofers, carpenters, contractors, tradesman & serious DIYers
  • Genuine hickory handle designed to fit the grip of the user’s hand ensuring comfort & control
  • Made in the USA. Estwing hammers are proudly crafted in Rockford, IL using the finest American steel

Review: 4.8

This 12 OZ. rubber mallet is the best mallet we’ve tested and is a tool we always carry in all of our trucks. Having a rubber mallet on the job comes in handy in so many situations when you can’t risk hitting wood with a steel hammer. In a lot of cases we’ll use a wood block to bang on instead of hitting the finished wood itself but sometimes even that’s too hard and can damage finished soft woods.

For things like working with trim, flooring, or cabinets you need a mallet. Even when setting stone or masonry products it helps to have a rubber mallet handy to give it a little adjustment here and there.

The weight and balance are both really good and so is the feel which is what you’d expect from an Estwing hammer. It sits comfortably in your palm because of the contoured handle and real wood always feels good in your hand. The heads are both a great size too and having two different types is really nice.

The Estwing rubber mallet is very durable. We used to use cheaper mallets that I won’t name here but once we tried this one we switched. The older ones used to break all the time. The heads would just fly right off. But I’ve never been able to break one of these. They’re standard hammers on all of our job sites.

 

16 oz estwing bricklayer hammer best hammers for 2020 list

#9 Estwing 16 Oz Bricklayer Hammer

The best 16 oz bricklayer hammer you can buy for 2020.

Complete your next construction project with the Estwing 16 oz. Bricklayer’s Hammer. It features a molded grip that reduces shock up to 70% and will not come off. Patented nylon end cap makes this hammer the most durable on the market. The head and handle are forged in 1 piece and fully polished making this one really nice looking hammer. The tool has unsurpassed balance and temper. Made in the USA for professional brick layers, masons, carpenters, contractors and serious DIYers.

  • Shock reduction grip reduces shock by up to 70%
  • Head and handle are forged in 1 piece creating most durable, longest lasting brick hammer available
  • Approximate overall length 11 in.
  • Perfect balance
  • Industry best tempering
  • Made in USA
  • Patented nylon end cap creates an ultra durable handle end for setting bricks and more
  • Built for pro stone masons, brick layers, carpenters, contractors, tradesman & serious DIYers
  • Made in the USA. Estwing hammers are proudly crafted in Rockford, IL using the finest American steel

Review: 4.8

The 16 OZ. one piece steel brick hammer by Estwing is the best hammer you can get for doing masonry. It’s the standard hammer all of our masons use whenever they’re laying brick, block, concrete, stone, and just about any other masonry work they’re doing.

As with other Estwing hammers the weight and balance are both great and it feels really good. The molded handle isn’t a gimmick. It really does reduce vibration felt in the hand. I don’t know how to measure a thing like that so I have no idea if the 70% number they claim is true or not. But when I use other brick hammers and compare them to this one, the Estwing wins easily. It just feels really good in your hand even after banging bricks all day.

The one piece steel design is super strong. You can bang masonry or even real stone as hard as you want and the hammer will be fine. My mason has been using the same 16 oz. Estwing brick hammer for over a decade and it’s still fine, these are the only ones he’ll use.

If your looking for a really good 16 oz. hammer and don’t plan to do any demo work this is a solid choice and it’s super cheap. However if your a pro that makes a living off their tools then spend a couple extra bucks and buy an Estwing. You never know when that extra strength from the steel construction will come in handy.

Estwing 24 oz long handle framing hammer

#10 Estwing 24 Oz Long Handle Framing Hammer

The best 24 oz long handle framing hammer you can buy for 2020.

The 24 oz. Estwing milled face Hammertooth hammer has a board straightening feature that straightens twisted studs and joists with ease. As with the other Estwing hammers on our list the Hammertooth features a bonded and molded grip that reduces shock up to 70% and will not come off. The head and handle are forged in 1 piece and are fully polished. This tool has unsurpassed balance and temper. The longer handle and heavier head are great for driving large common nails and doing demolition work. Milled face designed to reduce glancing blows and flying nails when used in framing unexposed wood. The tooth on the handle is used for straightening 2x lumber. Made in the USA.

  • Heavy and long which makes it great for driving big nails and demolition work
  • 1 piece forged head and handle makes Estwing hammers the most durable, longest lasting striking tools available
  • Double tempered head for added strength
  • Comfortable molded grip reduces shock by up to 70%
  • Balanced hammer design for comfort and control
  • Patented Hammertooth design creates added torque to pry and straighten 2x boards with ease
  • Rip claw versatility used for pulling nails, prying boards, demolition work, splitting wood and more
  • Made In The USA. Estwing hammers are proudly crafted in Rockford, IL using the finest American steel

Review: 4.8

Having one of these 24 OZ. Estwing hammers on the job is a must. They’re heavy enough to do just about all the standard residential demolition work you don’t need an actual sledge hammer for. The Hammertooth design and rip claw both come in handy. A lot of times framing wood comes a bit twisted and the Hammertooth helps straighten it out while we nail in our blocking.

For such a big hammer the heads a reasonable size which makes it really nice when driving nails. I hate those gimmick hammers with the super big head. All they do is block your view. In fact for a hammer this size it’s surprisingly sleek and easy to handle.

The weight and overall balance are both really good and so is the feel. It’s a surprise because with other really long hammers we’ve used the balance can feel off sometimes causing me to choke up a little on the handle. That’s not the case at all here. I can hold it all the way back on the handle and still have great control. It sits snug in my hand and has a nice controlled swing with a really hard hit.

The straight claw is great for demo as it is with any other type of hammer but with this one you really feel powerful. There’s not many situations on a job site where I need more power than this gives me. Even when demoing CMU or concrete this thing can do some serious damage. Although for heavier demolition we’d recommend using a sledge hammer.

The single forged steel handle means it’s a super strong and durable hammer that’ll last, which is exactly what you want if your a pro making a living off these tools.

The handle design isn’t just a gimmick. For a hammer that hits this hard you’d think the vibration may be a problem but not here. The handle does a great job of minimizing it.

If your looking for a the best 24 oz. hammer for 2020 then look no further. While we doubt this would be your every day all around hammer for residential construction it’s still a great idea to have one on every job site. We always do and I can tell you first hand that it’s worth every penny.

Why trust Gambrick?

Gambrick has been building high end custom homes for over four decades. Not to mention all the other things we do like additions, decks, kitchens, basements, bathrooms, etc. We test dozens of different tools per year, subjecting each one to a series of rigorous tests in the real world and on real job sites. Not in some lab for 5 minutes.

All sorts of things come up when your using a tool for work that you just can’t account for during a simple test. We only want the best tools so that’s why we test them all out. The hammers at the top of this list are the actual hammers our guys use on all of our jobs.

To do the very best work it helps to use the very best tools. The last thing you want are your tools fighting you all day long while your supposed to be focusing on the job.

What should you look for when buying a new hammer?

There are a few main things you can look out for when buying a new hammer that can ensure you get the best tool for your money.

Make sure you consider the type of work you’ll be doing before buying. This is a good way of quickly seeing what type of hammer you’ll need. If your doing delicate trim work then don’t worry about what the best framing hammer is because you won’t need one.

First of all the most important thing to consider is the feel. Once you determine the type of hammer you need you really have to find one that feels right in your hand. We can tell you which hammers we think are best, but in the end, your the one swinging it every day.

As a general rule of thumb, straight claw hammers are better for demo and curved claws are better for removing nails. We don’t remove many nails though so curved claws aren’t much use to us. We use a cats claw when needed. That’s the best tool for removing nails anyway.

Find the right weight for the job your doing and your own strength. If it’s too light you’ll end up wasting time and swinging too hard. If it’s too heavy you won’t be able to manage it all day long. 16 Oz. is generally the best weight for all around every day use.

Fiberglass hammers don’t tend to last as long as steel handles do but manufacturers claim they fixed this with newer models. We’ll see. For now we’re sticking with steel.

If you’re after something with a bit more oomph we like using bigger hammers rather than switching to a sledge if possible. Of course for some things a sledge is your only options but if not we’d rather use a 20 oz. or even a 24 oz. hammer. This way if we have nails to drive we still can and don’t have to carry two hammers.

Better quality tools really do last the longest and provide the best value. Sure an Estwing is a little more money but you’ll have it for decades.

Stay away from Gimmick hammers. We’ve tried them all and none of them were ever any good. Giant heads with built in nail holders may look cool but you’ll never use them.

A newer hammer design doesn’t mean it works any better than an old one. Stick with tried and true designs that have works for generations.

When it comes to hammers, they all work fine. At the end of the day, they’re mainly for banging in nails and they can all do it. The hammers at the top of our list just do it better, while being more comfortable and lasting a lot longer. If your a professional those are all things that probably matter to you.

Conclusion

Finding the right hammer is a tough decision to make and we’ve definitely been in your shoes dozens of times. With so many hammers to choose from it’s easy to make a mistake. That’s why we created this list of the best hammers for 2020.

We hope this article gave you some useful information that you can put to good use. Check back, we update these pages with new pics all the time as we get them. If you’ve got any pics you’d like us to showcase send them over.

If you have any questions or comments feel free to e-mail us any time. We’d love to hear from you.

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