The Best Claw Hammer
The Stubbornest – Estwing 20oz with Leather Handle
We tested 9 different hammers to find the one you can buy once. The Estwing 20oz is from a trusted brand that builds with the highest quality steel. You can pass one on to your grandkids, if they can pry it from your cold, dead hands.
DURABILITY
Will last decades. Quality steel, great handle
COST
Not quite as cheap as other hammers on the market, but still reasonable
COMFORT
Feels good in the hand and while swinging
Pros
Cons
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VIDEO REVIEW
Below is our video review of the top hammers.
CANDIDATES
We reviewed 9 different hammers to find the one that will last a lifetime. Our engineers looked at durability, head material, handle quality, grip comfort, balance and use of the claw, as well as cost and user reviews to help you make an informed decision when buying your next hammer.
We compared hammers from several prominent brands: Estwing, Irwin, Stanley, Craftsman, Milwaukee, Crecent, Husky (Home Depot’s in-house brand), Project Source, and Kobalt (Lowe’s in-house brand).
1 – Estwing 20oz
Materials: Estwing hammers are like the Schwarzenegger of hammers—one-piece forged steel that laughs in the face of weak metal. No separate head and handle here; it’s all one solid chunk of tough American Steel. It also comes in a 16oz version if you are weak.
Handle & Grip: Their handle is another reason we feel like this is a buy it once product. Made from leather instead of rubber or plastic, this will be comfortable for years to come. It keeps vibrations to a minimum, so you don’t have to worry about your hands feeling like they’ve been through a mini earthquake. The length is perfect for a balanced feel in your hand.
Cost: Expect to drop $30 to $40, which might seem steep, but remember: you’re investing in hammer royalty.
Reviews: Users say Estwing hammers are built like tanks. You’ll pass this hammer down to your grandkids—who’ll then use it to build their own empire!
2 – Milwaukee 16oz
Summary: Milwaukee 16 ounce smooth face hammer. Milwaukee is a trusted name in tools of all kinds. We liked the I-beam design and the handle was comfortable. It has the additional feature of a magnetic nail holder. We didn’t like that the head diameter of the Milwaukee was the smallest of all the hammers we tested at 1.152 inches. There was also some pitting in the head after our nail test, showing a lesser quality steel. This hammer retails for around 27 dollars.
3 – Craftsman 20oz
Summary: The Craftsman brand has a long history of great tools backed by a lifetime warranty. This 20 ounce hammer comes with that warranty, which we love. However, with the move from Sears to Lowes, the process of using that warranty has gotten more difficult. The hammer itself is mediocre with a fiberglass shaft and steel that galled during testing.
4 – Crescent 16oz
Summary: This hammer has more of a straight claw than the traditional curved. The handle was comfortable, but the shaft is made from fiberglass. A fiberglass shaft will make a similar sized hammer lighter, but is never as strong as a fully steel shaft. The Crescent had the second largest head diameter at 1.265 inches, and the second longest length at 13.9 inches. It seemed a little long. The Crescent 16 Oz hammer offers a good value for around $17.
5 – Husky 20oz
Summary: Husky is the in house brand for Home Depot. Don’t let that deter you, as this is a decent hammer. The steel was on par with most other hammers. It has a good steel shaft and rubber handle. This hammer retails for around $24.
6 – Irwin 15oz
Summary: The Irwin 15 Oz was the longest, lightest, and had the largest diameter head of all the hammers we tested. You would think with those characteristics this would be a clear winner. The hammer felt awkward while swinging, and the steel head was easily pitted after hitting nails. The Irwin 15 Oz costs around $23.
7 – Stanley 16oz
Summary: The Stanley 16 Oz hammer was one of the worst hammers in our testing. It has a fiberglass shaft, and the overall length was too short at 12.8 inches. It also had one of the smallest head diameters at 1.172 inches. Skip this hammer, even at the low price of $12. Stanley does make a higher quality hammer called the Fat Max, but it was unavailable for testing.
8 – Kobalt 20oz
Summary: Kobalt is the Lowes in-house brand of tools. Very similar to the Husky, the Kobalt 20 Oz is a decent mid range hammer. The steel was ok, and the shaft was comfortable. At around $24, it was a good mix of strength and function in the mid-price range.
9 – Project Source 16oz
Summary: The Project Source 16 Ounce hammer was the cheapest claw hammer in our testing at 9 dollars, and it showed. The quality of the steel was poor and the balance was even worse. The grip will not last long. We do not recommend this hammer.
ANALYSIS
After hours or research and testing, we determined that the Estwing 20oz Straight Rip Claw with Leather Grip gives the best combination of durability, user experience and cost. See our findings in the table below. The winner will be in the top right of the scatter graph.
METHOD
Our analysis started by looking at the different types of hammers.
Although there are many types of hammers (claw, sledge, ball-peen, masonry, dead blow etc), this review focuses on the most well known type: the claw hammer. Claw hammers have a flat striking face and a curved claw for removing nails. Withing the claw hammer family there are even variations in weight and use (standard, framing, rip, finish etc). We focused on standard claw hammers in the 16-20oz range, as this is the most common and useful for a wide variety of tasks. This is the hammer most people have in their toolbox.
BUILD QUALITY
We then searched online and read through countless reviews to find the claw hammers for our comparison testing. We tested each hammer in our hammer-off for the following characteristics:
Build quality was determined from research into the type of materials used for each hammer, as well as longevity of each material.
METHODOLOGY
Each hammer started out with a durability score of 100. We then deducted points for:
HEAD DIAMETER
The following are the head diameters ranked from largest to smallest. In general it is good to have a bigger hammer head up to a point, as it gives more striking ability and minimizes missing the target.
- Irwin – 1.322 inch diameter
- Crescent – 1.265 inch diameter
- Estwing – 1.234 inch diameter
- Craftsman – 1.229 inch diameter
- Project Source – 1.188 inch diameter
- Kobalt – 1.185 inch diameter
- Husky – 1.175 inch diameter
- Stanley – 1.172 inch diameter
- Milwaukee – 1.152 inch diameter
HANDLE LENGTH
Hammer handle length is also important for balance and feel. A hammer handle that is too short will not have the leverage and power due to less mechanical advantage. Too long a handle can make it difficult to consistently hit the target. Below are the overall hammer lengths from largest to smallest.
- Irwin – 14.6 inches long
- Crescent – 13.9 inches long
- Estwing – 13.8 inches long
- Milwaukee – 13.2 inches long
- Project Source – 13.2 inches long
- Husky – 13.1 inches long
- Kobalt – 13.0 inches long
- Stanley – 12.8 inches long
- Craftsman – 12.65 inches long
REVIEWS
After narrowing down our choices, we scoured the internet for good quality reviews. These can be very hard to find now that fake and paid-for reviews are everywhere.
Sites like ReviewMeta and FakeSpot analyze reviews with their algorithm to eliminate suspicious ones and give an updated score.
The Esting 20oz that is our winner had over 4,000 ratings on Amazon as of the time of this review. Review Meta gave it a score of 4.8 and removed zero fake reviews, which is pretty unheard of.
AMAZON RATING
4.8
ADJUSTED RATING
4.8
MATERIALS
Our engineers are experts on finding products with the right materials that will last. The materials that each hammer is made of makes a huge difference in ruggedness and longevity.
METAL
We like things made of metal at Stubborn Gear. Hammers are made of metal. Metal in general will outlast plastic and fiberglass. However, not all metal is the same quality. Some steel is poorly made with a suboptimal refining process that leaves impurities in the metal. In general, USA made steel is of a higher quality and tends to be stronger and longer lasting.
FIBERGLASS
Some of the hammers in our tests have fiberglass shafts or coverings. While fiberglass can be strong and provides a weight savings, it does not compare in durability to a good quality steel.
PLASTIC
Plastic has a bad reputation as cheap and brittle. Some of that is rightly deserved, but plastic can also be used effectively in the right location. All plastic formulation is not the same. Some can be brittle, some pliable, UV resistant or susceptible.
*Disclaimer: We don’t accept payment from any company, so you know our reviews are honest and unbiased. We are completely supported our fans. This page contains affiliate links. That means that we are awarded a small commission for purchases made through them, at no added cost for you. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases