Over at Amazon, this Irwin 4-pack of 6-inch bar clamps was a good seasonal “special buy” at $20. Now, they’ve slashed the price an extra 15%, making it $17. That’s a hot deal if you ask me.
Years ago, I bought a 4-pack of these Irwin clamps on the spot when they were $20 at the local home center. $20 for 4 trigger-action bar clamps is a good price. $17 is even better.
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They’re basic clamps with 6″ opening capacity and 140 lbs of clamping pressure.
After a year or two, I bought another set of 4 clamps the next time I saw it on sale for $20.
You can’t use them as spreaders, and they’re somewhat lightweight. But they’re inexpensive, easy to use, and the non-marring pads work quite well. I use these often, although I tend to use my Bessey ratcheting clamps a bit more when I don’t need a lot of clamps.
These Irwin clamps are handy for quick glue-ups, and I use them for holding work materials to portable or stationary workbenches.
I can’t tell you these are amazing clamps, nor can I tell you that they’re as versatile as more premium models. They’re cheap, but not cheaply made, at least not in my experience. They’re basic, but useful.
I bought a Dewalt trigger clamp special buy a couple of years ago, and it came with two basic 6″ clamps and two more premium 12″ clamps. I like these Irwin clamps a lot better than Dewalt’s 6″ clamps.
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You know the adage where one can never have too many clamps? This is a good set to make sure you always have a couple of clamps on-hand. I have two sets of them, but I think that’s a good place to stop. After that, spend any additional money on larger, stronger, or more versatile and featured clamps. Even with better (or at least pricier) clamps at my disposal, I still use my Irwin clamps all the time.
In other words, these clamps are not the best, but you should consider buying them anyway, at least if you’ve been waiting for a good holiday season deal on clamps to serve growing workshop or tool box needs.
Price: $17
Buy Now via Amazon
Buy Now via Acme Tools
Update: Acme Tools is also offering this set at $17.
(SKU: 1964758)
Do you want longer clamps? Amazon has another special buy where you get (2) 6″ and (2) 12″ clamps for $25.
My guess is that Amazon has too large of a stockpile on these special buys and has discounted the price to help empty warehouse shelves.
I’m quite surprised by the price reduction, as this Irwin clamp set has NEVER been priced this low. I checked ToolGuyd’s Black Friday and deal post archives, and the seasonal price has always been fixed at $20. I also checked online price trackers, just to be sure, and they’re reporting that the current price of $16.99 is the lowest price this Irwin clamp set has ever sold for.
While an added $3 discount off the $20 special buy price doesn’t seem like a lot of money, it’s still a 15% added discount, which might be enough to sway anyone that’s been on the fence.
This set is only $20 a couple of times each year – sometimes for the winter holidays, sometimes for the winter holidays and Father’s Day (at least if my memory is accurate).
In other words, once it sells out, you’re not going to see this clamp set at this price again for 6 months, maybe longer.
itsgalf
Looks like the URL for the (2) 6″ clamp (2) 12″ clamp isn’t correct.
Probably should be:
https://www.amazon.com/IRWINQUICK-GRIPOne-Handed-Mini-Clamp-Pack-1964748/dp/B00TKIUL84/?tag=toolguyd-20
Stuart
Thanks! I’m not quite sure what was happening, but it’s fixed now! I checked all the other links but that one before publishing. Whoops.
ToolGuyDan
They’re definitely not world-class, but in terms of having enough clamps in a pinch, I reach for my pile of Harbor Freight 6-inchers (https://www.harborfreight.com/6-in-ratcheting-bar-clampspreader-64154.html). At under $3 with a 20%-off coupon ($2.23 apiece with the current 30% off!), it’s damn good value-for-money, and they’re convertible to spreaders, too.
While we’re on the topic, I like their shorter ones a lot, but I’ve been trying, and then dismissing as cheap crap, HF’s longer ratcheting clamps (longer than a foot) for a while now. That was, until I found their “heavy-duty” 24- and 36-inchers. Again, these aren’t going to do a half-ton of clamping force, but if that’s what you need, you probably aren’t using a ratcheting clamp, anyway. They’re well under half the price of a new Irwin Quick-Grip of the same length.
ktash
I have these and also the dewalts. I, too, like the irwins better. These are good clamps for clamping small and lightweight projects. Years ago I got some Irwin parallel clamps that came damaged with no way to get a repair short of paying shipping back to the company, which would cost near the price of the clamp. I’ve avoided buying most of their clamps since then. However, these are the exception. I like them better than similar clamps.
I usually buy Bessey clamps. I had one of their clamps fail after several years of use, sent them a picture of the broken clamp and they replaced it quickly. Lifetime warranty with no red tape.
I’ve been tempted by the new Bessey ratcheting clamps, but concluded I already have too many clamps 😉
Craig Stasko
I prefer the Jorgenson, but Menards had 6″ four for $16 recently. I picked up two can never have enough clamps.
Charles
I have these clamps. I have to say I find them pretty useless, because they have so little clamp pressure. I have been struggling to find a use for them, what do people do with them? Certainly the pressure is way too small for glue ups per the tables
Stuart
Mostly quick material hold-downs, clamping right angle clamps for fastening corners together, small stuff.
Tony
How are the Irwins compared to these DeWalt clamps?
https://www.homedepot.com/p/DEWALT-12-in-and-6-in-600-lb-Bar-Clamps-4-Pack-w-2-5-in-Throat-Depth-DWHT83855/303177956
Stuart
I never tried those bar clamps. I tried a couple of times to request review samples, but gave up. All Dewalt would tell me was that it was a “test for Home Depot.”
Bar clamps and trigger clamps are different animals.
I’m sure the Dewalt are fine. Personally, if I were to buy more traditionally styled bar clamps, I’d likely look closer at Bessey or Jorgensen.
I tend to prefer trigger clamps for shorter lengths (such as under 12″), and bar clamps for longer lengths.
Blythe
I love these for positioning material on the jobsite, I often work alone so I use these all the time. Also 2 of them together can make a pretty good laser mount if your laser has magnets
Tom D
You can get a 8 clamp bundle for about the price of the two 12 inch at Menards ($15): https://www.menards.com/main/tools/hand-tools/clamps-vises/irwin-reg-quick-grip-8-piece-clamp-set/4935502-15z/p-1534228091122-c-9135.htm