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“There are tons of things around the house a homeowner can use dowel jigs to fix,” says John Mazzuca of Gambrick Construction, a Point Pleasant, New Jersey–based custom home builder with 25 years of experience. “Over time wood chairs can become wobbly … and a dowel jig can [help you] drill new holes into the chair’s legs and back supports for dowels that will reinforce the joints and make the chair sturdy again.” Mazzuca says he also uses dowels to fix the shelving on bookcases or when the case itself starts to pull apart.

Handheld dowel jigs may be easy to position, but the possibility of movement always exists when drilling, which can cause inaccuracies and ruin the job. Many dowel jigs can be clamped securely in place to prevent movement from occurring. The clamping method, along with capacity, varies among different types of jigs.

The JessEm dowel jig is aimed at professionals, not because the jig is particularly complex—inexperienced woodworkers can handle it—but because of the variety and accuracy of holes it creates. With steel bushings and screws, this capable anodized aluminum jig works on a wide range of projects. Though it’s on the pricey side, the JessEm was the only one in our testing that came with drill bits and stop collars.

If you’re getting interested in woodworking, this inexpensive brad point bit set is an easy choice. The sharp tip on these bits make it easy to start the bit exactly where you need it, and their geometry—somewhere between a twist drill and an auger bit—makes for good chip ejection.

Bob Beacham is an engineer by trade and has spent 35 years working on everything from auto parts to oil rigs. He is also an avid DIY enthusiast. Bob started writing for the Bob Vila team in 2020 and covers tools, outdoor equipment, and home improvement projects.

Dowels make it easy to align surfaces and prevent them from slipping while the glue dries, which can dramatically reduce the need for corrective work later.

Joining end grain is always difficult, and most dowel jigs are not well suited for the task. However, with the ability to space dowels a mere ⅛ inch apart and a stainless steel indexing pin, the JessEm jig easily tackles the job. Users drop into the first hole, so any subsequent holes are accurately spaced no matter the size of the board. Proper clamping also helps achieve that kind of accurate repeatability, and we found that the flat surfaces of this jig provide ample clamping room.

We found the clamp worked on most of our testing, but the Milescraft has a bunch of flat surfaces on its 90-degree body, so if extra clamping is needed, it wouldn’t be difficult to get a secure bite. The kit includes a series of spacers that help center the holes for common board thicknesses like ½ inch, ⅝ inch, ¾ inch, or 1½ inches.

We also liked the JessEm’s three quick-change sleeves; we didn’t have to change individual bushings to switch between dowel sizes. Seven ¼-inch bushings occupy one; five ⅜-inch bushings are on another; and three ½-inch bushings fill the last. The dowels can be set anywhere from ¼ inch to 3½ inches from the board edge, which is a unique attribute that provides fast, consistent spacing. The oddly shaped but useful U-shaped slot in the front of the jig can, with the indexing pin or a dowel, transfer a hole’s location from one board to another to ensure accurate alignment across edge-to-edge joints, 90-degree corners, or T joints.

Use: Thin-gauge steel, aluminum | Type: Impact-rated step drill | Number of bits: 3 | Size range: ⅛ to ⅞ inchThey call these step drills because of their shape. Each step increases the hole diameter. You just stop drilling when you reach the appropriate hole diameter at the step that produces it. Although these bits are designed for sheet metal, they will drill a clean fast hole in heavier-gauge materials like electrical boxes and even mild steel channel, and shapes like L, U, and T.

Sal Vaglica has covered tools and DIY projects since 2006 for such sites as Better Homes & Gardens, Wired, This Old House, and Fine Homebuilding. A former hardwood flooring contractor, he prefers to test tools hands-on whenever possible by replicating the scenario readers might face at their own homes.

During testing, the lightweight plastic felt durable and comfortable in hand. While it helps drill three common dowel diameters, it can take a bit of fussy measuring to evenly space those holes across the width of very long boards, like a tabletop. But for smaller work, where users might only need four or five dowels to line up, this is a great entry-level solution.

Suppose your drill doesn’t have a hammer function or you lack a dedicated masonry drill, what do you do then? Well, if your masonry hole drilling is confined to brick, concrete block, or mortar, you can use these inexpensive carbide-tip rotary drill bits for masonry. They won’t stand up to use in a hammer drill, but they work perfectly well, if slower, in a standard drill or cordless drill driver. Bonus: Their double-flute design allows better clearing of dust and chips compared to a single-twist type. This way you can use the drill’s high-speed setting to get through the job faster. Note that there are multiples of the smaller diameters, such as the 3⁄16-inch size, which are more frequently used with masonry screws.

Use: Concrete block, mortar, brick | Type: Rotary (non hammer) carbide-tip twist drill | Number of bits: 14 | Size range: ⅛ to ½ inch

While we were impressed with the heft, quality, and precision milling of the Dowelmax, it’s a bit too complex for a DIYer. Setting the Dowelmax up takes a bit of time, more than any other tools in the test. While most dowel jigs might need a read or two of the manual, before shoving it into a drawer, a user will likely need to keep the booklet that comes with the Dowelmax (along with an instructional DVD) on hand.

The only sure way to make consistent and clean holes in glass and ceramic tile is with a carbide bit designed for those materials. These simple and inexpensive little bits work great. The carbide tip is diamond ground to a sharp point that enables a fast and sure start, putting the hole right where you need it, instead of the bit skating off and leaving a nasty mark. The three flats ground onto the bit’s shank prevent it from slipping.

On low-cost dowel jigs, the bushes may be made of low-cost, easy-to-produce aluminum; however, the hard steel of a drill bit will wear it out eventually. For those who use a dowel jig only occasionally, this isn’t a problem, but regular users will get more value from a jig with longer-lasting hardened steel bushes.

While there are jigs that offer a greater range of dowel size options, the JointMaster is hard to beat when it comes to utility. The boxed kit includes three sleeves to drill ¼-inch, 5/16-inch, and ⅜-inch dowels, which can cover most bases for DIYers. Plus, its smart design makes this jig our favorite. The aluminum body is stiff and won’t bend even when users crank down on the included clamp.

On the downside, this jig is not designed to help users transfer dowel locations from one board to the next. That means it falls on the user to make more accurate layout marks and a bit more patience to nail the location of mating holes. Plus, at well over 2 pounds, the jig can overwhelm smaller pieces of wood, which users might want to clamp into a vice to keep secure. During testing, we had to clamp a 2×4 to the work surface while drilling through the narrow end of the stock, which helped increase stability.

Every so often there might be a situation where the alignment fingers won’t work, and in that case, a few dowel center transfer markers can help. Offered in common dowel diameters, these pins fit into the holes in one half of the project. Then press the board into the mating one, and the pins on the markers identify the center of the correlating dowel holes.

These twist drill bits are built to withstand punishment. They’re machined out of high-speed steel and finished with a wear-resistant coating. Yet their tips can be resharpened. All that is good. What’s even better is that they’re made in America and yet are priced reasonably, especially when you account for the cost of the nice sheet steel bit index that they come in. We tried them, liked them, and thought enough of them to award them our coveted annual Tool Award.

Use: Wood | Type: Forstener | Number of bits: 8 | Size range: ¼ to 1⅜ inchesWhen you need a perfectly round hole in wood with a smoothly machined sidewall, then you want a Forstener bit. These are best used in a drill press, but the smaller-diameter bits can be used in a hand drill.

After considering several products, we picked six to test and found five worth recommending to cover the needs of a wide range of users, from entry-level budget-minded buyers to experienced woodworkers.

Milescraft’s entry-level dowel jig is about as basic as a dowel jig gets. The tough ABS plastic body has hardened steel bushings for ¼-inch, 5/16-inch, and ⅜-inch drilling holes in material from ½ inch to 1½ inches thick. Clear groves in the body of the tool indicate the center line of the dowels.

The jig is simple to set up out of the box with easy-to-read markings for adjusting the fence based on the thickness of the stock. During testing, the plastic and metal bushings were easy to swap in and out without a tool. Although the kit does not come with drill bits or a clamp, we liked the clear center line on the jig’s alignment window, which makes it easy to put the dowel right where users want it. This is a nice jig to have for more experienced DIYers who dabble in case work.

Spade bits are made for quick-and-rough holes in construction lumber. They don’t leave a particularly clean exit hole, but in most cases that doesn’t matter. Of all the spade bits we’ve tried through the years, we keep coming back to Irwin Speedbor. They’re inexpensive, tough, and can be sharpened with a file. One set will last for years, maybe decades, depending on your use.

Milescraft included a detail a lot of other jigs leave out: a pair of positive stops that hook onto the end of a board to help with consistent alignment. During testing we flipped either end down to hold the work, enabling this relatively inexpressive jig to deliver accurate results. The jig is assembled in a 90-degree corner, but with a screwdriver, users can take it apart for instances where they need to drill a hole without the fence—say when clamping the jig onto a stair baluster or chair spindle. Users can attach the removable clamp to either half of the jig.

While many variables impact the amount, some experts in the field note that a 1-inch dowel can hold 3,000 to 4,000 pounds.

Features like self-centering are a bonus for some woodworkers, as is a choice of six different bushes. However, those who usually work with similar-size lumber may not need to change bushes or accommodate different widths, so they don’t need a high-end model. While precise clamping is vital for some tasks, a low-cost handheld dowel jig is the right tool for others. The right jig for you is the right jig for your tasks.

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Use: Wood and steel | Type: Extra-long twist drill | Number of bits: 5 | Size range: ¼ to ½ inchSuppose you need more reach when making a hole, such as when you’re working on an old house or restoring an old car. Or in a modern house, you need a super-long pilot hole for that massive screw you’ll use to hang a ceiling fan. Enter these 18-inch bits. Built from high-speed steel and with geometry to eject metal chips, they work on wood, too (though you will have to back them out repeatedly as you go deeper to eject the wood chips).

The Task Tools jig is a two-in-one for what can be tough doweling. Not only can it handle timbers and posts up to 6 inches wide, but it also centers the dowel holes automatically, enabling users to find the middle of round stock, too. The chunky screw-style vise makes this just about the easiest jig to use because it securely hugs any stock that fits within its jaws. The Task also has five fixed bushings, so it can handle a wide range of wood stock.

If your goal is to put holes in the center of stock, this is the jig for you because it does exactly what it says and with few moving parts. While using the jig, we noticed the hefty feel of anodized aluminum construction, which should last for years thanks to the rust-resistant coating. We also found it easy to attach the Task to wood pieces as thin as ⅜ inch thick, and the precise bushings were accurate through the range of sizes.

The only downsides to this product that we noticed were having to supply our own clamp and keeping track of the ⅛-inch hex key required to switch between bushing sizes. Overall, however, we found that this well-designed product was a joy to use.

To provide the necessary versatility, manufacturers typically offer a number of different bushes (or the drill guide) with the purchase. Basic dowel jigs usually include one or two bushes; more advanced models may provide up to six. Common bush sizes (3/16 inch, ¼ inch, 5/16 inch, ⅜ inch, 7/16 inch, and ½ inch) match the widely available dowels that come in economical packs of 100 or more.

Okay, by now you might be saying to yourself, “All I want is a basic set of bits for wood and metal. Got any of those?” Yes. For less than $20 you get a high-quality hex shank bit with a highly wear-resistant titanium nitride coating. And if you up your game some day to include working with an impact driver, these bits will work with it.

These top picks represent highly focused choices to make it easy for woodworkers to find the right combination of performance and value.

These woodworking tools can not only help you fix broken items, but they can also assist your foray into woodworking projects as they smartly align boards for things like cabinets, boxes, and tabletops. Here are the best dowel jigs, based on our hands-on experience, for a variety of projects.

The overall design is very user-friendly. Out of the box, we used the four posts sticking up from the face to help center the dowel holes on the edge or end of a board—any time measuring isn’t required is a good thing. We were able to hold the JointMate in one hand and drill a centered hole for the dowel with the other. It would probably be easier if the work was held in a vice, but for quick work, the setup is very fast. The adjustable fence, in conjunction with fingers molded in the front of the tool, allowed us to index the Milescraft on a dowel pin and then transfer the hole’s location to a mating board, so while this is an inexpensive tool, if users take their time with it, they can get accurate results.

Use: Concrete, brick, mortar, concrete block | Type: Hammer-rated carbide-tip twist drill | Number of bits: 7 | Size range: 3⁄16 to ½ inch

Like a lot of jigs, the JointMaster has indexing fingers to help transfer the location of dowels to make any standard joint. We appreciated the clear cast markings to help center the dowels in stock from ½ inch to 3 inches thick. Users won’t have to worry about those rubbing off with heavy use.

In principle, creating dowel joints is straightforward. Once users have clamped the jig or held it onto the workpiece, they’ll drill the dowel hole into the wood. Ease of use becomes simply about how quickly the jig can be set up and ready for drilling. The detail that makes a dowel jig more accurate, and therefore easier to use, is the method in which it helps transfer the holes from one board to the other. Most jigs do this without users having to get out a tape measure. A series of fingers nestle around an existing hole fitted with its dowel and then help users align its corresponding hole. This ensures accuracy so there are no surprises when gluing.

Aside from the bits and stop collars buyers have to provide, the screws are a pain point. Users will need to loosen and tighten two Philips-head screws to swap out bushing guides, adjust the fence position, or break apart the jig. Over time, torquing down on the screws might strip the heads. Still, that’s a small bit of concern to pay for a well-designed and well-built jig that can handle a wide range of doweling projects.

We tested the tools for 3 hours over the course of a few days by drilling holes in commonly sized stock, making edge-to-edge joints that simulate a tabletop, 90-degree corners, T joints, and corner joints all in softwood using commercially available dowels. We evaluated ease of use, accuracy, and utility when judging which dowel jigs to recommend.

When creating edge and corner joints, ideally, the dowel should be one third the thickness of the board you’re joining. While up to half the thickness of the board is permissible, don’t go any further. For large overlapping joints, size is rarely important.

The purpose of a dowel jig is to drill accurate holes in a piece of wood. Users then fit dowels into these holes and glue the project together. While exceptions exist, the hole for the dowel should be between one third and one half the thickness of the workpiece—any larger and the hole can weaken the joint. It’s also good practice, when drilling dowel holes, to leave some extra room in the pocket to accept any glue that will pool. Plan to leave about ⅛ inch of extra space on each end of the wood peg by drilling a hole that’s about ¼ inch deeper than the dowel is long.

It also takes way more attention to align the parts of the jig up to correlating parts of the wood, based on a check embossed on the aluminum. And also for the higher price, it can only drill ⅜-inch dowels. Other dowel guides are sold a la carte. For an experienced woodworker looking for a viable option to a biscuit jointer or floating tenon power tool, this might be a viable option, but for most DIYers, the Dowelmax would be overkill.

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In deciding which dowel jigs to test, we carefully evaluated the market and looked for reliable products with the most sought-after features. To suit beginner DIYers, we looked at price-friendly options that are capable of the three most common doweling sizes (¼ inch, 5/16 inch, and ⅜ inch). With pros in mind, we researched high-end models that include features such as laser engraving for durability and ease of use as well as precision-engineered joining systems that can help more experienced users produce better results.

While most dowel jigs offer a degree of versatility, they may not be suitable for all joint types. Learn the full range of functions provided by a particular model before purchasing one. Buying a basic dowel jig can save money initially, but experienced woodworkers may want to invest in a more versatile model.

These hole saws are known as bimetal types because they're made from two types of steel. The body is made from spring steel and formed into a cup. Around the front edge of that cup is brazed a circular row of cutting teeth made from a narrow band of high-speed steel. The result is a light weight and durable accessory tough enough to make big holes in wood  or metal. Suppose you need to make a door knob hole in a wood door; turn to these. Use them again to make holes in steel, for a tool rack, say.

If your drill driver has a hammer setting, chuck in one of these bits and make a clean and fast hole in concrete, brick, concrete block, or mortar. You don’t need an extensive set of masonry bits; a basic carbide-tip kit like this one is a great choice. Its German-made quality should provide years of use, and its slim, vinyl wallet enables it to slip into a crevice in your tool box. Carry this and you’re prepared for tough, masonry drilling jobs without having to make a quick run to a hardware store or home center.

It’s often said that you don’t need a drill bit; what you need is a hole. How you make that hole is up to you, but it’s a given that you want to make it as efficiently as possible. The drill bit, therefore, is built to match the diameter and length of the hole you want to make—as well as the material in which it works. And chances are good that you need more than one bit, you probably need at least a small set to make holes of various diameters.

This specialty plastic jig comes in two pieces and is designed to put a dowel through a 90-degree corner, resulting in a decorative finish and strong connection on boxes and cabinets. Woodworkers often use a wood dowel that contrasts with the box material so the connection pops and adds a decorative touch. Other materials, like metal rods or leather laces (to tie the joints together), can also be used.

Dowel jigs vary widely in shape, design, and complexity. The plethora of options can make choosing the right one difficult. The following section looks at several important considerations when shopping for the best dowel jig for a range of workshop tasks.

Yes. Dowel joints are intended to be permanent, so apply a small amount of glue. If you think you will want to disassemble your project at some point, consider using a pocket hole jig, which uses removable screws rather than dowels.

It’s almost a sure bet that when running pipe and wire in an old house, you’re bound to hit embedded nails when boring the holes. That’s where these bits come in. They’re thicker than the typical spade bit to resist bending, and they have a bevel on their cutting surfaces suitable for both wood and metal.

Entry-level dowel jigs might require clamping, but the clamps often aren’t included. Some of the better dowel jigs clamp to both sides of the workpiece. Not only are these jigs easy to operate, but their drill bush frequently will center itself, which improves accuracy and also can improve efficiency.

Dowel jigs are sometimes described as basic, intermediate, and advanced, but this terminology can be misleading. An inexperienced woodworker shouldn’t necessarily opt for a simpler device. While the dowel jig may look easier to use initially, it might actually be more difficult to set up and lack the precision of a more advanced model.

How To Select a SetThere’s no sense in getting bogged down in complexities of hole making–the fine points belong to industrial users. For the rest of us, all we really need to know are the basics. That’s why we separate out bits for making holes in wood, metal, masonry (concrete or stone), and tile/glass. Some of the drill bits do a pretty good job making holes in more than one material. Other than selecting a bit based on the material you’re drilling, keep in mind the quality of the hole you’re making. That sounds odd. A hole is a hole, right? Wrong, There’s a big difference between a perfectly round and smooth-walled hole for furniture making than a rough-and-ready hole made in framing lumber to fit a pipe or cable. So think about the material, the hole itself, and how you want to make it. Choose your set accordingly.

When it comes to wood joinery, creating dowel joints is one of the easiest, most accessible options for DIYers to start with and an essential skill in a woodshop—but the right dowel jig can make this task even easier. That’s why we researched more than a dozen dowel jigs and tested six that should suit just about any level of woodworker, from a novice DIYer to a furniture maker.

Big HolesIf you need to make large-diameter holes—something between ¾ inch and 4 inches, let’s say. You don’t want a drill bit, you want a hole saw. Even though these aren’t drill bits, we’ve included a set of these at the bottom of this review. It’s reasonably priced and can serve both homeowners and professional users.

If you’re gearing up for your first big wiring or pipe job, or if you’re a seasoned pro looking for faster and cleaner hole-making ability, then self-feed bits are the way to go. The lead screw pulls the bit through the lumber while an interior plane shaves the wood as the bit turns. The result is a fast hole and a clean one. For the sake of longevity, the plane blade is sharpenable and the kit includes two removable, replaceable feed screws, because you’re bound to hit fasteners and chew through knots.

The JointMate is a good buy at around $10, but it doesn’t include additional building pieces, such as clamps, drill bits, and stop collars. Milescraft offers a kit version of this tool, which includes drill bits and stop collars, starter dowels, glue, and dowel center pins. That might be a better value for those who need to start building immediately.

Dowels are used to secure several types of joints: T joints, 90-degree corner joints, mitered corner joints, edge-to-edge joints, and lapped joints.

It depends on the job. On end-grain material, dowels can be as close as practical to provide maximum support. On 1- to 2-foot boards, place a dowel approximately 1 inch from each end and 4 to 6 inches apart in between. On long boards, position dowels up to 10 inches apart.

While joinery has come a long way, with the popularity of pocket hole screws and glues that are stronger than ever, there is still a place in your garage or workshop for an easy-to-use dowel jig.