Review And Guide For The Best Dowel Jig On The Market (2022 Updated)

For our first product, we give you the best one that we could find on the market, the Milescraft 1309 DowelJigKit.

Precision is out of utmost importance when it comes to creating dowel joints. To produce a stable and steady joint, each perpendicular hole needs to align with the pins perfectly, which is where this product comes into play.

Metal bushings that come with this set allow for accurate alignment when you’re drilling each time.

The steel dowel is centred and provides precise marking of dowel holes to ensure stability between the boards. Also, it comes with everything you need in the package - from dowel pins and bits to complete doweling jig set.

Moreover, for accurate positioning when you’re starting a hole, you’ll get three broad point drill bits that come in three different sizes.

It has an adjustable guide fence that adjusts to the board’s depth so that each hole is perfectly precise.

This kit will enable you to both repair and build your furniture since it’s easy to use and assemble just by following simple instructions.

And for the price you’ll be getting it, it’s safe to say that it’s the best purchase you’ll ever make as a woodworker.

All in all, it’s flawless and should be yours!

#2. Milescraft 1319 JointMate - Handheld and Accurate

Creating dowel joints has been a thing for a lot of years, and, naturally, there have been tools to help woodworkers finish that job faster. Well, this tool is an upgraded version of the earlier one, dating all the way back to 1949.

So, let’s see what the Dowl-it 1000 Dowel Jig Is all about.

If you’re looking for variety, this dowel jig got you equipped.

It has six different drilling holes, ranging from the smallest 3/16-inch to the standard ½-inch one. The entire thing is made of solid and hardened steel, while the sides holding the work are made from an aluminum alloy.

Most people generally go for this model because it’s practical and easy to use, which is why they’re generally used in school workshops and such. It’s quite sturdy when secured to a table and doesn’t get that loose in time.

The capacity of this doweling jig is two inches for round and square stock. Also, it’s super affordable and perfect for the money it goes for, in terms of quality.

The thing we don’t like is actually the sharp edges behind the handle. You should pay attention to that before you put your fingers everywhere around.

Aside from that, it’s simple, practical, and easy to use.

If you’re searching for a professional-grade dowel jig that will undoubtedly do the job, you can stop the search now because you’ve found it. We showcase you the Eagle America 445-7600 Self-Centering Dowel Jig.

Upon looking at this product for the first time, you might feel slightly appalled by its price, but it’s worth the trouble. Even though you’ll need to invest more than you would typically for a dowel jig, this will pay off.

First off, the thickness of the wooden block and plates is no concern with this product. It can handle material from ¼ inch to 6 inches with no troubles.

The entire process of manufacturing joints is relatively easy thanks to its hardened steel guides and self-centering properties.

The construction of this device is quite durable as well.

The anodized aluminium body is known for its corrosion-resistant properties that go well with any tools in the woodworking world, especially dowel jigs.

However, some customers have noted that the ‘self-centering’ is not entirely accurate if you plan on working with smaller workpieces.

It has an error of approximately 1/32 of an inch, which might be a problem for you, but in general, it shouldn’t pose a threat with home DIY projects.

Up next is another quality self-centering jig whose quality should be just enough to get you to buy it. So, here’s the JoyTube Self Centering Doweling Jig.

The reason we put in ‘convenient’ as the salient feature of this doweling jig is due to the fact that it is practically effortless to use it.

Thanks to the self-centering properties and superb positioning, your work will be as accurate as possible. This doweling jig leaves no gaps, and the drill hole leaves no extra debris when the job is done.

Furthermore, the design of this jig is such that it’s not too bulky to get in the way of your work, but it’s just enough to support classic drilling sizes.

The dimensions are 4-¾ inches in length and 2-½ inches in height, with a total 4-inch width when it’s fully extended.

Similar to most doweling jigs, it’s also made from solid steel, and it’s precision-hardened for a longer lifespan.

Thanks to the aluminum alloy that’s added on the sides, corrosion won’t present a problem, and you’ll do okay even if you forget to clean it once in a while.

You can drill six different holes with this dowel jig - ¼, ⅜, 5/16, 7/16, and ½-inch holes. The resulting holes are smooth with no damages or burns, thanks to the solid jig.

It’s slightly expensive in comparison with the previous jigs, which is why we’ve rated it a bit lower.

It’s worthy of being on this list, and you should definitely check it out.

For our final product, we give you the Woodstock D4116 Dowel Jig, a great and reliable product.

This Amazon’s Choice product is quite efficient in achieving anything you need for your woodworking purposes.

It can handle workpieces that are up to two inches thick, which is more than average compared to other dowel jigs on the market.

It has six hardened steel bushings that help you achieve maximum accuracy while creating joints. Also, this will enable you to drill two parallel dowel holes with ever adjusting the jig itself.

It is, however, a bit off-center, meaning that it will require your help to keep it perfectly aligned with the drill markings. However, the error is not that large, and if you’re a hobbyist, you’ll undoubtedly appreciate it.

But, if you’re looking for professional-grade dowel jigs, you should look for some other products on our list.

Keep in mind that this dowel jig is undoubtedly worth the trouble and will last you a long time, thanks to its quality build.

Also, a 1-year warranty is included in this purchase, which will protect you in case the product malfunctions.

1. Superior Strength

The easiest way to connect two pieces of wood together is to simply clamp them together and fill the parts that touch each other with glue. Whilst this may be the easiest way to do it, it really isn’t the most stable way.

There really isn’t anything in this joint that can reinforce to connection, there are no screws used and no wooden parts.

Dowel joints are superior in this aspect because they use additional wooden pins that come in different shapes. These pins are then inserted in-between the joint which makes it able to withstand a lot more pressure than usual, without breaking with ease.

Multiple tests were made by various companies, and wooden joints like dowels and tenon joints came on top due to how strong they are.

You can even further reinforce the dowel joints by adding more rows of dowels or by adding more wooden pins. This was even stronger than mortise and tenon joints and it didn’t require any difficult work.

But for the maximum strength possible we do recommend that you make the dowel joint with the best dowel jig because it will be far more precise than when done manually.

2. Precise Alignment

Since the holes that are made within the stock wooden piece are really tight and compact, it allows the small but numerous pins to be aligned properly without allowing anything to move around or slip.

This makes the whole construction firm since the pins are guaranteed to not be able to move.

Because of this aspect. 

Dowel joints are mostly used for woodworking projects that make furniture which have multiple frames.

Some of the most common objects that use the dowel joint are cabinets and shelves, if they need to support a heavy weight then they surely need an accurately made construction that is stable.

In order to make the most out of this positive aspect of dowel joints, you will need a respectable dowel jig that can do the job.

If you’re making holes or even the wooden pins themselves, you will notice that, if done by hand, these parts will mostly end up being inaccurate when compared to the original pin and hole.

This makes it necessary to buy a jig which can offer persistent accurate results that can be copied over on multiple projects.

3. Budget Friendly And Aesthetically Pleasing Joints

But from all the listed products we have found, dowel jigs seem to be the most cost-efficient ones yet. Most of the good ones will cost less than $50, and if you want something more which a professional would want, you still won’t be spending more than $100.

The case wasn’t the same for most wooden joint types, some were extremely expensive, costing you more than a few hundred dollars while offering the same stability that a cheap dowel joint would provide.

You will also notice that when making dowel joints with a good jig, you will see that they don’t show any nails since they don’t have any.

Even better, the wooden pins that are used to provide a stable connection can’t even be seen once you fully assemble your project.

1. Simplicity

We did mention that the wooden pins of the dowel joint are really simple in design, but besides that, you will also enjoy the simplicity when it comes to using a jig to make this wooden joint.

If you have previously made dowel joints with your own hand, then with a jig you won’t have to spend hours and hours on finishing your projects anymore.

2. Accuracy

Not only that the whole process will be a lot more accurate due to it being automatic, you will also find consistent results.

This is important since you will be making multiple holes and wooden pins when making your project, this goes especially for furniture projects.

And you won’t have to mark everything down and calculate measurements since the jig eliminates all of that.

3. Far Better Stability

In the end, you will also notice that it is a lot more stable to work on your project since you will have clamps you will be able to tightly connect the jig with the piece of wood, which makes the results even more accurate.

Nothing will move anymore since it’s going to be held really tight, you won’t have to worry about accidentally pushing anything anymore.

What are dowel jigs?

Essentially, dowel jigs are tools used to create dowel joints, which are one of the most common joints used in manufacturing boxes, drawers, and practically anything that requires you to join two boards.

Dowel jigs have holes that fit the most common sizes of drill bits, and once the holes are made, woodworkers fit the dowels inside and glue everything together.

Do I need a jig for dowels?

Technically, you don’t, but they’ll make your life much easier.

You can use a measuring tool or a board to align with your project board and mark the exact spots for the holes with a pencil.

However, if you’re working on a smaller project and you need absolute precision, a dowel jig will be a better choice, without a doubt.

Are dowels stronger than screws?

Absolutely yes. Since you’ll be gluing the entire thing together, the resulting joinery is much stronger and durable than the screw one.

Of course, some people prefer using screws as they believe that the bond will last longer than the glue, but screws are subjected to rust, which is why you should consider dowels as your primary choice.