To determine the best rubber mallet, we looked at the following considerations — mallet head materials, overall weight, the handle construction, handle length, and price. Depending on the surfaces you’re working with, you may opt for a black rubber mallet, white rubber mallet, or a combination of the two. Likewise, the overall weight of your rubber mallet and the handle length can impact how easily you can strike and control movements while using this tool. And finally, the handle construction will also determine vibrations and the longevity of your rubber mallet. Do you want to work on your next project with reliable gear? Find tool recommendations in our best tools guide.
After reviewing all of the above, we selected the Tekton 30603 Fiberglass Handle Rubber Mallet as our Top Pick. Incidentally, it also won our Best Budget award because, in addition to being the most affordable option in our list, it featured a lightweight fiberglass handle, with an overall weight of 16 ounces, a handle length of 11 inches, and a rubberized grip for improved control and comfort. Keep reading to learn more about our top picks.
Top 7 Best Rubber Mallet
#1 TEKTON 30603 Fiberglass Handle Rubber Mallet
Award: Top Pick
WHY WE LIKE IT: An affordable rubber mallet that features a lightweight fiberglass handle with a rubberized grip that’s perfect for routine use on construction and woodworking projects.
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- Best budget
- Best rubber mallet for woodworking
- 11in fiberglass handle
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- Rubber chips under impact
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Rubber mallets are a staple tool for many people, especially those who work in construction or woodworking. But not everyone has a limitless budget for tools. We’ve selected the TEKTON 30603 Fiberglass Handle Rubber Mallet as our Top Pick and Best Budget choice because not only is it extremely affordable, but because it offers other value-added design elements.
The 16-ounce weight features a double-faced solid rubber head along with an 11-inch fiberglass handle that features a rubberized comfort grip. You’ll also like that the handle is also coated with a poly jacket to further help absorb vibrations, especially from missed strikes. And the fact that the rubber grip is fully integrated into the handle means that it won’t come loose over time. I had that same problem with my wire strippers until I bought the best wire strippers.
#2 Stanley 51-104 16 Ounce Rubber Mallet
Award: Honorable Mention
WHY WE LIKE IT: A classic wood handle rubber mallet that’s easy to maneuver with a rubber head that’s designed to minimize damage to surfaces from a trusted tool brand.
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- Lightweight & easy to use
- 14in Wooden handle
- Full rubber head
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- Inconsistent handle construction
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Some people prefer a classic style of a rubber mallet. And for them, that means a rubber mallet with a wooden handle. The Stanley 51-104 16-ounce Rubber Mallet is our Honorable Mention because it is a simplified and straightforward rubber mallet that’s just as affordable as the other options in our roundup, but offered by the reliable heritage tool brand Stanley.
Notable features with this rubber mallet are that it promises to minimize marring and any potential surface damage you would normally experience with a traditional mallet. The light hand feel makes it easy to use and you’ll also appreciate the limited lifetime warranty. Buying top rated tools, whether it is a mallet or the best drill bits, means that they will last longer.
#3 Dritz Home 44107 Rubber Mallet
Award: Best Non-Marking Mallet
WHY WE LIKE IT: A white rubber head mallet that’s designed for delicate home decor or crafting projects where you want to ensure that you won’t accidentally damage your surfaces as you work.
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- Best soft rubber mallet
- White rubber head
- Wooden handle
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- Cracking is possible
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One of the biggest complaints about working with traditional rubber mallets is that they can leave black marks on the surfaces. And this is especially frustrating if you’re working on crafting or home decor projects where presentation is the core objective. Dritz — an industry leader in crafting — offers a solution with their white rubber mallet.
This lightweight mallet features a wooden handle and a white rubber head which is specifically designed to prevent damaging your work surfaces and finished projects. You’ll like that this budget-friendly option is also lightweight, at only 13.6 ounces. Plus it features a 12.5-inch handle, giving you more control as you work on upholstery, decor, or crafting projects. When you are buying tools like the best sliding miter saw or a rubber mallet, always balance budget with performance.
#4 TEKTON 30508 3-Piece Wood Handle Rubber Mallet Set
Award: Best Quality
WHY WE LIKE IT: A three-piece set that features graduated rubber mallets — each with a wooden handle — that gives you the right option for construction, woodworking or autobody projects, no matter what task you face.
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- Best for construction, woodworking & automotive
- 3-piece set
- Hardwood handles
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- Inconsistent handle construction
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Considering how affordable rubber mallets are in general, we thought that the Tekton 30508 3-Piece Wood Handle Rubber Mallet Set was a very good deal — making it our Best Value recommendation. With this option, you’ll get three rubber mallets that range in sizes from eight ounces to 16 ounces to 32 ounces.
Like many of the other models in our recommendations, these mallets feature a black rubber head attached to a wooden handle. You’ll like that the wooden handles help to minimize vibrations while still offering a comfortable grip thanks to the contoured design. It’s the same design principles we love in the best shovel.
#5 AmazonBasics Rubber Mallet
Award: Best for Specialty Projects
WHY WE LIKE IT: A lightweight rubber mallet with a contoured fiberglass handle that weighs just one pound is easy to use for precision use with woodwork and automotive projects.
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- Excellent rubber grip fiberglass
- Lightweight design
- Shock absorbing design
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- Small handle diameter
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If you find traditional rubber mallets unwieldy because of the handles, then the AmazonBasics Rubber Mallet might be the perfect alternative for you. This one-pound mallet features a full rubber head that’s molded to a contoured fiberglass handle.
We like that the handle features a rubberized comfort grip that helps to absorb shock on impact and reduce overall fatigue as you use it. Like many rubber mallets, this option is also ideal for woodworking, metal work or autobody projects. If you are woodworking, this tool and the best corded drill are your best buds.
#6 Alltrade 16 Oz White Rubber Mallet
Award: Best Steel Handle
WHY WE LIKE IT: A sturdy white rubber mallet that features a solid steel handle with a rubberized comfort grip to make work easier while guaranteeing that you won’t cause damage to your surfaces.
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- Won’t leave marks
- Lightweight and easy to handle (16oz)
- Steel handle with rubber grip for sturdier control
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- Mallet chipping is possible
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While steel handle rubber mallets are an option, they’re not as common as wood and fiberglass handle alternatives. And if you shied away from a steel handle mallet because you thought it might be too expensive, the Alltrade 16-Ounce White Rubber Mallet proves that this isn’t the case. You get two premium features in one affordable option.
We like that this is a tubular steel handle that is wrapped in a rubberized comfort grip. That means you’ll enjoy the lightweight control and won’t experience premature fatigue. But more importantly, this is a white rubber mallet, making it ideal for use with delicate surfaces where you would be concerned about marks or damage that a standard black rubber mallet could cause. It is one of the best tools for delicate work. If you like manual tools to open crates and pull nails, get the best pry bars.
#7 ONXIGLI ABN Rubber Mallet 32 Ounce – Shock-Absorbing Fiberglass Handle
Award: Best Dead-Blow Mallet
WHY WE LIKE IT: A truly durable dead-blow mallet that offers more control and is less likely to show damage or wear and tear like a traditional rubber mallet — making it perfect for long-term consistent use by autobody or construction workers.
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- Best for autobody and construction
- 32oz weight
- 11in Fiberglass handle
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- Creates black marks
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If your main goal is to find a quality rubber mallet that you won’t need to replace every few months, then a dead-blow rubber mallet is one of the best investments you can make. Dead-blow rubber mallets are known for being stronger options that are not only more durable but better able to distribute vibrations.
The Onxigli ABN Rubber Mallet is the perfect solution. Weighing in at 32 ounces, this rubber mallet features an 11-inch handle composed of fiberglass with a textured grip for improved control. This mallet is best used on delicate projects such as when working with sheet metal where you want to maintain the surface integrity of your project. If you’re looking to do some home improvement with one of the best rubber mallets but are on a tight budget, check out the Coleman Rubber Mallet with Tent Peg Remover as well. This affordable product is made of high quality materials and has an end hook to pull tent pegs for added convenience, so consider this product if you want something that’ll get the job done without breaking the bank. Looking for a tool that can open seams, remove stitches, and cut threads? Get the best seam ripper.
How We Decided
Rubber mallets are a great alternative to traditional striking tools that can be too forceful and are more likely to damage surfaces. To develop our buying guide, we looked at the following criteria — mallet head materials, overall weight, the handle construction, handle length, and price.
Depending on your project, you might be more concerned about leaving marks on your materials. And this is why we featured a range of mallets that are both black rubber and white rubber. If you’re particularly focused on preventing marks, prioritize our #3 and #6 options as both are white rubber mallets and will be more forgiving in terms of not leaving a mark. The remainder of our recommendations are all black rubber mallets.
All of the mallets in our roundup are lightweight. While most are roughly 16 ounces, we did feature one that’s 32 ounces (#7) and we even included a set of mallets (#4 – Best Value) that ranged from eight to 32 ounces. Likewise, where available, we listed the handle length — which usually ranged between 11 to 14 inches total. These are important features because typically mallets are designed to help you make precise strikes. So, a shorter handle with a medium or light weight can help you make more controlled movements.
Next, we considered the handle construction. The most popular options tend to be wooden and fiberglass handles. However, our #7 selection is a steel handle. Wood and fiberglass handle rubber mallets tend to be cheaper as compared to steel handle models. But as you’ll note in our guide, all of the rubber mallet recommendations are very affordable, ranging from just under $10 to only slightly more than $13.
Rubber Mallet Buying Guide
The Most Important Features to Consider
- Mallet Head
Rubber mallets feature a head made from rubber, but the composition can vary. Depending on your needs, you can choose between a mallet head made from black rubber or synthetic rubber. But you can also find rubber mallets where the head is a range of colors, black, white, or a combination. Black mallet heads can leave marks on the surface you strike it with, which is why white rubber heads can be preferable. But since an all-white mallet can be expensive, you’ll often find rubber mallets that are half black and half white. - Weight
Although a rubber mallet does feature a rubber head, some brands will use a steel composition that’s been covered in rubber caps. While this can make the mallet sturdier, it also increases the weight and can be costlier too. - Handle
With rubber mallets, you’ll usually find three types of handle materials — wood, fiberglass, or steel. Wood handles are a classic choice and tend to make a mallet cheaper. This does help to absorb some of the strike impact, but because wood is porous, it can fluctuate with humidity and lead to structural failure over time. Fiberglass is a lightweight option that better withstands the elements than wood. Plus, they’re not much more expensive than wood-handled rubber mallets. However, as is common with tools with fiberglass handles, if the handle shatters or breaks for any reason, the entire tool must be replaced (unlike wooden handles which can be replaced). And finally, steel is a pricier option but features a nearly indestructible handle that still offers a bit of flex when force is exerted. - Handle Length
Depending on how hard you need to strike a surface, the handle length of your rubber mallet will be important. If you need to generate a lot of force, you need a longer handle. In contrast, if you need to focus on targeted strikes, a shorter hander will help you maintain precision.
