DEWALT DWHT51054 20 Oz. Rip Claw Hammer

Product Information

Heavier, longer, and more powerful per swing than our top pick, this 20-ounce hammer shares the great features common to all Estwing hammers. After countless hours of pounding, pulling, and tapping nails, we’re confident that the Estwing E3-16C is the best hammer for around-the-house use. And with a nice weight distribution of the head in proportion to the handle, this hammer is easier to swing and hold than other models.

A well-placed swing can bury the claw between two boards, and a twist of the handle pulls them apart.

It also has a straight claw and not a curved one, so it’s ideal for more-aggressive tasks, like pulling up a floor, removing trim, or prying a couple of 2-by-4s apart.

Even with their fairly light weight, the hammers—each about 2½ inches longer than the 20-ounce Estwing—are still too long for any kind of finesse work. During that time, I used hammers to pound nails, bust up brick, demolish plaster, chip concrete, break tile, and knock framing lumber into place. At 1 pound 10½ ounces, it was one of the lightest hammers we tested (weights ranged up to just under 2 pounds). In my own extended use of various Estwing hammers, I’ve found the negative effects from vibration don’t really occur— with occasional use. The curved claw is ideally suited to pulling nails, and its striking face gives a clearer line of sight than tools with oversized heads.

If you need a hammer that’s easier to swing, or you want something with a lighter touch for installing picture hangers or assembling furniture, take a step down in weight to Estwing’s E3-12C. It will get the job done for small stuff, but it will struggle with larger nails and more-ambitious garage-style projects, like banging together the kid’s new swingset. I’ve worked with countless hammers, using them to drive everything from teeny-tiny brads to massive framing spikes. Ultra Series Hammer is comparable to the E3-20S; this one adds a few flourishes, but none of them are necessary or successful.

According to Estwing, the handle contains “the best available grip for reducing vibrations caused by impact.I bought an Estwing E3-20S in 2000, and 23 years later—10 of those spent in the trades—the hammer works great and is the one I use most. The milled edges aren’t as crisp as they used to be, and the hammer has taken on a very weathered patina (which I think is the mark of a well-used tool), but the hammer displays no signs of functional failure. If you’re looking to get a little more serious about your DIY projects (or you need something more suited for demolition), we recommend the Estwing E3-20S.