Tools & DIY · Head-to-head
Kreg Pocket-Hole Jig 720PRO vs Kreg Pocket-Hole Jig 520PRO
Which should you buy? Our verdict on both, pulled from our full The Best Pocket Hole Jigs: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) comparison.
The 720PRO clamps and sets thickness in a single motion, which removes the setup error that produces most bad pocket holes. The 520PRO gives you a built-in clamp and three presets for considerably less money.
Kreg Pocket-Hole Jig 720PRO
Buy itSets the material thickness automatically as it clamps, which removes the one setup step that ruins pocket holes.
- Automaxx clamping sets the thickness and clamps in one motion for stock from 1/2 in. to 1-1/2 in., so the commonest setup mistake is designed out.
- Material support wings (the Docking Station) hold longer workpieces square to the guide instead of letting them tip.
- Onboard storage for Kreg accessories, so the parts you need are attached to the tool rather than in a drawer.
- Gripmaxx anti-slip material on the clamping faces, which keeps the workpiece from creeping under drill pressure.
- The most expensive jig in the range by a clear margin, and it drills exactly the same hole as the cheapest.
- Bulkier than the 520PRO, and it is a bench tool rather than something to carry to a repair.
- The automatic thickness setting still assumes you selected the right screw length for that thickness, which it cannot do for you.
Kreg Pocket-Hole Jig 520PRO
Buy itA built-in clamp and three thickness presets, which is most of the flagship's usefulness for considerably less money.
- A built-in clamp, so the jig holds the workpiece itself and both your hands stay on the drill and the stock.
- Three material thickness presets, which covers the common 1/2 in., 3/4 in. and 1-1/2 in. cases without measuring.
- Hardened-steel drill guides, with the thickness presets doing the setup work that would otherwise need measuring.
- Smaller than the 720PRO, so easier to take to the work.
- Presets rather than automatic setting, so thickness is still a decision you can make wrong.
- Three presets cover the common thicknesses and nothing in between, unlike the 720PRO's continuous range.
- No material support wings, so longer boards need supporting some other way.
Side by side
The 7 criteria below are the ones our full comparison judged every product on, narrowed to these two.
| Kreg Pocket-Hole Jig 720PRO Our pick | Kreg Pocket-Hole Jig 520PRO | |
|---|---|---|
| Our verdict | Buy | Buy |
| Best for | Anyone building cabinets or face frames in volume, where setup time and consistency across dozens of holes is the whole job. | Most home shops, where the built-in clamp is the feature that matters and the automatic thickness setting is a luxury. |
| Price tier | $$$ · premium | $$ · mid-range |
| Clamping | Automaxx, automatic in one motion | Built-in clamp |
| Thickness setting | Automatic, 1/2 to 1-1/2 in. | Three presets |
| Holes without repositioning | Fixed guides | Fixed guides |
| Material support | Support wings (Docking Station) | None |
| Onboard storage | Onboard accessory storage | Limited |
| Hole geometry | Standard | Standard |
| Portability | Bench tool | Portable |
Which one is right for you?
Pick the Kreg Pocket-Hole Jig 720PRO if
anyone building cabinets or face frames in volume, where setup time and consistency across dozens of holes is the whole job.
Know before buying: the most expensive jig in the range by a clear margin, and it drills exactly the same hole as the cheapest.
Pick the Kreg Pocket-Hole Jig 520PRO if
most home shops, where the built-in clamp is the feature that matters and the automatic thickness setting is a luxury.
Know before buying: presets rather than automatic setting, so thickness is still a decision you can make wrong.
The bottom line
Our overall pick is the Kreg Pocket-Hole Jig 720PRO - Sets the material thickness automatically as it clamps, which removes the one setup step that ruins pocket holes. Choose the Kreg Pocket-Hole Jig 520PRO instead if most home shops, where the built-in clamp is the feature that matters and the automatic thickness setting is a luxury.
Want the full picture, including the other options we compared and the popular one we'd skip? Read the complete The Best Pocket Hole Jigs: 4 Compared (and One to Skip).