Omnifixo OF-M4.4 Makers Third Hand vs QuadHands Deluxe Magnetic WorkBench

Omnifixo publishes the jaw opening, the jaw lining and the joint hardware, and it sells the joint on a no kickback claim rather than on how bendy it is, which is the right claim to make in a category defined by drift. The QuadHands Deluxe is the classic gooseneck idea with the numbers filled in, and it is the better answer when you need several arms of different reach at once.

Omnifixo OF-M4.4 Makers Third Hand

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Four independently magnetised clips with parallel silicone lined jaws and a ball joint the maker specifically claims does not kick back when you tighten it.

• Each clip is a spring loaded parallel jaw with a 14 mm opening lined in heat resistant silicone, so it lands flat on a board edge rather than biting two points into it.
• Omnifixo details the joint hardware on its own product drawing: a carbon steel ball in a brass bushing over an N52 magnet, sold on a no kickback claim rather than on flexibility.
• The magnetic foot doubles as an electrical contact, with a published internal resistance of about 5 ohm on the base plate's etched ring and a fit for FASTON 250 6.3 x 0.8 mm terminals, so ground or power can be fed to the held board.

• No weight is published for the 90 x 160 mm base plate, which is the number that would tell you how it behaves with a stiff cable pulling sideways on one clip.
• The 14 mm jaw opening is small, so this is a tool for boards, wires and connectors rather than for anything chunky.
• Plastic parts are recycled ABS and the maker warns against heating the feet or magnets, since the ABS melts and the magnets demagnetise.

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QuadHands Deluxe Magnetic WorkBench

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The classic gooseneck idea with the numbers published: an 8.5 by 11 inch steel base at over 6.4 pounds, five arms in three lengths, and silicone clamp covers in the box.

• QuadHands says exactly what the base is: powder coated steel, 8.5 by 11 inches, over 6.4 pounds, standing on four rubber feet.
• The stainless steel clamps rotate 360 degrees and lock with a knurled thumb nut, and the listing states that silicone covers are included for delicate electronics.
• Five arms come in 16, 12 and 8 inch lengths, each with an N52 rare earth magnet in its foot, so an arm can be moved anywhere on the base or lifted onto any steel surface for field work.

• Heat resistance is asserted for the all metal arms but no temperature figure appears anywhere on the listing.
• A 16 inch gooseneck loaded at full stretch is still a cantilever on a 6.4 pound plate, so heavy work wants to sit near the base rather than out at the tip.
• Nothing about static control is claimed, so this is a holder rather than part of an ESD workstation.

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Side by side

The bottom line

Our overall pick is the Omnifixo OF-M4.4 Makers Third Hand - Four independently magnetised clips with parallel silicone lined jaws and a ball joint the maker specifically claims does not kick back when you tighten it. Choose the QuadHands Deluxe Magnetic WorkBench instead if a bench where the work changes shape weekly and you need several arms of different reach available at once.

Want the full picture, including the other options we compared and the popular one we'd skip? Read the complete The Best Helping Hands: 4 Compared (and One to Skip).