BESSEY Clamp Set vs Jorgensen Chamfer Plane: which tool earns its place?

Display / Product Type

Winner: BESSEY

There is no real contest here because these are fundamentally different tools, but for most woodworkers the BESSEY set is the more universally useful purchase. The BESSEY EZM-EZL-Set gives you two compact one-handed clamps and two longer-reach clamps, which covers a broad spread of jobs from holding small components to clamping carcass parts, mitres and glue-ups. In a UK workshop, that flexibility matters: a pair of clamps that can quickly hold oak edging, softwood battens, or a glued MDF panel is immediately useful. The Jorgensen chamfer plane is far more specialised, aimed at edge treatment rather than general workshop control.

Performance

Winner: BESSEY

For performance, the BESSEY set again wins because clamping performance affects far more tasks. A good clamp must apply pressure evenly, hold securely without slipping, and release quickly when you need to reposition. BESSEY’s one-handed mechanism is a genuine advantage when you are balancing a panel, aligning a face frame, or holding a workpiece while marking out. The set includes both EZM 15-6 and EZL 30-8 sizes, so you get a useful mix of reach and clamping capacity. By contrast, the Jorgensen plane performs one job: it bevels or rounds over edges. When it is sharp and set correctly, it can produce a neat chamfer on pine, beech or oak, but performance depends heavily on grain direction and user technique. On interlocked grain or brittle hardwood edges, a hand chamfer plane can tear out or chatter if you rush it.

Build Quality and Design

Winner: BESSEY

BESSEY has the stronger reputation for robust engineering, and this set reflects that. The design is practical rather than flashy: quick one-handed operation, reliable rail construction, and enough clamping force for everyday joinery and assembly. For hobbyists and semi-pros, that usually translates to fewer frustrations and better repeatability. The Jorgensen chamfer plane is simple in concept and can be perfectly serviceable, but its value depends on cutter sharpness, sole flatness and how well the heads are manufactured. It is more of a consumable-style precision hand tool than a lifetime workshop staple. If you want something you can trust through repeated glue-ups, the BESSEY set has the sturdier design philosophy.

Battery Life

Winner: Tie

Neither product uses a battery, so this category is not applicable. If you wanted to judge them on convenience, the BESSEY clamp set is effectively always ready to go, while the Jorgensen plane is always ready provided the cutter is sharp. In practical workshop terms, both are manual tools with no charging or runtime concerns.

Price and Value for Money

Winner: Jorgensen

At £26.99, the Jorgensen plane is £21 cheaper than the BESSEY set at £47.99, and that price gap is significant if you are buying on a tight budget. If your current problem is simply cleaning up arrises on shelving, cabinet parts or softwood trim, the Jorgensen can offer decent value because it gives you a hand-finishing capability for relatively little outlay. However, value is not just about price; it is about how often the tool gets used. The BESSEY set costs more, but clamp sets are used constantly in real workshop work: glue-ups, dry fits, sanding setups, routing stops, and holding awkward pieces. Over time, that makes the BESSEY the better value for most woodworkers, even if the sticker price is higher. In other words, the Jorgensen is cheaper, but the BESSEY is more likely to pay for itself through sheer frequency of use.

Game Library / Features

Winner: BESSEY

Translated into workshop terms, this is the feature set, and BESSEY wins comfortably. You get four clamps in two sizes, which is more versatile than a single-purpose chamfer plane. The one-handed operation is the headline feature: it lets you clamp while supporting the work with the other hand, which is invaluable when assembling cabinets, fitting face frames or working alone on a bench. The Jorgensen’s main feature is its four cutter heads, which sounds appealing, but in reality it still performs one family of tasks: edge breaking and chamfering. That is useful, but narrow. If you are building furniture, shelving or fitted work, the BESSEY’s broader feature set is much more practical.

Overall User Experience

Winner: BESSEY

The BESSEY set is the easier and more forgiving tool to live with. You pick it up, squeeze, and the work stays where you want it. That makes it ideal for the realities of a busy UK workshop, whether you are working on birch ply, redwood, oak or painted MDF. The Jorgensen plane can be satisfying when it is cutting cleanly, but it asks more of the user: you need to read the grain, control pressure and keep the cutter in good condition. For experienced hands, that can be enjoyable. For everyone else, it can become a fiddly extra step when a sanding block or chamfer bit in a router would be less temperamental. The BESSEY simply integrates better into day-to-day woodworking.

Overall summary: the BESSEY EZM-EZL-Set is the better buy for most woodworkers because it is more versatile, more frequently used, and backed by stronger build quality and easier usability. The Jorgensen chamfer plane is cheaper and useful if your main need is edge finishing, but it is too specialised to beat a proper clamp set as a first or next workshop purchase.