Before pocket hole jigs existed, joining two boards at a right angle required either visible screws through the face, complex dowel joinery, or a biscuit joiner. The Kreg pocket hole jig changed that. It lets beginners produce strong, hidden joints in minutes — and it genuinely is the single tool that most improves what a beginner can build in their first year. Here’s an honest review of the Kreg range and which model actually makes sense to buy.
What a Pocket Hole Jig Does
A pocket hole jig drills a stepped, angled hole into the face of a board. You insert a special self-tapping screw through that hole into the mating board, pulling the joint tight as the screw drives home. The result is a strong, mechanical joint with no visible fastener on the outside face.
For beginners, this solves the hardest part of furniture building: joinery. You don’t need to cut dadoes, route mortises, or fiddle with dowels. Set the jig to your board thickness, drill the holes, and assemble. A face frame, a cabinet carcase, a tabletop apron — all of these can be assembled cleanly with pocket holes in a fraction of the time other methods require.
Pocket holes are used professionally in cabinet making, face framing, and production furniture shops. This isn’t a beginner shortcut — it’s an industry-standard technique.
Kreg 320 vs 520 vs 720: Which One to Buy?
| Model | Approx. AU$ Price | Key Features | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kreg R3 (entry) | ~$45–$55 | Basic pocket hole block, no built-in clamp, manual depth collar | Absolute beginners, occasional use, tight budget |
| Kreg 320 | ~$85–$99 | Auto-adjust depth collar, built-in toggle clamp, drill guide, dust port | Most beginners — best balance of price and usability |
| Kreg 520 Pro | ~$149–$169 | All 320 features + material thickness stops, two-hole spacing, storage bag | Intermediate builders doing varied material thicknesses regularly |
| Kreg 720 Pro | ~$249–$289 | Fixed base, clamp integrated into fence, face-frame stop built in, faster setup | Face frame production work, cabinet makers, high-volume users |
The Kreg 320: Why It’s the Right Starting Point
The Kreg 320 is the model most beginners should buy. It includes everything you need to get started immediately: the drill guide, a built-in toggle clamp to hold the board while drilling, and an auto-adjusting depth collar that sets the correct drill depth for your material thickness automatically. You dial in your board thickness on the collar, clamp the board, drill the hole. That’s the entire process.
The built-in clamp is the critical upgrade over the entry-level R3. Without it, you’re holding the jig and the board with two hands while trying to drill with a third hand you don’t have. The 320’s integrated clamp frees both hands to manage the drill. This isn’t a comfort feature — it’s a safety and accuracy feature.
For standard 18mm and 19mm timber (the sizes you’ll use for 80% of beginner projects), the 320 handles everything without adjustment. A shelf carcase, a face frame, a tabletop apron, a bed frame — all well within the 320’s capability.
When to Upgrade to the 720 Pro
Upgrade to the 720 Pro when you’re building face frames at volume — specifically when you’re attaching stiles to rails repeatedly and need the face-frame stop system to maintain consistent positioning across multiple joints. Professional cabinet makers use the 720 because it reduces setup time on repetitive joinery sequences.
For a hobbyist building weekend projects, the 720 is genuinely overkill. The 320 can do everything the 720 can; the 720 just does it faster when you’re making 50 of the same joint. If you’re making 5, the 320 is fine.
Limitations of Pocket Hole Joinery
Pocket holes are strong in the right applications and weak in others. Be honest about what they can and can’t do.
Pocket holes are strong for:
- Face frame construction (rails to stiles)
- Cabinet carcase assembly (sides to top and bottom)
- Apron-to-leg joints in tables (with adequate glue)
- Attaching drawer faces to drawer boxes
- Edge-to-edge board glue-up reinforcement
Pocket holes are not ideal for:
- Fine furniture joinery where aesthetics matter — the pocket hole is hidden but the joint is bulkier than a mortise-and-tenon
- End-grain joints without glue — screws into end grain have poor holding strength
- Structural joints in chairs that take dynamic (rocking, tilting) loads — chair joinery is more demanding than cabinets
- Outdoor furniture — pocket holes trap moisture and lead to rot at the joint
Pocket holes are not a substitute for learning joinery. They’re a legitimate joinery method for cabinetry and furniture that gets assembled once and stays put. For chairs, for heirloom pieces, and for high-stress applications, learning mortise-and-tenon or dowel joinery is worth the investment in time. But for your first 20 projects, pocket holes will serve you extremely well.
What You Need to Run the Kreg 320
The 320 comes with the jig body and clamp, but you need a few additional items:
- Kreg step drill bit and stop collar: Usually included in the kit. If not, buy the Kreg KPHA820 bit.
- Pocket hole screws: Do not use regular screws in pocket holes. Kreg SML-C125 (1.5″ coarse for 18–19mm stock) are the standard. Buy a box of 100 to start.
- Square driver bit: Pocket hole screws use a Robertson (square) drive. Most Kreg screw packs include a driver bit.
Verdict: Is the Kreg Pocket Hole Jig Worth It?
Yes — without reservation. The Kreg 320 is the best $90 a beginning woodworker can spend after their drill. It makes joinery accessible to people who have never cut a joint in their life, it produces professional-quality face frames and cabinet boxes, and it removes the single biggest frustration point in beginner furniture building: how do I attach this to that without visible screws?
Buy the Kreg 320, a box of 1.5″ coarse screws, and a bottle of PVA wood glue. Use all three together on every joint. Your projects will look dramatically better from the first build.
Put the Kreg to Work
A pocket hole jig only delivers its full potential when you’re building from a good plan. Ted’s Woodworking includes thousands of plans designed around beginner joinery techniques including pocket holes — with exact screw placements, spacing, and assembly sequences. It’s the best way to immediately put your new jig to use on a real project.
