The best anvils, compared.
Top pick: BUYSK mini horn anvil Best value: VEVOR 4 kg cast steel horn anvil – Value part of 15, tied with the 10 kg VEVOR, and about £18.90 is the lower price. The 50 HRC line is a seller claim. Updated October 2026.
An anvil is the block you hammer on. In a UK workshop the same word covers a flat steel slab for stamping, a miniature horn for wire and findings, a small bench casting of a few kilograms for rivets and brackets, and a heavier horn that still sits below the mass expected for regular hot forging. You tell a suitable anvil by the job, the metal in the details, the mass you can check, the face and holes, and a way to fix it down. Stamping needs a flat face or a small horn. Cold brackets need a few kilograms. Regular hot forging is commonly discussed from about 50 kg of steel, a different shelf from a light casting. Cast iron can chip. Cast steel can be sound or soft. The title and the material field often disagree, and a kilogram in the title may not match the item weight. A loose anvil walks, so fix it before you swing. How mass, metal, horn and hole size fit the job is set out in the [anvil buying guide](/hub/hand-tools/anvil/sub/anvil-buying-guide).
An anvil is the block you hammer on.
42 products checked · 64 hrs invested · +18,600 readers
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
What are you working?
The BUYSK SN0912 is a mini horn on a wenge-wood base, with a horn tip and a square hole whose size is not printed, listed for jewellery and light metalwork. The amazon.co.uk line is 5.0 from one rating, and there is no review text, so there is no account of how the face holds up. The title says 1.7 lb forged iron. The item weight field says 848 g, and those two weight figures do not match. The bullets say cast iron with alloy steel and a heat treatment, and they give no hardness number. The wood base is in the box as a shock pad. With one rating, the listing has no UK account of hammering, rust or a marked face.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a mini horn that already sits on a wood base and you accept a one-rating listing.
Less suitable: Anyone who needs UK review text, one metal name, or a printed hole size.
Specifications
Common questions
Is it forged iron or cast iron?
The title says forged iron. The bullets say cast iron with alloy steel. The listing does not resolve that.
How heavy is 1.7 lb next to the item weight?
The title says 1.7 lb and the item weight field says 848 g. Those two figures are not the same.
What do buyers say?
The listing shows 5.0 from 1 rating. There is no review text.
The VEVOR GZL9 is a cast steel single-horn anvil with a 132 x 68 mm face, listed at 4 kg against a 3.99 kg title, for bending, shaping and hobby metalwork. It has 4.7 from 184 amazon.co.uk ratings, and the eight UK reviews read mention jewellery, beginner metal art and general workshop jobs. Those reviews call the casting good and the price strong, and they do not describe a broken casting, a dent or a crack. The bullets claim 50 HRC and a rebound over 70% after an 800 °C treatment, which this comparison has not measured. No square or round hole size is printed. The bolt pattern for the claimed stable base is not printed either. The 132 x 68 mm face is a small bench size for hobby shaping.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a small cast steel horn for jewellery and beginner metal art at about £18.90.
Less suitable: Hardy tools, or forging that needs a measured hardness and a larger face.
Specifications
Common questions
Has the 50 HRC figure been tested here?
No. 50 HRC and a rebound over 70% are claims in the VEVOR bullets. This comparison has not measured the face.
Is there a hardy hole?
The listing does not print a square or round hole size.
What do UK reviews use it for?
The eight UK reviews read mention jewellery, beginner metal art and general workshop jobs, and they do not describe a broken casting.
The Beadsmith ant12 is a dual-ended miniature horn in stainless steel, listed at 400 g, and UK reviews use it for findings, wire and small hammering. It has 4.6 from 452 amazon.co.uk ratings, with eight review texts read. Reviewers call it the right size for intricate jewellery and well made for the price. Several screw it to a wood block, because the listing includes no base and the horn moves until it is fixed down. One reviewer with large hands finds it smaller than expected. No crack or bent horn is described in the UK reviews read. The listing gives no face size and no hardness number.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You shape findings, wire and small jewellery pieces and can screw the horn to a wood block.
Less suitable: Hot forging, or a bench anvil you expect to stay put without adding your own base.
Specifications
Common questions
Is it large enough to forge on?
No. It weighs 400 g. UK reviews use it for findings, wire and small hammering, and several screw it to a wood block.
What is it made of?
The listing says stainless steel. It does not give a hardness number or a face size.
Does it include a base?
The listing is the anvil only. Reviewers add their own wood base.
The HimaPro is a flat hardened steel block, 4 x 4 x 3/4 inch and 1.52 kg, for stamping, wire and jewellery. It has 4.6 from 303 amazon.co.uk ratings. Two short reviews are on the listing, one marked France that calls it useful in the workshop and one marked Spain that uses it for leatherworking and reports no complaint. Neither states a fault. There is no United Kingdom review text. The bullets say the surfaces are polished and chamfered to take off sharp edges, and they give no hardness number. The listing includes no horn, no hole and no rubber base.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You stamp jewellery or work leather on a flat 4 inch block and can accept reviews from outside the UK.
Less suitable: Horn work, or a buyer who wants UK review text before paying about £23.99.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this a blacksmith's anvil?
It is a flat bench block for stamping, wire and jewellery. The listing does not include a horn or a hardy hole.
Are the edges sharp?
The bullets say the surfaces are polished and chamfered to remove sharp edges.
Are there UK reviews?
The listing shows 4.6 from 303 ratings and two short reviews marked France and Spain. It has no United Kingdom review text.
The VEVOR GZL22 is a cast steel single-horn anvil with a 260 x 82 mm face, a 16 mm square hole and a 9.5 mm round hole, listed at 10 kg. It has 4.6 from 171 amazon.co.uk ratings, and four UK reviews were read. One reviewer uses it for a little hobby forging and says the face is not as soft as many small anvils. Another says 10 kg is light, the fixing holes are awkward, and chaining it down made it usable. A 25 mm hardy shank will not enter the 16 mm square hole. The title says London style, and the listing does not describe a step, heel or cutting table. The bullets claim 50 HRC and a rebound over 70%, which this comparison has not measured. The part-number line says 22 lb, which does not match the 10 kg title.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You do a little hobby forging and want printed hole sizes on a 10 kg cast steel horn.
Less suitable: Full-size forging, or hardy tools made for a 25 mm shank.
Specifications
Common questions
Will a standard 25 mm hardy fit?
The printed square hole is 16 mm. A 25 mm hardy shank will not fit that hole.
Is London style a full London pattern?
The title says London style. The listing does not describe a step, heel or cutting table.
Is 10 kg enough to forge?
One UK reviewer says 10 kg is light, the fixing holes are awkward, and chaining it down made it usable. Another uses it for a little hobby forging and says the face is not soft.
The Happybuy, made by Mophorn, is a blue horn anvil with a round horn and a flat horn, sold for riveting, flattening and hobby forging. It has 4.5 from 1,030 amazon.co.uk ratings, the largest count in this set, and eight UK reviews were read. Most of those are short praise for a small workshop, knife making and hobby metalwork. The bullets say 22 lb / 10 kg of drop-forged steel, while the item weight field says 8.62 kg. A round hole and a square hole are claimed, and neither size is printed. One UK review says it arrived rusty, with grind marks already on it. Another finds it much smaller than expected.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want the largest review count here for hobby riveting and light forging on a table-top horn.
Less suitable: A buyer who needs a printed hardy size and one weight figure, or a face that arrives free of rust.
Specifications
Common questions
Is it 10 kg?
The bullets say 22 lb / 10 kg. The item weight field says 8.62 kg. The listing does not explain the gap.
What size is the square hole?
The listing says there is a round hole and a square hole. It does not print either size.
What do UK reviews mention on arrival?
Most of the eight UK reviews read are short praise for hobby use. One says it arrived rusty, with grind marks already on it.
The H&G M 710-03 is a two-horn anvil sold as 3 kg, with an item weight of 2.97 kg, and UK reviewers use it for jewellery, leather rivets and light planishing. It has 4.5 from 601 amazon.co.uk ratings, and eight review texts were read. One reviewer measured the top at 112 x 65 mm and uses the machined face for light planishing of saw plates. Two UK reviewers weighed theirs at 2.6 kg and 2.7 kg, under the 3 kg title. Another says the top pockmarked after a little use. The horn arrived painted, waxed and rough in one review. The material field only says metal, and no hole size is printed.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You rivet leather or planish light sheet and want a small two-horn anvil.
Less suitable: Hot forging that needs a named steel or iron, or a face that stays unmarked.
Specifications
Common questions
Is it really 3 kg?
The title says 3 kg and the item weight is 2.97 kg. Two UK reviewers weighed theirs at 2.6 kg and 2.7 kg.
What metal is it?
The material field only says metal. It does not say cast steel or cast iron.
Does the face stay smooth?
One UK review says the top pockmarked after a little use. Another uses it for light planishing of saw plates and calls the face machined flat.
The KATSU 40245003 is a cast iron single-horn anvil with a 10.3 x 5.3 cm face, sold for metalwork, jewellery and light workshop jobs. It has 4.5 from 138 amazon.co.uk ratings, and 16 review texts were read. One UK reviewer uses it for leather riveting after taking emery paper to machined edges that were very sharp. The title says 1.35 kg and the item weight is 1.52 kg. Reviewers call it sturdy for jewellery, and one says it does not mark a wooden bench. Several find it smaller than they expected. Bench mounting is claimed, a hole size is not printed, and no crack is described in the UK reviews read.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You rivet leather or do small bench jobs on a stated cast iron horn.
Less suitable: Work where sharp edges would mark leather before you dress them, or a job that needs a printed hardy size.
Specifications
Common questions
Is it cast iron?
Yes. Both the title and the material field say cast iron.
Why do reviews mention sharp edges?
One UK review says the machined top edges were very sharp and needed emery paper before leather riveting.
Which weight is printed?
The title says 1.35 kg. The item weight is 1.52 kg.
The Draper 35481 is a 4.5 kg grey cast iron single-horn anvil, 23 x 14 x 11.2 cm, sold as a bolt-down pattern with no stand in the box. It has 4.4 from 178 amazon.co.uk ratings, and eight reviews were read. Reviewers use it to flatten small metal objects and, in one case, for light craft with wire and tin. One UK review reports four cut-outs in the back for bench fixing, and one calls the top well ground. Another calls the casting rough, the paint poor and the top pitted, and bought it as an ornament. A further reviewer says it is very small for hard metalwork and that you would probably break it. One reviewer found a small hole in the face and used it. The listing does not print a hardy size, and an inch package line does not match the centimetre dimensions.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You flatten small pieces on a named grey cast iron anvil and will bolt it to a bench.
Less suitable: Hard forging, or a buyer who wants a stand and a smooth face on arrival.
Specifications
Common questions
Does it come with a stand?
No. The bullets describe a bolt-down cast iron anvil. A stand is not in the included components.
How do you fix it down?
The listing says bolt-down. One UK review reports four cut-outs in the back for bench fixing.
What is the face like?
One review calls the top well ground. Another calls the casting rough and the top pitted, and bought it as an ornament.
The VEVOR 55 lb model is a 24.9 kg horn anvil, 35.6 x 14 x 16.5 cm, with a face given as 8.66 x 5.91 inches and a hardy hole claimed without a size. It has 4.3 from 122 amazon.co.uk ratings, and four UK reviews were read. Those reviews call the shape traditional and the weight nice, and one buyer is pleased to keep it in a living room. They do not describe forging results, a dent, a crack or rust. The title says steel, the material field says cast iron, and a bullet says drop-forged high-rigid iron. Bench fixing is not stated. Quenching is claimed with no hardness number.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want about 25 kg of mass and can live with a listing that names both steel and cast iron.
Less suitable: A buyer who needs one metal name, a millimetre hardy size, or UK text about hot work.
Specifications
Common questions
Is it steel or cast iron?
The title says steel. The material field says cast iron, and a bullet says drop-forged high-rigid iron. The listing does not pick one.
What size is the hardy hole?
A hardy hole is claimed. No millimetre size is printed.
How heavy is it?
The item weight is 24.9 kg, also written as 55 lb.
The AB Tools TF572 is a 25 kg anvil whose bullets give legs for bolting to a workbench, and one of two UK reviews says they bolted it down for mid-size cold forming. It has 4.3 from five amazon.co.uk ratings. That hot-work review says the horn is painted, the paint burns off, and the face dented under hot metal, while the reviewer was still using it. The other review likes the surface area for crafting metal. The product dimensions are 40 x 21 x 18 cm, and a bullet also prints 15 x 16 x 37 cm. One bullet says steel. A horn appears in a review and is not dimensioned, and no hole size is printed. At about £99.99 it is the dearest listing here, on the smallest review sample.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want about 25 kg with bench legs and you accept a five-rating listing.
Less suitable: Hot forging where the face must not dent, or a buyer who wants a large UK review sample at this price.
Specifications
Common questions
Can it be bolted down?
The bullets say the base has legs for attachment to a workbench. One UK review says they bolted it down.
How did it cope with hot metal?
One of the two UK reviews says the horn is painted, the paint burns off, and the face dented under hot work. The reviewer was still using it.
Which dimensions apply?
The product dimensions are 40 x 21 x 18 cm. A bullet also says 15 x 16 x 37 cm. The listing does not explain both.
The QWORK WD44072 is a flat 3 inch chrome-plated carbon steel block at 557 g on a removable rubber base, used for stamping and jewellery. Across 18 amazon.co.uk ratings it sits at 4.1, and four review texts were read. One UK buyer finds it heavy enough for wire jewellery. Two UK reviews say the shiny face scratched or pitted soon after hammering, one of them within minutes of first use. The listing calls the block hardened carbon steel and gives no hardness number. There is no horn. One buyer also uses spare blocks as sewing-pattern weights and calls that use expensive.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You stamp or shape small jewellery pieces and want a flat block with a rubber base.
Less suitable: Forging on a horn, or work where the face must stay unmarked.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this a horn anvil?
No. The listing is a flat 3 inch steel bench block with a rubber base and no horn.
Will the face stay unmarked?
Two UK reviews say the shiny face scratched or pitted soon after hammering. The listing calls it hardened carbon steel and does not give a hardness number.
How heavy is it?
The item weight is 557 g. One line on the package dimensions says 556.5 g.
Shelf prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk listings filed on 19 October 2026. Twelve anvils are on this page. No lab test. The score is 0–100 from four parts, and a hardness number or a rebound percentage stays the seller’s claim. The highest score is the top pick, once. The highest value part among the others is best value, once. If those value parts tie, the lower price wins.
Stars
40%Amazon rating divided by 5, times 40, rounded to the nearest whole number. A 5.0 line is 40 points. A 4.1 line is 33.
Sample
20%1,000 or more ratings score 20. Then 16 for 500–999, 12 for 200–499, 8 for 50–199, 4 for 10–49, 2 for 1–9, and 0 if there is no rating line.
Fit for the stated job
25%Starts at 8, then adds for UK text that describes the job, a single metal name, a printed hole or face, and a base or a review that says how it was fixed. It loses points when the title and the material disagree, when weights clash, when the face arrives marked or sharp, or when UK review text is missing. Capped at 25.
Value in this set
15%Starts at 8 under £25, 6 from £25 to £40, and 4 over £40, then adds for the review count, a described job and a consistent metal or fixing note. The two cast steel horns tie on this part, so the lower price takes best value. Capped at 15.
An anvil on a UK bench is a backstop for a hammer. The useful checks are the job, the metal printed in the details, a mass you can verify, a face and a hole size, and a way to bolt or screw it down. Star ratings do not measure hardness. A seller’s rebound percentage is not a test result from this page.
An anvil is a metal block you strike against. On a shop page the word covers more than one tool. A bench block is a flat slab, sometimes on a rubber pad, for stamping and small jewellery. A miniature horn is a short pointed end, sometimes two ends, for wire and findings. A bench anvil of a few kilograms has one horn or two, for bending, rivets and light planishing. A heavier casting, around 10 kg or around 25 kg, is still light beside the mass people discuss for regular hot forging.
A title that says forge on a casting under 15 kg is a bench tool. Regular hot forging is commonly discussed from about 50 kg of steel, and one forging note says at least 80 kg. Nothing in this sample meets that line.
Read the material field as well as the title. If one says steel or forged and the other says cast iron, the listing has not picked a metal. Satisfactory quality is judged against the description.
A hardy hole only helps when the size is printed. A 16 mm square hole will not take a 25 mm shank. A style name in the title is not a full London pattern, and a star rating is not a hardness test.
The metal that matters is the one in the details, not only the title. Cast iron absorbs a blow and can chip. Smithing notes treat plain cast iron as a poor stand-in when it is sold for forging. Cast steel can be sound or soft, and a line such as 50 HRC or a rebound over 70% is the seller’s claim. This page has not measured a face. If the title says steel or forged and the material field says cast iron, keep that clash.
A flat face is the working surface. A marked, pitted or sharp edge shows up in UK reviews on more than one light anvil, so dress sharp edges before they mark leather or wire. Paint, wax and a rough horn seam are arrival notes, not a finish you should heat. A miniature horn has no large face. That suits findings and is the wrong tool for a bracket. A square hardy hole helps only when the size is printed. One 10 kg cast steel listing prints 16 mm square and 9.5 mm round.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You want a small smooth face and you will scratch a chrome block if you hammer hard. The Beadsmith miniature horn is about £16.99, with 4.6 from 452 ratings. UK reviews use it for findings, wire and small hammering, and several people screw it to wood because no base is in the box.
You want a few kilograms of flat metal so rivets and brackets have a backstop. The VEVOR 4 kg cast steel horn is about £18.90, with 4.7 from 184 ratings. The eight UK reviews read mention jewellery, beginner metal art and workshop jobs. The 50 HRC line is a seller claim.
You need to hear that 10 kg is light and that cast iron is the wrong default, even when a title says forge. The VEVOR 10 kg cast steel anvil is about £34.90, with a 16 mm square hole and a 9.5 mm round hole. One UK review says 10 kg is light and that chaining it down made a little forging usable.
In this set of twelve amazon.co.uk listings, the top pick is the Beadsmith miniature horn anvil. It is about £16.99, with 4.6 from 452 ratings, and UK reviews use the 400 g stainless-steel horn for findings, wire and small hammering once it is screwed to wood. The best value is the VEVOR 4 kg cast steel horn anvil at about £18.90, with 4.7 from 184 ratings. Its value part ties the 10 kg VEVOR, and the lower price takes the award. Neither score is a hardness test. A listing around 10 kg or 25 kg is still light for regular hot forging.
VEVOR 4 kg cast steel horn anvil
Value part of 15, tied with the 10 kg VEVOR, and about £18.90 is the lower price. The 50 HRC line is a seller claim.
Editorial
Peter F. is the editor for DIY & tools at productscompared.co.uk. Comparisons in this category are checked against amazon.co.uk listings, review evidence and public UK sources.
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
Public sources from the research digest. Shelf prices and star lines are the amazon.co.uk figures filed on 19 October 2026.
This page contains affiliate links to amazon.co.uk. If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices, stars and review counts are from the UK listings checked for this page on 19 October 2026. We did not lab-test these anvils.
