Versatile use in part a kit

Functional for holding PCBs while working on them, in addition to “helping hands”, for which it is not a replacement but rather a complementing tool. I was a bit disappointed with the plastic jaws at first, but they seem sturdy enough (at least they are non-conducting). The best feature – sits stably on the table and doesn’t go anywhere once placed. Holes for permanent installation are present, but if your electronics lab needs to go into storage after use (temporary setup on the kitchen table, for example), the stability without any fastening gives this vice a whole new dimension. Would buy again, would recommend.

I screw it on a heavier base. Works great!

Great product

If you're working on items that generally fit in a hand: cellphones, calculators, small PCB electronics, etc., Panavise Junior will work. Unlike its bigger brother, it will unlikely tip over since hand sized objects may not be big enough to offset the vise's center of gravity. Its easy enough to screw mount it to a larger flat piece of scrap wood, or as I do, zip tie it to a 5 pound barbell weight plate temporarily. As is, and without extra bulk it makes it easier to transport and use.The jaws are made of plastic, but can resist some amount of heat. However, it won't take being hit directly by a soldering iron. Its rigid enough to hold firmly, and its amazing something made so cheaply work so well. The box says its made in USA, but there are no marks to suggest the same.The vise is made to hold items, while a helping hand is more for smaller items, like holding wires on a PCB, so they complement rather than replace each other.Panavises vises hold value well; auction sites often have 30+ year old used models that fetch 50%+ the cost of new models, or accessories. Older models are much heftier and better finished.There is one option available as of this writing, a wheel you can overlay onto the thumbscrew so you can spin the screw with your finger to get the jaws moving faster.ConsThe finish is fairly crude. Its rough and not the same quality of materials and workmanship of the original Panavise from the 1980s, but it works just as well, and thus, can be forgiven.There are no other vise accessories that fit this base, as of this writing, but the Junior head can be purchased for the standard 300 bases, but it cost as much as the whole Junior!The screw used in the vise is fairly fine, so it takes a lot of turning to get it to open completely. The $5 wheel accessory should be included with the unit, not as an accessory.Despite a lot of copying by counterfeit makers of many electronic products, this is one item I've never seen as counterfeit, so most Panavises I see are genuine, this is one of them.