By The ARTnews Recommends Editors
Replace or add eyelets to tarps, pool covers, tents, awnings, shoes, bags, and more with a grommet tool kit. First used in the 19th century on the lace-up backs of women’s corsets, grommets are metal accessories used to reinforce holes in fabric, leather, or vinyl. Common contemporary applications include shower curtains, belts, and flags. Grommets come in a variety of sizes, and the most common utilitarian size is a half-inch inner diameter. A grommet tool kit comes equipped with a hole punch, a metal rod with a convex tip used for insertion, washer rings, and of course, the grommets themselves. Grommets come in a wide assortment of sizes and finishes, so make sure you choose a set that includes tools in the right color and correct diameter. Browse our selection of the best kits below. Eyelet Grommet Machine
Cover your bases with a kit of grommets in an assortment of sizes. This multipack set of rust-proof grommets includes six small grommets with a .375-inch inner diameter and six standard-size grommets with a half-inch diameter—all perfect for thinner material. Each is well-machined to create a tight fit and is made of sturdy brass but features a coat of gold to deliver an attractive finish. This kit is more stocked with tools than the other products on this list and comes with a two-sided anvil, two sharp hole punches, and two solidly constructed punch heads. A secure storage box helps keep everything in one place.
These half-inch grommets are a standard choice for medium-duty use on flags, tarps, and tents. Made of copper, the washers and grommets come in a choice of gold or chrome, with 50 sets of each finish. Packaged in a plastic case for easy storage, the set comes complete with both a perfectly pointy hole punch and installation instructions. The grommets are consistent in shape and quality, and once snapped together, they stay solidly in place.
Like things simple and traditional? These sturdy grommets come in either chrome or gold to match essentially any project. You get 100 in this set, and you can choose to purchase them in five sizes: 3/16-inch to ½-inch across the inside diameters. These grommets are well constructed to deploy for a wide range of applications: install them on everything from shower curtains to leather jackets, and the metal snags tight to prevent catches or fraying. A matched mandrel, hole punch, base, and storage case round out this all-in-one kit. While the punch isn’t as strong as our top pick, it’ll serve you well until you choose to upgrade.
If you’re a color enthusiast, choose this set of assorted multicolor grommets. The grommets themselves have an enameled rim in nine different colorways, though there’s also a plain chrome version, if you’d rather keep it simple. Featuring 400 sets of washers and grommets, this kit includes good-quality hole punch, base, and installer tools that have their own compartment in the included reusable plastic box. The 3/16-inch size makes these tools a great choice for objects that have small holes, such as sneakers or belts. The colors are bold, but use the tools with care to prevent chips or scratches in the surface.
If you need to apply grommets on a regular basis for your projects, make your life easier with a kit that comes with a hand-press grommet machine. This option comes with an attractive green press that you can mount on a table. Simply align your fabric and press down the crank handle to perfectly set your grommet in fabrics thin or thick. The pressure ensures that grommets are firmly anchored rather than half-snapped in, and the handle is padded for comfort. You also get interchangeable dies in six sizes and 900 grommets in three sizes to get you started.
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