Best Magnetic Parts Trays

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Diameter is the entire decision and the spread is tighter than it appears: these run from 4 inches to 6 inches, and in practice the difference is whether a full set of caliper bolts and their washers lies spread out where you can see them or heaps up in the middle. A 4 inch tray is a one-job pocket item, while 6 inches is what you want on a bench while stripping something with dozens of fasteners. Then choose between a rigid steel bowl and a collapsible silicone one, because they solve different problems. Rigid trays keep their shape, stack, and shrug off knocks. Collapsible silicone trays fold flat into a drawer and are far quieter when a socket drops into one, though they depend on a magnetic base ring rather than a magnetised body, so they hold parts less firmly on a slope. Dual-sided magnets are the feature actually worth hunting for, since a magnet on the underside sticks the tray to a wing, a strut or a lift arm while the inner face holds the parts, and that is what stops a tray walking off a curved panel. Multipacks earn their place because the real technique is one tray per subassembly so nothing gets mixed. Keep them clear of anything sensitive, and note that a magnetised tray will magnetise your fasteners.