Snap-on Mag Jar and Mag Dish: Two Magnetic Storage Ideas Worth a Second Look

Introduction

Snap-on is known for hand tools, but its magnetic storage accessories deserve attention too. Two designs in particular stand out: the Mag Jar and the Mag Dish. Both are genuinely inventive, both stick to steel surfaces with serious holding power, and both come with a price that makes you think twice. Here is what each one does well and where the value question comes in.

The Case for a Magnetic Jar

The Mag Jar is essentially a modern take on an old idea. Generations of woodworkers nailed baby food jar lids to a board so the jars could screw on and off for screws, nails, tacks, and finishing supplies. Snap-on’s version is a polycarbonate jar with a two-tab push-open lid, available in several colors, and a magnet on the back so it can hang directly on a steel surface.

How Strong Is That Magnet?

The magnet is the headline feature, and it is remarkably strong. Mounted on a steel surface like a toolbox, the jar locks on hard enough that you can work parts in and out of it one-handed without worrying about it moving. The holding force is so high that removing it from a narrow steel surface takes genuine care, and you may even worry about stressing the jar itself while pulling it free.

What Goes In It, and What It Costs

The Mag Jar lists for $22. Snap-on positions it for small parts, which matches how most people already use plastic jars and containers around the shop. That said, if you are the kind of person who needs a whole wall of parts jars, buying many of these adds up quickly, especially when secondhand containers cost next to nothing and come in any size you want.

Mag Dish: A Parts Dish That Splits in Two

The Mag Dish takes a different approach. It is a round parts dish with fold-out compartments that seal shut, so you can keep small parts contained at whatever depth you need. The clever part is that it comes apart into two separate dishes, giving you two independent parts trays from a single unit.

Inside, four magnets hold parts down so nothing rolls around. The design is clearly built for people who need to keep fasteners organized and separated during a job.

Where the Mag Dish Fits In

Because it is magnetic, the dish sticks firmly to a car hood, a fender, or any steel panel you are working next to. That makes it genuinely useful for jobs where you need small parts within reach but nowhere loose to set them. The split design also opens up niche uses: if you work on equipment where parts from different assemblies must stay isolated, you could buy several in different colors and sort everything accordingly.

Is the Mag Dish Worth It?

Here is where things get honest. The Mag Dish costs $42.50, which is a lot for a small parts dish, however clever the features. In day-to-day use it often serves simply as a double parts tray, and plenty of workshop storage gets done just as well with inexpensive containers. It is innovative and well thought out, but the price is the main obstacle.

Buying Advice

If you want a single magnetic jar for the most-used small parts at your bench, the Mag Jar at $22 is the easier recommendation, and the strong magnet plus clear body make it a pleasant daily-use piece. The Mag Dish is more specialized: buy it if you regularly work around vehicle panels or need to split parts into two sealed trays mid-job. If you need many containers at once, both will strain a budget compared with basic jars and dishes.

Conclusion

The Snap-on Mag Jar and Mag Dish are creative, well-built magnetic storage solutions that hold on like few competitors can. They are also priced as premium tools rather than disposable shop supplies. Pick the Mag Jar for everyday small-parts storage, and consider the Mag Dish only if its split-and-seal design matches a real need in your workflow.