A mallet is a striking tool used where a metal hammer would damage the tool or the work being struck. Similar to a hammer, mallets can be found in many shapes and sizes.

The carpenter's mallet, one of the most common types, has a rectangular, often curved, head. This curve dates back to when a wheelwright would make a mallet from an old wheel felloe.

The next most common type is the carver's mallet, which is usually made from a hard, dense wood. It is turned on a lathe, and usually the head and the handle are one piece. The round head makes it easier to control for carving work.

The shipwright's caulking mallet has a long head, bound in metal at either end. It is used to drive caulking irons. Sometimes mallets are made of materials other than wood, such as raw hide.