Never. He also has fully converted to adjustable pliers. The Anvil Homeowners Tool Set from Home Depot is the best basic pre-assembled home toolkit weve found. To adjust jaw size, simply press the button and slide the handle up or down, increasing or decreasing the jaw opening. Even having worked in construction for ten years, written about tools for seven, and recently gutted and rebuilt my own house, I cant remember the last time I even picked up a pair of slip-joint pliers. Privacy Policy With the handles so nicely formed to the natural curves of the hand, theyre far less tiring to use for extended periods of time. Currently, the following states regulate the offer and sale of franchises: California, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin. We tested out the Milwaukee 8-Inch Quick-Adjust Reaming Pliers and found them inadequate for many around the house jobs). The lower jaw is spring-loaded to the closed position, so to make an adjustment, you need to pull it down, and when the jaws are around something, release the lower handle so it slides up and into place. All Rights Reserved. On average, they have a jaw capacity of about 2 inches which means they can handle all of the plumbing connections under the kitchen sink as well as any standard 4-inch waste line clean-outs or large pipes.1. I even locked the jaws onto a pipe that runs along my basement ceiling and lifted my 185 pounds up off the ground holding nothing but the top handle of the pliers. Do Not Sell My Personal Information, Pliers, Tongue and Groove Pliers, Plier Wrench, Plier Jaw Style Straight Jaw, Adjustment Type Push Button, Max. In practical terms, a better fit translates into a gripping force that is more evenly spread over the nut, resulting in a better grab and an easier turn. * Applies to all purchases made on Because of this capability, theyre an almost essential tool for plumbing work; installing faucets, tightening an under sink connection, or putting in a toilet are way harder to do without a pair of adjustable pliers. channel channellock plier griplock inch gl6 lock Its also only available with a flat jaw. Wirecutter is the product recommendation service from The New York Times. In 2021, Channellock (finally) released their version of the push button adjustable pliers. A tool of this nature doesnt come cheap, but the price tag, usually closing in on $45, began to make sense once we got into our hands-on testing. Since then, I moved to a circa 1773 home that requires a high level of hands-on upkeep. Even if cost were no object, we would still choose them over all of the otherswith the exception of our upgrade, the Knipex Cobras, which typically go for around $45. Once the upper jaw is hooked around a nut, the lower jaw can just slide up to where its snug and the tightening/loosening can begin. These pliers have a far more precise adjustment mechanism than any of the other tested tools, the handles are more comfortable, and the small, sleek head can fit into the tightest of spots. Much of the work Ive done myself (which would hopefully explain the three-year timeline). The 430X SpeedGrip Tongue and Groove Pliers have the high quality feel that we expect from Channellock, but the tool is only available in a flat jaw version, which isnt as versatile as the V-jaw. Push-button adjustment - This is a fairly recent innovation and it makes adjusting the jaw size fast and simple, especially when compared to the older tongue and groove mechanism. We prefer our picks, but anyone who is brand loyal to Channellock will likely appreciate what this tool offers. We independently review everything we recommend. If youre someone who wants total finesse and ease out of your tools (and youre willing to pay for it), we highly recommend the 10-inch Knipex Cobras with the comfort grips. While anyone looking for a set of pliers for the junk drawer would likely balk at the $40 price tag, if you really want a high-quality tool, youll be happy you spent the additional money. *At the time of publishing, the price was $16. The Milwaukees were also the only pliers that did not have anti-pinch handles. If you need to take the blade off your mower or remove a radiator so you can paint behind it, youre going to be exerting a lot of hand strength on the pliers and theres no point in using the dipped style that is sure to leave a giant, sore, red line running through your palm. This hinders the line of sight on small little nuts and bolts and makes it trickier to use in tight spots. When I asked Lyman to comment on them, he said, I never use slip joint pliers, seriously. 10-inch pliers have a grip area of about 5 inches, making them comfortable in most hands with gloves or without. knipex pliers Offering all of this for a reasonable $13 currently, this pair is also unlikely to break your tool budget. Minnesota state franchise registration number F-2705. In addition, the jaws are designed so that they self-lock onto a nut or bolt, letting you focus more on turning than on gripping. I tested the strength of the teeth by clamping each pair of pliers down on the head of a galvanized joist hanger nail. Straight flat jaws run totally parallel to one another and are tailored to flat and hex materials but will struggle if you ever need to hold a pipe or anything else thats round. This means you can put your energy into turning and not worry about gripping, almost like locking pliers (a.k.a. The Knipex Cobra's self-locking feature is flawless and it has 25 different size options. The one area where the GrooveLocks fell short compared to the rest is the width of the nose. Measuring inch, the GrooveLock is almost twice as wide as the majority of the the tested pliers. knipex us1 pliers Still, the GrooveLocks were better than most at this. By every marker (other than price), the Cobras excel against the competition. knipex pliers The CH Hanson Auto-Grip LockJaw Self-Adjusting Groove Pliers have an interesting adjustment. There are some differences, though: The locking mechanism has the same ratcheting action as the Irwin and the jaw design is slightly different. Learn more. These are meant for delicate surfaces that might dent under the pressure of the teeth, like a PVC fitting or a finished material like chrome. Its a two-handed operation and the jaws only have a parallel opening of about 1 inches (compared to most of the others at well more than 2 inches). It doesnt alter the functionality of the tool at all, and its likely that you wont even notice it unless you have experience with other thinner-nosed pliers. The Klein Quick Adjust Klaw Pump Pliers which are made in Germany and share many characteristics with the Cobras, including the overall design of the head and handles. WIth this feature, they can grab anything from a nut or bolt, to a pipe or the end of a garden hose. Doug Mahoney is a senior staff writer at Wirecutter covering home improvement. Of the pliers tested, the 10-inch Irwin GrooveLocks provided the best balance of functionality and price thanks to their easy push-button adjustment, very comfortable handles, 15 jaw adjustment sizes, and a handy self-locking feature that holds the bottom handle in place so you can focus on turning instead of gripping. After testing, weve added the Channellock SpeedGrip 10-inch Pliers to the competition section. Better tools can do better work. Each tool also took a turn loosening and tightening the 4-inch PVC clean-out on the waste line heading out to the septic (required by code and essential to the homeowner if something gets clogged in the pipe). One trick Ive seen plumbers do is wrap the faucet in a rag to buffer the teeth of the pliers, this maintains the gripping strength, but prohibits the teeth from marring the surface. pliers knipex We dismissed many other models due to the lack of a push button adjustment:Stanley 84-024, Douglas P-813P, Proto J260SGXL, and Greenlee 0451-10M. What makes adjustable pliers so unique is that the jaw opening can be adjusted, but the two jaws remain parallel. If you are a resident of, or wish to acquire a franchise for a [Matco Tools distributorship] to be located in, one of these states or a country whose laws regulate the offer and sale of franchises, we will not offer you a franchise unless and until we have complied with applicable pre-sale registration and disclosure requirements in your jurisdiction. knipex The Irwin GV10 10-inch GrooveLock Pliers have a quick adjustment that makes setting the jaw width easier, especially if youre working in an awkward spot, such as the cramped space behind your washing machine. We also have to note that Knipex sells the Cobras with both ergonomic handles (which we recommend) and old-school dipped handles. The Irwins are still holding up with absolutely no problems, and their solid usability combined with their inexpensive cost still makes them an easy choice for our main recommendation. And if it wasnt for the perfect locking feature, I would have never been able to disconnect an old rusted radiator. knipex Ive worked in such cramped spaces that Ive had to hold nails with my pliers as I pounded them in. To test the tools, I used each one to disconnect and reconnect a radiator as well as a number of the fittings around my water heater. For the most part, the jaws of these pliers have serrated teeth, so great care should be taken when using them on any kind of delicate material, like the chrome finish on a faucet. Whats nice is that this action can be done with the jaws around a nut or bolt, so the correct size can be zeroed in quickly. We found that it worked best on hex shapes like nuts and bolts and was less successful on round objects like pipes. The most important things to look for in a pair of adjustable pliers are a push-button adjustment, padded ergonomic handles, a 10-inch length, and a V-jaw design. Adjustable pliers shouldnt be the first tool that you buy (that honor goes to the screwdriver), but once you get past the point of the most simple around the house projectslike hanging pictures and assembling knock-down furniturethis all purpose grabbing and twisting tool can really come in handy. The Cobras also had the smallest head of all the tested pliers, making them easy to work with in tight spaces and allowing for great sight lines no matter what position youre in. We remain confident in our other picks. The non-ergonomic Cobras are priced at about $10 less (around $33) and in all other aspects are identical. 2022 Matco Tools Corporation. V-jaw - Adjustable pliers generally come in three designs; v-jaw, straight jaw, or smooth jaw. channellock tongue groove plier channel inch locks jaw 2in straight pack Heres what to get when youre ready to handle routine home problems. Subscribe now for unlimited access. except branded apparel size exchanges for exact items. An offer is made only by Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD). Doug Mahoney, Best basic tool kit (for the home), Wirecutter, Marc Lyman, Editor of HomeFixated.com, Interview, Carl Duguay, The GrooveLock 'press-n-slide' feature makes for super quick jaw adjustment, Canadian Woodworking, Thomas Gaige, Irwin Groovelock Pliers Review, ProToolReviews, Dan Maxey, Irwin Groovelock Pliers - Review, Tools in Action, Marc Lyman, Knipex Cobra vs. Irwin Groovelock Pliers - Channellock Killers?, HomeFixated. There is also a nice ratcheting feature that lets you adjust the size without using the button. What sets them apart is an extremely smooth adjustment as well as the consistency of the self-locking feature. He spent 10 years in high-end construction as a carpenter, foreman, and supervisor. The ease of the system is centered around a button located at the connection point of the two handles. If youre going to own a set of locking pliers (and we strongly suggest you do), the best ones to get are the Grip-On 111-10. stripper knipex Theyre nice and wide and have a very slight texture to them that adds a considerable amount of stickiness. The upper handle swells a little at the top edge, creating a nice spot for a thumb to rest. I locked the pliers on the connection and stepped on the handles, bouncing my entire body weight to get the connection to move. of Jaw Positions 22, Chrome Vanadium Steel Material, Nickel Plated Finish, 20112022 Zoro Tools, Inc. All rights reserved, KNIPEX Cobra XL Water Pump Pliers 16 87 01 400 US, KNIPEX Tongue and Groove Pliers, 10 In, Button 87 11 250, KNIPEX 16" Pliers Wrench XL, Plastic Grip 86 03 400, KNIPEX 12" Knipex Cobra Water Pump Pliers, Plastic Grip 87 01 300, KNIPEX 10" Knipex Cobra VDE Water Pump Pliers, Insulated 87 28 250 SBA, EGA MASTER GROOVE JOINT PLIER 12" NON SPARKING Al-Bron 70541, KNIPEX Spring Hose Clamp Pliers, 10" Spring Hos 85 51 250 A, KNIPEX Knipex KX8701-12 12" "Cobra Box" Tongue and Groove Pliers KX8701-12. What this means in practical terms is that the adjustment can be made quickly and, if need be, at arms length. I also strained the hinge point by clamping the tip of the upper jaw in a vice and twisting, pulling, and pushing on the other handle. Due to the slip-joint mechanism, those pliers have only two jaw widths, neither of which is very large. knipex 150 pounds; Excludes all Gifts and Branded Apparel items After testing 15 wrenches over the past three years, weve determined that the Channellock 8WCB WideAzz 8-Inch Adjustable Wrench, with its comfortable handle and wide jaws, is still the best for all-around home use. knipex The majority of the other pliers needed the button to be pressed regardless of whether the adjustment is being opened or closed. knipex pliers cobra Because of their large jaw capacitymore than 2 inches for a pair of 10-inch pliersadjustable pliers (a.k.a. The Milwaukee Quick Adjust Reaming Pliers have comfortable handles, a nice push-button action, and 22 size settings. This added precision means a more snug fit on a wider size of nuts and bolts. The 10-inch Irwin Groovelocks have a lifetime warranty, an incredibly easy push-button locking system, and comfortable handles. irwin knipex alligator Use them everyday and wouldn't trade them for the world, Gripping surface with special hardened teeth is wear-resistant and grips any shaped object-round, square, hex or flat, Self-gripping jaw design and self-locking ability means no slipping off the workpiece, Push-button means adjust once and it stays while fine-adjustment provides optimum adjustment to different size workpieces, loc_, sid_192575, prod, sort_[SortEntry(order=RELEVANCE, direction=DESCENDING)]. information on purchases made offline. 2022 Wirecutter, Inc., A New York Times Company, Channellock 8WCB WideAzz 8-Inch Adjustable Wrench, Knipex 8702250 10-Inch Cobra Pliers - Comfort Grip, 10-inch Knipex Cobras with the comfort grips, Our pick: Irwin GV10 10-inch GrooveLock Pliers, Upgrade pick: Knipex 8702250 10-Inch Cobra Pliers - Comfort Grip, CH Hanson Auto-Grip LockJaw Self-Adjusting Groove Pliers, The GrooveLock 'press-n-slide' feature makes for super quick jaw adjustment. Knipex Cobra vs. Irwin Groovelock Pliers - Channellock Killers. Because of these notches, V-jaws are capable of securely grabbing flat, hex, or round shapes. Once at the appropriate size, the button is released and the handles lock in. The square PVC fitting was a good indicator of jaw width (the fitting is about 2 inches). The self-locking feature on the Cobras is outstanding. adustable craftsman knipex knipex channellock A 10-inch pair of traditional tongue and groove pliers might only have seven size settings, but the push button adjustment allows for at least twice that and, depending on the manufacturer, sometimes much more (the Knipex Cobra has 25 settings). A 10-inch pair of adjustables can open up to easily two inches and, depending on what youre grabbing, more than three. Its also one of the more affordable options. If you want to see the Cobras locking feature, Lyman has a video of the tool in action (the relevant part begins around the 1:00 mark). For something so universal, they actually offer very little when compared to much more versatile adjustable pliers. The handles are definitely another high point. The self-locking handle feature is also very useful. this design works for me not only do they feel good in your hand .I feel like they grip with far less pressure on the grip than others Ive used and that would be a big number . The push-button design also allows for more precision in the jaw sizing. We feel that the added comfort of the padded handles justifies the added expense. Lyman has an image here where he displays how strong this lock is (the image shows the Knipex Cobras). Theyre also an all purpose grabbing and twisting tool, like when I need to give a slight tweak to an out of whack mower blade or when I just have to pick something up that I know is hot. Whether it's finding great products or discovering helpful advice, we'll help you get it right (the first time). just a really good tool .I purchased a couple of sizes, This pair is the best pair of slip joint pliers I ever had.Puts my Channellock pliers to shame,easier to adjust than my Channelock pliers with the locking pin.Made by the best pliers maker in the world,Knipex. The whole point of adjustable pliers is to grip, hold, twist, and turn and those motions can really work a palm over. *Excludes orders over 150 lbs.This information is not intended as an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy, a franchise. Using the tools side by side in a consistent manner over a long period of time, it has become very clear to me that the Knipex are in an entirely different realm. inch channellock griplock gl12 capacity tongue jaw plier groove utility Klein specializes in electricians tools, so its not surprising that the jaw has a small notch for gripping a wire. channellock inch groove tongue plier channel locks piece gift your Authorized Matco Tools distributor for warranty or return
er. He also has fully converted