Must Have Pliers & Brands? - The Garage Journal

Where sockets basically turn bolts whether they are branded Nepros or Husky (not to say there are no differences), cheap versus pro pliers makes a substantial and noticeable difference in my opinion. Good idea to have at least the basic styles in a quality brand name like Channellock or Knipex.

First, everyone needs to own a Knipex pliers wrench. 7.5" or 10". It works like an adjustable wrench, but is radically better. Also useful for squeezing, holding, pressing, etc. It can "ratchet" around fasteners and works well on damaged fasteners because of the squeezing action. It's hard to explain how good these are until you try them.

Otherwise, I'd go with Channellock for most regular pliers. Knipex and NWS are better in many categories, but not enough to justify spending twice the money. Channellock is legit pro-grade, just not luxury grade.

I'd get a pair of 6" or 8" needle nose pliers. Size depends on what type of work you typically use them for - probably 6" for most electrical work, 8" for automotive. That's just a general thought though. I personally love the 6" e326CB version with "Code Blue" comfort grips.

You also probably want some combination pliers. Maybe the e346CB? If you go with 8", I personally prefer the dipped handles in that size.

Channellock 420's are classics. For waterpump pliers I think Knipex Cobra's are better, but it all depends how much you want to spend. Also note Channellock has "speedgrip" push-button pliers now. I would check those out at least before deciding. Personally, I think the grips are a little funky, but they might work for you.

You will also want side cutters. I think Channellock, with their "knife and anvil" design are pretty good. If you want something very heavy duty there are some Kleins that are nice (I don't recall the model number though). Heavier duty still? Knipex cobolts. Otherwise Channellock does have some center cutting pliers for HD work, but for most tasks you'd want the 6" side cutters. The curved ones are nice (337 or 338 I think?). Go with NWS "fantastico" pliers if you've got the budget and want the best.

That's probably all you need in a basic kit.

Maybe grab some Channellock 909's if you've got any automotive wiring to do with crimp connectors. Klein "catapult" if you're doing a lot of wire stripping (I have the Knipex equivalent, but I think that's like 5x the price) -Klien Kurve if you want to do it manually. DIY'er here. The basics/essentials in my tool box that I would recommend to anyone else:

Water Pump: 10" is a good all around size, Knipex is the nicest, Channellock is excellent too. I would also highly recommend looking at Doyle brand at Harbor Freight, shockingly high quality teeth for the price.

Locking/"Vise Grip": There are so many different sizes and shapes and I find myself using them all quite equally. Curved, straight, and needle nose jaw are the three most useful, something like a 10" and 6" size is nice to have. The bigger ones don't always fit where you need them. I really like Irwin Vise Grip brand and Bremen brand from HF.

Diagonal cutters: I find these very useful, couldn't live without them. Knipex are premium, Klein Tools 8" are my personal favorite. I also have a Greenlee pair that can be purchased at Menards which are more affordable and they have taken a lot of abuse and have held up very well, I'm very pleased with them. I would buy them again if I ever needed another pair.

Flush cutters: If you do anything with zip ties then these are a must in my opinion. Much easier than using a knife to cut the extra off and you can get a more flush cut than with scissors or traditional diagonal cutters. And they work really well for cutting off already fastened zip ties too. I have the Klein Tools 5" only $10 and I might use them more regularly than any other pliers.

Linesman: Knipex and Klein Tools are very nice but expensive. I really like my Channellock brand linesman.

Needle Nose: I would recommend getting two sizes of needle nose. One that's about 8" and another that is closer to 4". Theres a big difference in functionality of the needle nose on these different size pliers. I have 8" Milwaukee and they're good but not worth the price in my opinion. I have 5" Klein Tools needle nose and they see regular use around the house. I also have a pair of 11" Shimano long handle and I use them quite a bit too.

Slip joint: I find these useful but not everyone else does. They're kinda like an extension of the hand and fingers. I think they're a good all around plier that doesn't cost much, probably one of the cheapest types of pliers you can buy. Good for picking up hot metal. I use them frequently when hobby welding if I need to pick up something hot that I just cut with an angle grinder or if I need to hold something small while I weld it. I would recommend Channellock, Crescent, and Doyle brand and something 6"-8" in length.

Wire strippers: These technically aren't "pliers" but they're a similar mechanism so I'll throw it in there. If you ever do any sort of wiring or electrical work you will obviously need them. I have a pair of Klein Tools and Blue Point and like them both. I like when they have multiple sizes of wire strippers, ridged teeth at the end for gripping, and a cutting mechanism by the pivot point. Simple but useful.

In general it seems like Knipex makes the highest quality pliers out there but of course that comes with a premium. Up to you if its worth it. I personally think it is if you use your pliers regularly. If you don't, probably not worth it. I have many Channellock pliers and I am very satisfied with them all.

Another note. If you're not pressed to get all of these pliers immediately I would say look around at pawn shops, garage sales, the classifieds on Garage Journal, etc. for good deals. Obviously you don't want to buy second hand junk but lightly used pliers can be great. Also, it's not very hard to "revive" a pair of pliers. A small triangle file and you can take dull teeth and make them sharp teeth in a few minutes. With a wire brush, steel wool, and WD40 you can clean rust up and get clean metal again. I have revived many pliers that I have picked up on the cheap and I now use them just as much as nicer ones I have bought new.

Pliers are the most important tool and you will get to market different types of pliers and wire cutters as well. There are different electrical uses for people who need pliers. Once you have to grip a pipe or rod, you can use pliers. Due to its high demand in the market, there are different types of best pliers brand available in the market and you may choose any brand as per your need. There are different types of pliers available in the market side cutting pliers, long-nose pliers, utility pliers, end-cutting pliers, flat-nose pliers and slip pliers, etc.

With competitive price and timely delivery, Probuilt sincerely hope to be your supplier and partner.

There are different types of pliers available in the market and you may choose any type of plier as per your need. This tool is very important for different purposes like maintenance, repairing, or holding pipes or rod, people will use these pliers. You can find many shapes and sizes as per your need. Here, in this article, you will aware of different pliers and choose the best one as per your need. People should have an idea about the different pliers.

Basically, combination pliers are multipurpose pliers. It combines the gripping jaws and wire cutter as well. This type of plier can be used for compressing, gripping, twisting, bending, extracting, and cutting different materials.

Contact us to discuss your requirements of plier and cutter manufacturer. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.

Similar to scissors, combination pliers function by joining two first-class levers so that they can rotate across one another. They can hold on considerably more tightly than you could with just one hand thanks to the magnified force. Despite minor variances in jaw form, they typically feature serrated jaws that generate friction while grasping and square tips. Combination pliers frequently contain a pipe grip—a rounded, serrated cutout in the jaws—for grasping rounded items.

There are several uses for pliers, which come in different sizes and shapes. Some are used to twist wires, while others are made to be used for a variety of activities, including cutting wire. Others are meant to grab anything circular like a pipe or rod. There are various instruments used exclusively for cutting wires (as opposed to wire cable and rope). Use the appropriate wire cutters or pliers for the task. Cutters are always an important tool.

The brand always matters. If you are planning to choose any type of plier as per your requirement, the brand always matters. In the market, if you search with any type of plier name, you will find out many brands but always choose the reputed brand which lasts long. It’s always better to pick a brand that lasts long. If you will choose a brand, you will get the best quality product and quality material all the time. Choose the top pliers brands for you, if you are looking for a bulk quantity for further reselling.

If you want to learn more, please visit our website china hand tools wholesaler.