The 10 Best Slip Joint Pliers
Special Honors
Snap-on Reliably expensive, Snap-on is renowned for designing and producing well-engineered, high-quality hand tools. Their range of combination slip joint pliers feature a unique, three-position joint, and are available in a choice of colors. snapon.com
Craftsman Proudly American, Craftsman has been producing quality tools for almost a century. Along with several types of slip joint pliers, they produce a whole range of durable gripping tools for a variety of tasks including; groove joint, lineman's, easy-release locking, and long-nose pliers, to name just a few. craftsman.com
Editor's Notes
April 09, 2021:
These versatile slip joint pliers are useful for a whole range of DIY tasks around the home, and for professional tradesmen and mechanics. They usually feature two rows of teeth, the fine teeth at the front are useful for gripping small objects such as cables or fasteners, while the larger teeth at the back are designed for nuts and bolts and other bulkier objects. In addition, the slip joint moves the pivot point to increase the size range of their jaws.
During this update, we replaced just two items due to availability issues. The Gearwrench 8 Inch was switched with the company's latest iteration, the Gearwrench Pitbull, an industrial-strength pair of pliers made from alloy steel with precision machined teeth. they feature a nonmarring grip built into the electrically insulated handles and incorporate a heavy-duty wire cutter. The Crescent H28SGVN were included due to their strong V-shaped jaws that are specifically designed for pulling out nails. They feature a padded, concave grip zone built into the handles for holding delicate or polished items, and the exposed tips are especially useful for installing or removing bathtub drains.
March 02, 2020:
Due to the versatility of these tools, we have tried to cover all eventualities with our recommendations. Most households would benefit from keeping a pair of pliers handy for minor jobs around the home, and as such, a cheaper, smaller set, like the Crescent H26VN or the Stanley 84-055 would be the best choice. If, however, you enjoy doing more heavy-duty home or car maintenance, then you will likely need something more robust, such as the Channellock 546. Also included in the list are pliers with special features, for example, the Igarashi IPS PH-165, which are specially designed with a soft-jaw, and are useful when working with easily scratched materials, or the Handle Rite, which feature the distinctive looped-handle shape, useful for precision work, and which are especially good for people who struggle to hold things, due to arthritis, for instance.