I changed an entire sink with just this one tool. Its really a marvel and will be the end of all other adjustable wrench designs. Already several companies are copying this design, and I bought a few. But none are as smooth and refined as this. In my opinion, save your pennies and buy the real deal.
I own three of these (the 125 for EDC, the 180 for "normal" use and the 300 for big jobs) and absolutely love them. They are the incredibly rare scenario where a "combination" tool replaces a bunch of other ones, and is legitimately better at those jobs than the tools it replaces. I regularly abuse them and they show no signs of damage, and I almost never need to break out pliers, adjustable wrenches, vise grips, or even fixed wrenches anymore - these do it all! This video summarizes many of their advantages well, but glosses over one important point. Due to the camming effect of rotating the pliers, they actually grip the working surface *harder* the harder you turn. This ensures slip-free contact even on reluctant or rounded fasteners, a feat that even fixed wrenches can't achieve since they need some tolerance/gap to get the wrench onto the fastener and adjustable wrenches don't provide enough mechanical advantage in the worm adjuster to get a tight grip. Even with this tight grip, I almost never mar surfaces since the jaws are flat with slightly rounded/chamfered edges so they don't dig in and cause scuffs.
Thank you for the beautiful explanation. A true friend of a mechanic, I just brought my first Knipex 8602250 in India at almost double the price in US..worth every penny In terms of design, one tool for 2 inch or 50mm nut wrench..no need to carry heavy large size spanner to site on my Marine use.
My adult son loves edc tools and I bought him a one of these for his birthday coming up. I think he’s really going to like it. It sure is versatile. Thank you for the review!
This is the most significant hand tool to have been invented in modern times. It obsoleted the adjustable wrench, saving us from that destructive tool. I have 5 sizes and use the larger ones much more often than the smaller one in this video. One thing the larger ones do well is straighten bent metal, even if thick. A must have set of tools.
I've got the 125's, 180's, 250's and 400's. If you can only have one I suggest the 250's. I love them all. Great to see a review here. As far as I'm concerned the Pliers Wrench is the single greatest tool of all time.
I have a pair of the 250s and love them. I did not need them. I only bought them just to see what they were having seen some vids such as yours. There are needs and there are wants. If all we ever bought was needs then life would be real dull. Justification is the same. I could not justify my purchase but bought them anyway. I bought the smooth jaw to prevent marring of the surface of whatever I was working on.
I do HVAC work. These are also great for bending or straighting out sheet metal. One of my go-to hand tools. A must for any handyman, contractor, or edcer. I actually which there was a 4 inch model to replace my 4inch adjustable wrench😎
Great review. Totally second all you said about the Knipex wrench pliers. This little toy-like tool has saved me on a multitude of occasions, and proved to be extremely efficient in smaller, lighter-duty, more gentle tasks. The parallel jaw movement and smooth jaw surface make them very delicate, yet they grip very positively. I found myself using them most of the time either as a wrench on delicate fasteners (including some nice polished fixtures of kitchen tap mixers or shower mixers etc), or as a delicate, yet strong mini hand vice/grab pliers, when I needed to grip onto something I did not want to damage and/or leave marks from aggressive jaws of more traditional pliers. And then if I need a bit more oompf - I have those in 250 size lol.
Bought a 3 pack for like $150aussie kept the 5" gave dad the 7" for his trials bike and sold the 10" for $100 best bloody deal I've had on tools. Cheers Ben You the man
Man I've always seen these form a distance and thought they were wire cutters for some reason. Turns out its the exact tool I need. Working in an old factory with machines with all sorts of bolt sizes that constantly need adjusting, this tool is gonna be perfect in my pocket.
I have the 180mm (7.25") updated version in chrome. Had them for about a year. They are sweeeeeet! Excellent for holding small parts for wire wheel, etc, and as a portable vise.
Great pliers. I have carried this model in agriculture for a year now. I also carry the 86 03 180 (8in). Great for bolts and hydraulic hoses. Great review. Keep them coming!!
The 'ol.. "Wiener in the Jelly jar" trickery. Classic. Japan & Germany are tool geniuses to be honest, many USA made tools are direct or indirect copies of tools that these countries have had for decades. Kinda funny. I buy many Japanese & European tools because they are just better. Better fitting, better ergonomics, better materials (sometimes) & better all around tooling finishes.
Knipex Cobra 150 for edc,180 for my house toolbox and Knipex Cobra 250 for my job. I chose Cobra, because it can work as 3 different tools, normal pliers, crescent wrench (as this is more for) and as a pipe wrench. They also make an 125 which is lighter, than the 150 and sounds even better for edc but I heard, it sucrifises a lot of utility so I went for the 150 for EDC. IMO Cobra Knipex is a "must" tool! I paid 25 euros for the 180, totally worth the price! Nice review!
PS The reason I don't like this model as much, as I like Cobra, is the fact that this (which works even better for nuts and bolts though), sucrifises the super excellent teeth and general design the Cobra models have, which adds to more functions-utility.I love the rough plastic handles more than these polished ones. They make a 250 thin Cobra, which has longer head, similar to normal pliers. that I really like too, Probably the best IMO. Also,the have versions for electricians! If you fix things... and don't a Knipex, don't think, just buy it. It will make you love it as a tool. I only a add a bit of oil, to break in faster!
This is an 100% underated channel, that IMO makes the best reviews on edc tools. If you don't own a Knipex, watch this review and If you like to buy one of these, check my other comment first. It will help you to find an even better Knipex tool for your needs.
I carry the 150mm version in my A/C diagnostic bag every day...and the 87-01-150 Cobra in my front pocket every day. Highly recommend these tools, the price reflects the quality.
These work great even without gripping both handles... The secret is always to orient plier on bolt such that you are always applying inward force on the pivoting handle for the direction you want to go. This way, the jaws are always applying inward force gripping tighter into the bolt as it's moving into the direction you'd like.
TX Tool Crib I love it! I've used it as a trim square a few times, but it's so useful for checking installations & quick adjustments. The color & contrast is great, too. Thanks so much for recommending it, it's gonna save a lot of time and/or hassle on the job!
Funny that you reviewing this. Got 3 sizes. Been carrying the mid size for the last 10 years at work. You forgot one county!! Sweden! Mora, Bacho, Sandvik, Kamasa, Tormek.. We invented the adjustable wrench for god’s sake..;)
PlierWrench is pure tool genius! What a great design! I only have the larger versions and believe I also considered this one a couple years ago but I think i would prefer at least a 6" for better access in my tool pouch. 5" is too short (that's what she said). I noticed that this has a low rating on Amazon.. I have many Knipex tools and have no reason to believe this would be anything other than fantastic.
I don’t really trust anonymous reviews that much. People are finicky when it comes to reviews sometimes. These are the best hand tools designed in recent memory. They are really thought out and work exceptionally well.
The 10" model was updated in 2018. I have both versions. The newer model is a bit lighter, opens wider, has measurements etched into the jaws, & has a notch for your thumb. Quality is the same, but i appreciate the wider jaws. I wonder if/when they're gonna update the other models. The 5" is an incredible little tool. I use the heck out of them working w/ banks of oxygen tanks, as the copper pigtails make them a hassle to swap. The jaws are also great on industrial faucet fittings, many of which have cheap proprietary wrenches. Definitely one of the best hand tool purchases I've made.
I need to get the update 10' model. This is one of the most useful hand tools I have ever used, without question. I really like the 7' and 10' versions.
My smallest pliers wrench is the Knipex 86 03 150 that came in that mentioned belt pouch with a pair of Cobra 87 01 125 pliers. I keep a couple small titanium pry and cleaning bars (from CountyComm in there too, but unfortunately the pouch is open on the sides at the bottom so if I was carrying the pouch on my belt a lot I would have to take those out to avoid losing them. Thanks for the info on the update, I bought mine in 2017 so just missed it. By the way the Cobra pliers had been updated with the Quickset models which have a red tint to the button. You open them the same way, with the release button, but then you just slide them closed on whatever you want to grip. It would be nice if they did this with the pliers wrench. Was that part of the 2018 update?
Donald Strader those Ti bars are great! I have a set in my "hurry up" toolbag at work. The updated Knipex Pliers Wrench don't have the Quickset feature. I'm not entirely sure why they haven't offered it, i'm guessing they have a reason. (Strength? Maybe they expect the wrenches to be used with more force?) I broke mine in by polishing them up & sliding the jaws w/ some Ballistol watching football. Now they're so smooth & fast, the Quickset would barely speed things up!
TX Tool Crib I agree; probably the single hand tool that's saved me the most time. The 10" is probably close to perfect for me, but if I didn't deal w/ med gas & OR sinks, the 7" would be great. The updates are fairly subtle, but I do think they're an improvement. Allowing a bit wider jaw makes the handle splay out more, but makes the tool more versatile. Some people were concerned the Knipex update was done to cut corners, but that seems ridiculous. Changing the design cost money, & they're not saving more than a few grams of steel. They probably were just responding to the excellent Stahlville & Gedore pliers wrenches, not to mention the disappointing Wiha, & the medicore Irwin. Now, if only Leatherman could make a set for tradesmen...
@@GabeMacDonnell Thanks for the answer. I just used the 150 and 180 models while working on a toilet handle. They just are a great tool. My first pair of Knipex Pliers were a large Alligator pair, before I had any Cobra pliers. I used them, along with some PB Blaster and tapping with a piece of wood to loosen a plumbing fixture that the plumber had not been able to loosen (with another brand of pliers). I learned that tapping trick to break something loose (maybe from a RUclips video) after I found the brute strength approach might be a bit to strong. ;-)
I LOVE the Cobra pliers, as well...they have so much grip, such sharp teeth, that I have broken off stubborn bolts on exhaust sytems, 1/2" bolts... the heads were so stripped, they were round, but the Knipe Cobras just worked on them!
They really are great. I use a larger pair of these on the job site. The 5” are just a bit small for me, but the geometry among them all is the same. You’ll never regret buying these pliers if you have the need for them.
I have the 5" plier-wrench, and I also got the 4" Cobra pliers, which are too small for my large hands. I get a decent grip with the 5" plier-wrench, though. I am thinking of getting a couple of larger sizes. The next size up is a bit too close I think, so I'll go with the 180 and 250. Excellent tools.
Good review. Years back, I carried the smallest Channellock, but they can shear off the “channels” when squeezed hard at certain size settings. For years now, it's been a Leatherman and a 4” Proto 704 adjustable wrench, the one with the oversize head that opens to 11/16. Thanks for showing me a great option, even of it is a bit pricey.
I used to carry the 180 length just in my pocket when I worked as a machine operator and I used them literally every single day at work and handed them off to a maintenance technician while they were fixing something and they needed them hundreds of times. The maintenance guys weren’t familiar with them at first and thought they were weird and then once they used them a couple of times if I was standing there and they needed some pliers they would just hold their hand out because they wanted to use them. Lmao. I couldn’t agree more with your high praise at the end. These things are INCREDIBLE at what they do.
I have the 10 inch and find them to be far superior to other crescent type pliers. Be aware that there are two types of jaws, knurled or smooth for different applications. Plumbers should get the smooth to prevent marring of surfaces. Note that these jaws open parallel to one another, regular pliers are at an angle to each other. With regular pliers you can only grip a nut on the corners. With these you grip on the entire flat giving you much greater holding power. They clamp, you can bring two pieces together and hold them while you try to put a bolt through each hole. You can pull a nail by clamping the nail head and rolling the pliers on the round part. It is then like a lever. $42.45 on Amazon on 3--2-20.
nice review! i got the same 125 mm version, very good for clean and not overtightened screws or fasteners, it work good on 22 mm hexagon. forced even on 24 mm hex. for rusty or painted screws, i would use a specific ring or tubular wrench. because i need it for a 24 mm hexagon, i also bought a 150 mm Cobra, that one open up to 30 mm hexagon. for in house work they act awesome as a pair. thank you for defining that thing as a ' hose clamp' , I was struggling to find its name in english.
OK as much as I am a Channelock USA manufactured plier fan, I gotta hand it to the Germans on the slip type plier. I love these Knipex spring type slip joints. However all my precision cutters and other slip joints are Channelock for good reason. There are not many really good ones left in the USA. I miss my Diamond tool and Horseshoe pliers and adjustable wrenches. My favorite and best hand screwing devices are German Wiha and their sister company Wera ! Extra good! Watch out tho, their bits are made in korea these days. Pronounced NYE-PEX = Knipex or NIGH PEX No K- sound at all. Nice Review !
I like some of the Channellock and Klein stuff as well. Though Knipex is really hard to compete with, they make outstanding tools. Unfortunately, I must correct you. It is not pronounced Nye Pex or Nigh Pex. The company is German, and the "K" is not silent. I don't say it correctly either, just the way I learned it when I was a kid. It is actually pronounced Ki Neep Ex. Ask any European.
I first bought the 250 one and one month later I bought this 125 one. It never leaves me combined with the cobra 125, the 08 22 145 multitool pliers and the 74 02 140 cutting pliers. Next one is the 180 one...
Maxlvledc This tool is an absolute must have if you do any kind of wrench work. This set of pliers is like having a full wrench set in your pocket in one small tool.
Hi Ben, just like you I've been holding off on buying these pliers because of the price, but I know I'm going to have to bite the bullet and buy some sooner or later, they really are excellent.
I bought these around 20 years ago as I was impressed when the mac tool guy undid his vans wheel nuts with them , awesome tool I’ve treated them with respect and they still do the job I ask of them , one of the best tools you’ll put in your collection 👍🏻
Non marring for hex fasteners, which I deal with more often than not. You can also use them as sort of a mini vise, think straightening out bent nails or making a bend in solid wire or thin sheet metal.
Boy, if I get a few of these, do I need my crescent and combination wrenches much longer? Seems like it would lighten up anyone's repair bag. I enjoyed the vid.
Anthony Lau I’m a plumber and I thought these would replace my adjustable wrenches. They don’t. They are, however, a fantastic addition to anyone’s tool collection. You can get a similar sized pair of channellock’s which are also great.
I carry the Cobras and I have one bigger pair like 10in or something but have not committed to those yet but now Irwin has some at like 1/2 the price so 8 picked some of them up
I tried the Irwin’s they don’t grip nowhere near as good as the knipex don’t feel as good or solid either. Don’t get me wrong they work ok and everything but once you use the knipex brand you just can’t settle for the others.
Knipex is gawd and god :3 I've had "Knipex 87 01 250 Cobra Water Pump Plier" for couple of years, in house that's the best all round kind of thing to do jobs. I also take that to camps sometimes. Do review of that too. It costed me almost 6 times of cheap local -Stanly- one though haha
I have a Knipex 8603150 and notice quite a bit sideways play in the sliding jaw, 1mm both ways so a total of 2mm. (1mm = 3/64 inch). There seems to be nothing wrong with the gripping power. Do you think this is normal or should I return them?
I'm crying that it isn't a little cheaper in that size - same price as the larger ones! Tough for my budget to justify - even though I really need that precision at that size.
Modern twist on the Eifel plierench - except the Eifel Plierench has multiple jaws that can be interchanged for different uses including making it into a spreader. Check out eBay - not made anymore - likely b/c people were not wiling to take the 20 seconds to learn how to use them. The 20 second learning curve is to know to push up on the handle (instead of pushing a button - instructions engraved on the tool at proper location) to release or change to another jaw. Also has wire bending/spring making jaw, pip cutter, round object jaws, very wide jaws.
125 vs 150mm idk what I wanna get! I love my 125 cobra but the set comes with the 125 and the 150 so maybe there’s a reason they did that which makes me feel like maybe I should buy the 150.
Like you I've been itching to get a set of these for a while but just haven't pulled the trigger because of the price. I see the value, I just cant justify the purchase yet.
This is one of those tools that I truly believe you will never regret buying. It took me a while to finally pull the trigger, but man was I glad when I did.
Derek Atkins that’s what I said until I finally bought a pair. I was sick of carrying a 15 inch adjustable wrench to work on flush valves so I bought the 10 inch pair. Now I use them for all my plumbing and other calls I don’t know what I might need.
Which difference there is with Knipex Cobra model? Also Cobra model act similar to the wrench mechanism due to the push button to set the adjustment size. I'm looking for a comparative.
Great review. I searched romanian sites and i see its a smaller version, 125mm and only 105grams. I think ill buy it, even if i own a swistool plus ratchet.
@@txtoolcrib the ones I have are model number 71 12 200. Here you can get them for 30 pounds so under 30 dollars which is a fantastic price. I'd put them up against snap on bolt cutters any day I do lots of fencing work as well as general mechanics and fabrication so mine get loads of use from cutting high tensile fence wire all day to cropping 8.8 bolts up to m6 and they will still snip cable ties or flat washers like new
Adam Lee I just ordered the 8 inch version and the 6 inch version in the regular bolt cutters. I see they also have a Comfort grip handle version and another version that includes a lower notch in the jaws. I didn’t pick those two up yet, maybe at a later date. I’m curious to see how the 6 inch version will hold up. Thanks again for the recommendation.
@@txtoolcrib oh cool. I very much doubt you'll regret it. I think mine are the comfort grip with blue and red handles. I've not tried the 6" I'd say you'll go with the 8" mostly esp having larger hands like me.
I love it but of course I want more. I would like my tools to be well-designed in the 20or21th century. *?Is there a list/video with a general-purpose tool set with tools all just like the Knipex Plier Wrench?*
@@txtoolcrib Thks for the straight answer. But I assume germany makes lots of general purpose tool kits. If you're fluent in germany (I'm not of course), ?could you go on a few general germany tool company websites & see if any has any update/innovative general purpose tool kits/sets? Again I don't speak germany yet but am working on it.
Tom B neither do I unfortunately, one of my great grandfathers was German. Unfortunately we never learned but just a few common words through the years.
Best pliers i ever had. One thing you didn't mention is that you can realy squees something flat with almost no damage to the workpeace. If you have a peace of bend metal you can make it realy flat with this plier. I have the 250 mm version and like to have a 180 & 125 mm one.
How do these compare to the Cobras from the same makers? The Cobras might be a little more versatile due to teeth in their jaws? Also, for a moment when you were straightening the nail back, you let go of the nail, and that was unsafe, there would have been enough tension for that nail to slip out of the wrench like a projectile and could have hit you in the face. Safety always first! ;) Thank you for the video!
The Cobras are awesome. They really shine when backing up on pipe or removing rusted bolts and nuts. They can remove rounded over fasteners with relative ease as well. Both great pliers, meant for different tasks. I own a full set of each up to 12".
Amazon Links:
Pliers Wrenches:
5" or 125mm (86 03 125) - amzn.to/2Vpwmsk
6" or 150mm (86 03 150) - amzn.to/2VsoR3J
7" or 180mm (86 03 180) - amzn.to/2VspLgO
10" or 250mm (86 03 250) - amzn.to/2T62uzT
10" or 250mm Angled Grip (86 43 250) - amzn.to/32O5kfZ
12" or 300mm (86 03 300) - amzn.to/384WpaO
16" or 400mm (86 03 400) - amzn.to/2vEb9R1
Full set 5" - 12" (00 19 55 S4) - amzn.to/2VpwIPG
3 Piece Set (180,250,300) - amzn.to/3cy1ADZ
5 Piece Set - (125,150,180,250,300) - amzn.to/38mnWVm
Mini Pliers in Belt Pouch, Red, 2-Piece - amzn.to/38kGlSo
10" Jaw Protectors (Soft Jaw Covers) - amzn.to/38gSk3v
10" or 250mm Tile Breaker (91 13 250) - amzn.to/2TyduVz
Replacement Tiler Breaker Jaw - amzn.to/2VJdk0e
Comfort Grip:
6" or 150mm (86 05 150) - amzn.to/2VJbBI7
7" or 180mm (86 05 180) - amzn.to/2TzJwjZ
10" or 250mm (86 05 250) - amzn.to/2PHqKG4
10" or 250mm Tethered (86 05 250 T) - amzn.to/39mkUlx
No my friend, it is not. Thank you.
these are absolutely game changing. forget thinking outside the box, they went and created their own box. revolutionary stuff
I changed an entire sink with just this one tool. Its really a marvel and will be the end of all other adjustable wrench designs. Already several companies are copying this design, and I bought a few. But none are as smooth and refined as this. In my opinion, save your pennies and buy the real deal.
Couldn't agree more.
I own three of these (the 125 for EDC, the 180 for "normal" use and the 300 for big jobs) and absolutely love them. They are the incredibly rare scenario where a "combination" tool replaces a bunch of other ones, and is legitimately better at those jobs than the tools it replaces. I regularly abuse them and they show no signs of damage, and I almost never need to break out pliers, adjustable wrenches, vise grips, or even fixed wrenches anymore - these do it all!
This video summarizes many of their advantages well, but glosses over one important point. Due to the camming effect of rotating the pliers, they actually grip the working surface *harder* the harder you turn. This ensures slip-free contact even on reluctant or rounded fasteners, a feat that even fixed wrenches can't achieve since they need some tolerance/gap to get the wrench onto the fastener and adjustable wrenches don't provide enough mechanical advantage in the worm adjuster to get a tight grip. Even with this tight grip, I almost never mar surfaces since the jaws are flat with slightly rounded/chamfered edges so they don't dig in and cause scuffs.
Well said!
Thank you for the beautiful explanation. A true friend of a mechanic, I just brought my first Knipex 8602250 in India at almost double the price in US..worth every penny In terms of design, one tool for 2 inch or 50mm nut wrench..no need to carry heavy large size spanner to site on my Marine use.
My adult son loves edc tools and I bought him a one of these for his birthday coming up. I think he’s really going to like it. It sure is versatile.
Thank you for the review!
Did he like it?
@@Budha75 yes, he loves them. They took the place of a small crescent wrench.
That's awesome! I use this tool to take apart knives by holding standoffs and press pins in and stuff like that. Perfect tool to assist in EDC.
This is the most significant hand tool to have been invented in modern times. It obsoleted the adjustable wrench, saving us from that destructive tool. I have 5 sizes and use the larger ones much more often than the smaller one in this video. One thing the larger ones do well is straighten bent metal, even if thick. A must have set of tools.
Couldn’t agree more.
completelt agree. these are revolutionary. anyone whos spent time and actually use tools for a living will realize how incredible these are
I've got the 125's, 180's, 250's and 400's. If you can only have one I suggest the 250's. I love them all. Great to see a review here. As far as I'm concerned the Pliers Wrench is the single greatest tool of all time.
Jim Bonney really true. Or 125 and 400 combo.
The best ever adjustable wrench without a doubt.
I have them up to the 250's. Would love to get the 400's, but I can't justify them just yet.
I have a pair of the 250s and love them. I did not need them. I only bought them just to see what they were having seen some vids such as yours. There are needs and there are wants. If all we ever bought was needs then life would be real dull. Justification is the same. I could not justify my purchase but bought them anyway. I bought the smooth jaw to prevent marring of the surface of whatever I was working on.
I do HVAC work. These are also great for bending or straighting out sheet metal. One of my go-to hand tools. A must for any handyman, contractor, or edcer. I actually which there was a 4 inch model to replace my 4inch adjustable wrench😎
Absolutely correct. That feature doesn’t get talked about enough with these tools.
Great review. Totally second all you said about the Knipex wrench pliers. This little toy-like tool has saved me on a multitude of occasions, and proved to be extremely efficient in smaller, lighter-duty, more gentle tasks. The parallel jaw movement and smooth jaw surface make them very delicate, yet they grip very positively. I found myself using them most of the time either as a wrench on delicate fasteners (including some nice polished fixtures of kitchen tap mixers or shower mixers etc), or as a delicate, yet strong mini hand vice/grab pliers, when I needed to grip onto something I did not want to damage and/or leave marks from aggressive jaws of more traditional pliers.
And then if I need a bit more oompf - I have those in 250 size lol.
Bought a 3 pack for like $150aussie kept the 5" gave dad the 7" for his trials bike and sold the 10" for $100 best bloody deal I've had on tools.
Cheers Ben
You the man
Sounds like you made out great on that deal.
They now have the XS version of this! I think it pairs well with those annoying tasks when you need to have purchase over two things at the same time.
Man I've always seen these form a distance and thought they were wire cutters for some reason. Turns out its the exact tool I need. Working in an old factory with machines with all sorts of bolt sizes that constantly need adjusting, this tool is gonna be perfect in my pocket.
The Pliers Wrench are great I carry mine everywhere everyday!
Yes they are!
My wife hate Knipex as much as Leatherman. She believes they worth more than jewelry. I agree.
Keep up your excellent work!
Thank you sir.
Unless she regularly works with tools. Her opinion is practically useless.
Also good for gripping baking trays straight from the oven.
I can see that.
Damnit. I ordered an extra after seeing this.
That's a reason to buy two of them right? Right?
I have the 180mm (7.25") updated version in chrome. Had them for about a year. They are sweeeeeet! Excellent for holding small parts for wire wheel, etc, and as a portable vise.
Great pliers. I have carried this model in agriculture for a year now. I also carry the 86 03 180 (8in). Great for bolts and hydraulic hoses. Great review. Keep them coming!!
I can definitely see how they would be beneficial breaking down and tightening hydraulic lines. Thank you, and thanks for taking the time to watch.
The 'ol.. "Wiener in the Jelly jar" trickery. Classic.
Japan & Germany are tool geniuses to be honest, many USA made tools are direct or indirect copies of tools that these countries have had for decades. Kinda funny. I buy many Japanese & European tools because they are just better. Better fitting, better ergonomics, better materials (sometimes) & better all around tooling finishes.
Knipex Cobra 150 for edc,180 for my house toolbox and Knipex Cobra 250 for my job. I chose Cobra, because it can work as 3 different tools, normal pliers, crescent wrench (as this is more for) and as a pipe wrench. They also make an 125 which is lighter, than the 150 and sounds even better for edc but I heard, it sucrifises a lot of utility so I went for the 150 for EDC. IMO Cobra Knipex is a "must" tool! I paid 25 euros for the 180, totally worth the price! Nice review!
PS The reason I don't like this model as much, as I like Cobra, is the fact that this (which works even better for nuts and bolts though), sucrifises the super excellent teeth and general design the Cobra models have, which adds to more functions-utility.I love the rough plastic handles more than these polished ones. They make a 250 thin Cobra, which has longer head, similar to normal pliers. that I really like too, Probably the best IMO. Also,the have versions for electricians! If you fix things... and don't a Knipex, don't think, just buy it. It will make you love it as a tool. I only a add a bit of oil, to break in faster!
I like the 180's best overall. I love these and the Cobras equally as well. I actually don't think I have run across a Knipex tool that I didn't like.
@@txtoolcrib You are right, Knipex came late into my life and I wish, I had discovered their tools earlier!
This is an 100% underated channel, that IMO makes the best reviews on edc tools. If you don't own a Knipex, watch this review and If you like to buy one of these, check my other comment first. It will help you to find an even better Knipex tool for your needs.
Thank you very much sir.
I carry the 150mm version in my A/C diagnostic bag every day...and the 87-01-150 Cobra in my front pocket every day. Highly recommend these tools, the price reflects the quality.
It certainly does.
I’ve used it professionally for over 15 years and I can’t say enough about them too.
These work great even without gripping both handles... The secret is always to orient plier on bolt such that you are always applying inward force on the pivoting handle for the direction you want to go. This way, the jaws are always applying inward force gripping tighter into the bolt as it's moving into the direction you'd like.
he went over just that and demonstrated it
I literally have a pair in my back pocket right now, as well as a 4.5" Milwaukee square on your recommendation!
How are you liking that square? It’s like it was made for your back pocket.
TX Tool Crib I love it! I've used it as a trim square a few times, but it's so useful for checking installations & quick adjustments. The color & contrast is great, too.
Thanks so much for recommending it, it's gonna save a lot of time and/or hassle on the job!
Funny that you reviewing this. Got 3 sizes. Been carrying the mid size for the last 10 years at work.
You forgot one county!! Sweden!
Mora, Bacho, Sandvik, Kamasa, Tormek..
We invented the adjustable wrench for god’s sake..;)
You certainly did, my apologies.
I just love the engineering that went into this design 👍
Never seen these before. Ordered a complete set, thanks!!!!!
You’re very welcome. They are really good tools. Let me know how you end up liking them.
Great reviee and i’m sold. Getting one tomorrow to compliment my 87 04 125
Always a pleasure to watch your videos.
Straight to the point and informative.
Switzerland makes some pretty great tools too.
The French Facom aren't bad either.
PlierWrench is pure tool genius! What a great design!
I only have the larger versions and believe I also considered this one a couple years ago but I think i would prefer at least a 6" for better access in my tool pouch. 5" is too short (that's what she said).
I noticed that this has a low rating on Amazon.. I have many Knipex tools and have no reason to believe this would be anything other than fantastic.
I don’t really trust anonymous reviews that much. People are finicky when it comes to reviews sometimes. These are the best hand tools designed in recent memory. They are really thought out and work exceptionally well.
The 10" model was updated in 2018. I have both versions. The newer model is a bit lighter, opens wider, has measurements etched into the jaws, & has a notch for your thumb.
Quality is the same, but i appreciate the wider jaws. I wonder if/when they're gonna update the other models. The 5" is an incredible little tool.
I use the heck out of them working w/ banks of oxygen tanks, as the copper pigtails make them a hassle to swap. The jaws are also great on industrial faucet fittings, many of which have cheap proprietary wrenches.
Definitely one of the best hand tool purchases I've made.
I need to get the update 10' model. This is one of the most useful hand tools I have ever used, without question. I really like the 7' and 10' versions.
My smallest pliers wrench is the Knipex 86 03 150 that came in that mentioned belt pouch with a pair of Cobra 87 01 125 pliers. I keep a couple small titanium pry and cleaning bars (from CountyComm in there too, but unfortunately the pouch is open on the sides at the bottom so if I was carrying the pouch on my belt a lot I would have to take those out to avoid losing them. Thanks for the info on the update, I bought mine in 2017 so just missed it. By the way the Cobra pliers had been updated with the Quickset models which have a red tint to the button. You open them the same way, with the release button, but then you just slide them closed on whatever you want to grip. It would be nice if they did this with the pliers wrench. Was that part of the 2018 update?
Donald Strader those Ti bars are great! I have a set in my "hurry up" toolbag at work.
The updated Knipex Pliers Wrench don't have the Quickset feature. I'm not entirely sure why they haven't offered it, i'm guessing they have a reason. (Strength? Maybe they expect the wrenches to be used with more force?)
I broke mine in by polishing them up & sliding the jaws w/ some Ballistol watching football. Now they're so smooth & fast, the Quickset would barely speed things up!
TX Tool Crib I agree; probably the single hand tool that's saved me the most time. The 10" is probably close to perfect for me, but if I didn't deal w/ med gas & OR sinks, the 7" would be great.
The updates are fairly subtle, but I do think they're an improvement. Allowing a bit wider jaw makes the handle splay out more, but makes the tool more versatile.
Some people were concerned the Knipex update was done to cut corners, but that seems ridiculous. Changing the design cost money, & they're not saving more than a few grams of steel.
They probably were just responding to the excellent Stahlville & Gedore pliers wrenches, not to mention the disappointing Wiha, & the medicore Irwin.
Now, if only Leatherman could make a set for tradesmen...
@@GabeMacDonnell Thanks for the answer. I just used the 150 and 180 models while working on a toilet handle. They just are a great tool.
My first pair of Knipex Pliers were a large Alligator pair, before I had any Cobra pliers. I used them, along with some PB Blaster and tapping with a piece of wood to loosen a plumbing fixture that the plumber had not been able to loosen (with another brand of pliers). I learned that tapping trick to break something loose (maybe from a RUclips video) after I found the brute strength approach might be a bit to strong. ;-)
They are fantastic tools I use the cobra at work
Agreed
I LOVE the Cobra pliers, as well...they have so much grip, such sharp teeth, that I have broken off stubborn bolts on exhaust sytems, 1/2" bolts... the heads were so stripped, they were round, but the Knipe Cobras just worked on them!
They will be forthcoming shortly. You are correct, those pliers are awesome.
Knipex make quality gear, I use a lot of their tools for work. Nice review 👍.
They certainly do.
I love knipex! Use them everyday! Great video
Thank you very much.
People love these, and I can see why. I’ll have to pick one up.
They really are great. I use a larger pair of these on the job site. The 5” are just a bit small for me, but the geometry among them all is the same. You’ll never regret buying these pliers if you have the need for them.
That's how it starts. Then before you know it you have a $1500 tool box full of $1500 worth of pliers
Lol, how true it is!
I have the 5" plier-wrench, and I also got the 4" Cobra pliers, which are too small for my large hands. I get a decent grip with the 5" plier-wrench, though. I am thinking of getting a couple of larger sizes. The next size up is a bit too close I think, so I'll go with the 180 and 250. Excellent tools.
Good review. Years back, I carried the smallest Channellock, but they can shear off the “channels” when squeezed hard at certain size settings. For years now, it's been a Leatherman and a 4” Proto 704 adjustable wrench, the one with the oversize head that opens to 11/16. Thanks for showing me a great option, even of it is a bit pricey.
For me, it was a Leatherman Wave matched with a 6” adjustable wrench. Life would have been so much better had these pliers been around then though.
@@txtoolcrib 👍 yep, I’ve had a Leatherman since they first came out, the Wave since that came out.
I used to carry the 180 length just in my pocket when I worked as a machine operator and I used them literally every single day at work and handed them off to a maintenance technician while they were fixing something and they needed them hundreds of times. The maintenance guys weren’t familiar with them at first and thought they were weird and then once they used them a couple of times if I was standing there and they needed some pliers they would just hold their hand out because they wanted to use them. Lmao. I couldn’t agree more with your high praise at the end. These things are INCREDIBLE at what they do.
Well said.
I just love knipex pliers, already own several and will get the xs soon even if its just a gimmick
I have the 10 inch and find them to be far superior to other crescent type pliers. Be aware that there are two types of jaws, knurled or smooth for different applications. Plumbers should get the smooth to prevent marring of surfaces. Note that these jaws open parallel to one another, regular pliers are at an angle to each other. With regular pliers you can only grip a nut on the corners. With these you grip on the entire flat giving you much greater holding power. They clamp, you can bring two pieces together and hold them while you try to put a bolt through each hole. You can pull a nail by clamping the nail head and rolling the pliers on the round part. It is then like a lever. $42.45 on Amazon on 3--2-20.
You're absolutely right, I forgot to mention the non-marring jaw version of these tools. Thanks for reminding me.
Im in love with these pliers.
Wish i had the patent on these bad boys
Good review ! Mine have put my 4” and 6” Cresent wrenches on the unemployment line !
Mine too. Lol.
nice review! i got the same 125 mm version, very good for clean and not overtightened screws or fasteners, it work good on 22 mm hexagon. forced even on 24 mm hex. for rusty or painted screws, i would use a specific ring or tubular wrench. because i need it for a 24 mm hexagon, i also bought a 150 mm Cobra, that one open up to 30 mm hexagon. for in house work they act awesome as a pair.
thank you for defining that thing as a ' hose clamp' , I was struggling to find its name in english.
Just bought the 4 inch knipex cobra ones - thanks for review
I payed 70 dollar Canadian for the 180 version and they are Great
OK as much as I am a Channelock USA manufactured plier fan, I gotta hand it to the Germans on the slip type plier. I love these Knipex spring type slip joints. However all my precision cutters and other slip joints are Channelock for good reason. There are not many really good ones left in the USA. I miss my Diamond tool and Horseshoe pliers and adjustable wrenches. My favorite and best hand screwing devices are German Wiha and their sister company Wera ! Extra good! Watch out tho, their bits are made in korea these days. Pronounced NYE-PEX = Knipex or NIGH PEX No K- sound at all. Nice Review !
I like some of the Channellock and Klein stuff as well. Though Knipex is really hard to compete with, they make outstanding tools. Unfortunately, I must correct you. It is not pronounced Nye Pex or Nigh Pex. The company is German, and the "K" is not silent. I don't say it correctly either, just the way I learned it when I was a kid. It is actually pronounced Ki Neep Ex. Ask any European.
Dude, you need to add Switzerland to your list of nations that make great and reliable tools.
I certainly will.
I have the 5 inch cobras and plier wrench and use them daily but the 7 inch plier wrench is the best size for me.
I first bought the 250 one and one month later I bought this 125 one. It never leaves me combined with the cobra 125, the 08 22 145 multitool pliers and the 74 02 140 cutting pliers. Next one is the 180 one...
Knipex tools are just awesome, I cannot ever remember using one that I didn't like.
Wow, very convincing review. Getting one as soon as I can have one imported.
You won’t regret it. This is a great tool.
i bought one too for my brompton
I love all Knipex tools, these included. I carry my 5" Cobras everywhere and use it 10 to 1 over my pocket knife!
Agreed. I just recently got some new Knipex stuff heading my way, suggestions from viewers.
Really? I need to look at this...
Maxlvledc This tool is an absolute must have if you do any kind of wrench work. This set of pliers is like having a full wrench set in your pocket in one small tool.
TX Tool Crib I was referring to the knife, 100% agree on the plier wrench. Have you tried the Opinel #9 DIY??
Maxlvledc I haven’t, I will try to check it out when I have time.
These would be perfect for a MTB bike bag....the 7" would probably fit everything on a bike
Hi Ben, just like you I've been holding off on buying these pliers because of the price, but I know I'm going to have to bite the bullet and buy some sooner or later, they really are excellent.
I bought these around 20 years ago as I was impressed when the mac tool guy undid his vans wheel nuts with them , awesome tool I’ve treated them with respect and they still do the job I ask of them , one of the best tools you’ll put in your collection 👍🏻
They really are quite good.
That "ratchet" action is what sold me. I'm definitely getting that Knipex to replace all my adjustable wrenches.
Still enjoying the pliers?
You can also grab a nut when you have loosened it or put int on with the plier wrench
This is a very useful tools for varieties of tasks. Try out the cobra too. You'll love it for piping jobs.
I own the Cobras, they are awesome as well.
i love these tools i have most of them and i want them all indeed
They are awesome.
you need to update, they do 100mm version also
Very good review ... I love all my Knipex tools!
Thank you sir. You are not alone, I too enjoy Knipex products. There are among the best in the world.
Great video and review. One question I have that no one seems to be answering is what are the advantages of the plier wrench over the cobra pliers?
Non marring for hex fasteners, which I deal with more often than not. You can also use them as sort of a mini vise, think straightening out bent nails or making a bend in solid wire or thin sheet metal.
Boy, if I get a few of these, do I need my crescent and combination wrenches much longer? Seems like it would lighten up anyone's repair bag. I enjoyed the vid.
You're not wrong. These pliers are excellent.
Anthony Lau I’m a plumber and I thought these would replace my adjustable wrenches. They don’t. They are, however, a fantastic addition to anyone’s tool collection. You can get a similar sized pair of channellock’s which are also great.
Someone that pronounces it correctly. Bravo, Its pronounced Ka-Nip-Ex
I’ve already had a couple of debates about it.
Buy it now, it destroys any MT pliers by a million, you could rock this and a victorinox and never look back.
They are pretty great.
Waiting for NWS to do their plier wrenches
I carry the Cobras and I have one bigger pair like 10in or something but have not committed to those yet but now Irwin has some at like 1/2 the price so 8 picked some of them up
The Cobras are exceptional pliers. One of my favorties.
I tried the Irwin’s they don’t grip nowhere near as good as the knipex don’t feel as good or solid either. Don’t get me wrong they work ok and everything but once you use the knipex brand you just can’t settle for the others.
Knipex is gawd and god :3
I've had "Knipex 87 01 250 Cobra Water Pump Plier" for couple of years, in house that's the best all round kind of thing to do jobs.
I also take that to camps sometimes. Do review of that too. It costed me almost 6 times of cheap local -Stanly- one though haha
I have a full range of the Cobra pliers as well. They are fantastic, I’ll try to get a review out on them soon as well.
I have a Knipex 8603150 and notice quite a bit sideways play in the sliding jaw, 1mm both ways so a total of 2mm. (1mm = 3/64 inch). There seems to be nothing wrong with the gripping power. Do you think this is normal or should I return them?
I'm crying that it isn't a little cheaper in that size - same price as the larger ones! Tough for my budget to justify - even though I really need that precision at that size.
You definitely would not regret it. It will only hurt once. That's how I justify my purchases, lol.
Modern twist on the Eifel plierench - except the Eifel Plierench has multiple jaws that can be interchanged for different uses including making it into a spreader. Check out eBay - not made anymore - likely b/c people were not wiling to take the 20 seconds to learn how to use them. The 20 second learning curve is to know to push up on the handle (instead of pushing a button - instructions engraved on the tool at proper location) to release or change to another jaw. Also has wire bending/spring making jaw, pip cutter, round object jaws, very wide jaws.
I'll have to look into those.
excellent tool, thanks for the detailed video
Thank you sir, I appreciate it.
These look like a substantial upgrade from the Snap On I use. AWP65 is the model I use mor now but they don’t look nearly as refined as Knipex.
I had to go look those up. Yeah, big time upgrade with the Knipex. There is a reason people rave on this tool, it really is that good.
125 vs 150mm idk what I wanna get! I love my 125 cobra but the set comes with the 125 and the 150 so maybe there’s a reason they did that which makes me feel like maybe I should buy the 150.
Like you I've been itching to get a set of these for a while but just haven't pulled the trigger because of the price. I see the value, I just cant justify the purchase yet.
This is one of those tools that I truly believe you will never regret buying. It took me a while to finally pull the trigger, but man was I glad when I did.
Derek Atkins that’s what I said until I finally bought a pair. I was sick of carrying a 15 inch adjustable wrench to work on flush valves so I bought the 10 inch pair. Now I use them for all my plumbing and other calls I don’t know what I might need.
Derek Atkins They’re super useful and if you take care of them they’ll last you a long time.
Great stuff use them all the time
Agreed.
They have a XS now, 100mm.
Gotta get myself one of these 5" ones!
They are really excellent. One of the tools that I highly recommend.
Love knipex and wiha tools.
I don’t yet own any Wiha tools, but I am thinking about investing in some.
Awesome video thank you!
What editer do you use for your videos
Thank you. Editing is done on a Mac with iMovie. I have been considering upgrading my software lately though.
Damn i coulda used this when i changed my brakes last week. Would have saved me 3 hours
I hear ya.
Which difference there is with Knipex Cobra model? Also Cobra model act similar to the wrench mechanism due to the push button to set the adjustment size.
I'm looking for a comparative.
The Cobras have teeth. They are great for plumbing applications and removing rounded off fasteners.
I agree with everything you said here!
Thank you. I love Knipex, they make quality tools.
Great review. I searched romanian sites and i see its a smaller version, 125mm and only 105grams. I think ill buy it, even if i own a swistool plus ratchet.
These are incredibly good pliers. They do not disappoint.
Thank u
Huge knipex fan. If you haven't already get a pair of their mini bolt cutters...8" i think
I don’t have those, but I will certainly look into them. Thank you.
@@txtoolcrib the ones I have are model number 71 12 200.
Here you can get them for 30 pounds so under 30 dollars which is a fantastic price. I'd put them up against snap on bolt cutters any day
I do lots of fencing work as well as general mechanics and fabrication so mine get loads of use from cutting high tensile fence wire all day to cropping 8.8 bolts up to m6 and they will still snip cable ties or flat washers like new
Adam Lee I just ordered the 8 inch version and the 6 inch version in the regular bolt cutters. I see they also have a Comfort grip handle version and another version that includes a lower notch in the jaws. I didn’t pick those two up yet, maybe at a later date. I’m curious to see how the 6 inch version will hold up. Thanks again for the recommendation.
@@txtoolcrib oh cool. I very much doubt you'll regret it. I think mine are the comfort grip with blue and red handles. I've not tried the 6" I'd say you'll go with the 8" mostly esp having larger hands like me.
Adam Lee I almost got those instead, I may still. I’ll try the standard version out first though.
My dentist/plumber use these to pull my rotten teeth all the time😁
Lol.
I love it but of course I want more. I would like my tools to be well-designed in the 20or21th century.
*?Is there a list/video with a general-purpose tool set with tools all just like the Knipex Plier Wrench?*
There isn't a list or video that I am aware of that would fit what you are looking for.
@@txtoolcrib Thks for the straight answer. But I assume germany makes lots of general purpose tool kits. If you're fluent in germany (I'm not of course), ?could you go on a few general germany tool company websites & see if any has any update/innovative general purpose tool kits/sets? Again I don't speak germany yet but am working on it.
Tom B neither do I unfortunately, one of my great grandfathers was German. Unfortunately we never learned but just a few common words through the years.
@@txtoolcrib Thks again
Personally my go to for premium tool countries would be Germany, Japan, and Switzerland
Fleabag Destin chair Shauna suntanning served ActiveX div act snazzy na Dr Dr Shah nice pliers
Lol.........thanks.
I’m running the 180s at the moment. Prefer the slightly larger size, still small enough so share the benefits of the 125👌🏽
I agree, the smaller ones are just a bit too small.
Best pliers i ever had.
One thing you didn't mention is that you can realy squees something flat with almost no damage to the workpeace.
If you have a peace of bend metal you can make it realy flat with this plier.
I have the 250 mm version and like to have a 180 & 125 mm one.
How do these compare to the Cobras from the same makers? The Cobras might be a little more versatile due to teeth in their jaws?
Also, for a moment when you were straightening the nail back, you let go of the nail, and that was unsafe, there would have been enough tension for that nail to slip out of the wrench like a projectile and could have hit you in the face. Safety always first! ;)
Thank you for the video!
The Cobras are awesome. They really shine when backing up on pipe or removing rusted bolts and nuts. They can remove rounded over fasteners with relative ease as well. Both great pliers, meant for different tasks. I own a full set of each up to 12".
Great review
Thank you. Appreciate you taking the time to watch.
They make a 100mm as well!
I’m get one , thanks
You're very welcome.
These seem awesome but the $52.89 price tag seems rather steep!
November 2021 the 100mm will drop. Knipex 86 04 100 XS.
👍