Best slip joint pliers

The Klein D511-8 is my top pick because it covers the basic slip joint jobs and Klein publishes the specs to back it up. Klein says it's forged in the USA of US-made steel.

It's the classic layout. Klein lists two jaw positions, serrated jaws for grip, and a shear-type cutter for precision wire cutting. The nickel-chrome plating is there for long life, Klein says.

Klein's spec table is more complete than most. The overall length is 8.22 in. (20.9 cm). The jaw is 1.375 in. long, 1.25 in. wide and 0.4375 in. thick. The handles are 4.28 in. long, and the plier weighs 0.6 lb.

Klein pitches it for electrical wiring work, and the cutter fits that. Read the limit, though: Klein says not to use it to cut steel or ACSR, the steel-cored aluminum cable. For copper and other soft wire, it's fine. For piano wire or other hard steel wire, the TEKTON is the one that says it can.

The two jaw positions are the whole point of a slip joint. Slide the pivot to the second position and the jaws open wider for a bigger nut or fitting. On a plumbing job, that covers small nuts, set screws and the parts you need to hold while you work on them.

Klein's warnings matter here. It says to always wear eye protection, and that the plastic-dipped handles are not insulated and not meant to protect against shock. Shut the power off before you use these near wiring.

Klein also makes this plier in 6 and 10 in. The 10 in. is on this page for longer reach. The D514-8 is the same size with a jaw made for hose clamps.

My call: if you want one slip joint in the bag, buy this one. It was sold by Amazon.com, new and in stock, on the day of the update.

The Knipex TwinGrip isn't a classic slip joint. Knipex sells it as slip joint pliers with push-button adjustment, and it adds something no other pick here has: jaws that grip from the front as well as the side.

The front jaw is the reason to buy it. Knipex says it grips stripped screws, and its listing names the job: gripping, tightening and loosening screws with worn heads and threads. A rounded faucet handle screw or a rusted cabinet screw is what it's for.

The side jaws work like a normal plier. Knipex says they have opposing teeth for maximum force, and they grip round, square and hex stock. A three-point system holds flat pieces.

Knipex lists the gripping range as 5/32 to 7/8 in. (4 to 22 mm), across round pipe, square stock and hex. That's the only gripping capacity any maker on this page publishes.

Instead of two positions, it has five. Knipex says it's the only five-position push-button slip joint plier on the market. Press the button and slide the jaw to the next setting.

The build is chrome vanadium electric steel, oil-hardened, with gripping teeth hardened to about 61 HRC, Knipex says. It has a box joint for stability, a slim head for tight spaces and a pinch guard to keep your fingers out of the joint.

The listing says made in Germany. It's 8 in. long, 1-5/8 in. wide and 1/2 in. thick. Knipex doesn't list a wire cutter, so plan on carrying one.

With the gripping range topping out at 7/8 in., it's sized for screws, small nuts and small pipe. Bigger fittings need a groove joint plier or a wrench.

My call: as a second plier next to the Klein, this is the one that saves a stripped screw. It was sold by Amazon.com, new and in stock, on the day of the update.

The TEKTON 37123 is the only pick here whose maker says the cutter takes hard wire. TEKTON's listing says the shear-type cutter snips copper, aluminum and hardened steel wire like piano wire and guitar strings.

That's the opposite of what Klein says about its D511 pliers, which carry a warning not to cut steel. If you ever cut steel tie wire, spring wire or piano wire, this is the slip joint to grab.

TEKTON says it's built from 4150 alloy steel, with a stout build that reduces bending and twisting. It's the only maker here that names the steel grade.

The jaws are what TEKTON calls universal 3-zone jaws, with sharp, evenly spaced teeth. The listing says they grip flat stock, thin sheet, pipe and tubing in a full range of sizes, and hex and square fasteners.

The handle has a broad, rounded profile that TEKTON says spreads force across your hand, with slim nonslip vinyl grips. The grips add cushion without bulk, per the listing.

The listing gives 8.3 by 1.9 in. and 10.56 oz. That's about an ounce heavier than the 8 in. Klein at 0.6 lb, which is 9.6 oz. TEKTON doesn't list the number of jaw positions or a gripping range.

It's made in USA, the listing says. TEKTON's warranty line on Amazon reads no time limits, no receipts.

TEKTON also sells a 10 in. version, the 37124, if you want the same build with more reach.

Since TEKTON doesn't publish a jaw size or gripping range, compare it by length. At 8.3 in., it's in the same class as the Klein D511-8 and the Knipex TwinGrip.

My call: if hard wire is part of your work, this is the slip joint to buy. It was sold by Amazon.com, new and in stock, on the day of the update.

The Klein D514-8 looks like the D511-8 until you see the jaw. Klein built it to quickly install and remove spring-tension hose clamps, the wire clamps you squeeze to open.

Klein says it grips with either the end or the side of the jaws, for work in confined areas. That's the point. A spring clamp is often tucked behind something, and you can't always get a plier on it from the side.

Everything else matches the D511-8. Klein lists the same 8.22 in. (20.9 cm) overall length, a jaw 1.375 in. long, 1.25 in. wide and 0.4375 in. thick, 4.28 in. handles and 0.6 lb.

It has two jaw positions, which Klein says give it a greater operating range. The finish is nickel-chrome plating for durability and corrosion resistance, and the handles are plastic-dipped for comfort and grip.

Klein's page carries the same warnings as its other slip joints. Wear eye protection. The handles are not insulated. And don't use it to cut steel or ACSR.

Klein's page for this model doesn't say where it's made. The D511 slip joints say forged in the USA, but I won't assume it carries over.

It weighs the same 0.6 lb as the D511-8, so carrying both puts 1.2 lb of pliers in the bag.

If spring clamps are only part of the job, a general slip joint can squeeze one open in the open. When it's tucked behind a pump or a fitting, the end grip is what makes this one worth it.

For other clamp types, including band and ear clamps, see our hose clamp pliers guide.

My call: if you work on spring clamps often, add this to the bag next to the D511-8. It was sold by Amazon.com, new and in stock, on the day of the update.

The TEKTON 37122 is the small one. TEKTON sells it as a 6-1/2 in. plier, and the listing gives 6.8 by 1.6 in. and 0.16 kg, about 5.6 oz. That's the lightest weight listed for any pick here.

It's the 8 in. TEKTON 37123 cut down. The listing describes the same universal 3-zone jaws with sharp, evenly spaced teeth, and says they grip flat stock, thin sheet material, pipe and tubing, and hex and square fasteners.

The cutter carries the same rating. TEKTON says it cleanly snips copper, aluminum and hardened steel wire like piano wire and guitar strings. That makes it the only small plier here rated for hard wire.

TEKTON says it's built from high-strength 4150 alloy steel, which it says reduces bending and twisting. The handle has a broad, rounded profile that TEKTON says spreads force evenly across your hand, with slim nonslip vinyl grips.

It's made in USA, per the listing, and TEKTON's warranty line on Amazon reads no time limits, no receipts.

Like the 8 in. TEKTON, the listing doesn't give the number of jaw positions, a jaw size or a gripping range.

Next to the TEKTON 37123, it's 1.5 in. shorter by the listings' lengths and about 5 oz lighter. At this size, it gives up reach and leverage to the 8 in. pliers. That's the trade for fitting in a pocket or a small kit.

Klein also makes a 6 in. D511-6, forged in the USA, if you'd rather match the D511-8. Its cutter carries Klein's no-steel warning.

I looked at the Channellock 526 for this spot. The Amazon listing I found sells it as a 4-pack, not a single plier, so it's not a pick.

My call: for a small slip joint that still cuts hard wire, this is the one. It was sold by Amazon.com, new and in stock, on the day of the update.

The Klein D511-10 is the D511-8 stretched out. Klein's page lists a 9.97 in. (25.3 cm) overall length, the longest pick here.

The jaw grows too. Klein gives a jaw 1.75 in. long, 1.375 in. wide and 0.46875 in. thick. That's longer and wider than the 8 in. model's 1.375 by 1.25 in. jaw.

The handles are 4.91 in., against 4.28 in. on the D511-8. Longer handles give you more leverage for the same squeeze, which helps on a stuck part.

Side by side with the D511-8, it's 1.75 in. longer overall. The jaw is 0.375 in. longer and 0.125 in. wider, and the handles are 0.63 in. longer.

Klein describes a two-position jaw for a wider range of opening, serrated jaws for sure gripping, and a shear-type cutter for precision wire cutting. It's nickel-chrome plated and forged in the USA of US-made steel.

Klein's page for this model mentions a lifetime guarantee of quality and reliability.

The weight is 0.8 lb. That's a third more than the 8 in. plier, and you'll notice it on a belt.

Klein's page also lists a jaw capacity, but the number doesn't fit a plier this size, so I left it out.

The same warnings apply. Don't cut steel or ACSR. Wear eye protection. The plastic-dipped handles are not insulated and won't protect you from shock.

Reach is where it earns its place. Reaching to the back of a sink cabinet or behind an appliance, the extra length gets your hand out of the tight spot.

My call: get the 8 in. first. Add this one when you keep wishing for more reach. It was sold by Amazon.com, new and in stock, on the day of the update.