Adjustable wrench vs Plier wrench (i.e. Knipex)

[M635_Guy]

I mainly use the pliers wrench unless the odd jaw angle or the handle dimensions become an issue. The main reason I would go with a pliers wrench over a traditional adjustable wrench is the absence of play once you lock on using the one handle trick or even just clamp down with both handles. Other advantages include the sliding mechanism vs the adjusting screw and stuff like being able to slip on and off fasteners efficiently with the parallel pivoting feature that's almost like a ratcheting effect.

This.

My traditional adjustable pliers have pretty much been gathering dust since I got my set of pliers wrenches. I have only grabbed them when I couldn't quite get where I needed to reach with the handle of the pliers wrench open. Even though the adjustable worked, it still reminded me of why I'm happy to be using them only very-rarely. I love my pliers wrenches - they are so much faster, easier, and more effective for 99% of what I do (car stuff and house stuff). I'd toss the adjustables except for the once-in-a-blue-moon need.

 

[m6z]

I mainly use an adjustable wrench on plated plumbing fixtures. It's all low torque and you want a nice tight fit so you don't scar up the finish. I've gotten quite a bit of use out of the 6" KTC adjustable I picked up awhile back.

 

[teagueo]

Never went near my motorcycles or cars with an adjustable wrench. Minor inconvenience of not having to search for the right wrench isn't worth fiddling with an adjustable wrench and denting/scratching stuff around the fastener due to the bulky adjustable designs.

I agree. Obviously, you want to use the correct sized wrench when possible on cars/bikes. We're comparing adjustable wrenches to plier wrenches here though...

In my experience, if you don't have a 17 mm flare nut wrench nearby (as in my example above), the adjustable is better for tight spots over the plier wrench.

For axle nuts or easily accessible fasteners, the plier wrench is probably easy and fun to use.

But if you have to choose between the 2, I'd take the adjustable in my moto toolkit for 17 mm - 24 mm. The fit is more exact and it's easier to apply torque.

 

[speed bump]

The pliers wrench does not cause damage, that's the cobras.


IMO the pliers wrench completely replaces adjustables, there's no place I've found where an adjustable actually works better. If you're getting to the point where the torque is more than the pliers wrench can do, the adjustable isn't going to do any better, and you should be moving onto an actual box end wrench or socket.



Are you kidding me? Torque no, more places maybe, easier to adjust definitely not, hammer ehh I don't hammer with wrenches, and wider range not a chance.

Torque yes, you have to hold some pressure on both handles of the pliers wrench versus giving it the onion on an adjustable. Also if you can only grab with the tips of the jaws its a royal ***** to hold them closed on something that's right

Easier to adjust: stick the adjustable on the bolt and run it down to size. If your slightly out of size on a pliers wrench you have to pull it out and push the button (deal with the mechanism full of dirt) and then go back in.

Wider range: I typically carry a Klein 8 inch which is 1-1/2" opening. In theory the 8 inch pliers wrench has the same jaw opening but there is no way I would try to turn something that was much tighter than finger tight with it that far open. I suppose the pliers wrench wins versus a standard adjustable that has smaller opening though.

Hammer: well we can't all work in our home shop all time where all the tools are handy and stuff comes apart with minimal persuasion.

 

[ItsNemo]

Torque yes, you have to hold some pressure on both handles of the pliers wrench versus giving it the onion on an adjustable. Also if you can only grab with the tips of the jaws its a royal ***** to hold them closed on something that's right

Easier to adjust: stick the adjustable on the bolt and run it down to size. If your slightly out of size on a pliers wrench you have to pull it out and push the button (deal with the mechanism full of dirt) and then go back in.

Wider range: I typically carry a Klein 8 inch which is 1-1/2" opening. In theory the 8 inch pliers wrench has the same jaw opening but there is no way I would try to turn something that was much tighter than finger tight with it that far open. I suppose the pliers wrench wins versus a standard adjustable that has smaller opening though.

Hammer: well we can't all work in our home shop all time where all the tools are handy and stuff comes apart with minimal persuasion.

Adjustables, at least the ones I've used, always have a bit of slop in the jaw, so either stay too tight on the bolt and you can't pull it off to move to the next flats or too loose and round corners...the advantage of pliers wrench is that you loosen your grip and they come right off and then squeeze again and they're tight.


I still am of the camp that anyone using adjustables or pliers wrench for any high torque application are just being foolish. 80% of the time I'm using my pliers wrench to hold the other side of a nut/bolt with an impact wrench in my other hand, 15% of the time I'm just assembling something to "tight enough" spec, and maybe the other 5% of the time it's just the easy tool I grabbed and I'm disassembling something around the house. 0% of the time am I grabbing it to take apart a 1.5" rusty old bolt on a tractor lol

 

[Sal Bandini]

Adjustable wrenches are superior for most car/motorcycle work - you set the size and apply torque without needing to squeeze the handles as well. Plier wrenches have a cool "action" but they're gimmicky.

If you're between fastener sizes on the plier wrench, you can't get as good a grip on the fastener.

Size matters on the plier wrenches. The small version you really need to grip the handles hard. In a tight spot, this makes them less useful.

I recently replaced a gear position sensor on my bike, and the plier wrench could not budge it while squeezing the handle. Put an adjustable on it, no problem.

Unless that is a left hand threaded fastener you are using the pliers wrench wrong. The way that the pliers wrench is on the nut, you would want to rotate clockwise, which would not budge it loose. You need to reverse the pliers wrench,

This is why people say they have to apply lots of force to the handles. They are not using it correctly. If you are then you should not have to apply much force. The more you press down on the one handle the more it will tighten.

The same is true with your adjustable wrench. To loosen that nut you would reverse the wrench. Otherwise you are applying all of the force to the moveable jaw.

 

[teagueo]

Unless that is a left hand threaded fastener you are using the pliers wrench wrong. The way that the pliers wrench is on the nut, you would want to rotate clockwise, which would not budge it loose. You need to reverse the pliers wrench,

This is why people say they have to apply lots of force to the handles. They are not using it correctly. If you are then you should not have to apply much force. The more you press down on the one handle the more it will tighten.

The same is true with your adjustable wrench. To loosen that nut you would reverse the wrench. Otherwise you are applying all of the force to the moveable jaw.

That gear position sensor has right handed threads so I'm guilty of using them incorrectly

That is the only orientation they could fit onto the fastener in that situation. I really don't like resorting to adjustable wrenches anyway, but that's what I had there...

In that case, yeah the movable jaw on the adjustable was being loaded unnecessarily. But at least it was able to stay locked onto the hex flats - the plier wrench just cammed off. It was "in-between" sizes on that adjustment, so you can't get as good a grip. You can see the handles are still spread far apart.

Another plus for adjustables lol. If you gotta get to it, they're still going to function. I've yet to break one yet

 

[teagueo]

The correct tool for the job, which was out of state at the time:





If you don't have the right tool, adjustables are my go-to

 

[nbpt100]

An under used adjustable wrench. Lots of practical uses.

Crescent 10 in. Locking Adjustable Wrench ACL10VS - The Home Depot

The Crescent Locking Adjustable Wrench features an innovative design that gives the versatility of an adjustable wrench with the gripping power of a locking plier. This wrench can be used anywhere a standard

www.homedepot.com

 

[Wakefield]

The correct tool for the job, which was out of state at the time:





If you don't have the right tool, adjustables are my go-to

We have a winner!

 

[Lt CHEG]

I use my Knipex pliers wrench more often than adjustable wrenches but I like to have them both. There are some times when the adjustable wrench does a little better in tighter locations. In reality I also prefer to use the right size combination wrench but there are times when I might not have the correct size. Also there are times like today when I was changing out my acetylene cylinder that the pliers wrench just made more sense than finding the right size combination wrench. Those are the times when I am most likely to reach for the pliers wrench or an adjustable - a low torque application on something that I don’t use often enough to know the exact size right away.

 

[Handyandy23]

I like plier wrenches for plumbing. Often I will hold the fitting with an adjustable, and turn the nut with a plier wrench. The ratcheting action is much easier than cycling between loosen-tighten on the adjustable.

The plier wrench is also great for squeezing things, whether pressing something together or flattening where non-parallel or non-smooth jaws wouldn’t work. At times it replaces a vise.

I tend to use sockets or box wrenches on automotive.

There is a limit where you need more toque and can’t apply enough squeeze to use the pliers wrench. Even there, I’ll sometimes crack things loose with another wrench and then use the ratcheting action of the plier wrench.

This is exactly how I use mine. If I'm working on a car I'm in my garage with all my tools within arms reach, so I'm going to use a proper sized wrench or socket.

If I'm doing a quick plumbing job I don't want to carry a whole wrench set through the house, or go back and forth. Plus a lot of plumbing fittings are large or odd sizes. So I just grab the pliers wrench.

We also have one rental property, and my wife has a couple commercial units. So pliers wrench is coming along with me instead of a whole roll of wrenches. The pliers wrench is a little easier and faster than the adjustable IMO, but they do have some preferred uses.

 

[JBH]

My only complaint about Knipex or Gedore PW variants is, they are they are not as well balanced as VBW/Stahlwille Powergrip. Knipex’s size range is unmatched though. I think VBW/Stahlwille is just 7”/10”/12”. At least those are the only ones I’ve been able to source. The 5” Knipex gets surprising use volume.

I do technically own an adjustable. Probably the best one - Nepros. It didn’t take long to realize it was a beautiful, finely crafted, and expensive exemplar of an obsolete device. I have yet to find an application where it was my go to over a Powergrip or PW. I listed it here a while ago, but it didn’t manage to sell.

 

[Steve_P]

As said, the plier wrench is the perfect tool for home plumbing. I'm not sure I've ever used one working on a vehicle, but I can't remember the last time I used an adjustable wrench since getting a set of plier wrenches.

 

[kngelv]

Have both and use both. Neither is a complete replacement for the other. People who say otherwise are just looking for some kind of validation which is just silly. This is like socket vs nut driver. Sockets are great but there are times when a hollow shaft nut driver is a better tool. Especially for an industrial electrician like myself.

James