Replace Your Adjustable Wrench

If you're like me, it's very possible you might have an adjustable wrench lying around you may have gotten many years ago, probably as a part of some kit. And chances are, you also probably start cursing every time you use it like I do. Whatever you call them: adjustable wrench, spanner wrench, crescent wrench; I know I'd rather use anything but them. They're hard and slow to adjust, they need to be constantly re-adjusted, and the fastener I'm using them on always slips out of the jaws. I used to toss my adjustable wrench to the side after attempting to use them, then resort to some sort of pliers to finish the job. Sometimes this would work out just fine, but if the nut I was trying to loosen was especially tight then even the pliers would slip a bit and mar up the hardware. Once this happened one too many times on some new chrome plated shower fittings, I knew I needed to find something better.

My first thought was to buy a full wrench kit to make sure I had all my sizes covered. But then I realized I was always using multiple sizes per project, both standard and metric, and many times I didn't have access to my full tool garage. Not to mention all the older deteriorated hardware that was no longer fitting in the standard sized wrenches. There was no way I'd carry enough wrenches with me to cover all the bolts and nuts I might encounter that day, plus that upfront cost to even purchase an all encompassing set was way too high. This is when I did my research and came across one of my favorite tool finds of all time: the pliers wrench!

A pliers wrench has all the same benefits as an adjustable wrench: a portable tool that can be used for many sizes of hex headed hardware that won't mar the surface of the fastener. But it also has three main advantages over your standard adjustable wrench.

1. Pliers wrenches are easier to adjust.

With an adjustable wrench, you have to adjust the worm drive with your fingers to change the size of the jaws. This type of mechanism is prone to jamming up, and adjusting from small to large or vise versa can take a while. Pliers wrenches have an easy to use button mechanism that's easy to use even with heavy duty gloves. You just push down on the button, then you can easily slide the jaws to your desired size.

2. Pliers wrenches have a better grip on fasteners.

Once you set the size on an adjustable wrench, there's no way to continue putting pressure keeping the jaws firmly planted on a bolt head. There's naturally some side to side play with the adjustable wrench's mechanism, so it ends up loosening and slipping. With a pliers wrench, you can continue to squeeze the handles together while using the tool, keeping constant pressure on the bolt head and keeping a better grip. And if you're using it in the correct direction, you only need pressure on one handle to keep that strong hold.

3. Pliers wrenches can turn fasteners faster.

Since changing the sizing on an adjustable wrench is a pain, you typically take the wrench off the end of the fastener to reposition and continue turning. With a pliers wrench, there is a slight movement of the jaws when opening and closing the handles. This opening action allows you to re-adjust without having to take the wrench off the fastener, making tightening or loosening much faster.

I know that for me, a pliers wrench solved my main pain points with the tools I already had without breaking the bank or having to get huge, heavy wrench sets. They are a relatively new entry to the hand tool space, so not everyone knows they even exist. If you're frustrated every time you go to get your adjustable wrench out, consider a pliers wrench. Here's my favorite pliers wrenches from Knipex:

• Knipex 7 1/4" Pliers Wrench

Please consider supporting us by buying through our affiliate links above. Thank you for your support!