The 2 Best Locking Pliers of 2025

The upward-release lever on the Knipex 40 04 250 is almost, but not quite, as nice as the that of the Grip-On and Channellock pliers. This model also has what Knipex calls a “universal jaw,” which is supposed to make it easier to grab a variety of shapes (round, hex, and flat), but we couldn’t find any real additional benefit to that design in comparison with the Grip-On 111-10’s jaws.

The majority of available locking pliers, particularly inexpensive pliers, have a downward-facing lever. In comparison with the upward-release lever, which we prefer, it’s a similar but mirrored design. To operate it, you either use two hands or drop one hand to the lower handle. It isn’t a smooth system, and the jaws tend to release with a violent pop that can cause the tool to jump right out of your hands. Another issue is the potential to get your palm stuck between the lower handle and the release lever, which can easily cause a blood blister.

As for tools using a downward-release lever, we tested the Irwin Vise-Grip 5-10WR, which is the descendent of the original Petersen Vise-Grip pliers (Irwin merged with Petersen in 1993) and represents what most people think of when they hear the term “locking pliers.” The 5-10WR was functional, but the release lever made it difficult to use.

The third unlocking method has no release lever—to open the jaws, you simply open up the lower handle. That may sound like the easiest method, but if the jaws are tight, as they usually are, it takes two hands. Also, when the jaws are in the open position, the handles are nearly perpendicular to one another, so it also takes two hands to lock the tool onto an object.

Of the tools with no release lever, we tested the Irwin 10WR, the Irwin 11T, and, in 2024, the Milwaukee 48-22-3410. All three had beefy padded handles, which was nice, but ultimately the awkwardness of the release caused us to dismiss them.

We also took a close look at the CH Hanson 10100. This model is unusual in that it makes the jaw-width adjustment automatic—simply clamp on an object, and the tool adjusts the jaw width by itself. A separate small knob lets you tweak the gripping force. It’s a fast method, but the handles need to open so wide that it’s almost impossible to use just one hand to lock the pliers.

We tested a number of other models from Craftsman, Kobalt, and Stanley that have since been discontinued.

This article was edited by Harry Sawyers.