STOP BUYING The WRONG Pliers! Useful FEATURE Your Missing 

First

Great video! Knipex has the best metallurgy. They started out making blacksmith’s tongs and pliers almost 140 years ago. I wouldn’t use anything else.

Project Farm has one of the most comprehensive torture tests comparing different pliers, and the Knipex showed they really have their heat treatment and metallurgy down to a science. You could see virtually zero wear on the teeth after his testing.

As a combat Veteran I love my country through and through I bleed stars & bars but as a maintenance millwrite I trust knipex! they haven’t let me down yet they are truly a great tool! Built well & strong!

I’ve been using knipex pliers for years now - cobras, side cutters and lineman’s pliers - they’re the best in the game in my humble opinion 🤘🏼✌🏼

Knipex pliers have yet to disappoint me.

I also have all three, in various sizes. The irwins were good, until the teeth wore out. And then my second one wore out. And then the third. This is where Knipex shines. The teeth have reliably lasted 4 times longer (so far)... which means they're technically a lot cheaper.

Cobras are the best hands down. I only use knipex

I love all things American made....but if it underperforms I'll choose the other. And that's why I love knipex products. By far the best pliers I've ever used....if u weren't getting enough torque Vince then just buy a longer set

I like that for a comparison video you put a smaller pair of knipex up against larger competitor brands. I’ve owned and used all three pliers in this video; that being said, the knipex are the king!! I use them daily and the only reason I’ve had to buy a replacement is because I’ve either given them away or they were stolen. And although you didn’t mention it they do make a 12” size, but we don’t want to make the competition look bad now do we! Thanks for the biased review.

I have many pairs of knipex. Love my knipex. When buying tools I look at what is the best first then consider cost. Usually I decide what I want without looking at price then find it for a price I can afford or save up. One time I removed a spindle nut on a car by putting the pliers on the nut and pushing down with my foot while pulling up on the fender with both hands. Buy once cry once.

Shout out to the Packout stack there , Vince is standing on top of them.

As a service technician for 25 years and a mechanic for 20 years, channel lock pliers were the industry standard. I wish I had a dollar for every time I pinched my hand using the channel lock pliers, I’d be a rich man. In 1989 I discovered the knipex pliers and never looked back. I was disappointed when you tried to compare two 12” pliers to the 10” cobras. I you had used the 10” knipex alligator you would have see that they would have blown all the pliers up with out the use of the locking button, which they don’t have. If you would have used the 12” alligator pliers and compared the prices, you would have seen that they’re the best bang for the buck. If you would have done your home work, you would have also noticed that the jaws are made to put 4 sides of the jaws around a nut if need be. You should never use slip jaw pliers on a nut or bolt, but in a pinch these will provide a secure way to tighten bolts.

I'm a electrician apprentice and I love my Knipex cobra

I stick with my knipex. Thank you very much.

I find knipex anything to be very well made and very pleasant to use. I am no building contractor though. I use knipex in the field of automotive repair. As a technician, they are great.

As a locksmith I use Knipex cobras and their wrench pliers which have flat jaws and remain parallel. They are priceless and serve me every day

Can you really put a price tag on a tool that helps you not only get the job done correctly but also saves your body overtime from wear and tear and breakdown

Knipex for life, everytime someone can't get something loose I bring my cobras over and get it done worth every penny to me

I'm a Channellock man, I use several different sizes and jaw types of Channels, and it amazes me the sheer use and abuse those things handle. A couple of weeks ago, I took a wire wheel to the jaws on my trusty decade old 430s, and once all the metal slivers, grease and crud was gone, I could see that the teeth are still in great shape...that really blows my mind knowing what I've put them through. I'm a plumber, so they are constatly wet, exposed to harsh chemicals and God knows what, they get used as a hammer enough that the back edge of the plier is starting to mushroom out a little, they get used to pry on things, etc, and while they aren't much to look at in general, the teeth have minimal wear. The other brands of pliers shown here are good tools too no doubt, but I just like good old Channellocks...they have never let me down in my 40 year career. The only reason I have ever replaced a pair is because they got lost or walked off in someone else's tool box or pocket. I have used other brands (not the ones in the vid), like a pair of Huskys that I bought to get me through a job after misplacing my 430s, and the teeth were damaged just doing that one job, plus they almost immediately started rusting. I'll just stick with Cannels for what's left of my career thank you.

I bought all of the knipex cobra sizes. I tried all 3 of those pliers but like the build quality and compactness of the head better on cobras. Dont get me wrong channellocks are great i have many but once you get used to the cobras its hard to go back.

I have channelock, Milwaukee, and knipex and I prefer the knipex, the feel and positive grip they give is amazing, and always grip then the others can’t

Im in the automotive field, and the Knipex haven’t failed me yet. I lost one and the first thing i did was buy another one right after.

Hello sir thanks for all of your reviews. In my experience these pliers are for much different uses. In Hydraulics and working on engines we use the Cobra pliers to finish taking off loosened but still to tight for hand nuts and fittings when the wrench would fatigue your hand and is unwieldy in that space. We do not even really use the Channellock as they are to big and heavy. Same for the Irwin. To big and heavy. We do not work with pipes or use them the way you do at all. For us the price premium is because they are the lightest, thinnest and least fatiguing plier out there. It is not completely apples to oranges comparison but definitely (the Cobra) is a use specific plier that the other two would never even be considered for!

I use to use the Vise Grip channels but I had the push adjustments on several pair break! But I have original Channel lock pliers that are over 10 years old and are still working!!

For its simple design, reliability and being made in the USA, Channellock is my choice. The Channellock 440 you are using isn’t the right model for turning pipe. There are other models better suited for what you were demonstrating. However, I have used the 440s for turning pipe when I didn’t feel like grabbing my Ridgid pipe wrench and they almost always did what I needed them to do.. The 440 is a plumber’s tool, and this plumber has used them for forty years. There are certain plumbing tasks the 440 will do that neither of the other two in the video could possibly do. If you were a seasoned plumber, you would know you can use a pair of 440s by applying pressure to just the top handle - you just need to select the right channel for the job.

Personally I choose my Ridgid pipe wrenches everyday for piping installation and demo. I'd like to see a comparison between Ridgid, Lennox, Milwaukee and other top brand pipe wrenches for doing piping work.

The Vise Grip pliers looks like a great value. You know what I’m impressed with it that Packout worktop table. Wow! You were applying some serious torque on the pipe and vise and the Packout worktop handled it no problem. Great video as always, have a great rest of the weekend! 👍🏻

I've had and used both Channel-lock (the traditional style) and the Knipex Cobra. I just find that the Knipex Cobra has better increments for adjusting to the jaw size you need. I like the fact it stays locked in place for whatever I'm doing. I also found the Cobra had stronger teeth bite and that the arch design of the jaws made it more conducive for turning pipe or other things.

I have the 5in and the 10in Knipex Cobra pliers. They have larger sizes up to 22in.

I uave been plumbing for 25 years and tried them all.Bought some knipex a couple of years ago and gave all my other ones away.They are the best of the best

Love my knipex 10" and 12" cobras. Man do they bite! They work so well for the smaller 1/2 to 1" piping as the jaws are nice and skinny and much easier to work with than pipe wrenches. I also have some 16" channellocks for the bigger stuff, they work well too.

He stood on those Irwins but I've applied thousands of pounds of force on my Knipex. It's the metallurgy in Knipex that makes them so good. The spring steel handles and the hardened teeth succeed where others fail. I've used a 4 foot steel pipe on the handle of my 16" Cobras lifting with all my might to take apart 100 year old hydraulic fittings. I had that handle bent several inches and they still bounced back. The teeth just grab tighter and don't slip the more force you apply. You wanna test pliers for hard use, put a 4 foot breaker bar on em. There's only 1 brand that will survive.

I am the same way. I use Channellocks because they are made in the USA. If I need to work pipe then I get a pipe wrench.

I lace the knipex pliers and they are great, main thing I like about them vs the channel locks is they stay at whatever size you set them at and won’t slip out.

I’ve been using various Knipex Cobra pliers for nearly 20 years and they’ve yet to fail me.

By far my favorite are the knipex. I’ve broken many pairs of channel lock and vise grips

Knipex all the way! Best pliers in the world!

The production quality on your videos is excellent. Don't stop.

Channel lock makes a “Parrot Beek” that works like a pipe wrench. Put it on & just push or pull on one handle. Had mine for 35 years.

Seeing you do that on top of your packout has helped me make a decision to purchase a packout set.

I'm a sprinkler fitter and working with pipe sizes up to 2" I prefer using knipex alligator and cobra over a pipe wrench any day.

Being a Pipefitter in the oilfields, on really high pressure (low schedule) pipe, I've spun10's of thousands of fittings. Those pliers have their place, but nothing beats your pipe-wrench. I figure, if a pro like me can spin pipe for 12 hours using a pipe-wrench and not get tired, the home-gamer would be better off too and not get themselves hurt. To me, the longer the wrench, the better. I don't like aluminum wrenches either because I've never had one last longer than a week. Their selling point is huge weight savings on wrenches over a foot and a half, so less worker fatigue and thats bullshit. I like a good solid cast iron and steel pipe-wrench with a good steel snipe (piece of pipe) over the handle. You'll never break the wrench and you'll have leverage for days and it's always a bit adjustable. I'm not an expert at much, but I know industrial construction. Whenever I can share my 2 cents on something I know well, I try and take the time to do it, like I did here. I'm sure there's tons of guys like me who knew this too, but I'm sure there's lots who don't and thats who this comment is for. To everyone, have a good, safe, and productive day.

I work in the dirt and mud a lot and the push button design gets jammed up pretty quick. In those type of conditions the channel lock seems superior. They just don’t jam up like the push button style. I reserve the knipex for jobs I know won’t be getting dirt in the mechanism and they are excellent pliers

My first knipex was the pliers wrench. Smooth parallel jaws and long handles. Love that brand. Nothing better. If some of want to keep using your channel locks your are either not doing real work or just so close minded and hard headed it just amazes me. I guess that is where the saying "there's nobody dumber than a plumber" comes from.

Knipex all the way...Im a home owner that has heavily used them for over 20 years and hands down my go to adjustable pliers...worth the extra costs and Im still using ones that are 20 years old...have the knipex cobras and the knipex slip joints but prefer the cobras...The baby cobras like 5 and 6 and 7-1/4" " are FANTASTIC!

Guys you don't put pliers on fittings like that. You need to put on the other end of the tee fitting so you don't take it out of round. Also, just use a pipe wrench...

The alligator pliers are my go-to, then price the 10-in competitively to everything else to the point where you're paying the same for the Irwin's, the difference that I've experienced is they last three times longer than the channel lock teeth do

I'm a Channellock guy. the pliers wont slip if you use 1 hand and squeeze them The push button has it's drawbacks you can't adjust them one handed like the channels

Wasn't expecting to see you standing on them haha. I've got the Irwin vice grip ones and I love em

Made in USA all the way baby!! I always look for tools made in the USA!! That one handed feature of the other 2 would be nice I never knew they were capable of doing that!! Iv always bought channel lock going to have to give the vice grips a try now.

I have all three as well but my Cobras always get me out of a jam but only because there smaller in size witch helps out in tight areas and allows me to add as much force as possible…. It’s all about what gets the job done

Just got some knipex linemens pillers, really like them. I really hate loosening my grip and my channel locks give. Super frustrating when doing work in tight locations.

I used CL and every other branded slip-joint pliers for years. Tried Crescent, Milwaukee, Klein, Ideal, etc....There is NOTHING like the grip of Knipex Cobras, I will never use anything else to tighten couplings on pipe, etc. CL have their place, but it's not with me anymore. I love Knipex so much i changed out all my hand tools to them basically, Their linesman pliers and dikes are so strong and light, can't imagine going back to anything else.

I have several Channellock's and ever since my purchase of my first pair of Cobra's from Knipex, all they have been doing is collect dust. Simply put, Knipex are the industry standard, the vise grip is just a inferior clone once the patent had expired. Also, you don't have to compare a 10 inch Cobra to a 12 inch vise grip, they also make the cobra in 12 inch and bigger.

I really enjoy these hand tool "competition" videos. I really wish VCG would do a comparison on multitools. In the military I was issued Gerber 600 series multi-pliers, and I've carried one everyday since then. I'd like to know how the competition stacks.

The "Knipex" say "Craftsman" on them nice work....

I've used all three and they're all great. I would buy one with with a push button adjustment that doesn't require you to keep squeezing

I had found some knipex pliers at the flee market and got them for 12$ brand new

Plumber here... My daily pliers are the channel locks and vice grips. BOTH have the "one-handed-feature"... On the channel locks especially you must have the groove selected so the handles are as close together as possible AND have good teeth on it. You were near the threshold on the handle spread and said for yourself that the pliers are well worn. Just saying, no hate here...

Knipex are absolutely the superior tool. The Irwin are very similar in general design but do not compare in quality or practicality for professional use in my experience. The heat treat on the teeth is sub par and you can even see it on a new pair looking at the coloration where only the center was actually hardened leaving the outer edges of the jaws untreated. I’ve chewed through several pairs of Irwin’s. They are also very bulky. The jaws are so wide that I literally can’t use the tool in many situations as a cnc technician and general industrial maintenance. The knipex heat treat process properly hardens the teeth entirely and they are very slim design that fits places others can’t go. If your concern is that the 12” channel locks give you extra leverage, buy the 12” knipex lol, kind of an unfair comparison, it’s not like they only come in one size. And as far as the cobra push button system, I don’t care for it, I actually sheered off a cobra push button in one of those tight spaces I mentioned before. I prefer the knipex alligator line, which is a series of semi circles instead of slots, but operate in the same fashion as the classic channel lock and like you mentioned with the self locking feature where the downward force on the handle supplies a clamping to the jaws, it allows you to put a little cheater pipe on the top handle and I have removed 3” black iron pipe with my 6” knipex this way several times because that’s the tool that stays in my pocket rather that climbing off the machine and going to the tool box. I’ve wedged these 6” pliers on bolts with 1” diameter shanks and used a 1/2” drive breaker bar with cheater pipe and I did bend the handle but it was an insane amount of force to ask a 6” pair of pliers to support. Anyway, that’s the long way of saying the kinps are the shit, superior by far, but everybody needs a pair of the trusty blue handle channel locks in the tool box too.

I have all three of those. The German pliers are by far the best for commercial use. The other two wore out and are no longer useful. Knipex still going strong years later.

Should have used the same jaw style channel locks as the style the Knipex and Irwin had. I never buy that channel lock jaw style anymore. The channel locks you showed the price of towards the end of the video are the good style channel locks.

As a helper I was introduced to the knipex cobra. What I liked was the bite, torque and it fit into tight spaces. I instantly bought one. Almost twenty years later I just sold the same cobras. They are still going. I own a ton of channel locks because I lock to support USA. But there's nothing like my cobras. I just bought a 3 pack for $60. I don't regret it, because I'm not spending, I'm investing in my career. God bless.

All fine products and I’ve used all of them. Right now if you open the plier drawer on my main box all you’re going to see is red Knipex handles and couple blue Channellock handles. Channellock is, in my opinion, the best $ per pound, great pliers. Knipex are the best though. Especially the pliers wrench. And Channellock does make a newer designed plier that works similar to the Knipex.

Knipex all day long. I have the 8", 10" and 12"

I went through several channel locks in the passed year before finally settling down with a pair of knipex cobras and so far they've been the best, Irwin taking second. Channel lock brand I had this same issue, a lot of slippage on black iron pipe from doing this same thing, I also had a pair of crescent brand channel locks that wouldn't fit anything right causing a lot of slippage. The knipex are well worth the price, but for nearly half the price and if you don't want to pay for the cobras, go for the irwins.

Long time Channel Lock guy. I honestly never knew other pliers offered a 1 handed feature. Now it’s got me thinking.

The knipex are by far the best of the 3 pliers, the irwin teeth are not as hardened as the knipex and so not last as long and the channel locks are the original and last a very long time built to last but do not bite as well as the other two but I've owned all 3 and the knipex are the best in my opinion I've beat up on my knipex for the past 9 years still use them my irwins only last me about a year and I cant put as much torque on the channel locks

You can buy all three of these at Menards too. 11% mail in rebate but personally I don't think the rebate is ever worth it... I was put into the mind set to carry 2 of each tool I use alot so I keep 2 of each of my pliers that I use. Personally I'm slowly converting all my hand tools to Milwaukee hand tools. Gotta Milwaukee everything.

I live in NW PA about 30min from Meadville pa and the channel lock factory and yes I own a ton of their pliers. I also have the Irwin pair and absolutely love them as well.

I have an original pair from 1933 and they still work fine, but the De'arment family has improved their Channellock pliers over the years and they reached their peak when the riveted construction was introduced. I have a lot of their pliers, maybe not perfect but you can't beat the price and they have always been reliable for me.

Knipex for me, I have about 1k in knipex tools cutters, electrical, pipe, hose spring removal,bolt cutters in two drawers in my tool box. Gave the irwins to my son for his tool box. The irwins were good pliers but the knipex were outstanding. They have extreme grip and the teeth hold up.

The majority of my pliers are Knipex and have been for about 15 years and I will continue to buy Knipex as long as they keep making them. I have never broken or even really wore out a pair to the point of uselessness, though sadly I have had a few pair disappear over the years. At the price point the disappearing acts do really suck. But I love them none the less. I feel when it comes to tools you really get what you pay for 90 percent of the time.

Ya I've had the vise grip for a while and I love them plus I like the button because it does keep accidentally switching size on me

I have used all three of these. The Channel locks with the straight jaws is the only one that grabs a pipe correctly. The pipe should contact the pliers in three places. The channel locks if adjusted correctly will also do the one hand push. You had the channel lock pliers adjusted too tight so the handles were too far apart. The reason for a three point contact is to prevent distorting the pipe the same as with a pipe wrench. The other two and the also the channel locks with same shape jaws as the other two won’t allow the three point contact.

Knipex has a 12", 10", and 6" Cobra pliers, IIRC. I LOVE my 6" for what they do. I have the 10" too.

Knipex steel has no equal so far...and the durability and longevity of the steel makes the difference 👍

12" Alligator KNIPEX would be a much better comparison. Cool video!

the Irwin's have a one-way button. it's used to loosen the pliers. when tightening you just slide it up. I use and love them in tight areas

I know everyone talks Knipex up, but Channellock is honestly my favorite brand to use.

Ha! This video proves there is nothing Vince won’t do to show us everything about tools. He’s the hero we need.

Love channel lock. Have the blue point 10in lock joint which are the same as knipex. They work great to but I'm a channel lock guy.

Knipex Cobra all day long......I've got 4 sizes biggest being 3 feet with a 6 inch jaw capacity.......👍

Im so happy that you pronounce it Knipex and NOT nippex....... Cheers from Sweden.

On short plyers I use a pipe for leverage for more tork

Love my cobras! Wont use anything else

i used to have a set of plyers where there was a button not on the side but on the back and the only time you wanted to push the button was to make the gap wider

I pinched my palm too many times with channel locks, I use irwin mainly now because of price and features but knipex for are great if I really don’t want to damage the pipe, fastener, fitting etc. or just to get the luxury feeling

As a plumber I prefer to use pipe wrenches any time I’m playing with round pipe such as black, galvanized or steel pipe but sometimes your in a hurry and You do use channellocks sometimes to just get it done

Love your video as always, BUT…. Knipex offers many sizes of pliers. Should’ve compared their 12” pliers for true fairness. Also, side note: if you ever get a chance to get their Pliers Wrench, which they have a variety of lengths of course, the force transference is astounding. For plumbing specifically, if I ever need to lightly crimp a brass fitting on a vertical pipe so it doesn’t slide off while soldering, I can use the pliers wrench one-handed on 3/4” or less. With standard pliers (cobra, alligator, tongue-and-groove, etc) I need two hands and a little grunting. They are almost double the cost at $58 for the 10” pair, but my hands aren’t as sore anymore and to me that’s worth the cost

Thanks Vince. Definitely going to order the channelocks with the grip lock. I have small hands and it’s always hard to get good leverage while maintaining a good grip.

My most recent purchase was a Knipex Cobra. Before that I bought a large pair of Channellock.

As a commercial plumber, I have a soft spot for a pair Channel Locks, but I almost always use Knipex unless I’m turning screw pipe, then I use a pipe wrench or the self adjusting pipe wrench Crecent makes for small diameter screw pipe, like you were just demoing on. I never turn pipe with channel locks or slip groove pliers lol. Nice demonstration’s on why that is not a good idea, though, Vince.

Just got a pair of knipex today and I've been counting down hours till work I can't wait to use them they feel amazing look amazing in my opinion better than the klien Verizon and only two dollars more and they have the button and klien doesn't and red looks better than yellow .there thin so you can get in tight places fit perfect in hand

Knipex never let me down in 30 years. Totally worth the money. If your going to use them paying a few extra dollars just gives you a way smoother work experience. I ltersnap off rounded head bolts with my Knipex

Knipex (Kin - i - peks) has many sizes, from 5" up to the 22" cobra XXL, that can handle 4.5" pipe. A traditional pipe wrench does have the same camming action. I really like the Knipex, because you can release a little as you are going back to make the next turn and get a sort of ratchet action for quicker work. This is especially true with the smooth jaw pliers wrench. The jaws move in parallel and the newer styles have the jaw opening lasered into the tool, so you can quickly select the right size. Go KC Tool Co! Thanks, Vince and VCG!! Your videos make me a better person.

All 3 work great for what they are but I have both Channellocks and Irwin and I love them both.

Just got the channel lock 6,10,12 in combo for $35. It doesn't have the auto lock feature, but as a apprentice electrician, it's what I can afford.

As a Petroleum field maintenance technician Knipex is the only way to go I've got Cobra XS to XXL and the plier wrenches are even better. German tools FTW