Back in May 2022 Klein Tools released a new Electricians Hybrid Plier Multi-Tool 44216 that offers 7 of the most usedfunctions in one tool. We review it in this article.
Ethics Disclosure
Klein Tools was kind enough to provide the Electricians Hybrid Plier Multi-Tool 44216 at no cost for review. As with all my reviews I am not required to write a positive one. Based on my experience and knowledge, this review represents my opinion about the product. My review will include my thoughts and opinions. I will do my best to provide you with an unbiased review.
- Seven of the most commonly used functions are contained in one compact multitool
- The knurled, wide-angle plier head quickly grabs and twists wires
- Strips of 10-14 AWG solid wire and 12-16 AWG Stranded Wire
- Heavy-duty wire cutting blades provide reliable, consistent cuts
- The drop point knife blade measures 8 cm (76mm) and is easily accessible without having to open the tool.
- Both the slotted driver and No. 2 Phillips driver tuck neatly in the handle
- Metal splinter remover stores in the durable aluminum handle
- For increased safety, a liner lock holds the knife blade in an open position to ensure that it is secure.
- Includes: hybrid pliers, , wire stripper, pocket knife, No. 2 Phillips screwdriver, slotted screwdriver and metal splinter remover
- price:
My Thoughts
Klein made a pretty good version of a multitool for electricians with their hybrid plier multitool as its main functions feature a plier once folded out into place. These pliers hold large jaws thicker and wider than traditional multitool pliers making them perfect for gripping and twisting wire thanks to its knurled jaws. In my testing they provided excellent grip and wire twisting ability and you can press firmly onto the handles with very little flex for tight gripping. These wouldnt be an electricians pliers/multitool without built in wire strippers and thats exactly what you get with these. They aren’t the most feature-rich wire strippers because they don’t have wire loop holes or bolt cutters, but they can strip three wire gauges in 14 and 12 gauge solid as well as 16 and 14 gauge stranded. The front side has stranded etching while the back has solid wire etching. Klein should have etched both solid and stranded numbers on each side. This would make it easier to see which side I was working with if I had to.
The wire strippers below are wide enough to cut through Romex cables. However, like many Klein tools I’ve tried they use bolt cutter action instead of a scissor-style cutting action. Cutting a single wire is easy but cutting through 12/3 Romex proved to be extremely difficult with these pliers simply because theres not enough leverage even with two hands. I found it very hard to cut through Romex and required the cutters to chew each cable cut several times before it would bite all the way through. This pliers/multitool combination lacks a spring action that keeps the pliers open. It makes it much easier to use and doesn’t require you to manually open the handle which can be a hassle.
Being a multitool first, it features other goodies such as two screwdrivers with a flat head and a #2 Phillips so you can easily open up wall plates with the flat head bit and work on everything else with the Phillips bit. Klein’s included screwdrivers are larger than most multitools and have a longer length for easy use. It was nice to see that they did not use small bits. I wouldve liked to see an additional ECX bit for when working with electrical outlet screws since # Phillips bits, while they can get the job done, are prone to slipping since its not the proper shape for ECX screw heads.
Klein also includes a large 8 cm drop-point knife blade. This multi-tool wouldn’t be called a multitool. Take care when handling. This was tested and the tip was sharp. It easily pierced and sliced through Romex sleeves, very nice.
The knife section of the multitool doesn’t require you to open it to reveal the knife. When the knife is extended, it locks into place so you dont have to worry about it accidentally folding back in place. The screwdrivers can be accessed even when the knife is closed. This allows you to drive and cut with one large handle. The last feature in this multitool is a pull out tweezer for all your tweezing needs. Some men might find the name tweezer offensive so they decided to call it a metal-splinter remover.
This hybrid multitool has been great for me so far. It is especially useful for electrical work around my house. I no longer need to carry a wire stripper, linesman pliers, utility knives, or a screwdriver to get to the next job. My biggest gripe with this tool has to be the fact that its is terrible for cutting Romex and would still require me having to take any trusty plier or wire stripper just for the ability. This is not the only problem. I wish this tool had a spring to allow me to focus on the task at hand and not have the hassle of opening the jaws manually. Even though it’s small and fragile, my Gerber Dime keychain multitool has a spring action that opens the jaws automatically. It doesn’t even need a spring to do this, making me wonder why Kleins engineers did not include a self-opening spring action in these tools. Still, its a great tool overall thats well built and gets the job done with less tools.
DISCLOSURE:
