General Purpose Tools

Robo-Grip Pliers

Jaws adjust automatically

We’re going to take a look at these Robo-Grip pliers recommended by Windell Oskay of Evil Mad Scientist. I got them for around $23 on Amazon, and if you want the same ones, using the link in the description helps support my videos and the Cool Tools blog.

The RoboGrip pliers are self-adjusting pliers you can use one handed. The design ingeniously hugs the thing you’re grabbing so that pressure is better distributed all around.

You can see it happen as the front of the jaws first make contact, and then the back pulls in to create a secure fit.

It’s great, and it means that instead of reaching for these and fiddling with two hands to find the right setting — with one hand I can turn a bolt or nut or threaded washer, and feel fairly confident it will get the job done.

These come in a bigger size too, better for plumbing and bigger fixtures. I like this size for most of what I do, and they’ve basically replaced my old-style grooved adjustable pliers.

Also, as a tip, when you want to store these, you can pinch right here when they’re closed and it will lock up.

So those are the RoboGrip self-adjusting pliers. You can pick them up using the link in the description where you’ll also find the Cool Tools podcast with Windell Oskay talking about why he’s a fan of them. And remember, you can see thousands of reader recommended tools like this at cool-tools.org.

-- Donald Bell 04/10/18

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