Most people buying a multitool look at the number of tools on the box. That number is the least useful thing about it. What decides whether you’ll carry a multitool, and use it, is how much it weighs, whether the pliers are strong enough for the job, and whether you can open the knife without unfolding the whole thing. Get those three right and the extras are a bonus.
The one I’d recommend to most people is the Leatherman Wave Plus: full-size pliers, replaceable wire cutters, outside-opening blades and a size you can still clip to a belt or drop in a pocket. If you want something lighter and much cheaper, the Gerber Suspension NXT covers the basics well.
My Top 7 Multitool Picks
The multitool I’d buy for nearly anyone: strong pliers, a knife and saw that open from the outside, and scissors that actually work. It handles house, car and camp jobs without feeling like a brick.
A capable, lightweight plier tool with a pocket clip that costs very little. A sensible first multitool or a spare for the glovebox.
Bigger pliers, longer blades and a swappable saw and file. Built for tradespeople and anyone whose multitool does real work every day.
Only the tools you actually reach for: pliers, a one-hand blade, a bit driver and a bottle opener, at about 5 ounces. The easiest Leatherman to carry every day.
Small spring-loaded pliers, scissors and a blade on your keys. It’s surprising how often a tool this small saves the day.
Swiss-made precision, smooth-rounded handles and 24 functions, from the company behind the Swiss Army knife.
An outdoor-focused Leatherman with a fire starter, an emergency whistle, a hammer and a diamond sharpener. Made for the campsite and the trail.
Multitools Compared
| Multitool | Tools | Weight | Pliers | Made in | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leatherman Wave Plus | 18 | 8.5 oz | Full size, replaceable cutters | USA (Portland) | All-round use |
| Gerber Suspension NXT | 15 | 6.4 oz | Needle nose, butterfly open | Not stated | First multitool, glovebox |
| Leatherman Surge | 21 | Not listed | Largest Leatherman pliers | USA (Portland) | Trades, daily hard use |
| Leatherman Skeletool CX | 7 | 5 oz | Needle nose | USA (Portland) | Light everyday carry |
| Gerber Dime | 12 | 2.2 oz | Spring-loaded, mini | Not stated | Keychain |
| Victorinox SwissTool Spirit X | 24 | Not listed | Long nose | Switzerland | Precision, comfortable carry |
| Leatherman Signal | 19 | 7.5 oz | Needle nose | USA (Portland) | Camping and hiking |
1. Leatherman Wave Plus: Best Overall
Who it’s for: homeowners, drivers, campers and anyone who wants one multitool that can do a little of everything.
There’s a reason the Wave is Leatherman’s best seller. The pliers are full size, strong enough to bend wire and grip a stuck nut, and the wire cutters are replaceable, so the part that wears out first isn’t the end of the tool. The most-used tools, the plain knife, the serrated knife, the saw and the spring-action scissors, open from the outside with the handles closed. That’s the detail that makes a multitool genuinely handy: you don’t unfold a pair of pliers to open a parcel.
At 8.5 ounces it’s a belt or bag tool more than a jeans-pocket tool, and the sheath is sold separately. Leatherman builds it in Portland, Oregon and covers it with a 25-year warranty, which tells you how long they expect it to last.
My only real gripe is the bit driver: it’s handy, but the double-ended bits that ship with it cover fewer screws than a proper bit kit. Leatherman sells one, and I’d add it.
Key specs
- Tools: 18, including pliers, replaceable wire cutters, plain and serrated blades, saw, scissors, ruler
- Weight: 8.5 ounces
- Made in Portland, Oregon; 25-year warranty
- Sheath sold separately
Pros
- Blades, saw and scissors open with the tool closed
- Strong full-size pliers, replaceable cutters
- Covers house, car and camp jobs
Cons
- Heavy for a pocket
- No sheath in the box
My verdict: if you’re only going to own one multitool, make it this one. Pocket-first carriers should look at the Skeletool CX.
2. Gerber Suspension NXT: Best Budget
Who it’s for: first-time multitool owners, gift buyers and anyone who wants a capable tool in the car, the boat or the junk drawer.
The Suspension NXT opens butterfly style, the handles swinging apart to reveal needle-nose pliers, and the tools inside lock when open. You get a wire stripper, three flathead and two cross drivers, an awl, scissors, a can and bottle opener and a knife. At 4.25 inches closed and 6.4 ounces, it’s lighter than the Wave and has a pocket clip, so it rides in a pocket without a sheath.
The catch is that the blades sit inside the handles, so every job starts with unfolding the pliers. The pliers themselves are lighter duty than the Leatherman’s, fine for household jobs but not for prying or heavy twisting. For the money, those are easy compromises to accept.
Key specs
- Tools: 15, including needle-nose pliers, wire stripper, 5 drivers, awl, scissors, knife
- Size: 4.25 inches closed, 6.5 inches open; 6.4 ounces
- Locking tools, pocket clip, lanyard point
Pros
- Very low cost for a full plier tool
- Pocket clip, no sheath needed
- Tools lock open
Cons
- Blades only reachable with the tool open
- Lighter-duty pliers
My verdict: the best way to find out whether you’ll use a multitool. If you end up using it every day, step up to the Wave Plus.
3. Leatherman Surge: Best Heavy Duty
Who it’s for: electricians, mechanics, plumbers, farmers and anyone who uses a multitool hard enough to break a smaller one.
The Surge is the Wave’s bigger, tougher sibling. Leatherman gives it its largest pliers and longest blades, and the extra size shows when you’re squeezing a hose clamp or cutting heavy wire. The saw blade swaps out for a file, so you carry whichever the job needs and replace a worn saw instead of the whole tool.
Size is the cost. This is a belt tool, full stop, and it’s too much for most people’s everyday needs. If you’re not working with it daily, the Wave Plus is the better balance.
Key specs
- Tools: 21, including largest Leatherman pliers, longest blades, interchangeable saw and file
- Made in Portland, Oregon; 25-year warranty
- Stainless steel
Pros
- Strongest pliers in this guide
- Swappable saw and file
- Built for daily hard use
Cons
- Big and heavy
- More tool than most homeowners need
My verdict: the multitool for people who work with their hands. Office and weekend users should save the weight.
4. Leatherman Skeletool CX: Best Lightweight EDC
Who it’s for: everyday carriers who want pliers and a good knife without the bulk of a full multitool.
The Skeletool strips the multitool idea down to the essentials people actually use: pliers with wire cutters, a straight-edge knife, a bit driver, a bottle opener and a carabiner clip. At about 5 ounces with an open frame, it feels closer to a pocket knife than a toolbox.
The knife is the star. It opens one-handed from the outside and has a proper pocket-knife blade, so the Skeletool can replace a folder for many people. If you already carry a knife and only want pliers occasionally, it might be the only tool you need. My EDC knives under $100 guide covers the much smaller Skeletool KB, which drops the pliers entirely.
What you lose is scissors, a saw and a can opener. If those matter, carry the Wave Plus.
Key specs
- Tools: 7, including pliers, wire cutters, straight-edge knife, bit driver, bottle opener, carabiner
- Weight: about 5 ounces
- Made in Portland, Oregon; 25-year warranty
Pros
- Light, slim, easy to carry daily
- One-hand opening knife
- Bit driver for real screws
Cons
- No scissors or saw
- Smaller pliers than the Wave
My verdict: the multitool most likely to be in your pocket when you need it. Toolbox jobs still call for the Wave or Surge.
5. Gerber Dime: Best Keychain
Who it’s for: anyone who won’t carry a pocket tool but will carry keys.
At 2.2 ounces and 2.75 inches closed, the Dime disappears on a key ring. Yet it has real spring-loaded needle-nose pliers, wire cutters, scissors, tweezers, a small blade, two flathead drivers and a bottle opener, plus a dedicated blade for slicing blister packs and plastic packaging, which might be the tool you use most.
Don’t expect much from the pliers: they’re good for pulling a splinter, fixing a zipper pull or tightening a small nut, not for anything that takes grip strength. The tiny tools are fiddly to open with short nails.
Key specs
- Tools: 12, including spring-loaded needle-nose pliers, wire cutters, scissors, tweezers, blade, package opener
- Size: 2.75 inches closed, 4.25 inches open; 2.2 ounces
- Keychain or lanyard ring
Pros
- Tiny and very light
- Real pliers and scissors on a key ring
- Package opener is genuinely handy
Cons
- Pliers only for light jobs
- Small tools are fiddly to open
My verdict: the tool you’ll always have on you. Pair it with a real multitool in the car or garage.
6. Victorinox Swiss Tool Spirit X: Best Swiss Made
Who it’s for: buyers who love Victorinox’s Swiss Army knives but need real pliers, and anyone who values smooth, comfortable handles.
Victorinox’s Swiss Army knives are excellent, but even the biggest ones have weak pliers. The Swiss Tool line is Victorinox’s answer: a proper plier multitool made in Switzerland. The Spirit X has long-nose pliers, a hard wire cutter, a locking blade, a metal saw, a metal file, a chisel, a can opener and drivers, 24 functions in all, and comes with a leather pouch.
The handles are curved and rounded, so it sits well in the hand while squeezing the pliers, which is where many multitools hurt. The tools are inside the handles, though, so like the Gerber it needs opening before you reach the knife. My guide to the best Swiss Army knives covers the no-plier classics.
Key specs
- Functions: 24, including long-nose pliers, hard wire cutter, locking blade, metal saw, metal file, chisel
- Swiss made, stainless steel
- Leather pouch included
Pros
- Comfortable rounded handles
- Precise Swiss build
- Pouch included
Cons
- Knife only reachable with the tool open
- Costs more than the Gerber picks
My verdict: the multitool for Victorinox fans and anyone who finds Leatherman handles harsh. Otherwise the Wave Plus is more practical.
7. Leatherman Signal: Best for Camping
Who it’s for: campers, hikers, anglers and hunters who want a multitool built around the outdoors.
The Signal takes a mid-size Leatherman and swaps household tools for outdoor ones. There’s a ferrocerium fire starter, an emergency whistle, a hammer for tent stakes, a saw and a diamond-coated sharpener for touching up the blade in camp. The pliers crimp fishing hooks and the 4.5 inch closed size suits a pack strap or belt.
It’s 7.5 ounces, made in the USA, and backed by the same 25-year warranty as other Leathermans. The trade-off: the fire starter and whistle aren’t much use at home, and you lose scissors. For mixed home and camp duty, the Wave Plus is more versatile. I list other gear worth its weight in the best knives for backpacking.
Key specs
- Tools: 19, including pliers, wire cutters, knife, saw, hammer, fire starter, whistle, diamond sharpener
- Size: 4.5 inches closed; 7.5 ounces
- Made in the USA (Portland, Oregon); 25-year warranty
Pros
- Fire starter and whistle built in
- Hammer and saw for camp jobs
- Sharpener for the blade on the trail
Cons
- No scissors
- Outdoor tools wasted at home
My verdict: the best multitool for the campsite. If it’ll spend most of its life in a kitchen drawer, buy the Wave Plus.
How I’d Choose a Multitool
Size first, tool count last
Choose the size you’ll actually carry. A keychain tool (Gerber Dime) goes everywhere; a light EDC tool (Skeletool) fits a pocket; a full-size tool (Wave Plus) lives on a belt or in a bag; a heavy-duty tool (Surge) is for work. Twenty tools you leave at home help less than seven you have with you.
Outside-opening blades
Most of what people do with a multitool is cut: open boxes, slice cord, trim a tag. Tools whose knife opens with the handles closed (Wave Plus, Surge, Skeletool, Signal) are far handier than ones that need unfolding first. Look for a blade lock too; my guide to folding knife lock types explains the options.
Pliers and wire cutters
The pliers are the reason to buy a multitool rather than a pocket knife. Full-size needle-nose pliers handle household jobs; heavy tools have bigger jaws for trades work. Replaceable wire cutters, as on the Wave Plus and Surge, extend a tool’s life because the cutters wear first.
Scissors, saw or bit driver
Pick the extras you’ll use. Scissors are the most underrated tool for everyday life. A saw matters for yard and camp work. A bit driver with interchangeable bits beats fixed screwdrivers for home repairs.
Warranty and maker
Leatherman backs its tools for 25 years and builds them in Oregon. Gerber and Victorinox are long-established brands with their own warranties. Avoid no-name “30-in-1” tools: the count is high, but the pliers tend to loosen and the blades are soft.
Keeping a Multitool Working
Rinse off grit and salt after outdoor use, dry it, and put a drop of light oil on each pivot. A sticky multitool is usually just dirty: my guide on how to clean a pocket knife works for multitools too. Sharpen the blade at the angle of its factory edge with a small diamond or ceramic sharpener; the method in how to sharpen a pocket knife applies.
Multitool FAQ
Which Leatherman is best?
The Wave Plus is the best Leatherman for most people: full-size pliers, outside-opening blades, scissors and a saw. The Surge is better for heavy trade work, the Skeletool CX for light everyday carry and the Signal for camping.
Leatherman or Gerber?
Leatherman for a tool you’ll use hard for years; Gerber for value. Leatherman tools are built in Oregon with a 25-year warranty and generally have stronger pliers. Gerber’s Suspension NXT and Dime cost much less and are fine for light household use.
Can I take a multitool on a plane?
Not in carry-on luggage if it has a knife blade; under TSA rules it has to go in checked baggage. Rules differ by country and airline, so check before you fly. Some blade-free tools are allowed, but check the specific model.
Is a multitool better than a Swiss Army knife?
For pliers, yes. A multitool is built around strong folding pliers, while Swiss Army knives are built around a blade and small tools. If you rarely need pliers, a Swiss Army knife is lighter and slimmer.
Are multitools legal to carry?
In most places, yes. Where problems come up, they usually involve blade length, locking blades or carrying in places like schools and courthouses. Laws vary by state and country, so look up the local rules before you carry one.
Final Verdict
The Leatherman Wave Plus is the multitool I’d recommend to most people: strong pliers, outside-opening blades and enough tools for house, car and camp. If you want something cheaper and lighter, the Gerber Suspension NXT is a solid start, and if weight matters most, the Skeletool CX is the one you’ll actually carry.
If you’d rather carry a dedicated knife alongside a small tool, see my best EDC knife under $100 and best folding knife under $100 guides.
Gary Portman founded knivesadvice.com in 2019. He learned to cook in his family’s kitchen as a kid and has used kitchen, pocket and outdoor knives ever since, from paring and fillet knives to survival blades he carries camping and hiking. He writes the site’s buying guides, brand reviews and sharpening how-tos to help readers find the right knife for the job. More about Gary.