The reason these products can be so useful is in their title, they have a multitude of different tools that can be used in a wide variety of different solutions. The best multi tool can complete basic tasks but also help you in emergencies and everything in between.

There can be a vast difference in the tools that they can offer though, so choosing the best multitool can be difficult. You need to ensure that you know what purpose you are buying it for and what functionality that you need. There are also other considerations such as size, shape and durability among others.

That’s where we can help, as we go through all of these different options in our buying guide and have also looked through the multi tool reviews to show you the best products on the market. Once you’ve read through this guide, you’ll have the confidence to choose the best multi-tool for you.

How To Choose The Best Multi Tool – Buying Guide

Purpose

When looking into buying a multi-tool, it’s important to know the reason you are buying it and what you intend to be using it for. While a lot of the tools that they have can be similar across different models and manufacturers, there can be plenty of difference in shape and size which can affect what purpose that they need to serve.

While some people need to buy them for a specific reason, others will just want them for everyday carry which they can be great for too. When it comes to this purpose then size and weight can have a big impact as you want a multi-tool which is going to be small enough to fit into your pocket or even on a keyring. These types of multi-tool won’t have the same level of functionality as bigger models but can still be extremely useful on multiple occasions.

Another purpose for your multi-tool would be to help with your work, whatever that may be. This would well be a manual trade or it could be something like an office job where you often need to get into parcels for example. Whatever your job is, there is a good chance that it could be made easier by having a great multi-tool with you. The great thing about one of these products is the hidden uses that you don’t think about. You could be looking at one of its features and wondering what you’d ever need it for and the next day finding it crucial.

There is no getting away from the fact that a multi-tool is never quite as good as the real thing. You could buy scissors or a wrench for example which are individually better but having a great multi-tool can save you from rummaging through tools to find the best one for you. One great purpose that they can have is simply to save you time. Their accessibility means that you can just grab your multi-tool without having to worry about finding and going through your toolkit.

While these purposes can be great for your multi-tool, where they can really come into their own is out in the wild where you can only take a certain amount of gear with you. You could be hiking, hunting or fishing and find that your product comes in very useful time and time again. It is though important to know the activity that you are doing and get a multi-tool to match it. While fishing and camping may require a lot of the same tools, there are subtle differences.

It’s also useful to know if you’ll have any specific needs as well. It could be that you might need a specific wrench or a specific screwdriver, it’s important to match up the purpose of your trip with what the multi-tool can offer you otherwise it might not be able to help you in quite the way that you wanted it to. You just need to look at what you’re buying it for and match that up with what tools it is offering. Once you have the perfect match then it will save you time and time again.

Functionality

When buying a multi-tool you want it to be able to execute a number of different functions depending on the tools that it has. This comes back to the purpose as you need to be asking yourself the questions about what you need. For example, a lot of multi-tools are built around a strong set of pliers but this might not be what you’re looking for.

The reason why a large multi tool product is built from a frame of pliers is because of how useful they can be, they are able to perform a high level of functions which will be very useful in a vast number of different situations. The best multi-tools in this respect will have pliers that are a match for single-use pliers. They generally all conform to the same design of having spring-loaded pliers on the end, standard pliers in the middle of the head with a wire cutter just below that.

One of the most important aspects which comes with almost all multi-tools is the blade, as you’ll never know when you’ll need to be able to cut something to size or cut line, for example. The size of the blade can vary greatly from one product to the next so it’s important to know exactly how this will be needed. Most multi-tools only comes with a small blade as that’s all that will be required but there are other products such as the Leatherman Skeletool which have a very large blade.

There could be other blade options on a multi-tool as well. Some blades have a fine edge, some are serrated while some multi-tools will have the start of a blade serrated but then with a finer tip. There are other options which come with a saw, which is a very specific tool and one which would come in very useful if you’re out camping. Tools like a saw though would only be available on the larger and heavier of the multi-tool options.

One area where multi-tools can differ greatly is with the screwdrivers. Pretty much all of them will offer some sort of screwdriver but there are some which will be able to offer a whole range of different heads. If you’re camping in the wild for example then there might not be a lot of need to have an array of screwdrivers as the devices that you have will be very simple. If you work in IT though and want a multi-tool, then having multiple screwdriver options could be very useful.

Scissors are another key feature which can be found in most multi-tools which can be used for a wide range of different reasons from first aid to simply opening up a packet of food. These are generally quite small and come with a spring so you need to consider whether you will require larger scissors or not.

These can also help with personal hygiene, as can a file, which will be useful when you’re out there in the wild. Other such items that can come in very useful when it comes to personal hygiene and other uses are a toothpick and tweezers. There are additional features such as a bottle opener which is a standard addition with a lot of multi-tool products.

When it comes to functionality every product offers something a little different, so choosing the best fit for your circumstances involves seeing which of these functions you need and making sure that they are on the product that you want to buy. That way when you get your multi-tool, it’ll be able to perform exactly how you wanted it and you won’t be left wishing that you had a tool which isn’t on your product.

Use

Multi-tools are designed to make your life easier by providing you with one solution where you are able to solve a lot of different problems. That would all be for very little if the tool was too difficult to use, so it’s always important that they are easy to use.

For the larger models, they have to be able to fit into your hand very well and provide efficient use of their instrument. What is meant by this is that there is little point in having a screwdriver, for example, if the handle of the device doesn’t allow you to get any purchase on it and being able to press down into it.

This is even more important when it gets to such things as a blade and a saw as these need a lot of action on them in order to be able to be used effectively. When looking at a product, you also need to give attention to how easy it is to use and how you are going to be able to do what it is designed to do.

With smaller multi-tools this is less of a concern as applying pressure is always going to be difficult due to the limited space, which is part of the reason that they have more limited components. The tool always has been able to fold out conveniently too. It can be annoying if you have to move several different tools before you get to the one that you want.

A part of the reason that these tools are so popular is that their design is ingenious and every part of the product appears to be very well thought out and planned. Some are obviously a lot better at this than others so you just need to check that your multi-tool is doing everything that you want it to do.

Array And Number Of Tools

With multi-tools it’s easy to think that the more tools it has, the better but this isn’t always strictly true. There comes a point where usability is more important than the number of functions that it has, especially if those functions are for things that you don’t strictly need.

It seems as though some products just add on a number of different tools on their product just so that they can have a high number when it comes to their product listing to make it look impressive. It’s important to look out for this as it could mean that those extra tools make the product a lot harder to use or that drops the overall quality for you.

Picking the array of tools for you is much more about making sure that it can do everything that you need rather than just picking the one which has the greatest numbers. Do you really need scissors? Do you have your own set of pliers? Are you bringing your own nail file and clippers? These are all questions that you need to be asking yourself before you select which array of tools fits your situation.

Size

The size of your multi-tool will obviously play a large factor in your buying decision. If you plan on hiking then size isn’t really going to be an issue as all of them will be more than small enough to be able to just fit into your bag and take along with you. In this instance, weight is probably going to be more of an issue than size as you will want to make sure that it doesn’t weigh you down.

Even though these multi-tools contain a lot of metal, they are made to be as lightweight as possible and most of them are very easy to carry. If you wanted a multi-tool for something like fly fishing, then you would want it to be small enough so that you could pack it away into your vest to be used whenever you needed.

For some people though, they may have the type of job or lifestyle where having a multi-tool on you at all times would be very useful. There are plenty of options out there which are able to easily fit onto your keyring or your pocket in order to be able to take it with you wherever you do. If you do, then you will be endlessly be using it for a whole host of little problems.

The size of the product you need is generally dictated by the purpose that you are going to have for it. Some of these multi-tools are quite slender, while there are others out there which can be a lot thicker. On the product listing there are three key figures that you need to know and that is the product length when it is folded, its width and its weight as well. Once you know all that then you can see if it fits in with your needs or not.

Shape

Given how clever these products are in being able to give you as much functionality as you need, they also come in a lot of different shapes in sizes too so it gives you a lot of options that you can choose from before you select the best product for you.

The typical shape is the one that folds out into the ‘V’ shape, which usually have pliers on the end. This is a highly effective shape as it means that you can apply a lot of pressure to the pliers which are required for them the be useful, other items can then fold out from the handle which will allow you to apply a lot of force to what you are doing.

Other, more portable, multi-tools can come in a variety of different shapes which all have their use. One of the most classical is the Swiss Army Knife which will come in a long thick oblong shape with a vast number of tools able to fold out from the center. There are other products like the Swiss+Tech which can fold down to a square shape and be easily attached to a keyring.

The shape and design are important depending on where you wanted to out your product. It could be that you want the Leatherman Tread Bracelet which is possibly the most unique of all shapes as you can just place it around your wrist and go about your day. Whatever shape you use, just make sure that it works for you.

Durability

A multi-tool is going to be under a lot of stress. Whether it is the twisting motion applied on pliers, the torque needed for a screwdriver or the pressure that needs to be applied to a saw. There is little you in your multi-tool having a great range of functions if it’s going to fail quickly.

Most of them are made out of high-quality steel but it’s more important than just that. Strength needs to be added in the right amount of places to ensure that not too much pressure is placed upon it that it snaps. Looking for a long warranty is important as if there are any defects in the product, then you want it to be covered.

One of the best places to look in regards to multi-tools and their durability is in the user reviews as this is usually a great sign of exactly what people think about the product and how easy it is to use. In order to best protect yourself against an unreliable product, it’s a great idea to make sure you get a well-reviewed product from a highly reputable company.

Pliers Or Scissors

When it comes to the head of a lot of these multi-tools a lot of them are pliers while some of them have a scissor head to them. As this is the main feature of many products then it is important to choose the right one for your needs.

With most though, the best solution is going to be to have pliers on the top of the product as these can have a lot of uses. Pliers also generally have three stages to their design too as they have a more pointed flat end at the top, the curved pliers which are great for grip with wire cutters just under them.

Even if a product has pliers as the main focal point of the product then it’s still likely that they will have scissors that come out of the handle. This allows you to have a 2-in-1 solution and the best of both worlds.

Knife Blade

Unless you are looking at a unique shape such as the bracelet or the square block, it’s extremely likely that your multi-tool is going to come which at least one knife on there which can be used for a wide variety of different reasons, especially if you’re hunting or fishing.

A knife is perhaps the one tool that can be used for the widest variety of different reasons as you will find yourself using it time and time again, especially if you are outdoors. If you’re going to be somewhere that will be using a lot of blades then it might be best to look for a multi-tool which has multiple different blades.

Blades also come in a variety of different shapes and sizes so it’s a good idea to compare and contrast them to ensure that you are getting something which suits your needs. This could mean looking for a serrated blade, one with a fine blade or perhaps one which is a mixture of both.

Quality

In the world of multi-tools, it’s often a case of you get what you pay for in terms of quality. These are products where you don’t have any shortcuts and you can’t scrimp on materials. They have to be well-designed and well-built in order to deal with the stresses and strains.

Everything in the tool needs to be tight, it needs to lock away correctly and any springs need to be in perfect working order. When you have all that then you know that you’ll have a quality product. It’s also important that they are resistant to rust as well due to frequent contact with water.

To ensure that, you want to make sure that the multi-tool is made out of the highest quality steel, the product is highly rated and that you’re getting it from a reputable manufacturer who is happy to offer a warranty on their build quality. A lot of these tools are used in situations where nothing else is available and the last thing you want is for them to fail when they are most needed.

FAQs

Q: What Is A Multi Tool?

A: A multi-tool is obviously a contraction of ‘multiple tool’ meanings that you have one product which can give you the same functionality of a larger number of tools. This is a wide ranging term though as it doesn’t allude to anything specific which is what it’s important to check.

There could be a very different set of tools from one product to the next and there also could be a big difference in their design and shape too but a multi-tool is simple a combination of a number of different tools in one product.

Q: How To Use A Multi Tool?

A: Multi-tools come in all different shapes and sizes so there is never one clear method on how to use one but there are a few important aspects to look out for. The most important one is probably the locking mechanism as you want to make sure this is engaged before use, if your multi-tool has one.

It’s also important to use one tool at a time and not get lazy or complacent when it comes to using a tool as this can lead the accidents. You want to ensure that everything is where it should be and you’re applying the right pressure and that it’s fully closed down once you’re done.

Q: Are Multi Tool Blades Universal?

A: The short answer to this is a no, as all products have blades that come in different shapes and sizes so it’s best to replace one directly with the same brand and model. Some blades are interchangeable with the same manufacturer which is important to look out for.

Globo Surf Overview

Many people swear by getting a multi-tool and you can see why, as if you have one close to you then it’ll never go unused and you’ll end up using it for tasks that you didn’t even consider when you first got the product.

In order to choose the best one for you, the first thing that you need to consider is the purpose that you are going to have for the product as this will dictate what level of functionality that you need from it and how big you need it to be. Once you know the purpose then you can start to focus on other factors such as the number of tools that it has and whether it has the right tools for the job that you need to do.

It’s important to get a multi-tool which is high-quality and durable, as these are products which are going to be placed under a lot of strain and stress so if they can’t cope then you are going to be left with a multi-tool which breaks very easily. Another tick on your checklist should be whether the device has the shape and size to suit what you want to do.

Once you have figured all of that out then you will be able to pick the top rated multitool with confidence and know that you will always have something by your side which is going to be useful time and time again. Hopefully this guide has given you all the information that you need to get the best product for you.

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