Every person wrenching on a car needs a good set of pliers. Even if you don’t wrench on cars, a good set of pliers is almost essential for any household. Pliers allow the user to hold a object with much more force and grip than just bare hands. In the automotive world, they can be used for a million different uses, so you should have them in your toolbox. 

Unfortunately, there isn’t a one-style-fits-all for pliers. There are hundreds of different shapes, sizes, and styles of pliers. Which is the best for you? There are three that we find ourselves using more than any other, which is what we would recommend. 

Needle Nose

The needle nose pliers have a self explanatory name in that they come to a sharp point, like a needle. Needle nose pliers are great for gripping small objects in tight spaces. This may be a stuck fuse, a screwdriver you dropped, or gripping a small hose.

With their smaller size they don’t have a very wide opening and this does limit them from being used on larger objects. 

Channellock

Channellock pliers are actually the name of a brand that has become synonymous with the style, like Kleenex is for tissue. They are a slide and lock style which allows the jaws to slide apart before pivoting. This means they can grip very small and very large objects, making them extremely versatile. 

With more a forceful grip than needle nose pliers, they can be used for much tougher jobs like pulling off stuck hoses and even loosening up bolts if needed. With the adjustable jaw they can be used on smaller jobs like a hose clamp and big jobs like an axle nut. 

Slip Joint 

The slip joint pliers are probably the most universal and most used in the garage and around the house. They have a joint in the middle that allows the jaws to move apart, similar to a Channellock plier, but only have two positions. They are generally bigger than needle nose but smaller than Channellocks. 

Slip joint pliers can be used for just about any needs from wiring connectors, brake line clips, holding bolts, or anything else you can think of. 

If there is only one set of pliers that you’re going to pick up, a good set of slip joint pliers would be the ones we would choose. Pricing for pliers ranges all over the place as you can find really cheap and lesser quality versions all the way up to the high dollar versions. Buy what fits your budget and whether you think you’ll use them a lot or not.