Bolt cutters come in a variety of sizes to suit different needs and material to be cut. Mini bolt cutters, typically about 8 inches long, are compact tools used to fit bolts, chain, and wire up to 3/16 inch in diameter.
To help you find the right mini tongs, the team at This Old House Reviews tested five of the best mini tongs on Amazon and evaluated their effectiveness through a rigorous series of tests. Here are our top picks and our thoughts on how each pair fared during testing.
Top 5 bolt cutters
- More effective:Blade 8-inch Capri Tools mini screw cutter
- Best Drawing:Tekton 8 inch bolt cutter
- Easier to use:KNIPEX eight-inch screw cutter
- More comfortable:Eight inch ARES mini screw cutter
- Best value:Eight-inch wide-necked screw cutters
Most Effective: Capri Tools Eight-Inch Jingle Mini Screw Cutters
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This Capri Tools mini screw cutter is equipped with high-quality steel blades and rubber handles that can cut rods, screws, chain and wire. The cutter features comfortable, molded handles that provide extra leverage so you can cut through materials with ease. In addition, this product has a unique blue and black design that is easy to spot in your tool bag.
main properties
- 12.7 ounces
- 10 year limited warranty
- Dual heat treated steel blades
What customers say
Positive reviews focused on the product's quality construction, with many reviewers saying the cutters were effective at cutting thin wire and cable. Other positive reviews praised the affordable price of the product. Negative reviews complained about the screw cutter's inability to cut thicker screws and wire.
Our experience
This Capri Tools product was the front runner in our test series. On average, it required the least amount of effort and cut through any material with ease. Even when tested on thicker materials like 3/16" toggle screw and .063" piano wire, the ergonomic handle cushioned the extra force needed to cut through the materials.
This mini screw cutter produced quality cuts on thicker items like .031 and .063 inch piano strings. However, the cutting quality decreased when tested on the finest wire, which could indicate a lack of blade sharpness.
our score
| Metric | Products |
|---|---|
| Metric | Products |
| force required | 4,9/5 |
| strength | 5/5 |
| Cut Quality - 3/16 inch. | 5/5 |
| Cut Quality - 0.016 inch piano string cut | 4/5 |
| Cut Quality - .020 inch piano wire cut. | 4,5/5 |
| Cut Quality - .031 inch piano wire cut. | 5/5 |
| Cut Quality - .063 inch piano string cut | 5/5 |
| total score | 4,8/5 |
Best Design: TEKTON Eight-Inch Screw Cutters
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This mini bolt cutter from TEKTON features heavy-duty alloy steel jaws capable of cutting bolts, chain, rod and wire up to 3/16" in diameter. To control its powerful jaws, the bolt cutter is equipped with ribbed handles for extra grip. This product also features an easy-to-use locking mechanism that keeps the tubular steel handles closed.
main properties
- 5.6 ounces
- Steel alloy jaws
What customers say
Satisfied customers have highlighted the product's effectiveness at cutting thin materials, with many reviewers praising its ability to cut fence wire and ¼-inch screws. Negative reviews underscored customer concerns about the product's inability to cut through thick objects like padlocks, with one reviewer complaining that the jaws of the pliers became damaged after attempting to cut through thick material.
Our experience
This mini screw cutter achieved average results in terms of power required and overall grip. However, what sets this product apart from others was the cleanliness of the cut, as this model made polished cuts in strips of piano wire of varying lengths. Although its performance dropped when cutting the thickest and third-thickest piano wire, this mini screw cutter still had the second-highest average cut quality of any material tested, and trailed behind the best.Blade 8-inch Capri Tools mini screw cutter.
Although the mini screw cutter made clean cuts, its stiffened, ribbed handle caused some complaints during testing, particularly when cutting the large 3/16-inch pivot screw.
our score
| Metric | Products |
|---|---|
| Metric | Products |
| force required | 4,6/5 |
| strength | 4,6/5 |
| Cut Quality - 3/16 inch. | 5/5 |
| Cut Quality - 0.016 inch piano string cut | 5/5 |
| Cut Quality - .020 inch piano wire cut. | 4/5 |
| Cut Quality - .031 inch piano wire cut. | 5/5 |
| Cut Quality - .063 inch piano string cut | 4/5 |
| total score | 4,6/5 |
Easier to use: KNIPEX 8-inch screw cutters
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This KNIPEX mini screw cutter features steel jaws strong enough to cut any wire up to ¼ inch in diameter. To help users control its strong steel frame, this product features plastic-coated handles that are easy to grip. In addition, the mini screw cutter has unique claws that you can use to pull out small nails and wires while you work.
main properties
- 10.4 ounces
- limited lifetime warranty
- Forged chrome vanadium steel jaws
What customers say
Positive customer reviews focused on the mini screw cutter's performance and high quality, with one customer praising the tool for a powerful cut with its compact size. Other positive comments focused on the product's leverage, which helped many customers cut thicker wire and screws.
Our experience
This mini bolt cutter has proven its ability to deliver clean cuts during our series of tests. The cutter's plastic-coated handle gives the tool control and comfort when cutting a variety of piano strings and a toggle screw.
Despite the greatest effort of all tested mini pliers, this product was able to deliver clean cuts on all tested materials. Although cut quality steadily decreased as the diameter of the piano wire increased, this product lacked the sporadic cut quality seen in other models.
our score
| Metric | Products |
|---|---|
| Metric | Products |
| force required | 4,5/5 |
| strength | 4,6/5 |
| Cut Quality - 3/16 inch. | 5/5 |
| Cut Quality - 0.016 inch piano string cut | 4,5/5 |
| Cut Quality - .020 inch piano wire cut. | 4,5/5 |
| Cut Quality - .031 inch piano wire cut. | 4/5 |
| Cut Quality - .063 inch piano string cut | 4/5 |
| total score | 4,4/5 |
Most convenient: Eight-inch ARES mini screw cutter
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This ARES mini screw cutter is a quality addition to any tool bag, with its hardened cutting blades capable of cutting wire, screws and heavy nails. It features a rust-resistant construction topped with an ergonomic grip for added control and comfort. To help you cut thicker materials, the mini screw cutter comes with spring-loaded handles to increase your leverage.
main properties
- 10.4 ounces
- limited lifetime warranty
- Chrome molybdenum steel jaws
What customers say
Satisfied customers praised the compact bolt cutter's leverage, with one customer highlighting its ability to cut small nail tips protruding from its wall. Negative reviews highlighted customer frustration with the tool's inability to cut thick screws effectively.
Our experience
The molded, spring-assisted handle of this ARES mini screw cutter earned this product full marks for comfort and grip control, earning it first place for the best ratingBlade 8-inch Capri Tools mini screw cutter🇧🇷 Despite the mini screw cutter's comfortable grip, the product showed a steady deterioration in cutting quality when tested on increasingly thicker piano strings.
our score
| Metric | Products |
|---|---|
| Metric | Products |
| force required | 4,6/5 |
| strength | 5/5 |
| Cut Quality - 3/16 inch. | 5/5 |
| Cut Quality - 0.016 inch piano string cut | 4,5/5 |
| Cut Quality - .020 inch piano wire cut. | 4/5 |
| Cut Quality - .031 inch piano wire cut. | 4/5 |
| Cut Quality - .063 inch piano string cut | 4/5 |
| total score | 4,4/5 |
BEST VALUE: 20cm Big Neck Screw Cutters
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This GreatNeck mini screw cutter features slim, ribbed vinyl handles for added control. Along with its easy-grip handle, this product has a 3/16 inch capacity for cutting wire, chain links and small screws. Additionally, this product is offered in sizes up to 36 inches, giving you the option to choose long pliers for heavy-duty projects.
main properties
- 2.4 ounces
- limited lifetime warranty
- Forged steel jaws
What customers say
Because this product offers bolt cutters in larger sizes, their reviews cover the spectrum of available bolt cutters from 8" to 36" models. Regardless of the size, many satisfied customers praise the good quality of the product at an affordable price. The negative reviews contradicted the positive reviews' claims about the high quality of the product, with some customers complaining about the product's inability to cut thin steel.
Our experience
While the GreatNeck bolt cutter is our lowest rated product, this tool ranked second behind TEKTON and ARES bolt cutters for the lowest force required to cut the materials tested. Despite its stiff grip that was uncomfortable during use, its ribbed construction improved overall control on every test.
As this screw cutter cut each of the materials tested, it was placed or tied last in the quality of the cuts delivered for each piano wire tested. Also, its small mouth made it difficult to grab any material during our testing process.
our score
| Metric | Products |
|---|---|
| Metric | Products |
| force required | 4,6/5 |
| strength | 4,4/5 |
| Cut Quality - 3/16 inch. | 5/5 |
| Cut Quality - 0.016 inch piano string cut | 4/5 |
| Cut Quality - .020 inch piano wire cut. | 4/5 |
| Cut Quality - .031 inch piano wire cut. | 4/5 |
| Cut Quality - .063 inch piano string cut | 3,5/5 |
| total score | 4.2/5 |
shopping guide
Before purchasing a mini screw cutter, it's important to understand how each product's design and specifications affect its performance. Here are four factors to consider before purchasing mini pliers.
dealing with ergonomics
cutting through metalUsing a bolt cutter requires a significant amount of gripping strength and effort. To reduce strain on your hands, an ergonomic grip is a necessity for a mini screw cutter. A quality clipper has a comfortable, practical design that minimizes strain and relieves tension. The handle of a mini pliers should also have non-slip properties to avoid injuries.
weight
Although most mini pliers weigh less than a pound, the portable nature of this tool gives the weight a factor in ease of use. If the product is too heavy, your hand may get tired after constant use. If the cutter is too light, it cannot deliver enough power to efficiently cut a variety of materials.
adjustability
Adjustability is important because it allows you to efficiently cut materials of different sizes. Bolt cutters with adjustable blades give you more control during use and cut materials with larger widths. Mini tongs are usually adjusted by screws located on the front of the blade of each product.
diameter capacity
Each mini screw cutter is limited in the width of material it can cut, with most models limited to under 3/16 inch wire, screws and rod. Typically, the size of the diameter the tool can cut is equal to the width of the fully open blades. For example, a blade that can open ⅛ inch can cut material of the same size.
revision rules
The test metrics
To determine the effectiveness of each mini cutter, we test products for the required strength, grip and cut quality.
force required
The effort required to cut the material is closely related to the effectiveness of a mini bolt cutter. Models with sharper blades can easily cut materials, while models with duller blades may have a harder time cutting materials. The less force required to cut the materials, the less fatigue you will feel after continuous use.
strength
A mini screw cutter must have an ergonomic and comfortable grip to generate the force needed to break screws, wires and other materials. A mini forceps with a non-slip, easy-grip handle makes it easy to generate power and use for long periods of time.
cutting quality
The performance of a mini bolt cutter is determined by the width of material it can cut and the precision of the cut it delivers. For example, an effective jig will not only cut a 3/32-inch piano string, but will not leave frayed cords or half-cut wires.
test procedure
force required
We tested the effectiveness of each mini trimmer with a ¼-inch hex head screw, a 3/16-inch lag screw, and .016, .020, .031, and .063-inch piano wire. We cut each material five times with each mini-cutter for a total of 30 tests per mini-cutter. During our testing, we observed how much force is required for each cut.
Note: During testing, no mini pliers failed to cut through the ¼-inch hex screw, resulting in it being removed from the overall score for each product.
strength
While we test each product's ability to cut different sized materials, we also pay attention to the comfort and grip strength each mini screw cutter handle offers. We recorded the number of times each tong slipped off during the test and compared the level of comfort each tong grip offered.
cutting quality
To test the performance quality of each mini cutter, we rated the cleanliness of each cut after it was made. To determine the cleanliness of the cut, we look for signs of frayed wires and uneven screw edges. Then we compare the performance of each bolt cutter to its competitors.
Note: No bolt cutters had a clear advantage over another in their cut quality for the 3/16-in. This earned each bolt cutter full marks for cut quality in the 3/16-inch pivot bolt test.
punctuation
force required
In each test, the mini-pliers with the least effort received all 5 possible points, second best a deduction of 0.5 points, third best a deduction of 1 point, and so on. If two tongs performed the same, they would get the same score. After all six tests were run, the required force of each mini screw cutter was calculated by averaging the results of each test.
strength
We measured the effectiveness of each cutter's grip through a double test measuring the slip resistance and comfort of the grip.
The mini pliers with the least slipping handles in the test received all possible 2.5 points, second best a 0.2 point deduction, third best a 0.4 point deduction, and so on. If two tongs performed the same, they would get the same score.
The grippiest mini pliers in the test received all possible 2.5 points, the second best 0.2 points deduction, the third best 0.4 points deduction and so on. If two pliers had handles of equal comfort, they received the same score.
cutting quality
The bolt cutter that was able to cut the tested materials and provide the cleanest cut received all 5 possible points, while 2nd best received a 0.5 point deduction, 3rd best a 1 point deduction, and so on. If two mini pliers cut the same, they get the same score.
monitoring: This score was calculated for each material including a 3/16 inch anchor bolt and .032, .047, .062 and 3/32 inch piano wire.
frequently asked questions
What size cutter do I need to cut a padlock?
When determining the size of pliers needed to cut a lock, the jaw capacity of the tool is more important than its length. Most padlocks are between 3/16" and 7/16" in diameter, which means a bolt cutter must have at least the same jaw capacity to cut through the material. The maximum diameter most 8" mini cutters can drill is 3/16", so a larger bolt cutter with more jaw capacity is needed to cut most padlocks.
Can pliers cut screws?
Yes indeed. Bolt cutters were designed to cut a wide variety of materials and objects, including bolts. It is important to know the material to be cut before purchasing pliers to ensure the tool has adequate jaw capacity.
What are mini pliers for?
Mini pliers are used to cut thin wires, screws and nails. Typically, mini screw cutters are effective at cutting materials up to 3/16 inch in diameter.
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