Written by James Fitzgerald | Updated 1:32 PM, October 5, 2021

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Whether you are an electrician, a mechanic or a DIYer, a pair of high-quality wire cutters can be an indispensable part of your toolbox. The name "wire cutters" can be deceptive, because most of them contain one or more additional functions that give them multi-purpose functions. Wire strippers, bolt cutters, and blunt or needle nose pliers jaws are just a few options to choose from, depending on your specific needs.

In addition, you should also understand several different types of wire cutters, each of which has various characteristics that affect its function. Read on to learn about the different types of wire cutters available, how they differ in quality, and how to choose the best wire cutter for your next job or project.

The first step in determining the best wire cutter for you is to understand the three different types of wire cutters available. Although everyone has a specific set of tasks, most of them can be used for a variety of different purposes. Aware of these differences and the additional functions that each type can perform, you can easily find the variety that suits you best.

Flush wire cutters (also called "combination" or "wireman's pliers") look like a normal pair of pliers, but have a pair of cutting blades flush with the outer edge, directly behind one of the jaws of the pliers. Flat cutting blades can make clean, straight cuts without leaving sharp points that might cut your hands, such as miter knives tend to leave. However, they may require more manual force to cut the wire than the miter cutter.

In addition to cutting blades, the jaws can also be used to cut, clamp and bend wires and small cables. Some flat-head cutting machines are also equipped with bolt cutters that can cut screws and nails flush with the fastening surface and some wire stripping slots for stripping back insulation.

Unlike flat-nose pliers, diagonal cutting pliers are specially designed for cutting. They have a pair of curved cutting blades that extend all the way to the tip. Since the cutting blades are offset about 15 degrees diagonally, they can be used to cut wires at an angle. Diagonal pliers do not use a cutting action like scissors or flat-nose pliers to cut, but use a wedging action to separate the wire connection from the V-shaped cutting blade.

This special cutting mechanism usually makes cutting easier, which is a contributing factor to their becoming the most commonly used wire and other light wire cutting tools. Like flat-cut pliers, they can also be used to flat-cut various screws and nails.

Needle-nosed wire cutters are various flat-cutting pliers, with a set of cutting blades flush with the outside and back of the jaws of the pliers. However, for the needle nose model, the chin gradually becomes thinner and the nose tip is smaller. This slender tip makes it easier to grasp and manipulate thin wires and to operate in narrow spaces where traditional flat-nose pliers cannot be manipulated.

There are needle nose cutters with 45-degree and 90-degree bends on the nose, making it easier to grasp materials in awkward spaces. Needle-nose pliers have many of the same additional functions as traditional flat-head wire cutters, such as wire strippers and bolt cutters.

Not only are there different types of wire cutters, but each type of wire cutter has different qualities, which affect its performance and durability. When evaluating the differences between wire cutting machines and determining which features your wire cutting machine needs, please consider the following features.

The two most important factors to consider when choosing a handle are its length and handle material. The longer handle provides greater leverage and makes cutting easier, but at the cost of not being able to operate easily in small spaces. A smaller handle fits a smaller space, but it requires you to apply more manual force to cut.

The size of the handle will also affect the comfort of the tool. It is generally recommended to use a handle that is at least 4 inches long, which can be held comfortably in the palm of the hand, but some experts recommend a handle length of at least 5.5 inches for optimal comfort. The handle can have a handle composed of various polymers (the most common being plastic and rubber), and can be soft or hard.

More affordable cord cutter models usually have hard handles, but they are the most uncomfortable when used for long periods of time. Soft or "comfortable" handles are more comfortable to use, but are usually more expensive. Each type can provide a certain degree of electrical shock insulation, depending on the level of non-conductivity of the material.

The design of the wire cutter will seriously affect its performance and ease of use. Although you have discovered different types of wire cutters and understood the advantages of multi-purpose features, some wire cutters are designed to provide an all-in-one solution for cutting, stripping, crimping, and grabbing wires. These multi-purpose tools usually have 10 or more separate slots for stripping, a needle-nose pliers head for grasping, and a crimper at the bottom of the jaws.

Unfortunately, because they are not specifically designed for cutting, they often cannot provide the same cutting capabilities as knives made specifically for this purpose. However, they provide an excellent general solution for the widest range of tasks required by wires. Another design factor to consider is the pivot point. The pivot point is a circular metal piece directly behind the jaws, which is responsible for allowing the jaws to open and close. The pivot point close to the jaws can provide greater cutting force and leverage, so it is best to use a wire cutter with the pivot point as close as possible to the jaws to obtain the maximum cutting capacity.

It is also important that the design of the pivot point is as durable as possible. Poor quality pivot points may become loose, resulting in "gap" in the handle mechanism, which makes it difficult for the blades to directly overlap each other and reduces the quality of the cut. In addition, improperly designed pivot points can create "stickiness", making it difficult to open and close the handles and jaws.

If you are discouraged from using a set of wire cutters for a long time because they are uncomfortable to use, it does not matter how effective they work. As you have already seen, the length of the handle and the material of the grip play a crucial role in the comfort of the wire cutter.

Another key feature that contributes to comfortable use is the spring-loaded opening and closing mechanism, which reopens the jaws of the tool when the pressure is released. This allows for easy one-handed operation and also reduces the effort required to reopen the jaws after a cut has been made. Wire cutters with versatile functions also help simplify usage, because you don't need to switch tools between different tasks, such as cutting, stripping, and crimping wires together.

Wire cutting blades are usually made of a kind of "tool steel" with or without various metal alloys. Tool steel is just iron with carbon added to obtain hardness and durability that are particularly suitable for hand tools. Other alloys, such as more carbon, chromium, nickel, and vanadium, can also be used to affect the hardness and durability of the tool.

Generally speaking, wire cutters designed with traditional tool steel are moderately priced, with moderate hardness and durability, while steel with additional alloys is harder and more durable, but at a higher price. Another major difference between the blades is whether they are made by surface hardening or induction hardening. Most blades are surface hardened, which means that the tool is surrounded by carbon and heated until a higher and harder carbon material is plated on the surface of the blade without the core alloy being affected.

Induction hardening uses a multi-stage hardening process to heat the metal through electromagnetic conduction, so that the blade is always hardened. Case hardened blades are usually the cheapest, but they are less durable and difficult to sharpen. Induction hardened blades are more expensive, but can maintain sharp edges for longer and are easier to sharpen.

Now that you are familiar with different types of wire cutters and the various functions they can have, you can start looking for the most suitable wire cutter for your individual needs. Consider the highest-rated option in the following different categories.

Whether you need to cut and strip wires, crimp terminal connectors, or cut small bolts, Irwin's wire cutters and wire strippers can do the job. Its 8-inch handle is covered with comfortable grip material to provide maximum cutting leverage while minimizing fatigue. The wire cutters at the end of the jaws are induction hardened to improve durability, and the end of the needle nose makes it easy to grasp small gauge wires.

In order to increase its versatility, it also has various stripping grooves that can accommodate 10 to 20 AWG wires, and a crimper for splicing the wires to the terminal connector. It even provides a small bolt cutter that can cut small bolts with enough precision to screw enough threads on the nut.

Don't assume that these cord cutters are low-quality options just because they are reasonably priced. They are made of durable, corrosion-resistant high-carbon steel, and the sharp edges of the blades last longer than similarly priced knives using lower quality materials. With these durable components, they can cut, crimp and strip wires of various sizes. It has a 7-inch comfortable handle, comfortable operation, spring-loaded mechanism, and convenient one-handed use.

The main disadvantage is that the pivot point is not as strong as some high-end models, and it does not provide needle-nose jaws for grasping and manipulating wires. But considering all other impressive features, DOWELL's cutting machine is a stripper that offers an incredible price value.

In order to obtain professional-grade cutting capabilities and durability, please consider using these chrome vanadium steel wire cutters, which maintain sharp cutting edges while providing excellent corrosion resistance. In addition to the knives and jaws of a typical wireman's pliers, these knives also provide crimps and wire strippers to achieve the best versatility and functionality. The 9-inch handle provides greater leverage for maximum cutting and torsion forces, and is wrapped with a comfortable grip material that reduces fatigue.

The material of the handle also has an electric shock insulation rating, so it is very suitable for professionals who may encounter live wires. The main disadvantage is that it only provides five unmarked stripping slots, which limits the overall multi-purpose function of the tool. That being said, these knives provide professional-grade features without breaking the bank.

Klein's pliers and knives series have been used by professionals and DIY enthusiasts for decades, and this pair of flat knives will not disappoint. The combination of a 9-inch long handle and a durable pivot point near the jaws provides a lot of cutting leverage. To match this leverage, the cutting blade is induction hardened to produce an extremely hard blade that can stay sharp for longer.

The ergonomically designed handle can be snugly and comfortably held in the hand. The main disadvantage of this tool is that it is quite expensive. For ordinary homeowners or occasional DIYers, the higher price may be difficult to justify.

If you need a wire cutter designed for continuous and powerful cutting, then IGAN's diagonal wire cutter may be just what you need. Its blades are made of induction hardened high-carbon steel for maximum durability and service life. A strong pivot point is close to the cutting jaws for easy and powerful cutting. The comfortable handle is combined with the spring-loaded mechanism, which is comfortable for one-handed operation and minimizes fatigue caused by long-term use.

If you want a flush wire cutter that can enter a small space and grab thin wires, LAOA's pointed wire cutter can meet your needs. Durable induction hardened, high-carbon steel blades and jaws not only cut and grab wires; they also have a crimper and several wire stripping slots.

The spring-loaded and comfortable handle is not only comfortable to use, but also made of electrically insulating, non-conductive rubber, suitable for live wires. The main disadvantage is that they are more expensive than many other needle-nose knives. However, higher quality and additional features may make them well worth the extra cost.

For a truly versatile tool that performs well and can stand the test of time, please consider the IRWIN VISE-GRIP wire stripping tool/wire cutter. For shoppers using live wires, the 4-in-1 Lineman Plier Pro Lineman Tools 9-inch combination has an insulated rubber handle for extra protection.

When collecting our preferred wire cutters, we make sure to provide a list that covers the range of wire cutter types available, as well as options for flush, diagonal, needle nose, and multi-purpose tools. During our research process, we ensured that the design is taken into consideration and that the handles of our recommended products stand out in terms of ergonomics and comfort to reduce fatigue.

One of the obvious characteristics of wire cutters is the sharp blades, so the products on our recommended list are made of heavy-duty materials, which can provide long-lasting sharp edges and be able to cut thick wires in the next few years.

Many of our options also come with additional features, such as wire stripping and crimping, which increase the versatility of the tool and provide shoppers with a single tool that can handle a range of electrical tasks.

Before you start using your new wire cutter, you may have some lingering questions about some of its functions and how to use them. To do this, please consider the answers to the following common questions.

You can use the wire cutter like scissors: separate the handle to open the cutting blades, insert the wire between the blades, and then close the handle to bring the blades together and cut the wire. You can also insert the terminal block connector into the crimping groove (if equipped) for crimping or insert the wire into the corresponding stripping groove for stripping.

When you no longer apply manual force to keep the handle closed, the wire cutters with spring handles will automatically open. If the wire cutter is not spring-loaded, you can open the handle with your non-dominant hand, or you can flick it with the hand that uses the pliers.

Before cutting the cable, you should make sure that it is not energized ("live"). You can use a line tester to verify that the wires are live. To be extra careful, you can turn off the power to the part of your home where you work at the main fuse box.

Whether a wire cutter can cut metal depends on the rated cutting capacity of the scissors and whether it has additional bolt cutters specifically designed for cutting metal. Some wire cutters can only cut small copper wires, while others can cut screws, nails and other metal objects.

ESD stands for "Electrostatic Discharge". ESD safe wire cutters are evaluated by a third-party certification body that determines their electrical insulation level. Even if the wire cutter is not considered "ESD safe", it may still have an insulated handle to prevent electric shock.

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