6 Best Mole Grips of 2023

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With a decent collection of DIY-level tools and accessories, Workpro are a solid budget brand that make some interesting kit. Their 3-piece mole grip set contains the different size and shape locking pliers you might need for jobs around the home or garden. For the money, you’re getting a seriously comfortable set of grips that lock on hard to whatever you need them to.

Not satisfied with offering a single pair of ever-useful mole grips, Workpro have gone all the way and come up with a three-pack that costs less than a single pro-level set of pliers. This isn’t to say that they’re of bargain-basement quality, however. Made from Chrome Vanadium steel, they’re reliably weatherproof and pretty hard-wearing as well.

You get a large 10” and medium size 7” curved jaw set, and a straight-jaw type set of pliers that measures just over 6” long. The best thing about them is their soft-grip handles. Locking on these types of pliers can be hard on the hands, so I’m glad they’ve thought about that.

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Stanley’s Fatmax curve jaw pliers are innovative in their design and offer an excellent set of vice grips that have advanced geometry, to make the grip even and stop slippage. The black coating makes these locking pliers stand out from traditional mole grips and will stop them from ever rusting.

There were two features that made these the best locking pliers we’ve seen from Stanley so far. The first is the eyebolt adjuster. This was easy to grip on its own, but you could also use a screwdriver for extra torque or turning speed.

The second feature that makes this set of jaw grips stand out against the rest is the patented Trulock button on the side. With this engaged, the jaw grips will not spring open in your tool box or come loose when gripped onto the workpiece.

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Knipex are one of the World’s most trusted tool manufacturers, and make the best locking pliers that we have ever tested. The parts have all been properly machined and fit together perfectly, with no lateral wobble.

We really liked the attention to detail on the knurled bolt handle and the spring action lever. Knipex Grip Pliers were easy to operate one-handed and allowed for great accuracy in setting the jaw diameter of these vice grips. The red detailing on the release lever is a nice touch as well.

Our favourite feature of the best mole grips on this list is the wire cutting section.  Sharp enough to cut heavy gauge wire using the lever action, we can see this being useful in plenty of situations in the future.

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This Milwaukee Torque Lock line of tools are well suited for the job, with chrome vanadium plating and aggressive Maxbite teeth inside the jaws themselves. The handy wire cutters made an appearance here as well, making these mini mole grips a more versatile tool.

We liked the red adjuster eyebolt feature the most; it gives the adjuster the leverage it needs when you really need to grip something tight. And as the lightest set of vice grips on this list, we think they’re the best small mole grips in this price range.

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If you’re looking for the best long nose mole grips, then look no further than these excellent Irwin Vise-Grip pliers. When you need to get into tight spaces, the long nose is hardened and won’t bend due to the heat-treated alloy steel used in construction.

With Irwin’s customary well-knurled adjuster, it’s easy to clamp down with accurate force, and the thin body on these long nose mole grips means they can get into places that the other locking pliers on this list just can’t reach.

They’re light, but still apply as much force as locking pliers much larger. They’re the best small mole grips for fine work, and we think these long nose mole grips will stand up against the hardest bolts in the tightest spaces.

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Irwin are considered to be the original US locking plier manufacturer with over 100 years of experience making a huge range of capable tools. The Irwin 10WRC pliers are no exception. Using heat-treated alloy steel and chrome plating, these adjustable grips are as tough as you’d expect.

The adjusting bolt felt smooth and secure, and there was no sideways movement in the jaws when clamped. The jaw grips come together at a point, which helps when you need to grip odd shapes or small objects.

With an excellent span of nearly 50 mm, they’re the best locking pliers that you can buy from Irwin right now in this size.