I love the light weight, but sure would hate for it to break when I am throwing all my weight onto it. However, if you want a pipe wrench, then this is probably not what you want. The only downside is that this wrench is really only designed for light work. It does come out the 1st quarter of 2016 according to the Milwaukee rep interviewed by TIA. You will be sorry you did. This makes it much more comfortable than other options. It does not have a large capacity in length, which means that it can only be used for very specific jobs. Theyre very common in plumbers toolboxes, but many homeowners have them as well. They are very lightweight as well, which means they are not suitable for harder projects. I personally bought my second set on Craigslist. This prevents rust primarily, which is the number one destroyer of tools. I now have the Rigid and couldn't be happier. On the other hand, for those who need to save on money, the Tradespro 830914 Pipe Wrench is a better option. Now well take a look at some of the most important features to consider when purchasing a pipe wrench. This makes it only suitable for those who work on very small pipes, which really isnt most people. We particularly liked that it is made with heavy-duty drop forged steel. In this case, youre really getting what you pay for. This is not absolutely a horrible thing, but it is very annoying and cuts back on your efficiency. Let me start off by saying I work for an oilfield company and the majority of my job consists of running process pipe that is schedule 80. If I had my top choice of pipe wrench I would go with the aluminum ridgid wrench. They have high hardness and are extremely wear-resistant. I think I am going to get one when it does hit the shelf. Is there any other pipe wrench worth wild to consider? It's light and works well in tight quarters. It is very easy to use and does not cause fatigue like other, heavier options. I've got one of their MAPP torches, and find that their threader is better than the comparable Ridgid. They have a decent handle and a high pipe capacity. This is decently large and suitable for most pipes, without being so large that the cost of the wrench is going to shoot up. It tends to slip on pipes. It has a cast iron housing, which does make it quite durable. +1 for Rigid 24" aluminum . The bible is my constitution and the constitution is my bible. The adjustment-nut is extremely easy to adjust quickly as well. Overall, the quality is just lower than other options on our list. Gain access to our free AOP (Ask a Professional) Section to get real answers for your questions. Because of this, it is obvious that this pipe wrench is best suited to smaller pipes, making it perfect for residential plumbers and homeowners. I've had mine for 5-6 years now of daily use. The handles are supposed to be soft and comfortable on the hand. Ridgid is the best IMO, when I worked in the trade we were not allowed to use aluminum Ridgid pipe wrenches, so we always had the cast. I needed a couple pipe wrenches recently. Professionals will likely need at least one wrench that can go bigger than this just in case. Pipe wrenches come in various sizes. The one I would pick up 9 times out of 10 was an aluminum 18" ridgid. Take the old one home if it's a keepsake. Ask Our Pros-Owner Assistance - NO DIY advice will be given. I believe they have a lifetime warranty if I remember correctly, if you need anything bigger that 14 inch I would stick with Ridgid. They are the only thing I've bought from harbor freight that hasn't broke, and they're heavy as all hell, but I enjoy that. Fascinated by all sort of tools, Pete loves reading and writing about all the latest gadgets and accessories that hit the market. However, it seems that you can push this wrench to about 7 inches in actuality. Instead, it is more important for the coating to be durable and stay on for the tools lifespan. In an effort to try something new, I went to lowes and got two of their smaller Kobalt pipe wrenches for the tight work. avi, Lenox is making s decent pipe wrench, if you want second best. The teeth are machined to fit together perfectly, which improves grip. .I literally spend 12 hours a day every day with a darn pipe wrench in my hand. It may not display this or other websites correctly. Aluminum Ridgid 24. As with most tools, the large majority of pipe wrenches have some sort of coating. I can speak from experience they are durable. How Long to Stay off a New Asphalt Driveway? The teeth are sharp and non-breaking. It is made with deep-forged steel, so the coating is essential to prevent rust. I love my harbor freight pipe wrenches. If your not doing plumbing every day this should work just fine. Mallets and hammers are used for very similar circumstances. The only downside is they are heavy. If this is what you need, then this might be the correct tool for you. Thanks guys for all your input it was great reading and i learned a thing or two. They make them in all sizes, but this one goes up to 1.75". If you ever get this wrench out, youre probably only going to be using it on very minor projects and small pipes. I mean, how much is a 24" Rigid really??? No, I have not. The forged hook jaw provides plenty of grip and adjusts quickly. even the husky stuff seems fine pipe wrenches are overrated. Press J to jump to the feed. I have a pair ( straight and offset) 10" Ridgid pipe wrenches that we're my Grandfathers, one of the best things about Ridgid is when the jaws start to wear out you can replace the jaws without replacing the entire wrench. I use Ridgid Aluminum there really nice and are priced well I love my 24 inch one its really light. I'm curious to see how the Protogrip wrenches work. I understand this, which is why I mentioned that the Cobras will handle a cheater pipe no problem. Furthermore, it tends to break. Figured I'd get a set of 14's, 18's, and 24's. With all of these positive features, this wrench is extremely expensive. One thing I will not cheap out on is waterpump pliers it's knipex cobras for me. However, it is fake. I thought aluminum was the way to go because steel was outdated. Its light weight is mostly due to its aluminum construction. This is great! I myself prefer cast iron. The Tradespro 830914 Pipe Wrench is much cheaper than other pipe wrenches on the market. The smaller sizes you should be fine with any manufacture. We really liked this feature, but the fact that the wrench is so breakable makes it unusable. With all the different features pipe wrenches come with, though, it can be difficult to find the best pipe wrench for you. If youre a professional, you probably want to have all of these at your disposal, especially if you work on a variety of projects regularly. I have two sets of aluminum ridigd wrenches. Because of its design, this pipe wrench is a bit lighter than other options. It is also slip-resistant a nice addition to any wrench. JavaScript is disabled. . Whenever you pay such a small amount for a set of wrenches, you need to be suspicious. The grip also isnt terribly great. However, it is not as comfortable as other options. My dad taught for the UA for many years, so I have been around fitters all my life. The Performance Tool W1133-8B Pipe Wrench is very tiny. The teeth are very durable because of the heat treatment. Rothenberger is nice, and easily the equal of Ridgid. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. However, it is not a good option for most users. From what I understand Ridgid is the go to company when it comes to pipe wrenches, supposed to be second to none. Knipex makes some nice pipe wrenches along with an XXL Cobra that's 22" in length. When you buy via links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. http://www.ridgid.com/Tools/RapidGrih/EN/index.htm, If this is your first visit, be sure to Their bite is poor and has a hard time gripping onto anything. You need to put the phone down and get back to work! Here are some other wrenches weve written about: For most readers, we prefer the RIDGID 31100 Straight Pipe Wrench. This pipe wrench has a pipe capacity of to 2 inches. Display as a link instead, There is no one-size-fits-all best pipe wrench out there. All rights reserved. Still, comfort can be an important consideration for those rare times you do pull this wrench out, so dont buy the worst one on the market either. However, this is done to provide even weight distribution and decrease fatigue. We hope that this article helped you figure out what you need in a pipe wrench. So I'm in the market for a pipe wrench. Ridgid has been making them forever, and the fact that all that's wrong with your old one is that it has wear from years of use should make it easy. These are neither cast iron or aluminium. All in all, however, we think its one of the best pipe wrenches for the money available today. It is perfectly suitable for working in tighter quarters and hard-to-reach spaces. Its bright yellow color also means that this tool wont get lost as easily as other tools. I experience this about a month ago. Had an 18" and a 24".couldn't hardly give them away5 bucks each. For a Snap-On branded tool, the price isn't bad. This wrench is only usable for certain projects because all the wrenches are pretty small. By It does not have a warranty, or at least not one that is readily usable. I can't remember when the Milwaukee set is coming out, but I like the idea you can change out handle lengths with one wrench. Copyright 2022 House Grail. would you go cast iron or aluminum? The new Milwaukee cheater looks interesting also. House Grail is reader-supported. However, it may be plenty for most homeowners. I have cast iron pipe wrenches, they work great. I have this thing from snap-on, and it's the last pipe wrench you will ever need. Youll also like that it has a replaceable hook jaw, heel jaw, and spring assembly. Youll be paying way more for this wrench than the others on this list. I have never used a lenox or reed. Remember our vets, they need our help, just like they helped us. The new milwaukee ones coming out soon look promising as quality tools like all milwaukee stuff (I actually have a major issue with a corded milwaukee rotary hammer that's on it's way for the third repair in one year all for the same problem but thats for a different post)and i liked the innovation of the built-in cheater bar so I'll keep an eye open for the relese. Both of these coatings are high-quality. Our buyers guide should provide you with a good idea of what features you need, while our reviews help you aim for the perfect model. Do not advertise or try to compare pricing. As you might have noticed, this wrench is very small. Does steel have an advantage? I agree 100%. It may be suitable when used alongside other wrenches, or if youre a professional who is looking for a tiny wrench in particular. Hi Geoff. It is made with heavy-duty cast iron and is heat-treated to avoid distortion and breaking. They are a brand that you can depend on to get the job done. It is made with drop forged steel and is heat-treated to ensure that it remains durable for years to come. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. Participate in over 40 different forums and search/browse from nearly 3 million posts. This tool also isnt as sturdy as we would have liked. I have been getting by with an old. For what ever the reason, the same places that have ridgids have the lenox aluminiums in the smaller sizes too. This wrench has a 6-inch capacity as well, making it one of the larger wrenches on this list. We did like the adjustment nut as well, which is self-cleaning and non-stick. Seem to be fairly decent despite being made in china. I know I've seen them other places too. Anyone have back luck with aluminium pipe wrenches and cheater pipes? Aluminum is the way to go. We liked that the adjustment-nut is non-stick. The reason these wrenches are so cheap is because theyre decently low quality. For example, you can replace the hook jaw, heel jaw, and spring assembly. check out the. Homeowners are going to need a different wrench than professionals. For this reason, we rated it as a decent pipe wrench at number five on our list. However, this makes it more suitable for larger jobs. I am interested in the Milwaukee cheater pipe wrenches. - no mention of USA on the Ridgid website. How Much Does It Cost to Repair a Deck In 2022? Ridgid user here too, I have both cast and aluminum, rarely use the cast. In this article, well review some of the best pipe wrenches on the market to give you a good idea of whats out there. i got two ridgid 14 and 2 18 no idea why but now if i was to pick id get one 12-14 and the milwaukee cheater. I have some Ridgids and a Rothenberger, (very nice, German made) but I fail to see why you would even have to ask this question. Death is a passionate kisser. With a 2-inch opening capacity, this wrench is quite a bit smaller than other options. What You Need To Know! You must log in or register to reply here. The I-beam handle is fully floating, helping you quickly adjust the wrench and get a strong grip. However, while all of these wrenches are designed for the exact same purpose, they can vary in quality and size. They both look cool, but that Proto wrench is at another level!! It is very lightweight, though it doesnt necessarily lose its durability because of this. Youll particularly like that this pipe wrench comes with a hammer head design, which provides a flat surface for hammering.