Over at Amazon, this Channellock 10″ chrome-finish adjustable wrench (810W) is currently on sale for under $18.
Channellock adjustable wrenches are among the best in the industry today, featuring a strong adjustment mechanism and incredibly smooth operation.
They’re made in Spain, presumably by Irega.
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Sale Price: $17.45
I like Channellock’s WideAzz adjustable wrenches better, but at the time of this posting it costs more than twice as much. WideAzz wrenches open wider have Channellock’s super-comfortable CodeBlue handles.
“But Pliers Wrenches are better.” Yes, and no. In my opinion, most users can benefit from having both at their disposal.
Adjustable wrenches work well when you need to hold a fastener steady. For instance, if I don’t have sockets or wrenches nearby, I might turn a bolt head with a Pliers Wrench while holding its nut in position with an adjustable wrench.
The Knipex Pliers Wrench works great at turning fasteners, with an almost ratcheting-like action, but with the downside of having to apply pressure to the handles.
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Jack D
I’m surprised to find I already have this in my toolbox… You’re usually pretty good about pointing out things I don’t have…LOL
Stuart
Don’t worry, there’s more on deck! I just caught this one on sale and it seemed noteworthy.
Renae
Thanks! I have the 12 inch and love it. I prefer the weight of the Paramount adjustable wrenches (I have the.. err, 15 or 18 inch), but the sides bite into my hand. Went ahead and grabbed this, adjustables are always useful.
William
Ordered two of them, thanks for the heads up
Jim
I picked up a Bahco 9031R (also made in Spain) and like it even more than the WideAzz. The tips are longer and taper further, making them useful for smaller spaces when needed. They also have a larger / more useful hanger hole, and the handle fits in a tool bag slot better than the huge blue handle on the CLs.
Stuart
I have that one too (8″) – according to Amazon I bought it back in 2014.
It’s also a great tool, but I prefer the Channellock WideAzz.
David+VandeBerg
I use an adjustable on occasion, I just want one that doesn’t adjust because I touched the wheel, or is so “easy action” it won’t stay where I need it.
Aaron
It is a shame that adjustable wrenches are no longer made in the USA.
Jammer
Sometimes you csn still find stock on sites like: https://www.harryepstein.com/
MM
I use pliers wrenches more often than I do adjustable wrenches, but I agree that that they are not always replacements for each other. A pliers wrench requires grip, an adjustable wrench does not. You can’t “ghost wrench” with the pliers wrench. Adjustable wrenches are also available in both larger and smaller sizes than pliers wrenches. In the larger sizes the adjustable wrench has wider jaws, giving better engagement with the fastener, and they are also a lot stronger. You can get away with a cheater pipe on a big adjustable wrench. You can’t get away with that with a pliers wrench.
Raycr
While adjustables come larger than plier wrenches, now the P.W.’s Come just as tiny as the smallest A.W.
Both can now fit on a key chain.
MM
My Bahco 4″ adjustable wrenches have a considerably smaller “head” than the XS model pliers wrench, in terms of width and thickness, and I believe there are sizes available even smaller than that on the market. I think General makes a 2.5″ inch, for example.
notinuse
Five bucks cheaper than Menard’s normal price is a good deal. Ordered one, thanks for the tip Stuart.
Stephen Hogg
Worked in a shop fixing airplanes for a couple years. If you are able, it is preferred to turn the nut not the bolt. Makes sense too.
Stuart
Thank you! Is this to avoiding wearing the surface under the bolt head?
In a lot of cases, that’s simply not possible, and the best I could hope to do is hold a nut steady
IronWood
Yes! Always turn the nut if possible. It was explained to me long ago that the spinning bolt has resistance through the hole, misaligned parts, etc., and the nut is supposed to be torqued against the bolt threads, not the bolt against the hole, parts, and nut combined.
IronWood
Love the Irega/Channellock wrenches. I have these or Proto for all my adjustable wrenches now, having finally gotten rid of all the inferior ones I’d collected over the years. Good deal on them sub-$20.
Kris
I’m glad the lower price was only for a day or two. I really like these wrenches and almost bought another pair but I looked at the NWS pliers wrenches I got for black Friday and passed this time. I sent the link to my employer so maybe there’s a chance a couple still get in my hands this month.
Franco
“The Knipex Pliers Wrench works great at turning fasteners, with an almost ratcheting-like action, but with the downside of having to apply pressure to the handles.”….and the other downside of the Knipex is the price.
Stuart
I know it’s not an easy expenditure, and it actually took me quite a while to budget for my first.
I also don’t know anyone who has expressed buyer’s remorse over the Knipex Pliers Wrench.
Franco
I don’t really have buyers remorse either but it isn’t my “go to” tool either. I have tons of tools and I will typically go with whatever is closest at hand.
I bought 2 of the pliers wrench 10-15 years ago when Lowes was liquidating them. I like them but in many situations, if it is close by, I will probably grab it. Otherwise, there are many tools that will do the same job effectively.
It is not, at least for me, a tool I cannot live without. Going back in time to when I bought them, knowing what I know now, I might just buy 1 and even then, maybe just do without and spend the money on other tools.
Raycr
I have 5 of them in different sizes from the second smallest to the largest. I sent back the smallest since it was too small for my hands. It could fit on a key chain.
I also didn’t like the single non replaceable pivot joint instead of dual pivots, and the bare metal handles.
The next size up had about the same size head and jaws so it can get in the same tight spots. They are a very small fraction wider so more robust in construction. The rubber coated handles were about an inch longer.
You learn to appreciate that German steel lasts a long time so you amortize the higher cost over a longer time.
The hinge pivot is replaceable for just a few bucks so they are designed to last decades for an average buyer.
I like the leverage they generated in even a small space.
Raycr
I mean plier wrench.