Lenox, a Stanley Black & Decker company, has come out with a new 10″ pliers wrench, capable of working with 3″ plumbing hardware.
The Lenox pliers wrench, LXHT90540, is designed with smooth jaws, which they say helps to provide for damage-free operation to a variety of plumbing fixtures and even flush valves.
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The pliers wrench has a chrome finish, and a quick adjust mechanism that Lenox says is 2X faster than traditional groove joint pliers.
The non-marring jaws have an opening range of 0″ to 3″. Online specs say the jaws measure 1.125″ long and 0.3″ at the tip.
Price: $40
Buy Now via Lowe’s
See Also: Knipex 10″ Pliers Wrench via Amazon
Compare: Channellock Smooth Pliers via Amazon
Discussion
To be frank, I wasn’t very fond of Irwin’s pliers wrench-style tool, despite my affinity for Knipex’s original Pliers Wrench. You can read more about my early experiences with the Irwin pliers here. Basically, I felt that the jaw adjustment settings weren’t perfectly tuned for hex fasteners, one of the types of things I occasionally use my Knipex Pliers Wrench on without any issue.
With this Lenox pliers wrench – and can they even call it a pliers wrench, I thought this was a Knipex trademark or something – it’s designed for plumbing fixtures, and so it has a huge jaw opening width adjustment range. The jaws are also quite long, seemingly making them well suited for plumbing applications.
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I’m a bit surprised that the new Lenox pliers wrench are priced at $40, and with no mention of where they’re made, I assume they’re made overseas at the same place as the Irwin adjustable pliers they resemble. That’s not a bad thing, and the unique nature of the jaw design does look to warrant premium pricing.
Is there anything on the market right now like this, aside from traditional tongue and groove and adjustable pliers?
In comparison, Channellock’s 415 pliers – USA-made and ~$20 via Amazon – have 1.38″ jaws that are 0.44″ wide. But, they only open to 2″.
The Knipex 10″ Pliers Wrench – made in Germany and ~$53 via Amazon – only open to 1-3/4″.
h/t @mechanicalhub
chip hershberger
After Knipex, every other brand feels ungainly.
I have a pair with me all the time,for pipe,fasteners, bending.
In my mind plierwrenches are the single purpose handtool.
Lance
At first glance these Lennox look difficult to use. The huge adjustment range means the further you open the adjustment the closer the handles get together and the grip changes considerably.
Maybe this is not a big deal in practice, but it sure doesn’t look good in the pictures. This is true of Knipex as well, but I find them very easy to adjust for comfort in use.
rob
Apparently, the VBW/Stahlwille version is better, but I’m completely satisfied with the original Knipex ones I own and (being there’s no teeth) they’ll likely never need replacement.
TheTool
That’s because you haven’t tried VBW, NWS or many other plier wrench competitors. You’re stuck on Knipex with limited experience.
Jared
I love my Knipex pliers wrenches. Excellent problem-solving tools with more uses than you’d expect.
There is something else on the market with that jaw capacity – the 16″ Knipex pliers wrench XL opens to 3 & 3/8″- but those are priced at ~$100.
These Lennox ones look less clunky than the Irwins. Because of the skinnier jaws and shorter handles, I assume they are less heavy duty than Knipex’s version. Might depend how thick they are though. Obviously they’d be weaker at the tips, but Knipex’s jaws aren’t that deep (unless the short handles are throwing off my perspective.
Hmm. I’ve contemplated the 16″ Knipex before, but I have several large combination wrenches and some really large adjustable wrenches that mostly do the same thing – haven’t had enough reason to drop the $100 for Knipex. These Lennox pliers are cheap enough to be tempting. I don’t do plumbing though, so they’d be tasked with different jobs and I wonder how well they would handle it.
Jared
How did I not know Channellock had smooth-jaw pliers?!
Thanks for posting that link. Do they come in any other sizes besides 10″? My quick google suggested no, but I’d be more likely to buy some small ones.
fred
We had Channellock 415’s for many years before we bought our first pair of Knipex plier wrenches 20 years ago. The guys immediately liked the Knipex pliers better.
Jared
That seems fair. Smooth- jaw Channellocks would seem like a step back in almost all uses cases, even if they were decent pliers.
I was thinking it might be nice at times to have some smaller smooth jaw pliers for holding work pieces that might get marred. Not that Knipex couldn’t do the same thing, but if I want to add a size between my 125mm and 250mm pliers wrenches, it’s going to be ~$70-80 (at least here in Canada). I just looked up the Channellock 415’s on Amazon and they’re only $16.
Stuart
Unfortunately, no, the smooth jaw style is only available in 10″ sizing.
Yadda
Seems Tom leave some room for product line growth if they become popular.
Nate B
Oh these look great, for when you need a ton of range but not a ton of leverage, why haul around a gigantic Knipex?
I’m in for one.
fred
In fact, in working on drain/slip nuts under a sink – you don’t have the room to swing a long handled tool. That’s why those stubby – but wide mouth adjustable wrenches have an appeal.
Billy
I agree. That’s why i cut a few inches off the handles of an older pair of large Channellocks.
Chris S
Like the dorky 3rd cousin of knipex…
I will probably get a pair for the hell of it, but the durability probably won’t be equivalent to knipex.
TheTool
Knipex is overpriced and overrated. VBW, NWS, Gedore, Wiha and many others have better pliers wrenches.
Robert
I love my Knipex, but this Lenox also looks promising 🙂 It’s a pity you can’t buy it in Poland.
https://i.postimg.cc/j2BWZSqs/IMG-2045.jpg
Ian
Saw these in store and liked. Feel smooth, and im a long time knipex guy
Mike S
These are made in China, and they do not seem to be at the level of quality as the Knipex. I passed, as I do not have an immediate need for this.
TheTool
Take your made in China attitude somewhere else. Or better yet take it to a Knipex echo chamber. You realize that being made in China doesn’t mean that the quality is inferior? What are you going to complain that the VBW/NWS/Gedore/Hazet/Wiha etc aren’t Knipex either? Pathetic
Stuart
Please try to be civil when disagreeing. Everyone is entitled to their opinions.