The Best Adjustable Wrenches, Tested by Our Experts

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Best Overall

Crescent 10-Inch Adjustable Black Oxide Wrench

Buy at Amazon



Buy at The Home Depot

Best Bang For The Buck

Dewalt 2-Piece Dip Grip Adjustable Wrench

Buy at Amazon



Buy at The Home Depot

Best Upgrade

Channellock 8WCB Code Blue WideAzz Adjustable Wrench

Buy at Amazon



Buy at The Home Depot

Whether you’re a DIYer or a professional repair technician, there are a few classic tools that everyone needs, and one of those tools is a high-quality adjustable wrench. Adjustable wrenches are able to adapt to fit various fastener sizes with just the twist of a screw. They can do the job of several wrenches at once, which saves time and space. We tested seven adjustable wrenches to find the best to handle jobs both large and small. The Crescent 10-Inch Adjustable Black Oxide Wrench, with its great build quality, solid performance, and affordable price, proved to be the best of the bunch.

Finding the best adjustable wrench can sometimes be a challenge. Loads of low-quality wrenches are available, and they’ll lead to more stripped and rounded-over fasteners than they’re worth. Instead, users should aim to find a high-quality wrench that adjusts easily and is capable of providing a strong, reliable grip on fasteners. Aside from walking you through which features matter and why, we’ll also highlight a few of our favorite models to help you choose the best adjustable wrench for your repair needs.

1. BEST OVERALL: Crescent 10-Inch Adjustable Black Oxide Wrench
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2. BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK:Dewalt 2-Piece Dip Grip Adjustable Wrench
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3. BEST UPGRADE: Channellock 8WCB Code Blue WideAzz Adjustable Wrench
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4. BEST GRIP: Irwin VISE-GRIP Adjustable Wrench
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5. BEST FOR BIKES: Tekton 4-Inch Adjustable Wrench
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6. BEST CAPACITY: Klein Tools Extra-Capacity Adjustable Wrench
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7. BEST SET: Milwaukee 2-Piece Adjustable Wrench Set
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Adjustable Wrenches Comparison

Our Top Picks

Now that you have a little background on the best adjustable wrenches, you’re ready to start learning about some of the top products on the market. Keep all of the above considerations in mind to ensure you choose the best adjustable wrench for your repair needs.

Our Ratings

If you’re looking for a hand-adjustable wrench from one of the original names in the business, check out the Crescent 10-inch Adjustable Black Oxide Wrench. Utilizing heat-treated forged alloy steel, Crescent paid special attention to proportions to create this strong yet lightweight wrench. We tested the 10-inch version of this model, but it’s also available in four other sizes.

The Crescent wrench lacks some of the ergonomics you‘ll find on other adjustable wrenches, but its design and durability are undeniably impressive. The black oxide finish is tough and provides a slip-resistant surface, too.

The design features an oversize adjustment screw that is easy to reach and manipulate with your thumb while holding the handle, and it turns smoothly. The jaws open to a maximum capacity of 1 5/16 inches, which is about a 1/4 inch smaller than other 10-inch adjustable wrenches we’ve tested. That smaller opening can limit its ability to work with larger fasteners.

The tension spring stabilizes the jaw, creating a secure grip on fasteners. We tested it on larger plumbing fasteners, using it to connect a hose splitter to an outdoor spigot. While doing so, we didn’t experience any slipping or rounding off.

Despite lacking the rubberized grips of other crescent wrenches, the smooth, rounded grip feels comfortable in the hand, even when exerting heavy pressure on the handle.

What our tester says: “I’ve used my Crescent adjustable wrench for a variety of jobs over the years and it never disappoints. I can get a good grip on its large handle, and there’s enough tension in the jaws to fit tightly onto nuts and bolts.”—Tony Carrick, Product Reviews tester and writer

Get the Crescent adjustable wrench atAmazon orThe Home Depot.

Our Ratings

Featuring a 6-inch wrench and a 10-inch wrench, DeWalt’s set of adjustable wrenches offers great quality at a very affordable price. The handles on both tools have a rubber-dipped coating, which made them more comfortable to use and easier to grip than the adjustable wrenches we tested that had bare metal handles.

Coupled with a black oxide finish, the coated handle provides this set with excellent protection against corrosion. Unfortunately, that black oxide finish extends onto the adjuster, which makes it a bit more difficult to turn than other adjustable wrenches we tested.

Although the adjuster only uses three threads, there’s very little play in the jaws. As a result, both adjustable wrenches fit snugly onto bolt heads with minimal slipping or rounding off. We used the 6-inch wrench to work bolts on the supply lines for a faucet under a kitchen sink and were able to get a tight grip on the nut. The large 10-inch wrench fit tightly onto the battery terminals on our Toyota Tundra. Overall, this set of wrenches is well-made, comfortable to use, and very reasonably priced.

Get the DeWalt 2-piece adjustable wrench set atAmazon orThe Home Depot.

Our Ratings

The Channellock 8WCB Code Blue WideAzz Adjustable Wrench checks all the boxes for what most folks want out of an adjustable wrench. It boasts a maximum capacity of up to 1½ inches, which is huge for an 8-inch tool. And on top of that, you can actually get an additional ¼ inch of capacity out of it by adjusting it all the way out.

While the 1½-inch width is an excellent feature, it doesn’t tell the whole story. This adjustable wrench also features longer jaws than its competitors, creating a more slip-resistant grip on the fastener. We experienced no slipping when using it to work a large bolt on a sink drain. (That being said, those longer jaws were awkward for smaller fasteners.)

While the Channellock’s shorter handle produces less torque than adjustable wrenches with longer handles, the rubberized coating on the handle made it comfortable to grip, so we were able to pull hard on the wrench to work larger bolts.

A four-thread knurled adjustment screw provides positive and secure adjustments for optimal results. The laser-etched size markings are easy to read so that you can dial in whatever size you need. The WideAzz adjustable wrench with a grip isn’t cheap, but it’s worth splurging on if your projects require using an adjustable wrench regularly.

What our tester says: “They’re not cheap, but if you find yourself doing a lot of plumbing projects or other jobs that require an adjustable wrench, it’s worth the investment. You won’t find an adjustable wrench with a better grip or tighter jaws.”—Tony Carrick, Product Reviews tester and writer

Get the Chanellock atAmazon orThe Home Depot.

Our Ratings

Irwin has a reputation for producing high-quality hand tools that are affordably priced and designed with user comfort in mind, and this adjustable wrench is a prime example of that. With a large handle that’s covered in rubberized grip, it was one of the most comfortable in the hand while also being the most affordable option.

We were able to wrench on a stubborn bolt inside our Toyota Tundra engine without any painful pressure points on our palms. That added grip allowed us to produce greater torque than other 8-inch crescent wrenches we’ve used.

Irwin’s crescent wrench is also durably made with a black oxide coating that helps protect it from corrosion. We also liked the black etched measurements, which we found easier to read than those with no black filling in the etches.

Irwin’s crescent wrench adjuster only uses three threads, which is fewer than the four threads that most other 8-inch crescent wrenches feature. Still, we felt very little play in the jaws, though those fewer threads did make it slightly more difficult to turn the adjuster. The jaws also have a smaller capacity than other 8-inch crescent wrenches we’ve tested, maxing out at about 1¼ inches.

Get the Irwin adjustable wrench atAmazon.

Our Ratings

Choosing the best adjustable wrench for bike repair requires some consideration. It needs to be compact enough to carry but large enough to tackle the hex fasteners you’re likely to find on modern bikes. This adjustable wrench from Tekton is more than capable of meeting those varied needs. It’s drop-forged and heat-treated for strength and durability, while the chrome-plated finish will resist corrosion caused by trailside repairs in muddy conditions.

This small adjustable wrench is 4 inches in length, allowing you to pack it in a “bike packing” bag with ease. The jaws provide a maximum width of ½ inch, while the knurl allows you to make adjustments as small as 1 millimeter at a time. It includes both SAE and metric laser-etched markings on opposing sides of the wrench.

Its compact size made it ideal for working with smaller bolts on a bicycle. Plus, it was small enough to fit easily in a pocket or a small saddlebag. The jaws open up to a max of ½ inch, which is enough to handle most bolts you’d encounter on a bike. The adjuster only has three threads, so there’s more play in the jaws than we’d like, but we were still able to use it to loosen and tighten smaller nuts and bolts with relative ease.

Get the Tekton adjustable wrench atAmazon.

Our Ratings

Klein’s compact wrench is small enough to carry around in a pocket or tool belt while still offering enough capacity to handle a broad range of nut and bolt sizes. This 6-inch wrench has a nearly 1-inch max jaw capacity, something you’ll typically find on a larger adjustable wrench. This broader size allowed us to use it on a variety of bolts, from water supply lines on our kitchen sink faucet to larger nuts inside our truck engine. The Klein crescent wrench is also compact enough that we could comfortably carry it around in a back pocket.

The handle is covered in a rubberized grip that makes it comfortable to hold and grip, which we found especially useful when working with larger bolts. The four-thread adjuster is easy to turn and makes adjusting with one hand simple.

Our main complaint was with the jaws, which have more play in them than we’d like. This made for a less secure grip on bolts. As a result, we experienced a bit more slipping with this adjustable wrench than with others we tested. That issue aside, the Klein 6-inch wrench’s wide capacity, coupled with its small size, makes it an ideal crescent wrench to keep in your pocket.

Get the Klein adjustable wrench atLowe’s orAmazon.

Our Ratings

Milwaukee’s adjustable wrench set boasts the excellent build quality we’ve come to expect from the brand, and it comes at a surprisingly affordable price. The set includes both a 6-inch and a 10-inch wrench, both of which boast impressive build quality. The most noticeable difference with Milwaukee’s adjustable wrenches is in its adjusters. While other crescent wrenches have three or four threads, Milwaukee’s have five. This made for very stable jaws. The 10-inch wrench gripped tightly to a hose splitter we installed on an outdoor spigot, offering a tight grip even when wrenched hard on it.

While the wrenches do not have a rubberized covering, the closed-handle logo on the handle made them more comfortable to grip. The 10-inch wrench has a 1⅜-inch max jaw capacity, which is smaller than some of the other 10-inch adjustable wrenches we tested, while the 6-inch size has a 15/16-inch max jaw capacity. Combined, this duo gives you the ability to handle most nuts and bolts you’ll encounter around the house.

While both wrenches have laser etchings for metric and SAE sizes, we did find them harder to read than those with black etchings. The wrenches are chrome-plated to resist rust and corrosion.

Get the Milwaukee 2-piece adjustable wrench set atThe Home Depot.

Jump To Our Top Picks

How We Tested the Best Adjustable Wrenches

To create our list of the best adjustable wrenches, we began by researching over two dozen models, most of which were from brands that we at Bob Vila trust to produce quality hand tools. We compared specs and combed through user reviews to help us select seven standout selections for hands-on testing. In our tests, we drilled a series of holes of varying sizes in a 2×4, then attached bolts with nuts of varying sizes to each hole.

We then tested each adjustable wrench on the bolts, tightening and loosening to see how they performed on bolts of different sizes. During testing, we considered how tightly each wrench gripped each bolt, the comfort of the grip and handle, and how easy each wrench was to adjust. After testing, we then set about using each wrench on bicycles, car engines, and plumbing to see how each functioned in real-world situations.

What to Consider When Choosing an Adjustable Wrench

Quality is paramount when it comes to an adjustable wrench. Low-quality wrenches wear out quickly, and the poor fitment between the moving parts can result in misalignment between the jaws that can ruin fasteners in a hurry. The wrenches on this list are solid and reliable, but we also want to give you the information you need to make that determination for yourself. Keep reading to learn the key points to consider while you hunt for the best adjustable wrench for your repair needs.

Intended Use

To choose an adjustable wrench type and model, you’ll need to first be clear on how you intend to use the wrench. It’s the perfect tool for leveling refrigerator and stove legs, removing access covers from appliances, tightening plumbing hoses, fixing bicycles, and assembling furniture. Plenty of people keep an adjustable wrench in their tool boxes in case they need one in a pinch.

That being said, there are scenarios in which an adjustable wrench is not the right tool. For example, an adjustable wrench is not appropriate for auto repair. Automotive fasteners can be incredibly stubborn, as oxidation and constant temperature changes do a number on them. Using an adjustable wrench is a sure way to strip one of these hex bolts or nuts. As such, if you were considering buying an adjustable wrench for automotive use, there are other wrenches that would be better suited.

Size

When you’re shopping for an adjustable wrench, you’ll notice several different sizes are available. In general, these sizes refer to the overall length of the wrench.

Longer wrenches allow you to apply more torque to a fastener, which can make it easier to bust stubborn nuts and bolts loose. Shorter wrenches can slide into tight places, and they also fit better in crowded tool chests than long-handled options.

If you’re not looking to buy an entire set of adjustable wrenches, a good do-it-all adjustable wrench should be between 8 and 10 inches long. Heavy-duty fasteners that require a wrench much longer than 10 inches should be the work of a box wrench or combination wrench.

Capacity

Each adjustable wrench has a capacity (or range) of fastener sizes it’s compatible with. These sizes can range from minuscule fasteners to huge fasteners over 1 inch. Carefully consider the fastener sizes you typically work with to decide which adjustable wrench is right for your needs.

Overall, most fasteners you’ll manipulate with an adjustable wrench will be between ¼ inch and ⅞ inch. Fasteners smaller than that range are difficult for an adjustable wrench to grab onto, and fasteners larger than that range are rare unless you work with heavy machinery.

With that said, choosing an adjustable wrench with a larger capacity can be beneficial because it will give you plenty of flexibility. The primary issue with larger capacity wrenches is that they are usually thick, and their heads are bulky, even when closed. Weigh the pros and cons of a larger adjustable wrench to make a decision about the required capacity for your repair needs.

Handle

The handle design of an adjustable wrench is very important. Even if it’s a bare metal handle without any cushioning or coating, a properly designed handle will be comfortable and allow you to use it all day without hand fatigue or pain. Lower-quality wrenches have thinner handles with square edges that can be downright painful when applying torque. The best adjustable wrenches boast thicker designs and rounded edges to provide a good grip without tiring out your hand.

However, a coated handle is nice to have. Many adjustable wrenches feature rubber over-molded grips that provide a nonslip surface and plenty of comfort. If you’re planning on using an adjustable wrench often, it might be worth spending more money on a wrench with a rubber grip.

Versatility

Adjustable wrenches are all about versatility. Instead of owning and organizing multiple wrenches in both SAE and metric sizes, an adjustable wrench can take the place of all of them. One wrench can potentially do the job of two dozen wrenches—that’s versatility.

If a single adjustable wrench doesn’t cover all your needs, you might consider buying a set of two different-size adjustable wrenches. These sets usually feature a smaller wrench (under 6 inches) and a larger wrench (at least 10 inches), allowing you to tackle just about any home repair.

FAQs

Hopefully, you have a better idea of how to choose the best adjustable wrench for your repair needs. If you still have some questions, this section is for you. Below is a collection of the most frequently asked questions related to adjustable wrenches. Take a look below to see if there’s an answer to your question.

Q. Is a crescent wrench the same as an adjustable wrench?

Crescent is a brand that manufactures a wide range of wrenches, including both adjustable and non-adjustable models. The name is somewhat synonymous with adjustable wrenches because the company has been producing popular, high-quality models for years.

Q. Should you push or pull a wrench?

If it’s possible, you should pull a wrench toward you. You’re less likely to slip and smack your knuckles on the workpiece.

Q. How long do adjustable wrenches last?

A quality adjustable wrench that is properly used and maintained can last a lifetime. Spraying the adjustment screw with a lubricant a few times a year will help maintain its longevity.

Q. What size adjustable wrench is best for home use?

A 6-inch to 8-inch adjustable wrench is best for home use. These two sizes strike a good balance between accommodating the most common bolt sizes while being compact enough to maneuver and use.

Q. What is the best brand for wrenches?

There are several brands that we like when it comes to adjustable wrenches. Crescent makes durable and high-performing adjustable wrenches at an affordable price. Milwaukee has a reputation for making high-quality hand tools, and that holds true with its adjustable wrenches, which performed the best in our testing.

Q. What are the disadvantages of adjustable wrenches?

While a single adjustable wrench can fit a wide variety of sizes of nuts and bolts, there’s a trade-off for this versatility when it comes to torque. Adjustable wrenches don’t fit as snug to the head of fasteners as socket wrenches and combination wrenches do. As a result, adjustable wrenches produce less torque than these other tools and are more likely to round off or slip off the head of a bolt.

Meet the Tester

Tony Carrick is a freelance writer specializing in home improvement, landscaping, technology, home security, and design. His articles have been featured on such sites as Popular Mechanics, Futurism, SFGate, Pro Tools Review, and more.

Additional research provided by Tom Scalisi

The post The Best Adjustable Wrenches, Tested by Our Experts appeared first on Bob Vila.

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