The Best EDC Multi-Tools, Tested & Ranked
Ask ten people for the best multi-tool and you’ll get ten answers, and they can all be right. The best one is simply the tool that carries the implements you’ll actually reach for. This guide walks through the multi-tools we’d put in front of any everyday carry shopper, across every size and style, so you can find the one that fits how you work.
What Makes a Great EDC Multi-Tool?
The “best” multi-tool depends on what you plan to do with it, so this guide covers the biggest names in the category and the strengths that set each apart. One note on scope: we’re focused on plier-based multi-tools, the classic format Tim Leatherman invented, rather than Swiss Army-style pocket knives with a few extra tools tucked in.
Four brands dominate the multi-tool market:
Here are the standout picks from each, grouped by size.
Full-Size Multi-Tools: Powerhouse Performance
These are the workhorses of the multi-tool world. They offer a wide range of tools and rugged construction.
Leatherman Rebar: A Classic Reimagined
We’ll start with the Leatherman Rebar to show you the classic multi-tool form. It features two arms that rotate to reveal a plier head. Multiple tools fold out from inside the handles. This follows the original formula invented by Tim Leatherman when he released the original Leatherman PST. While sturdy and capable, these tools tend to be a little slower and less convenient to use than more modern options.
The Evolution of Full-Size Multi-Tools: Quick Access is Key
The next step in multi-tool design is easy access. The Leatherman Wave popularized outside-accessible tools. While some implements are still internal, there is no need to open the handles to get to the primary implements.
The Leatherman Wave is made in the USA. It has one-hand opening, locking blades. A file and saw are also externally accessible. It also uses Leatherman’s innovative flat bit system to expand the capabilities of the tool.
Here are some of its key features:
- Combination plier head (needlenose and regular jaws) with wire cutters
- Replaceable bit drivers (small and standard).
- Plain edge and serrated, locking blades
- Diamond/Standard combination file
- Wood Saw
- Can opener with wire stripping notch
One detail worth knowing: the standard bit driver locks open. Use it with the tool folded for a quick twist, rotate it 90 degrees when you want more leverage, or open it fully for a screwdriver-style grip with extra reach.
Leatherman ARC: A Magnetic Revolution
The Leatherman ARC uses a magnetic closure system for true one-handed opening and closing of the pliers. Every tool locks, and the closing action keeps your fingers clear of the blade edge, a small touch you appreciate every time you use it.
What sets the ARC apart:
- MagnaCut blade steel for premium cutting performance.
- Made in the USA.
- All tools are outside accessible.
- Magnetic closure system.
- Intuitive locking mechanism with finger-safe closing operation
It also comes with a pocket clip and a nylon sheath with a snap closure.
Victorinox SwissTool Spirit: Swiss Precision
The Victorinox SwissTool Spirit is a plier-based multi-tool from the makers of the Swiss Army Knife.
It’s known for excellent ergonomics and fit and finish that fans of the brand swear by. Victorinox put all the tools outside-accessible before Leatherman did, though most still take two hands to open. The locking mechanism is externally accessible too, so you can keep your fingers out of the blade path when closing.
The Spirit Plus comes with a rugged nylon sheath. It also has optional accessories:
- Corkscrew with mini screwdriver
- Ratcheting tool
- L-shaped bit driver with included bits
Gerber Center-Drive Plus: One-Handed Pliers Action
The Gerber Center-Drive Plus is an evolution of Gerber’s original Multi-Plier design. Its pliers head slides in and out of the handle with a one-handed toggle. Spring tension helps open the handles.
Key features include:
- One-handed plier activation
- Full-size knife blade
- Pry bar with nail puller
- Locking inline quarter-inch bit holder
- Magnetic flathead and Phillips bits
- Rescue Version also available
It has a combination of inside and outside accessible tools. It also features a locking blade with a standard liner lock. The Center-Drive Plus comes with a leather sheath and extra bits.
SOG PowerAccess Assist: Compound Leverage and Assisted Opening
The SOG PowerAccess Assist has compound leverage on the plier heads. Gears around the pivot increase force. It features outside accessible tools for main implements and assisted opening for the blades.
Other features:
- Assisted Opening blade for reliable access
- Quarter-inch bit driver built into the closed position.
- Extra bits included.
- Nylon sheath with Velcro and Molle compatibility.
Mid-Size/Pocket-Size Multi-Tools: Portability Meets Capability
These Multi-Tools are lighter and smaller. They often feature pocket clips for easier carry.
Leatherman Skeletool: Lightweight and Balanced
The Leatherman Skeletool CX model has a 154CM blade steel. This improves edge retention. The blade is outside accessible and is one-hand opening. It features a liner lock for safety. Its smaller frame makes it more balanced in the hand than larger multi-tools.
Other features of the Skeletool:
- Carabiner/bottle opener
- Leatherman flat bit driver with spare bit storage
- Combination Pliers head
It comes with a sheath, but it really shines at pocket carry with its integrated clip.
SOG PowerPint: Pint-Sized Powerhouse
The SOG PowerPint packs full-size multi-tool functionality into a pocket-friendly size. Smaller than the Skeletool, the PowerPint is a fan-favorite for performing with the strength of a larger tool. It has compound leverage pliers and an integrated bit driver. All other tools are outside accessible (scissors, blades, etc.) and locking. It also has a pocket clip for easy carry.
The Best Budget Multi-Tools Under $50
Most of the tools above run well past $50, but you don’t have to spend that much to get a genuinely useful EDC multi-tool. These three deliver real capability at a budget price.
Leatherman Wingman
The Leatherman Wingman is the easiest way into the Leatherman lineup. It packs spring-loaded pliers, outside-accessible scissors and a one-hand-opening blade, and a handful of drivers into a stainless build with a pocket clip, all for well under $50. For a first multi-tool or a no-worries beater, the value is hard to beat.
NexTool Flagship Pro
NexTool is one of the brands pushing multi-tool design forward, and the Flagship Pro shows why. It fits 16 implements, including pliers, a blade, a saw, scissors, and drivers, into a stainless tool that costs a fraction of the legacy flagships. If you want the most functions per dollar, this is the one.
SOG PowerPint
The SOG PowerPint distills full-size capability into a pocket-friendly size. You get SOG’s compound-leverage pliers, an integrated bit driver, and outside-accessible, locking tools, plus a pocket clip for easy carry. It lands right around the $50 mark and punches well above its footprint.
If you want it narrowed to one, KnifeCenter’s David C. Andersen keeps the budget call simple: go Wingman, PowerPint, or Flagship Pro. Looking at the wider category, three brands are worth watching right now: Leatherman, the tried-and-true American original; Roxon, whose modular system lets you build the exact tool you want; and NexTool/NexTorch, which keeps innovating on what a budget multi-tool can do.
Multi-Tool FAQs
What is a multi-tool, and what is it used for?
A multi-tool is a folding, pocket-sized tool that pairs a set of pliers with built-in implements like blades, screwdriver bits, scissors, a file, and a saw. The plier-based design in this guide traces back to the original Leatherman PST, which Tim Leatherman launched in 1983. A multi-tool is not meant to replace your toolbox. It is meant to ride with you so the small, unplanned jobs, tightening a screw, cutting a zip tie, opening a package, or fixing gear in the field, get handled without one.
Who makes the best multi-tool?
Four brands lead the category: Leatherman, Victorinox, Gerber, and SOG. There is no single winner, because each one does something well. Leatherman offers the widest range and features like replaceable bit drivers, Victorinox is known for fit and finish, Gerber gives you one-handed plier deployment, and SOG builds in compound leverage for extra gripping power. The best one is the brand whose tools match what you actually do.
What is the best Leatherman for everyday carry?
It comes down to how you carry. The Leatherman Wave is the classic do-it-all choice with outside-accessible, locking tools. The ARC steps up to a MagnaCut blade and a magnetic, one-handed opening system. For something lighter that rides in a pocket, the Skeletool trims down to the essentials and adds a pocket clip.
What is better than a Leatherman?
Leatherman is excellent, but the other three majors each do something it does not. Gerber gives you the most choice in the plier jaws themselves, including blunt-nose and wider-opening designs, plus the Center-Drive’s near-centerline bit for better reach in tight spots. SOG builds compound leverage into the pivot for more gripping power and is about the only brand offering assisted-opening blades. Victorinox wins on fit, finish, and ergonomics: its SwissTool Spirit is the only plier-based tool here with curved, traditional plier handles when open, which feels more natural in the hand. Which one is “better” depends on which of those strengths matters most to you.
What is the best multi-tool for camping?
For a purpose-built camp tool, the Leatherman Signal stands out. It pares the set down to what a camper actually needs, a blade, wood saw, awl, can opener, and bit driver, then adds a hammer plate, a diamond sharpener, a ferro rod, and a whistle. If you want to spend less, the Leatherman Rebar covers the same core tools at a lower price. If you would rather carry a knife-based tool, a Victorinox Swiss Army knife like the Camper or Farmer pairs a great wood saw with the essentials in a lighter package, and the Ranger Grip 79 gives you one-hand opening with the largest implements.
Can you take a multi-tool on a plane?
Any multi-tool with a blade has to go in checked luggage. Knifeless multi-tools, the kind built without a knife blade, are generally allowed in carry-on, though the final call always rests with the TSA officer at the checkpoint. If you fly often, a dedicated knifeless or travel multi-tool is the safer bet for your carry-on bag.
Where are Leatherman multi-tools made?
Leatherman is based in Portland, Oregon, and builds many of its tools there, including flagship models like the Wave and ARC. The category as a whole is a mix: Victorinox is made in Switzerland, while some brands produce certain models overseas. If US-made construction matters to you, check the individual product page, which lists the country of origin.
Finding the Right Multi-Tool for You
The right multi-tool comes down to how you carry it and what you cut, drive, and fix day to day. For maximum capability with belt carry, the full-size Leatherman Wave or ARC, Victorinox SwissTool Spirit, Gerber Center-Drive Plus, and SOG PowerAccess Assist are all hard to beat. If pocketability matters more, the Leatherman Skeletool and SOG PowerPint give up very little to earn their smaller footprint.
If a multi-tool is part of a larger everyday carry setup, our guide to the best EDC utility knives pairs naturally with any pick here.