Leatherman Kick
Price £34.95
Blades/functions 5/11
Case Leather belt-pouch
Weight 230g
Size stored/open 11cm/16cm
Tel 01539 721032
Web www.whitbyandco.co.uk
The stylish leather pouch, hints from the outset what a high quality product this is. Yet at £35, it's still cheap for a full-sized Leatherman. Everything works well, and the moulded plastic inserts on the handles make for a comfortable gripping surface. The cross-head screwdriver is a really useful function, but the lack of a file and a saw is surprising. In fact, the Kick has the fewest number of blades of the models on test and is let down by a limited range of functions. Other accessories are sold separately
Verdict Stylish, well made and comfortable to use, but limited to the basic functions.
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Rolson 12-in-1 deluxe
Price £4.99
Tools/functions 8/12
Case Leatherette belt pouch
Weight 140g
Size stored/open 10.5cm/16cm
Tel 0870 4296000
Web www.maplin.co.uk
Easily the cheapest, slimmest and lightest model in the test, the Rolson lacks pretension: what you see is what you get, but you get a lot for a fiver. The textured handles look good, but the thin-gauge steel cuts into your fingers when gripping with the pliers. Similarly, the leather-look belt pouch looks stylish, but is quite flimsy. The blades include three flat-head screwdrivers, but just one small cross-head screwdriver. The knife has a very sharp point so care should be taken when handling it, and we thought the fish-scaler could have been replaced with something more useful, such as a file or a saw.
Verdict This is a decent low-budget stand-by item, but the quality limits its use.
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Victorinox Swiss Army Spirit
Price £75
Tools/functions 10/22
Case Leather belt pouch
Weight 220g
Size stored/open 11cm/16cm
Tel 0116 243 4644
Web www.victorinox.ch
Stored in a smart leather pouch, the Swiss Army Spirit is elegant and understated and is. Every surface has been mirror-polished and the blades safety-lock into place. Among its innovative features are a useful chisel, plus two sockets to take a wide range of optional extras that are sold separately.
Many of the blades are multi-function, enabling all 22 functions to be packed into one slim, lightweight, product. The scissors, knives and the saw are particularly good, but be careful when handling the awl and the chisel, both of which have extremely sharp points. Again, there are three flat-head screwdrivers, but just one cross-head.
Verdict A premium-price product that offers great quality and designer looks.
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Toerags TU 02 maxi-tool
Price £26.99
Implements/functions 7/12
Case Black fabric belt pouch
Weight 350g
Size stored/open 11.5cm/18cm
Web www.toerags.com
Well constructed, with a smart finish and nicely finished, this is a really useful multi-tool that comes at a nice price. It scores highly, thanks in part to its excellent range of 12 small screwdriver tips. These are stored in the fabric belt pouch and can be slotted into the tool's small hexagonal socket. The plier handles are long and thicker-edged to improve leverage and comfort in use, and a decent blade and large double-sided file both prove extremely useful. The awl was the sharpest of any on test, but tended to flick-out when the pliers were closed, leaving the needle-sharp point exposed. This could be a glitch with the test sample, but be careful nonetheless.
Verdict Well equipped, competitively priced, and the inclusion of the 12-piece screwdriver set a great idea.
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C-K Toolmate 3619
Price £34
Tools/functions 5/13
Case Black fabric belt pouch
Weight 360g
Size stored/open 16cm/15cm
Tel 0870 240 8141
Web www.tooled-up.com
The heaviest single piece in the test by a whisker, the chunky C-K multi-tool is based around a fixed pair of pliers, so it doesn't fold for storage. It's every bit as robust as it looks, but in use the handles are too close together, which makes the grip less practical, say, when gripping a 15mm nut.
There's a decent cross-head screwdriver, but the flat-head option is too chunky for small screws. One of the blades features a useful chisel-edged function, but the main blades and the saw are below par, with the file performing worst out of all the models on test. Points are retrieved thanks to the excellent wire-cutters and the quality fabric pouch.
Verdict Heavy but rugged, and functions vary wildly in terms of usefulness.
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Draper Expert PMT-3
Price £33
Tools/functions 8/13
Case Black fabric belt pouch
Weight 180g
Size stored/open 12cm/16cm
Tel 023 8026 6355
Web www.draper.co.uk
The overall feel and build of this tool seems rather cheap at first glance, but having said that, the all-plastic handles give a very comfortable grip and there are blue plastic inserts that when pulled out, safely flip out some of the blades without you having to touch sharp edges. Most of the blades have a polished finish, but while this looks good, the process has rounded off some of the tool edges leading to slippage - especially where the screwdrivers are concerned. A serrated blade/saw has been included, but at 4cm long it is of little use. In the test, the tiny screwdriver did very well at repairing spectacles, but otherwise the Draper excelled at nothing.
Verdict Comfortable to hold and lightweight, but less practical than many of the other models we tested.
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TORQ 3-piece multi-purpose set
Price £9.99
Tools/functions 21/24 (3 tools)
Case None
Weight 650g (combined)
Size stored/open 15cm/15cm
Web www.diy.com
This own-brand tool from B&Q makes a departure from the norm by splitting its functions over three tools. The main tool is based around a pair of pliers, but you also get two supplemental multi-tools based around a spanner and a penknife. All this and it costs less than a tenner.
In practice, the set is marred by a repetition of functions: there are three pairs of scissors, one of which failed after first use, and three cross-head screwdrivers that are all the same size. It's a relative scale-buster at 650g compared to its rivals, and there is no belt pouch. In addition, some tools are poorly finished.
On the plus side, this set has the only adjustable spanner and the only corkscrew in the test and the chunky pliers give an good grip.
Verdict You get plenty for your money, but most of it is not up to the job of replacing real tools.
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Draper PMT-2
Price £13.50
Tools/functions 9/17
Case Black fabric belt-pouch
Weight 220g
Size stored/open 14.5cm/19.5cm
Tel 023 8026 6355
Web www.draper.co.uk
The longest tool in the test, this Draper model is hampered by some faults: the raw edge of the handles cut into our hands when we used the pliers and some of the blades are hard to open. And there's only one small cross-head screwdriver. On the plus side, you get a decent set of spring-assisted jaw functions on the pliers, a fold out ruler and two reasonable saw blades. The extra length aids leverage, but take care not to trap your skin when folding up this tool. The fabric belt-pouch is basic but does the job.
Verdict At such a low price, this is a worthy contender with some useful functions - if you can live with the single cross-head screw driver and the uncomfortable grip.
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Sealey AK 12 multi-function tool
Price £13.45
Tools/functions 8/12
Case None
Weight 180g
Size stored/open 10cm/15.5cm
Tel 0870 240 8141
Web www.tooled-up.com
An impressive array of functions sits within the Sealey's slender profile, and all are easy to open. This multi-tool lacks a belt-pouch, but redeems itself with a pocket-friendly plastic exterior. Quality is excellent, and the manufacturer has obviously taken the time to work on the tool faces to ensure the best fit. As with many of the other multi-tools on test, this one was found lacking in that it had only one small cross-head screwdriver. The scissors failed in the fabric-cut test and the small file was little use, although the saw, if a little crude, performed well.
Verdict Well made with a comfortable grip, but some blades functioned poorly and it lacks a belt-pouch.
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Leatherman Charge Ti
Price £114.95
Tools/functions 9/17
Case Leather belt-pouch
Weight 350g
Size stored/open 12cm/16cm
Web www.whitbyandco.co.uk
This top-of-the-range multi-tool comes at a hefty price, but it has great build quality. The smooth, sculpted, titanium handles mean it's tough yet lightweight, and they also offer a comfortable grip.
The range of functions is impressive - not least because they all work - and all the blades safety-lock in place. The two sockets accept a wide range of push-in accessories, and eight double-ended extras are supplied along with a storage rack. The Charge Ti had the best saw and file on test, and there's a handy lanyard or pocket clip alternative to its leather pouch. Although it's hard to fault the Ti, the pouch is a tight fit, and we would have liked to have seen a corkscrew included.
Verdict The best all-round performer with peerless build quality. You get what you pay for.
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