Klein Tools 11055 Wire Stripper and Cutter vs Klein Tools 32500 11-in-1 Screwdriver/Nut Driver

The Klein 11055 is the second tool because the first electrical job most owners attempt, replacing a fixture, switch or outlet, needs clean strips on copper wire, and a utility knife does that badly. The 11055 has precision-ground holes for 10 to 18 AWG solid wire and 12 to 20 AWG stranded. Standard household circuits run 14 AWG on 15 amp breakers and 12 AWG on 20 amp, both inside that range.

It is more than a stripper. Shear-type blades near the pivot cut copper cleanly, the serrated nose grabs and pulls wire, and holes in the jaw bend a neat hook for wrapping around a terminal screw. It also cuts 6-32 and 8-32 machine screws, the sizes used on switch plates and electrical boxes, to length without crushing the thread. At 7 1/8 inches and about 5.4 ounces it fits a pocket, and Klein makes it in the USA.

The limits are worth knowing. This version is not rated as insulated, so it is not a tool for live work; turn the breaker off first. It will not strip anything heavier than 10 AWG, and the stripping holes are fixed, so you need to read the gauge stamped on the cable. Retailer rating: 4.8 from 9,118 reviews.

The Klein 32500 is the tool to buy first because it removes the most guesswork. The shaft holds four double-ended bits: Phillips #1 and #2, slotted 3/16 and 1/4 inch, Torx T10 and T15, and square #1 and #2. Pull the bits and the shaft and bit holder become 1/4, 5/16 and 3/8 inch nut drivers. Between them they fit the screws on hinges, switch plates, appliance panels and most flat-pack furniture.

The bits have a blasted finish meant to grip the screw head and resist cam-out, the slipping that rounds Phillips screws. The cushion grip is thick enough to put real torque into a tight screw without blistering a palm. Weight is under half a pound. Klein sells each bit pair as a separate spare, catalog numbers 32482 to 32485, so a worn Phillips tip costs a few dollars rather than a new driver.

What it gives up is speed and reach. Changing a bit means pulling it out and flipping or swapping it, and the shaft is too fat for a screw sunk deep in a recess. It is also not magnetic, so screws drop in tight spots. Price has moved between $11.98 and $15.97 since June. Retailer rating: 4.8 from 28,568 reviews.