This site contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links. Please read our Affiliate Disclosure for more.
Multi-tools let you cut, saw, and sand different materials with just one tool. If you regularly do small restoration and installation jobs, multi-tool is a must-have. Since these tools are small and hand-held, they can reach places that would be otherwise inaccessible.
The variety of attachment for these tools keeps growing, which increases their versatility. You can use them for emergency repairs at your house or outside for other ventures. All the Leatherman products are made with durable materials. Therefore, they last for a long time.
Leatherman products are made in Portland, Oregon. They test these products first in real life to make sure that they will do well in different situations. All the Leatherman tools are designed with the user in mind so that you will get top-quality. Of course, you will also have to pay top dollar for it. If you are looking for cheap throw away tools, you are not in the right place.
In this article, we have listed and reviewed the top 5 Leatherman multi-tools for your perusal.
Best Leatherman Multi-Tool – Top 5 Reviewed
Leatherman Wave Plus
Leatherman rightfully claims that Wave Plus is their best-selling product. It is made with high-quality material and offers many features at a price lower than its competitors. You can access the tools through innovative external access. You’ll find that this tool’s scissors are tight and right on point when it comes to ergonomics. In our opinion, one should own one of these.
Features
This tool has all the features that you could ask for. It has scissors, pliers, two saws, two blades, wire cutters, a can opener, and many screwdriver options. The wire cutters can be replaced. You can customize the screwdriver set. The blades are sharp.
You can get all the bit drivers you need by using the proprietary bit driver format. We would have liked it if it was compatible with ¼ inches standard bits. You can remove the flat-headed screwdriver and install a full-size ¼ inches bit driver if you’d like.
Construction
We have to say that the construction of this tool is top-notch. It is tough and suitable even for the most stubborn jobs. All the pivots in this tool are tight. The locks work well, and the blades stay out of the way as you use the pliers and vice versa. You’ll notice that there is the right amount of friction in all the hinges. The scissors are tight and will cut anything that the knife blade is not appropriate for.
Ergonomics
Ergonomics are essential in all hand-held tools. This tool is balanced when it comes to ergonomics, portability, size, and weight. The smooth external plates of this tool make it comfortable to hold. The knife opens from the inside, and its working edge is in line with the handle’s centre.
Portability
This tool weighs around 8 ounces, which is pretty typical for a full-function multi-tool. It comes in a simple nylon sheath. You can buy a pocket clip for it if you’d like. Its external profile is smooth and clean. It will not tangle up with your pocket or its contents.
Read complete review: Leatherman Wave+
Leatherman OHT
Leatherman tried their hands at this one-handed multi-tool when Gerber’s patent expired. Leatherman has not explained what the OHT stands for, but we guess it’s probably one-handed something. It comes with a sheath that is compatible with MOLLE (Modular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment).
Features
This tool has 16 tools that include one-handed pliers, plier jaws, wire cutters, knife blades, and other tools. The pliers deploy quickly, just with a flick of your wrist. You can also slide them up and out manually. There is a lock so that no one accidentally opens the pliers. The wire cutter blades on this tool are replaceable. The jaws of all the tools seem durable even for heavy use. The knife’s blades 2-1/8 inches in length, which is a shame, but Leatherman couldn’t have increased it without compromising the other tools.
The wood cutting saw also seems to perform its function well despite being slightly shorter. All the cutting tools deploy from one end of the tool. The other tools like Phillips screwdriver, large slotted screwdriver, bottle opener, a small slotted screwdriver can all be found on the other end of the multi-tool. There is a passive mechanism in place for preventing the tools from accidentally flailing out.
Construction
Leatherman hasn’t made any compromises when it comes to the quality of the multi-tool. It is made of 420HC steel. So, the blades, knives, and the whole tool will last for a long time. Most of the parts of this tool have a black oxide coating. The scales of the handle can be found either in tan or black colour.
Ergonomics
Leatherman OHT is touted for its one-handedness. All of its features can be accessed and operated with one hand. Now you won’t have to tire both of your hands. You can put your other hand to some other use and handle tasks with one hand easily. To make things easy for you, its handle is imprinted with clues so that you can find the tools with ease. You can access the tool even when it is in the folded position. The coating on this tool is smooth, so it will be comfortable to use.
Not one tool overlaps another while you are using it. There is a comfortable amount of distance between these tools.
Portability
This tool weighs about 9.9 ounces, which is a bit more than the standard weight for a multi-tool, but it’s still portable. It also comes with a MOLLE compatible sheath to carry it around with you while you are working.
Read complete review: Leatherman OHT
Leatherman Charge Plus TTi
It will not be an exaggeration if we call Charge Plus TTi a pinnacle of the over 30 years’ manufacturing and designing experience of Leatherman. This tool comes out as a clear leader in the function and performance category compared to other similar tools. In the category of portability and ergonomics, it strikes a healthy balance. It has all the functions without being excessively heavy or large. It will make your life easy, be that in day to day life, automotive storage, or backcountry trips.
Features
This multi-tool has a staggering amount of 19 tools in just one device. The tools include pliers, wire cutters, serrated and plain knives, wire crimper, and stripper. It also has a bottle opener, cutting hook saw, scissors, and much more. On the outside corners of the closed plier handles is a selection of tools you’ll use most of the time. The shiny metal saw looks like it’s been laser cut. It is sharp and tenacious. It also has a file at its side. On the other side, it has a diamond embedded file.
A few of these tools require you to open the pliers to use them. We could lay out all the details of the features here, but that would take too much of your time. We will say that no other tool comes close to Charge Plus TTi in functions.
Construction
All the hinges and locks are made to have long-lasting tolerance. Its material is carefully chosen. All the tools are sturdy and appropriate for the functions they perform. E pivot is user-serviceable except for the central plier hinge.
Ergonomics
This multi-tool is curved in all the right places. You’ll find the tools where they are supposed to be. This tool is brilliantly set up for the right-handed. Lefties, however, would need to figure out the blade deployment sequence. The saws open with the fingernail notch, which can be found close to the tool’s end. The internal tools also open with the fingernail notch or the fingernail groove at the side. Most of the commonly used tools can be accessed from outside.
Portability
This tool comes with a sturdy nylon sheath. It also has a sleeve for storing accessories. It is bulky and, for some, a bit heavy. That is forgivable since it offers so many features.
We’d say that the price of this tool is justified, but it may be intimidating for some. If you’d like, you can explore other Leatherman budget-friendly products.
Read complete review: Leatherman Charge Plus TTi
Leatherman Sidekick
Leatherman is known for making some of the finest multi-tools in the industry. Many might not know that they also make entry-level tools at a reasonable price. Sidekick is one such tool. It has a slightly less symmetrical design compared to other Leatherman products. The handle has a rounded shape, which stands out. Since it is an entry-level tool, it is not as multi-functional as other tools by the same brand. Its tools aren’t that big either. However, no compromises have been made on the quality and build. Sidekick is light, compact, but very useful.
Features
This product features a total of 14 tools. They are built around a standard butterfly open plier system. There is no locking system for the tools. It also doesn’t have any removable parts. But looking at the price, we cannot complain. Everyone who wants to give multi-tool a try but doesn’t want to spend a lot may buy this. It is very suitable for first-timers. It has all the important features and is budget-friendly.
The main pliers in this tool are available at the needle-nose point. The spring opens and makes a satisfying popping sound when they do. There are also regular pliers, which can be found under the needle nose tip. There are two knife blades – one is straight, and the other is serrated. They are made with 420HC steel. They come razor sharp from the company.
The saw is also accessible from outside. It has a double row tooth pattern. It can easily cut through many materials. The bottle opener does a job at opening cans and bottles. It has a Phillips head and two flat head drivers. The file is small, but it works well. We find the ruler to be a bit small as well.
Construction
All of Leatherman products are made in the USA. It is built well. It feels strong and stable when held in hand. It is made with high carbon steel so that it would have a long life. The sliver metallic finishes would prevent it from rusting.
Ergonomics
The handles of this tool open quite smoothly when you want to access the pliers. The other tools and the knives can also be reached in one swift move. It has many tools that can be accessed from outside to be held with one hand. The ergonomically designed rounded handles allow you a good grip.
Portability
It weighs around 7 ounces, so it is light. You can carry it around when you are headed outdoors. When closed, its length measures up to 3.8 inches. That and with around 1-inch thickness, its presence would be unobtrusive in your pocket.
Read complete review: Leatherman Sidekick
Leatherman Micra
Many may not know, but this tool is one of the first foldings, micro multi-tool ever made. It was first made in 1996 and has been produced ever since. It is built around a butterfly fold design. The outer body of this tool features a ruler in inches and centimetres. Its length reaches 4 inches. Only a few tools have been in the market even 20 plus years later without undergoing significant modifications.
Features
This multi-tool has 10 tools that are built around a large pair of scissors. There is no outside access to the tools or locking. Each handle has three separate tools that fold out along a key chain ring attached to the end. You can quickly locate the scissors. They are the primary tool of Micra. They use the standard spring release system. They are very sharp and useful.
The knife of Micra is 1.6 inches long. It has a standard straight-blade design. It is made from 420HC steel. The blade is thin and would be suitable for light tasks. It has three screwdrivers, one Phillips head, one medium flathead, and one small flat head driver. There is also a nail cleaner and filer. They are useful and work well. The tweezers found in Micra are appropriately sized and work well. The bottle opener pops cans and bottles easily. The ruler is small but can be put to fair use.
Construction
Like all other Leatherman products, it is made with high-quality steel. It is durable and sturdy. It is backed by 25 years warranty. The fact that this tool has been in the market since 1996 without losing its value says enough about its quality.
Ergonomics
It has a classic two handle design. You cannot reach the tools from outside, but it can be used relatively quickly. It is small and easily fits in your hands. The handles are smooth and comfortable to work with.
Portability
It is 2.5 inches long and weighs only 1.8 ounces. It is small and light. The critical chainring is for a purpose-you can carry it with you wherever you want.
Read complete review: Leatherman Micra
Conclusion
All Leatherman tools are high quality and useful for daily life and when you go out on your mini-adventures. Leatherman has been standing behind all its products for 25 years. So, that is how you know that you’ll get your hands on some high-quality tools. The multi-tools that we have listed here are some of their iconic products. The Sidekick is suitable for first-timers while the Charge Plus and Wave Plus are made for experts. OHT multi-tool is very versatile and easy to use. These tools can be used by builders, workers, adventurers and problem solvers. They can come in handy in various situations, so we think everyone should give these a try.
Hi, I’m Johnny, the chief editor at Svetools.com. Since I was a kid, DIY has been my thing – playing around with all sorts of tools, from power tools to classic wrenches. I started the Svetools blog to share my love for DIY and all things a house Handyman should know. Whether it’s product reviews or essential how-to’s articles, I cover it all. Need assistance or have a question? Hit me up using the details on our contact us page.