Photo: Glenda Taylor What to Consider When Choosing the Best Wire Strippers These pliers are very sturdy, so electricians often also use them to punch through knockouts on electrical boxes and secure screw-down wire entries. They can then score the outside of the jacket at the proper location by applying light pressure to the handle. These beefy pliers have cutting edges that electricians can use to cut the wire to length. Instead, they’ll use a trusty pair of linesman pliers to strip wires. Many old-school electricians never use wire strippers. They’re expensive and bulky, but compared to a set of gauged strippers, a gauged automatic stripper can save time. After placing the wire in the correct gauge, squeezing the handle cuts through the casing and separates the jacket from the wire at the same time. ![]() Gauged automatic strippers are a combination of the features in a gauged stripper and the automatic jacket removal of a self-adjusting stripper. Though easy to use, this type of stripper is expensive and can be bulky in a tool pouch. These strippers also automatically remove the jacket, so users needn’t pull it off of the end of the wire. As the handles are squeezed together, the spring-loaded teeth in the head sense the wire’s size and slice into the jacket. These tools come in pistol-grip or plier-handled styles. Those who prefer the fastest approach to wire stripping may prefer a self-adjusting (or automatic) stripper. Gauged wire strippers are great for beginners, as they’re inexpensive and easy to use. For instance, placing an 18-gauge wire in the 18-gauge section will slice the jacket nicely, allowing for easy removal. As long as attention is paid to the wire size and the teeth being used, these tools will cut the jacket without any chance of slicing into the actual wire. These tools have a range of individual teeth meant for specific wire sizes. Gauged wire strippers are all about choices. New users may find this style of stripper a bit more finicky than others, but in time, most folks develop a feel for them to avoid cutting into the wire. ![]() Then slide the stripper to remove the jacket and expose the copper wire. After adjusting to the right size, a quick squeeze will cut the wire’s jacket. These strippers have plier-style handles that slide to adjust the opening of the jaws. Those looking for a basic one-size-fits-all-style tool should consider an adjustable wire stripper. Check out the five main types of wire strippers below. One kind might be a better fit for a user’s workflow or project than others. To compare effectively the best wire strippers for electrical projects, it’s helpful to learn a bit about the styles of strippers available. Photo: Glenda Taylor Types of Wire Strippers BEST FOR BX CABLE: Klein Tools Armored and BX Cable Cutter.BEST SELF-ADJUSTING: Irwin Vise-Grip Self-Adjusting Wire Stripper.BEST SPRING-LOADED: Greenlee Hand Tools Stainless Steel Wire Stripper/Cutter/Crimper.BEST FOR ELECTRONICS: Jonard Tools Adjustable Wire Strippers. ![]() BEST FOR PROS: Klein Tools Large Cable Stripper.UPGRADE PICK: Knipex Tools 7¼-Inch Automatic Wire Stripper.BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK: Irwin Vise-Grip Multi-Tool Stripper/Crimper/Cutter.BEST OVERALL: Klein Tools Solid and Stranded Wire Stripper. ![]() Ahead, learn what to consider when shopping for the best wire stripper and find out how the following tools earned a spot in this lineup based on our hands-on tests. Whether the user needs a basic or professional-grade wire stripper, there is an array from which to choose. Their primary purpose is to cut and remove the rubber coating that encases wire (known as the jacket), but some of the best models slice thick cables, cut screws to size, and crimp terminals onto the end of cables or wires. Wire strippers can be more versatile than folks might think. We cut and stripped a wide range of wire types and sizes, awarding points based on how well each tool functioned. We wanted to know how today’s top wire strippers perform in real-life projects, so we tested them. A wire stripper boosts productivity for professional electricians, budding apprentices, and DIYers, but with a variety of models on the market, the best one depends on the wire the user is working with.
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