The Edit — Gifts
Multitools Compared: Leatherman, Gerber, Victorinox
6 multitools for the person who fixes things: a Swiss Army knife, 4 plier tools and a keychain pry bar, ranked by rating, with each maker's tool count, weight and warranty.
This guide is research-led: we have not handled these units ourselves. If you buy through our links we may earn a commission — it never changes a pick. How we choose
The 6 multitools here are ranked by rating, then by how many owners rated them, read on 16 October 2026, as How we choose describes. They come from 3 makers, Victorinox, Leatherman and Gerber, and each maker’s tool count, weight and warranty sit beside the owner reports. Nothing here was handled or tested.
Best for A knife first, 15 functions at 3.4 oz
Watch for No pliers
Best for Pliers in the pocket at 5 oz
Watch for Only 7 tools; some loose clips
Best for A keychain tool and stocking stuffer
Watch for No pliers for real repairs
Best for Most people: 18 tools, 25-year warranty
Watch for Owners split on the price
Best for A first plier multitool
Watch for A flimsy pocket clip
Best for Wire work at the bench
Watch for A few pliers broke
The Huntsman is a knife first, and the best rated here
The Victorinox Huntsman has 15 functions in a 3.6-inch body that weighs 3.4 oz, per Victorinox. It rates 4.8 across 29,427 ratings, the highest rating and the most ratings on this page. It has no pliers. That is the tension: the best-loved tool in the category is a Swiss Army knife, and it suits someone who cuts far more than they grip.
Victorinox Huntsman Swiss Army Knife, 15 Functions
15 functions in a 3.6-inch knife that weighs 3.4 oz, with a lifetime warranty against defects.
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| Functions | 15, per Victorinox |
|---|---|
| Closed length | 3.6 in |
| Weight | 3.4 oz |
| Warranty | Lifetime, against material and manufacturing defects |
Owners value the spread of tools and blades that stay sharp, and many say theirs has lasted for years. It is a common gift and a daily carry.
Buy it if
- Someone who reaches for a blade far more often than for pliers
Don't buy it if
- Anyone who needs to grip, bend or cut wire
Leatherman Skeletool puts pliers in a pocket at 5 oz
The Leatherman Skeletool carries 7 tools and weighs 5 oz, against 8.5 oz for the Wave Plus, per Leatherman. It rates 4.8 across 5,684 ratings. Owners like that it holds only the essentials, with a carabiner clip on the frame. A few report the clip working loose, and owners split on whether 7 tools are worth what it costs.
Leatherman Skeletool 7-in-1 Lightweight Multi-Tool
7 tools at 5 oz with a carabiner clip; owners like a light tool with only the essentials.
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| Tools | 7, per Leatherman |
|---|---|
| Weight | 5 oz |
| Warranty | 25 years, limited |
Owners describe a well-made, light tool with just the essentials. The clip loosens on some, and value divides them.
Buy it if
- Someone who wants pliers in a pocket every day without the weight
Don't buy it if
- A user who wants a full kit, and some report a loose clip
Gerber Shard rides on a keyring for boxes and bottles
A bottle opener and a pry bar are the heart of the Gerber Shard, a 7-in-1 tool at 4.7 across 5,612 ratings. Owners use it for boxes, bottles, small jobs and short trips, and call it worth the price. They split on how sharp its edges are. It has no pliers, so treat it as a stocking stuffer rather than the main gift. For which tools clear a TSA checkpoint, can you bring a multitool on a plane has the rules.
Gerber Shard 7-in-1 EDC Keychain Multitool
A 7-in-1 keychain tool with a bottle opener and pry bar, liked for small jobs and short trips.
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| Tools | 7, per the listing |
|---|---|
| Includes | Bottle opener, pry bar |
Owners like how compact it is and how many small jobs it handles. Some find the edges sharper than they expected, others not sharp enough.
Buy it if
- A stocking stuffer for someone who opens boxes and bottles all day
Don't buy it if
- Real repairs, which need pliers
Leatherman Wave Plus does the most: 18 tools at 8.5 oz
The Leatherman Wave Plus has 18 tools and weighs 8.5 oz, per Leatherman, and its blades open from outside the closed handles. It rates 4.7 across 4,638 ratings. Owners call it the tool they use for everything. The recurring complaint is the price, which some find steep. It is the one to buy for a person who fixes things at home, in the car and on a campsite.
Leatherman Wave Plus 18-in-1 Multi-Tool, Black
18 tools at 8.5 oz, with blades that open from outside and a 25-year warranty.
Current price shown on Amazon. We may earn a commission.
| Tools | 18, per Leatherman |
|---|---|
| Weight | 8.5 oz |
| Warranty | 25 years, limited |
Owners rate it as a capable tool across a wide range of jobs. Value divides them, and the price is the usual objection.
Buy it if
- Someone who fixes things at home, in the car and at the campsite
Don't buy it if
- A buyer who balks at the price, which owners split on
Gerber Suspension NXT is the plier tool most owners chose
The Gerber Suspension NXT is a 15-in-1 plier tool at 4.6 across 23,837 ratings, about 5 times as many as the Wave Plus. Owners praise blades that hold an edge and how much it can do. They find the pocket clip flimsy, and views on the locking blades are mixed. It suits a first multitool that lives in a kitchen drawer or a glovebox.
Gerber Suspension NXT 15-in-1 Multitool Pliers
A 15-in-1 plier tool; owners praise sharp blades that hold an edge.
Current price shown on Amazon. We may earn a commission.
| Tools | 15, per the listing |
|---|---|
| Type | Plier multitool with knife |
Owners praise the build and the sharp blades. The pocket clip and the locks are where reports turn mixed.
Buy it if
- A first plier multitool for someone who has never owned one
Don't buy it if
- Pocket carry, as owners find the clip flimsy
Leatherman Rebar keeps 17 tools and replaceable wire cutters
The Leatherman Rebar has 17 tools, per Leatherman, with wire cutters you can replace and a saw. It rates 4.6 across 5,169 ratings. Owners call it well built, with strong pliers, and worth the money. A few report the pliers breaking. At 17 tools it is close to the Wave Plus in range, and it is the one to choose for wire.
Leatherman Rebar Multitool with Replaceable Wire Cutters
17 tools with replaceable wire cutters and a saw; owners call the pliers strong.
Current price shown on Amazon. We may earn a commission.
| Tools | 17, per Leatherman |
|---|---|
| Wire cutters | Replaceable |
| Warranty | 25 years, limited |
Owners like the construction and the strength of the pliers. A small number report pliers that broke.
Buy it if
- Someone who cuts wire and wants cutters they can replace
Don't buy it if
- A light pocket carry; the Skeletool suits that better
Leatherman covers 25 years; Victorinox covers a lifetime
A tool that fails in proper use is covered for 25 years by Leatherman’s limited warranty, per its warranty page. Victorinox goes further and covers its products for their lifetime against defects in material and manufacture. Both matter more than a tool count on a gift that should last decades. Gerber’s warranty was not read for this page, so it is not compared here.
What did not make the list
The Leatherman Skeletool CX rates 4.6 across 3,347 ratings, below the plain Skeletool, and a share of owners report its plier jaws snapping, so the cheaper model takes the place. For more gifts for the person who fixes things, see gifts for dad, and for small add-ons, stocking stuffers.
Prices, savings and deal badges are Amazon's own, read from Amazon within the last hour. Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.