The Panel Decides: Looking for the best crimper for electricians?
If you’re in the market for a new crimper for your toolbelt, you need to read this. Our experts have tested the best in the market out, so you don’t have to.
The Tools
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KLEIN TOOLS – Ratcheting Crimper |
WEIDMÜLLER – Ferrule Crimper |
CABAC – Bootlace Crimper |
| TRADE PRICE $56.14 | TRADE PRICE $275 | TRADE PRICE $233.20 |
THE LOWDOWN:The full-cycle ratcheting crimper crimps 0.5-6.0mm² insulated terminals, and features three crimping cavities in one tool with colour-coded wire markings for three size ranges of insulated terminals. The crimper design provides low effort to crimp while maintaining a high terminal pull-off force. Compound lever action of narrow-span handles puts more crimping power into each squeeze, while comfort grips help reduce hand fatigue. |
THE LOWDOWN: The PZ 2.5 is an extremely compact and lightweight ferrule crimping tool designed for all-day use, minimising fatigue in the hand, wrist, and arm. It targets wire terminations of up to 2.5mm², which make up 90% of control cabinet wiring. This focused crimp range significantly reduces wear, doubling its service life compared to other crimping tools. |
THE LOWDOWN:The HNKE5 Bootlace Crimper 0.5-16.0mm² is a versatile ratchet crimper designed for bootlace ferrules (BLP) and uninsulated end sleeves. With its adjustable ratchet mechanism, this tool ensures precise and consistent crimping for a wide range of wire sizes, from 0.5mm² to 16.0mm². The serrated crimp surface enhances grip on ferrules, while the ribbed jaws create a roughened surface for increased locking on terminals. |
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| John O’Callaghan
from JPO Electrical & Data Experience: 25 years |
Brad Collinder
from Collinder Electrics Experience: 20+ years |
Dillon Melita
from Smartnet Experience: 11 years |
The Verdict
KLEIN TOOLS – Ratcheting Crimper
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“GREAT OPTION.” – BRAD |
| John: Value for money. This is a great, run-of-the-mill crimper that I would happily use every day. It’s simple and easy to use, and at the price it’s great value. I guess if you were using it all day every day it might be a little hard on the hands, but overall it’s very comfortable. The grip is ok, without being great. |
Brad: Great option. The ratchet feels really nice, and it’s comfortable to grip. The colour codes are a really nice feature, too. It did take a little time to work out the release from a carabiner hook, though. The ratchet feature and its comfort give it high marks for me. |
Dillon: Colour-coding valuable. The colour-coded wire markings are a great idea, and came in handy. The insulated terminals were easy to insert and remove, while the ratcheting feature was a breeze to use. Only thing I’d suggest is a metric terminal size measurement, however the colour-coding makes up for that! |
| VERDICT: Reliable and tough.
RATING: 7.5/10
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VERDICT: Comfortable to use.
RATING: 9/10 *TOP PICK*
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VERDICT: A lot to like.
RATING: 8/10
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WEIDMÜLLER – Ferrule Crimper
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“SIMPLY THE BEST.” – JOHN |
| John: Simply the best. Hands down, this is the best crimper I’ve ever used. I loved the soft touch while crimping – it really makes this crimper easy to use and easy on the hands, too. High-quality product that stands up to its price tag. |
Brad: Good for certain crimps. Extremely quick and easy to use, this one was great on small crimps but didn’t feel comfortable on bigger crimps. I did like the self-opening, and how quick and efficient it is on small crimps. |
Dillon: Instant impression. As soon as I used this one I loved it. It’s easy to use, effortless and makes consistent crimps. It’s super lightweight and compact, with smooth entry and exit for the ferrule. If I’m being picky, it could have a lock to keep it totally compacted when not in use. |
| VERDICT: A winner.
RATING: 10/10 *TOP PICK*
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VERDICT: Great for small crimps.
RATING:8/10
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VERDICT: The standout.
RATING: 9/10 *TOP PICK*
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CABAC – Bootlace Crimper
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“GREAT ALLROUNDER.” – DILLON |
| John: A firm favourite. I have to admit I’ve been using the HNKE5 for years as my crimper of choice. It’s super reliable and we’ve done a lot of control circuitry. It never missed a beat. I do like the soft handles on this one too – although they’re not quite as soft as the Weidmüller! |
Brad: A lot going for it. The ratchet feature felt the best of the three, and overall it feels like a strong tool. However, the grip texture let it down a bit, and it would be good if they added colour-coding to the jaws. This one was a favourite among the team. If they added a better grip it’d improve it significantly. |
Dillon: Great allrounder. This one covers a broader size range than the others making it a great all-rounder if you’re using various size ferrules across different applications. The ratcheting was smooth and required minimal effort to achieve a nice crimp. |
| VERDICT: Great crimper.
RATING: 9/10
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VERDICT: A good option.
RATING: 8.5/10
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VERDICT: A very close second.
RATING: 9/10
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