Irwin GrooveLock adjustable pliers are a great value for the money. They’re versatile, the one-button jaw opening width adjustment is far easier than with tongue and groove pliers, and they’re pretty well made.
I didn’t remember when I purchased mine, but looking at my Irwin GrooveLock comparison post from 2012, I see that I bought one (maybe two?) in March of 2007, and a 2pc set in December of 2011. The design might have been changed slightly again from then, I can’t really tell.
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Are these the best pliers money can buy? No. But they’re quite good, and I still have a pair around here somewhere.
Right now, Amazon has a 2pc set on sale as part of their Early Black Friday 2018 tool deals lineup. This set has straight jaws, and you get 8″ and 10″ sizes.
Price: $15
Buy Now(via Amazon)
Over at Lowes, they have the other style of Irwin GrooveLock adjustable pliers on sale, as part of their Early Black Friday 2018 tool deals event. This style features V-groove jaws, and the same button-press and sliding jaw opening adjustment system.
The V-groove jaw shape comes in handy when gripping round or hex shapes, and the flat section can handle flat or square-shaped objects. The set comes with 8″ and 10″ sizes.
Unless you have a preference for the straight jaw version, I’d say these V-jaw pliers are more versatile for general purpose applications, for use on pipes, fasteners, and other such materials. Also, you should be aware that the pliers have really good gripping power, which also means they can (and likely will) damage more sensitive surfaces. As such, you won’t want to use these pliers on finished surfaces, such as chrome bathroom fixtures.
This is the set I bought, and I’d buy it again in a heartbeat. At $15 for two pliers, it’s a great value.
Price: $15