The Best Hose Clamp Pliers (Review) in 2023 | Autance

These pliers are our top pick because the flexible line feature is something both professionals and hobbyists can appreciate.  Also, they can do everything traditional hose clamp pliers can do and more, and they’re an excellent choice if your budget only allows for a single pair of pliers. Beyond that, Astro Pneumatic Tool was the first brand to patent this plier type. That tells us it had more time to perfect the design than anyone else. The typical week points, such as the jaws, are robust and rely on hardened steel to prevent cracking. Those jaws also lock in place, freeing up your hands to slide the clamp in or out of position.

If there’s anything to dislike about this option, it’s that replacement cables aren’t available. The cable in the system will stretch, eventually rendering the tool useless. That said, the tool’s quality is nothing short of impressive. Paired with the low price, it’s hard to complain about having to replace it after years of use.

Setting yourself up with a complete kit is a good idea for beginners, and a set like this only costs a few dollars more than many single tool options. The real beauty of this option is that it offers you everything you need to deal with any clamp or hose. For starters, it has a total of seven pliers. Four work for spring clamps, one is for collar style clamps, one is for hose removal, and there’s also a set of flexible cable pliers. As a bonus, the collection features a double-headed screwdriver for worm-gear clamps and a mechanic’s pick for freeing the hose. Of course, the blow-molded case helps keep everything organized, which is always a bonus.

As for the downside, this isn’t a professional-grade set of tools. Many users report the tips break relatively quickly, which you might expect. So, if you need something that can withstand the demanding environment of professional settings, you may consider looking elsewhere. Otherwise, it’s a perfectly viable option for hobbyists or DIYers.

It’s hard not to feature a few flexible cable clamp pliers on this list, considering they’re so convenient. And if you could stand to save a few bucks, that only sweetens the pot. That’s precisely what we have here. A flexible cable plier set, with a slightly lower price point than some others, makes it an excellent option for weekend warriors and hobbyists. This model features a 24-inch cable, allowing you to sneak it into those particularly hard-to-reach places. The grip also features a locking mechanism to simplify the process even more.

Of course, every tool has its downsides. With this option, a flaw lies within the locking system’s ratcheting mechanism. The teeth are pretty soft and will wear down rather quickly. However, the system is stout enough to get more than a few uses out of it.

You guessed it, another flexible clamp plier. But before you skip this one, let’s highlight what’s to like. For one, it’s a more affordable option than many others. Two, it’s a little more robust than many other options. Other than that, it’s a pretty standard setup. It offers 24 inches of reach, and the cable is flexible enough to work in almost any position. It also features a locking mechanism that frees your hands up for work. The use of a ratcheting system works to allow you to lock the jaw in any position necessary.

The first thing you’ll note about this option is that the grips are bare. While some might prefer this, it might not bode well with others. But the real issue is the locking system. The ratcheting system tends to slip, releasing the tool’s grip on the clamps.

While it’s nice to save money where you can, you shouldn’t sacrifice quality, so we recommend this entry from Astro Pneumatic Tool. It includes the flexible cable pliers along with six others. Among the six other pliers, you’ll walk away with four for spring clamps, one for Clic-r clamps and one hose removal plier. Each is constructed with longevity in mind and are paired with plastic-dipped handles that improve grip and comfort as you work.

We can’t shy away from the high price. While good tools are worth investing in, it’d be nice to see this kit come complete with the pick and double-headed screwdriver more affordable kits do. Still, that shouldn’t be enough to turn someone after quality away.

Flexible long reach pliers aren’t the only tool for the job. They’ll fall flat on their face when you’re dealing with smaller hose clamps. That’s why it’s time we take a look at a set of traditional hose clamp pliers. They come from drake off-road tells us they have the quality hobbyists and weekend warriors demand.  The set includes two pairs of hose clamp pliers. One cross slotted jaw plier and one flat band clamp plier should get most jobs done. A nice touch either pair features is the ratcheting locking mechanism that simplifies the process.

Again, this is an excellent setup for light use. But what hurts this tool is the amount of flex you’re likely to deal with. If the clamps are incredibly stiff, the handles may bend too much to remove them.

Here’s another excellent option for folks tackling projects with a range of different clamp sizes. This option features two hose clamp pliers. One offers the advantage of cross slotted tips and the other features a wider head specifically for dealing with flat band clamps. The jaws on either open up to 2-3/4 inches and close all the way. That means you can use them for virtually any spring clamp you could expect to find under the hood of your car. As per standard, each plier also features a locking mechanism. Being able to lock the pliers in place makes it extremely easy to slide a clamp in or out of place with little risk of it slipping free.

For the money, it’s hard to knock on these pliers. As you might expect, the quality is a little questionable. The real issue is that the jaws don’t offer a great grip on smaller clamps, which is a real problem for many car owners. 

The good news is that your options are not limited when picking out an inclusive set. You just need to figure out what one best fits into your lifestyle. This set lands right between the top-shelf and low-dollar options. As for what’s included, the set features a total of seven pliers. Among them is a healthy mix of spring clamp pliers, Clic-r pliers, and even a hose removal tool. Of course, we can’t leave out the fact that this kit includes the flexible cable clamp pliers many folks are after.

As you might expect, this is another set that is an excellent option for home mechanics but not professionals. The quality is ok, but in the face of a demanding environment, they’re sure to run into some performance issues.

While researching professional-grade flexible reach pliers, Mayhew is likely the brand that caught your attention. If not, this option has all the same quality you could expect from a super-popular tool truck brand. Some even say a few of the sets from either are identical. We don’t need to get into the politics of the matter. All you need to know is that this is a heavy-hitter and a solid option for professionals. Quality aside, it offers 24 inches of reach, locks into place to free up your hands, and the plastic-dipped grips offer decent comfort and resist staining.

While this is a reliable option, it’s probably not the twin of the tool truck model you set out for. It’s a more affordable and simple design. While quality is decent, the lack of features is sure to leave many pros hunting—especially considering the price.

The Irwin Vise-Grip brand is known for supplying tools that serve professionals and hobbyists well, and this particular entry is a multi-purpose tool. It’s meant to help with removing clamps as well as pulling hoses and lines free. That’s a superb option for folks who are dealing with spring clamps but don’t want to load up their tool box with an excess of pliers. A nice feature of this design is the slip joint. Extending the jaws allows you to use this single set of pliers for any clamp size you find on your car.

It’s hard to find anything wrong with this option. Sure, they’re more expensive than many other single hose clamp pliers. But the use you’ll get out of them in combination with the quality construction makes them worth the extra money.