DeWalt MT16 multi tool deal on eBay

The DeWalt MT16 multi tool typically sells for $20 or more.  (Full review of it here.)  Right now, someone is selling the MT16 tool on eBay for just $13.99 with free shipping.  That is a good deal for this multi tool.  I don't know how long that price will last, but it's the lowest price I've seen for the MT16.

Tool reviews: Leatherman Brewzer

Key Features:
 +   Lightweight keychain tool
 +   Good contoured grip
 +   Works well as a slotted screwdriver
 -   Not as many uses as it could have
 -   More expensive than comparable tools


The Leatherman Brewzer is a neat little multifunction bottle opener.  It is technically a multi tool, but according to its user guide it only has two stated uses: as a mini pry bar and as a bottle opener.

There are more things you can do with the Brewzer than just pry at things and open bottles, though.  The end of the pry bar works well as a slotted screwdriver -- surprisingly well for such a small tool.  The pry bar is also notched, so you can use it as a box cutter.  As a box cutter, the Brewzer works better than a key but not as good as a knife.  There is a rectangular keychain hole that could probably function as a very small box wrench, should the need arise.  As a bottle opener, the Brewzer is about average.  It has notches that provide good grip, and it's easy to lever.

The Brewzer is a handy little tool to stick on your keychain and forget about until you need it.  It is well-constructed and very well-machined, and made of sturdy steel.  However, being a Leatherman product, you would think it would have more possible uses than just the few mentioned above.

The big miss that this tool has is that the opening for the bottle opener is just a tiny bit too big to be used as a hex bit holder.  It is the right shape, but just big enough that standard-sized hex bits fall through.  If it had been made a little more snug, you could stick a bit in there and use the Brewzer as an offset screwdriver.

As it stands, the Leatherman Brewzer is a neat tool that has some uses.  It could certainly be an every-day carry tool, because it is very lightweight and compact.  However, for $10.00 (its price on Amazon) it seems to be aimed more toward those who want a Leatherman keychain tool than those who want a multifunction keychain tool.  For about half the price of the Brewzer, you could get the Gerber Shard ($5.56) or the Nite-Ize DoohicKey ($4.05), both of which offer bottle opener and pry bar capabilities, along with other functions as well.  (The Shard has a cross driver on one end, and the DoohicKey has a built-in carabineer.)

Tool Review: A1st Mini Multifunctional Pocket EDC Tool

Key Features:
 -   Edges are rounded, making tool almost useless
 -   Hex bit hole is too large
 -   Bottle opener lacks a lip to grab the bottle cap


The A1ST Mini Multifunctional Pocket EDC Tool is a very cheap knockoff of the Leatherman Brewzer. It is sold on eBay and ships from China.  There is absolutely no reason for anyone to buy this tool.

The product description bills this tool as having many uses -- slotted driver, bottle opener, box/tape cutter, etc.  The tool is metal, and it is machined very poorly.  The edges are so rounded that it's almost useless for most of its listed functions.

As a slotted screwdriver, it slips off of the screw easily, making it pointless to use.  As a bottle opener, it lacks any sort of lip to grab the bottle cap, so it just sort of pulls at the cap rather than lifting it off.  The only time I tried opening a bottle with it, it took three tries to get the cap off.  There are indentations on the side of the tool for purchase, but they are so shallow and rounded they barely provide any additional grip.

The product description says the tool has a "1/4 hex opening."  The actual opening is larger than a quarter inch, so when you try to put a hex bit in there it slides right out.  As a box ripper or tape cutter, the tool works okay, as long as you put enough pressure on it to push it through, since the tool itself is not sharp.  The tool is metal, and the metal seems strong enough, so it might function as a small pry bar, though I wouldn't trust it with a lot of weight.

If you do buy this tool, it gets shipped from China so it will take a long time to get to you (unless you live near China).  When I purchased mine, it took just about two months for the tool to arrive, and I never got any shipping updates so I couldn't track it.  I paid $1.25 for the tool, but right now it's listed at $1.19.