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.

Tool Review: Sequoia 10-in-1 Multi Tool

Key Features:
 +   Can opener works well
 -   Pliers are poorly-made
 -   Pliers are hard to open
 -   Most of the tools don't swing out easily
 -   Bottle opener doesn't work at all


There are so many multi tools on the market, one person could never hope to try them all.  Some are good quality, some are usable but not great, and others are just plain horrible.  The Sequoia 10-in-1 Multi Tool falls into the last category.

This multi tool currently sells for $5.77 on Amazon, and it's not worth even half that price.  The many negative qualities of this tool far outweigh the few positives.  I have a cheaply-made Swiss Army Knife knockoff that I got at a dollar store -- this Sequoia tool is of comparable quality.

Like many multi tools, this one folds out into a pair of pliers.  Opening the pliers is not easy -- the tool does not open smoothly.  Some oil may help, but I'm not going to waste any oil on this tool.  There are no screws to adjust the tension, either.  Once you do get the pliers open, the plier jaws don't line up and the teeth look dirty even before you use them.  The pliers are not spring-loaded.

Besides the pliers, the Sequoia tool includes a knife, a can opener, a bottle opener, a Phillips driver, two slotted drivers, an awl, and a double-sided file.  The tools open from the inside, so in order to use any of them you have to open the pliers first.  The tools are not difficult to open.

The screwdrivers are very rounded.  They are usable sometimes, but because of the rounded tips they slip very easily.  The file is about average for a multi-tool file.  The knife is okay, sharp enough for most applications.  The bottle opener is worthless; it just pulls at the bottle cap rather than pulling it off.

There is a ruler along the outside of the multi tool, which would be a nice feature if it was marked accurately.  Some of the inch marks are wrong, resulting in bad measurements if you rely on this ruler.  There is a gap in the middle of the ruler, where the pliers are, so in order to use the ruler all the way across you have to make sure the back of the tool is exactly even.

The can opener works well.  It is easily the tool's best feature, and the only part of the tool (other than the knife) that is worthwhile.

The Sequoia tool is small, and can fit in the palm of your hand when closed.  It has a small loop you can use to attach it to a keychain, but it also comes with a black pouch that has a vertical belt loop.

The Sequoia 10-in-1 Multi Tool is not worth buying at all.  Unless you want a knife/can opener that is hard to open, just about any other multi tool you could find is a better choice than this one.

Tool review: Great Neck FC006 22 Piece Drivemaster Screwdriver Set

Key Features:

 +   Good selection of drivers
 +   Excellent grip

 -   Does not come with any storage for the drivers


A good set of screwdrivers is a staple of any home tool kit.  Some people prefer a whole set of individual drivers, while others would rather have a single driver (or several drivers) with a set of interchangeable bits.  If you fall into the first category, then a good set to consider is the Great Neck 22 piece Drivemaster screwdriver set (model FC006).

This set comes with 22 screwdrivers of many different types.  There are 8 slotted drivers, 7 Phillips drivers, 4 star (Torx) drivers, 2 square drivers, and one offset driver.  The offset driver has a slotted tip on one side and a Phillips tip on the other, and is good for working in tight places.

Except for the offset driver, which is all metal, each of the drivers has a rubberized handle that is molded to provide a good grip during use.  The handles are well-contoured so that your hand has a lot of purchase, and there is also a place for your thumb to rest and give you added grip.

The drivers are good quality, with steel plated shafts.  They don't have any coating to protect against rust, so over time the tips may start to rust, but the shafts are made of a strong enough metal that the tips shouldn't get chewed up unless they are very heavily used.

These drivers are not magnetic, which some people (myself included) may see as a downside.  The set does not come with any storage for the drivers -- no box or rack -- and the drivers don't have holes in the handles, so if you want to hang them you'll have to get a screwdriver rack.

This set includes a good variety of drivers for all sorts of jobs.  There are small drivers that are good for opening battery covers on toys or remote controls, and big drivers that are sturdy enough for large screws.  The tip size, blade length, and type for each driver (for example, "PH2X4") is printed on the rubber handle so you can find the driver you're looking for quickly.

The Great Neck 22 piece Drivemaster screwdriver set is a good value for the amount of drivers that you get, as long as you have somewhere to store them.  It would make a great starter kit for someone who doesn't already have a lot of tools.

(Originally published on Helium.com, March 2013)

Tool Review: Snap-On SDDP122 Phillips Screwdriver

Key Features:
 +   Good contoured grip
 +   Holds up well to rust

 -   Magnet isn't great


Unless it has a cool feature or it breaks easily, there's not much you can say about a standard Phillips screwdriver.  The Snap-On SDDP122 Phillips screwdriver is a standard driver, but it compares favorably to other, similar drivers.

The SDDP122 has a magnetic tip.  The magnet strength isn't great but it works; it's about average compared to other magnetic screwdrivers that I've used.  The tip is a #2 Phillips tip.

This is an extra-long driver, not one you would typically carry around with you.  It measures about 16-1/2" but it's not overly heavy.  The handle is a typical contoured plastic Snap-On driver handle that provides an easy grip.  The handle comes in black, orange, and red.

Over time, this driver fares better than some others.  I kept it in my car for over five years, right next to a Wiha screwdriver, and the Wiha rusted quickly whereas the Snap-On still looks pretty good.

Since it's a Snap-On, you'll probably pay a bit more for it, but if you need an extra-long Phillips driver, the SDDP122 is a good one.

Tool Review: Pittsburgh Pro 94011 3-Piece Thumbwheel Ratchet Set

Key Features:
 +   Fits into tight places
 +   Cheaper than many other thumbwheel ratchets
 -   Wobbles easily when using it downward because of its weight


Thumbwheel ratchets are neat little tools, but they only have limited applications.  You wouldn't want to use one regularly, but when you need one, you'll be glad you have it.  When working on office equipment, cars, or even around the house, there are times when you need something small like a thumbwheel ratchet.  I bought the Pittsburgh Pro 3-piece thumbwheel ratchet set (part #94011) because it was the cheapest one I could find, and it was a good investment.

This set comes with three thumbwheel ratchets, each with a different drive size: 1/4", 3/8", and 1/2".  The ratchets are well-made and standard sockets fit well on them.  They have a thumb lever for changing the ratchet direction similar to other ratchet wrenches.

The ratchets are steel, with chrome plating.  They are heavy, and when you use them vertically facing down, they wobble very easily if you don't have a good grip.  The sides of the thumbwheel ratchets are textured and provide good (not great) grip.  The ratchets are about 1-1/2" in diameter and about 1" in height.

For the price, this set of ratchets can't be beat.  Harbor Freight sells this set of three for $5.99, and Amazon lists it at $5.49.  Other thumbwheel ratchet sets on Amazon sell for much more -- some over $20.00.