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Different Types of Pliers and What They're Used For

When you see or hear the word "pliers," it's easy to think of them as a generic tool that can be used for any job that requires gripping, twisting, turning, or cutting. But the fact of the matter is, there are many different types of pliers available today, each with unique physical characteristics that suit them to different tasks and professions.

If you're having a tough time deciding which type of pliers is right for your project, read on to find out about the different categories of pliers, what sets them apart from one another, and the jobs that each kind works best for.

Pump Pliers
Designed to work much like a wrench does, pump pliers are the type you're most likely to find in almost anyone's home tool box. With short, knurled jaws that can be adjusted at the rivet to either increase or decrease their span, pump pliers are made primarily for gripping and turning hard-to-budge nuts, bolts and pipe fittings.

When to use them: Pump pliers are ideal for tackling plumbing jobs, as well as miscellaneous household repairs that call for the installation or removal of stubborn bolts.

Long Nose Pliers
Just as their name implies, long nose pliers have a very long and lean profile that lets them squeeze easily into tight spaces to grip and manipulate wires. Perfect for making precise bends in wire, long nose pliers are one of those tools that are indispensable to electricians when it comes time to loop wires before connecting them to receptacles and other fixtures. Heard of lineman's and needle-nose pliers? They all belong to the same family.

When to use them: Any time that precision counts. Narrow jaw tips make this type of pliers the right choice for zeroing in on specific points along wires that need to be carefully shaped.

Cutting Pliers
Built with sharp cutting edges and some serious shearing power, cutting pliers have one main job, which you've probably guessed by now: cutting things. Intended to shear through materials like heavy-gauge electrical wire and even small metal hardware like nails and screws, cutting pliers find use with everyone from professional contractors to home DIY'ers. Unlike many wire cutters, cutting pliers are often tempered to reduce the jarring "snap" that you feel when a wire is cut, and have extra leverage that enables you to slice through thicker materials with less effort.

When to use them: Times when you need to cut through thick wires that won't yield to a standard household wire cutter.

Electronics Pliers
Specially designed to cut delicate electronic components like circuit boards and very fine wires, electronics pliers and flush cutters have very small, narrow jaws that allow you to get in close for extremely precise trimming and tip cutting. While other types of pliers are typically between 6" and 10" in length, electronics pliers are only about 5" long, so they fit comfortably in your palm and give you maximum cutting control.

When to use them: Anytime you need to make very carefully controlled cuts on circuit boards. Also perfect for trimming the delicate wire used in jewelry-making.

Insulated Pliers
While jaw size and shape usually have a lot to do with the classification of a pair of pliers, that';s not the case with insulated pliers, which come in just about every style imaginable. The thing that sets insulated pliers apart is the dielectric coating that covers their handles and makes them far less electrically conductive than your average pair of pliers. Should insulated pliers accidentally make contact with live circuitry during use, their handle insulation has the ability to lessen or stop the flow of current into the user's body, preventing potentially-deadly shocks or electrocution.

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