The Best Multi Tools of 2026, Tested and Reviewed

The best multi tools are the ones you carry and use—a lot. Every person has their own unique preferences and needs, so it’s impossible to pick one single product as the best multi tool for everyone. Even in a field of tools that are meant to “do it all,” each tool has its specialties.

There are a few leading brands that dominate the multi tool market, and they all make great products. The key is finding one that has the specialized tools you need for everyday use. Sometimes tools have features that you’ll never use, or a specific tool that you need is difficult to access or not well designed.  

I sorted through, carried, and used a variety of multi tools from several of the top brands to pick the best multi tools in several categories. Hopefully this helps you make an informed decision when buying.

How I Tested the Best Multi Tools

The best multi tools are diverse, and a universal apples-to-apples comparison isn’t really a fair way to evaluate them. I carried and used about 15 different multi tools over the past few months. I cut and stripped wire, drove screws, cranked on truck battery terminals, sharpened blades, mounted scopes, took apart guns, replaced a couple doorknobs, and completed many other everyday tasks. Each tool has its own strengths and drawbacks, and sometimes one or two differences in tool options (plus how easily accessible those tools are) make all the difference. Picking the best multi tool for you is more about understanding your own needs than just grabbing what a salesman tells you to.

Best Overall: Leatherman Arc

I think a Leatherman Free P4, Surge, and Wave are fantastic multi tools and certainly among the best Leatherman has ever produced. Those tools and the right skillset can get you out of a lot of jams. But, if you’re someone who appreciates a silky smooth action on a folding knife or likes premium materials, the Arc is the tool for you. 

Let me put it this way, the Wave is what’s in my tool box, the Surge is what I’d take on a remote hunt, and the Arc is what I use for EDC. The silky-smooth, one-handed opening and satisfying click when a tool locks into place lets you know that you’re using a high-quality piece of gear. Functionally the Arc is ideal for daily tasks. The MagnaCut blade has excellent corrosion resistance, it holds an edge for a long time, and the grind on it is a good balance between slicing and durability. The drivers are my favorite feature and the interchangeable mini driver gets used a lot in my daily life. I typically just carry a bit kit with my Arc, but if you’re someone who needs a driver that can get into tight places, I’d grab one of the extensions for the Arc drivers. You can even get an extension that accepts sockets. The scissors are my third most used tool. They’re great for trimming up a wire tie and cutting cordage. The Arc’s scissors are a little smaller than the ones in the Surge, but they’re plenty functional for most EDC tasks. — Scott Einsmann, gear editor

Best Pocket Knife: Civivi Sendy

The Civivi Sendy has a thin, slicey blade that’s perfect for everything from slicing up a summer sausage for lunch to breaking down cardboard boxes. It has an excellent flipper action and the blade flies open. The only downside to deployment is that you have to use the flipper tab, there’s no option to slowly roll the knife open. The tweezers and toothpick are hidden in the knife’s handle. I’ve used the tweezers to remove splinters and pick up screws that fell into a tight spot. Aside from the obvious uses for the tooth pick, it’s also a good eating utensil and it’s handy for tying nail knots. — Scott Einsmann, gear editor

Best Full-Sized: Leatherman Curl

The Leatherman Curl is a classic-looking and feeling Leatherman that can be carried in its belt pouch but is slim and light enough to comfortably carry with the included pocket clip. Its needle-nose pliers are narrow and have perfect contact at the tips, and all tools are easy to access.

With the tool closed, you can access the pocket-knife blade and the file, which is crosscut on one side, and diamond coated on the other. It includes 15 tools in all, including a wire stripper, scissors, awl, and driver bit receiver. Tools are all easily accessible and smaller tools use a spring semi-lock with no button or switch; just press them closed to overcome the lock.

The selection of tools on the Leatherman Curl is simple, smart, and useful. It features a medium-sized flat head driver in addition to the driver bit receiver, which is compatible with the Leatherman bits and a ratcheting driver, which is very handy. The stainless-steel construction is durable and easy to maintain.

Best Mid-Sized: Leatherman Skeletool CX

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Pros

• Carries and functions as a larger pocket-knife
• Compatible with Leatherman bits and carries one extra on board
• Handle is very comfortable for using both knife and pliers
• Aftermarket accessories available

Cons

• Pliers aren’t heavy duty
• Limited tools on board

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Key Features

• 
  Material:

  
  154 CM stainless steel, DLC coating

• 
  Weight:

  
  5 ounces

• 
  Closed length:

  
  4 inches

The Leatherman Skeletool CX is a multi tool made for everyday carry. Its build is slender, and the pocket clip makes it feel like you’re just carrying a normal knife. In fact, at 4 inches long and just over half an inch thick, it’s about the same size as a medium-sized folding knife. It functions as such, but also offers key tools that fill the major roles of a multi tool for many users.

The driver is well designed and is located at the end of one handle. That handle can be snapped open independently for a longer functioning driver or held half open for more leverage. It uses Leatherman’s slim driver bits and carries an extra bit securely in the handle. You want to carry it with the Phillips bit installed though, as the flat head bit will dig into your hand while using the pliers.

The pliers are medium-duty but work well for finer tasks and they have pretty good wire-cutters. The handles are shaped to give a comfortable contoured grip and plenty of leverage when using the pliers. They aren’t a substitute for channel locks or a wrench, but for average use, I’ve found them to work well. The Leatherman Skeletool CX also has a carabiner/bottle opener designed into the handle.

Best Pocketable: Gerber Lockdown Drive

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Pros

• Same profile and feel as a normal pocket knife
• Sharp chisel tip on file
• No. 11 Exacto-style blade is replaceable
• Driver accepts normal quarter-inch bits

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Key Features

• 
  Weight:

  
  4.5 ounces

• 
  Length:

  
  3.87 inches

• 
  Thickness:

  
  0.5 inches

The Gerber Lockdown Drive is designed for those who need more than just a knife, but don’t want to go all-out on a multi tool. This is probably one of the best multi tools without pliers. It’s a slim-profiled tool that you’d easily mistake for a medium-sized folding knife. And it is a folding knife, but has much more under the hood. It clips and carries comfortably in your pocket just like any medium-sized folder.

This multi-tool features five main tools that are stacked inside the slim handle. A 2 ½-inch plain-edge folding knife, file, No.11 Exacto-style blade, awl, and a driver. The first four tools fold into and out of the handle like traditional pocket-knife blades, and the driver is on the opposite end of the handle.

The knife blade is a little small. The file is cross-cut on one side and single-cut on the other, with a sharp chisel tip. For finer tasks, the replaceable No. 11 blade is a great addition, and the awl is great for scoring or scraping. The driver includes a two-ended Phillips/flat bit, but can accept standard ¼-inch bits as well.

Best Keychain Tool: CRKT Knife Maintenance Tool

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Pros

• Stores bits and uses them to tighten screws on the go
• Its compact size makes it convenient to keep on your keychain
• No blade means you should be able to bring it anywhere

Cons

• Not a wide variety of functions

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Key Features

• 
  Tungsten-carbide and ceramic sharpeners

• 
  Two drivers/bit holders

• 
  Bottle opener/flat screwdriver

The CRKT Knife Maintenance Tool has a clear primary purpose: it’s designed to maintain your pocketknife. It features a glass-reinforced nylon handle with simple pull-through tungsten-carbide and ceramic honing sharpeners, as well as T6 and T8 ¼-inch Torx bits for keeping the small screws on your pocketknife tight. The key ring is hooked onto a steel flat head driver that doubles as a bottle opener.

There are two fold-out drivers, which function as bit holders as well. Although they come holding the two Torx bits, you can easily customize the tool for your own needs with any ¼-inch bits. In addition to magnetic retention, the closed position of the drivers keeps the bits from falling out. Both drivers also open and snap into position for parallel or perpendicular use with the handle.

Keychain tools can only do so much, and the ones that try to do everything mostly useless. Because this tool is so specific, it’s actually useful. The CRKT Knife Maintenance Tools is great for touching up or tightening screws on your knife, and with other bits it can be a handy little driver in a pinch.

Best Driver: Victorinox Swiss Tool Spirit X Plus with Ratchet

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Pros

• High-quality and precision built
• Versatile and customizable driver set
• Perpendicular-drive ratchet
• Accepts ¼-inch bits

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Key Features

• 
  Material:

  
  Stainless steel

• 
  Length:

  
  4.1 inches

• 
  Weight:

  
  7.4 ounces

The Victorinox Swiss Tool Spirit X Plus with Ratchet includes the best driver system, but as a multi tool in general, it’s also one of the best I’ve used. It has all the common tools of a multi tool plier and most of them are accessible with the tool closed. It has a knife, can opener, bottle opener, fold-out Phillips and flathead drivers, wire stripper, chisel, scissors, and a nice file. The pliers are buttery-smooth, with a precise fit at the nose and well-contoured handles.

It looks classy, like something Grandpa would carry around in a worn leather pouch, rather than what a 30-something-year-old derelict like me would use to wrench on outboard motors and banging on stuff with. This would be my pick for best full-size multi tool if not for the fact that it is pretty much a belt-pouch-only setup. It could be carried loose in a pocket, but the whole package is designed to be carried on your belt.

The ratchet driver is where this package really stands out. The mini ¼-inch ratchet driver mechanism drives in a single direction, but you can install the bit from either side to drive clockwise or counter-clockwise. The pass-through bit socket features a snap-ring-style retainer to keep the bits in place. The driver is 4-inches long, and includes a 2 ¾-inch extension, which can be used to extend the ratchet handle or as a bit-holding extension. The ratchet driver snaps into a bit holder that includes six bits, with space open for four additional ¼-inch bits of your choosing. The driver doesn’t actually interface with the Spirit X tool itself, but fits neatly in the included leather pouch along with the tool.

Best for Shooters: Leatherman MUT

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Pros

• It has several useful tools that other multi-tools don’t have
• It comes with both long and short bits, and can store an additional Leatherman short bit
• Features a hammer head which acts as a bolt override and pry tool
• Equally useful as an EDC tool, not just for shooting

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Key Features

• 
  Material:

  
  420HC stainless steel, 154CM stainless steel, bronze, black oxide

• 
  Closed length:

  
  5 inches

• 
  Weight:

  
  11.2 ounces

The Leatherman Military Utility Tool, or MUT was designed specifically to aid in cleaning and maintaining guns and gear. It’s a folding plier that looks similar to many other multi tools, but with a few key differences. It includes a large half-serrated knife blade and a saw, both of which are accessible when the tool is closed.

Some of its unique features include a removable 1/8-inch punch and a bronze scraper. The punch is useful for disassembling firearms and can be removed and tapped with the hammer surface on the end of the tool. The bronze scraper is contoured to help remove carbon fouling from firearm parts without scratching or damaging the steel. Also unique to the MUT is a V-shaped cord/belt cutter in the hammer head. The pliers feature replaceable hard and soft-wire cutters, stranded wire cutters, and electrical crimpers.

This is an extremely useful tool for shooters but it’s also a useful tool in general. It’s big and heavy, but it does include a pocket clip as well as a pouch. The pouch includes a wrench that can be used to keep some scope mounts tight and features an AR front sight adjustment tool. You can order a smaller 3/32-inch punch that is useful for many pistol parts, and the multiple on-board bits are useful for many tasks. The “bolt-override” hook on the hammer head also happens to work great for things like opening paint cans.

Best Swiss Army Knife: Compact

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Pros

• Excellent features to size ratio
• The mini screwdriver can be swapped for a ton of different Mini Tools

Cons

• Retains some legacy features I didn’t find useful like the corkscrew and file

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Key Features

• 
  14 tools

• 
  My Favorite Tools:

  
  Knife, pen, tweezers, bottle opener, 5mm screwdriver, 1.5 mm screwdriver, pin

• 
  Weight:

  
  2.3 ounces

• 
  Length:

  
  3.6 inches (measured)

• 
  Width:

  
  0.95 inches (measured)

• 
  Thickness:

  
  0.57 inch (measured)

• 
  Price:

  
  $59

The Compact is packed with a lot of useful tools, while still remaining light and thin. I found the classic large blade excellent for opening packages, light wood use, cutting cordage, or slicing up an apple. It’s easy to open using the nail nick and smoothly swings out until it snaps into position. There’s a good amount of spring tension to keep the blade open. Although, it’s still not a locking blade so watch out for spine pressure, especially when coming out of a cut. 

Scissors Compared: SAK Compact vs Leatherman T4

The Compact’s Scissors compared to the Leatherman T4’s.

The biggest surprise is how useful I found the pen. You’re not going to use it to write an essay, but it’s handy for those situations when you need a pen in a pinch. I used it at the post office, to sign checks, and jot down quick notes. The scissor is another favorite. It easily cuts through 550 cord, zip ties, and duct tape. It has enough control to cut out intricate shapes in paper or just a straight line. My only complaint with the scissor is that it’s harder to pull out than the other tools because it sits low. I got some use out of the large flat head, bottle opener, as well as the mini tool, and they’re nice to have. I didn’t use the hook, corkscrew, toothpick, and tweezers, but given enough time I’m sure they’d eventually come in handy. —Scott Einsmann

How Will You Carry Your Multi Tool

The multi tool is a jack-of-all trades, and the key to its usefulness is having it with you. Some people like belt-pouch tools, some want to carry everything in their pockets. Having a multi tool with a million bells and whistles won’t do you any good if it’s so heavy that you don’t want to carry it. Usually, a multi tool is a stopgap to get the job done without having to hunt down the proper tools, which means that you need to have it with you at all times.

Tools You Need

Think about the jobs you encounter most often, then look at tools need for those jobs. Good pliers might be important to one person, but another may use a driver much more than pliers. You may need a good file or need a variety of driver bits handy. Pick a multi tool with the right combination of tools for you.

User Friendliness

The best multi tools are user friendly. The most useful features should be the easiest to access. If you’re using a driver a lot, you want it to be quickly accessible, and might want the multi tool to carry extra bits. If you use pliers often, you want them to be comfortable to use and easy to open. Your applications might demand that a tool that is easily operated with one hand. And sometimes, fewer features make a tool easier to use.

FAQs

Final Thoughts on the Best Multi Tool

With this lineup of the best multi tools, it’s easy to get distracted by the flashiest features, and advertised number of tools, but what really is what you need to use it for, how you’re going to carry it, and how user-friendly it is for your applications.