5 Best Wire Strippers in the UK for 2022 | Pro Advice to Choose the Best Tools on the Market | Complete Buyer’s Guide
We’ve got a round-up of the best wire strippers available. Whether you’re buying your first set of electrician tools or you need to replace a worn-out stripper for home repairs, chances are one of these tools will be right for you. In this guide, we’ve covered wire stripping basics, like how they work and what to look for when buying, as well as reviewed TOP 5 best wire strippers along with their differentiating features.
How wire strippers differ
The term “wire stripper” refers to a type of hand tool used by production workers and electricians to assemble and repair wiring.
The main purpose of wire strippers is to make it simple to remove the plastic insulation from the end of a cut piece of electrical wire. This is necessary to connect the wire to a terminal or to splice two wires together. Many wire strippers will also cut wire, so you don’t need to switch between tools when cutting and stripping numerous lengths of wire at a time.
- Automatic wire strippers make the stripping task quicker by pulling the insulation off the wire as well as cutting it.
- Manual strippers require you to pull the wire out after the insulation is cut, which can get tiresome if you need to prepare a large number of wires for a project.
- Precision-wire strippers with adapted blades like KNIPEX are intended for very tough and hard insulation materials: PTFE, silicone, Radox, Kapton, and rubber. Precision machined stripping holes easily remove jacket insulation without damaging the wire.
Automatic vs. manual: This is a major distinction between wire strippers. Automatic strippers are designed to cut the insulation and pull it away in a single step. Manual strippers take more time and effort because you’ll need to yank it off the wire with your other hand. The downside of automatic strippers is that they often break smaller gauge wires, so manual strippers are better for delicate wiring work.
Best-Selling Wire Strippers in the UK | Comparison Table
Most Popular
FlowerW Wire Stripping Machine Scrap Metal Recycle by Amazon.co.uk
- Aluminum Construction: Aluminum alloy material-manual wire stripper with high-quality lightweight construction made of durable aluminum alloy, designed for long service time.
- Safe Cutter Blade: Made of durable material that lasts much longer than a traditional blade, the machine has been fully guarded to ensure complete safety. The blade and shaft achieve high working efficiency.
- Easy to Use: There is an adjustable blade, feeding panel, and nut on the cable wire stripping machine, smoothly and suitable for any shapes cable. You can mount easily to any bench or workstation.
Wire Strippers Buying Guide | What to Look for When Buying?
These may seem like simple, standardized hand tools, but there are actually a few important features that set one wire stripper apart from another. Some are designed to do repetitive stripping fast, and others are intended for repair work that requires care and versatility. Below are the key features to think about when shopping for a modern set of wire strippers.
- Wire gauges: Smaller wire strippers will have notches for the most common wire gauges, while larger strippers will handle the less common sizes, too. Make sure to compare the gauges a pair of strippers can fit to the wire sizes you know you’ll be cutting.
- Durability: Look at the material that a wire stripper is made of before making a purchase. If you’ll put them to daily use, you’ll want a pair that’ll last. A wire stripper is a must-have tool for anyone who performs wiring work because they make the job of cutting wires and stripping them faster and avoiding damaging the metal wire that’s under the insulation.
- Handle grip: A comfortable grip is important if you’ll be using the wire strippers for long periods of time. A poor grip can lead to blisters and cramps by the end of the day.
- Needle-nose tip: If you need to guide cut wires through conduit or bend them onto terminals, it can be less of a hassle if the strippers have a needle nose plier tip to grip them with. It’ll save you the time spent switching between tools.
- Crimping: If you usually crimp terminals onto wires after stripping, it’ll be convenient to get a stripper with crimping slots.
Klein Tools 11063W Wire Cutter and Stripper
Klein’s 11063W model is an automatic wire stripper that can remove up to an inch of insulation with a single motion.
This stripper is designed to both cut and strip 8 to 20 AWG-sized solid wire and stranded wires between 10 and 22 AWG. It’s able to strip smaller gauge wire with a minimum of damage because of the precision-machined stripper holes. It also uses a tension loader that doesn’t need to clamp the wire with excessive force, which also helps avoid breaking wires.
The grip is spring-loaded and designed for long-term use. The chassis has a heavy-duty design that includes an Ecoat corrosion-resistant finish.
Klein Tools 11063W: Check the current price
Other Popular
VEVOR Wire Stripping Machine, Electric Cable Stripper Machine, 1.5-25 mm Cable Stripping Machine, 220V Automatic...
- Heavy-Duty Construction: Constructed from solid aluminum alloy, this wire stripper can withstand rigorous environments and easily endure years of heavy use. Equipped with high hardness blades to ensure its operational stability.
- Wide Compatibility: The electric motor powers drill-driven technology, while the adjustable blades and rollers fit all wire sizes with diameters from 1.5 mm (0.06”) up to 25 mm (1”).
- High Stripping Efficiency: This wire stripper features a 180W 1/4 HP single-phase induction motor, motorized to save you time, effort, and money. The gearbox leads to fast stripping speed. It creates a fast stripping speed of 60 feet per minute, plus the laborsaving design increases security and convenience.
- Effortless To Use: The emergency stop button for unforeseen wire jams. All you have to do is slip the intact wire into the feeding hole and turn on the switch. Don't tuck your finger in, though, when it's on.
- Extensive Use: This machine is ideal for whatever hardwire or soft wire, it can be easily stripped by using this model. Such copper wire recycler will detach the plastic and rubber insulation from undamaged scrap wire, a must-have for copper wire recycling.
This Year’s Top 5 Best Wire Strippers
1. IRWIN VISE-GRIP 6-inch Wire Stripper
Irwin Tools makes a full line of wire stripping, cutting, and crimping tools that range from do-it-all multipurpose tools to simple tools that can handle a single task.
The 6-inch Wire Stripper by Irwin is the simplest wire stripper they offer. It features manual wire stripping for electrical wire gauges between 10 and 24 AWG.
It also has a cutter that’s intended for copper wire, a crimper, and a needle nose plier tip. That simple versatility makes it a good choice for manual work that requires precision and care. T
he handle grip is designed to reduce hand fatigue when you’ve got dozens of wires to cut and strip, and the texture used makes these strippers unlikely to slip out of your hands.
They also have a spring that snaps them open after each stripping, and a lock can be set to hold them closed.
IRWIN VISE-GRIP 6-inch: Check the current price
2. IRWIN VISE-GRIP 8-inch Self-Adjusting Wire Stripper
Another stripping tool made by Irwin Tools is their 8-inch Self-Adjusting Wire Stripper.
This tool uses a self-adjusting mechanism to strip away up to two inches of insulation with each squeeze of its handle grips. You can control the amount of insulation it removes with an adjustable stopper, and a swivel knob lets you make small adjustments when stripping wires smaller than 20 AWG. It strips 10 to 24-gauge wires without any extra adjustments, and it has a crimper that fits 10-22 AWG wires, both insulated or non-insulated. You can even use it to crimp ignition terminals between 7 and 9mm in size.
This tool features the same ProTouch grip design as Irwin’s 6-inch stripper, and it makes life easier when you’re working long hours. Overall, this is a good choice when you need to strip cut wire ends as quickly as possible.
IRWIN VISE-GRIP Self-Adjusting: Check the current price
3. Klein Tools 11055 Wire Cutter and Stripper
Klein Tools’ 11055 Wire Cutter and Stripper strips solid 10 to 18 AWG wires and 12 to 20 AWG stranded wires.
It’s designed with larger gauge wire handling in mind, featuring a large flat surface you can use to twist up to three wires at a time for terminal posts or splicing.
Klein also added a screw shearer to the tool that can break off 6-32 or 8-32-sized screws.
The tip is designed for a solid grip, making it possible to use as a pair of pliers.
The grip is made of a soft, comfortable material that saves your hands from the fatigue of working continuously. The grip is also held open with a spring to make changing wires quicker. It’s a good choice if you need to cut, strip, and twist heavier gauge wire.
Klein Tools 11055: Check the current price
4. Convy GJ111EU Automatic Wire Stripping Tool
Convy’s Adjustable Automatic Cable Wire Stripper is marketed as an automotive wiring tool that saves time when wiring sound systems.
It’s designed to strip insulation from solid wires ranging from 10 to 24 AWG, and it excels at the task with wire sizes typically used for stereo speakers. It has a cutting blade on the nose to quickly snip wires before stripping them.
The depth of the stripping action can be adjusted using a sliding piece in the tool’s lower jaw. The construction of this tool leaves something to be desired.
Being made of plastic, it’ll be more susceptible to breaking than other cast steel tools, and the lack of a soft grip will be an issue if you use the tool for more than a few minutes.
Convy: Check the current price
Frequently Asked Questions
You may be able to do this with larger wire strippers, but it’s not recommended to cut wires made of metals harder than copper. You could damage the stripper’s cutter attempting to cut steel cable, for example. Check with the manufacturer’s advice before cutting anything other than the electrical wire.
Many have this capability. Check the wire stripper’s specifications. Some have slots for crimping wires with or without insulation on them.
Coaxial and ethernet cables need special tools to be stripped properly. This is because they have multiple wires twisted together inside the insulation that electrical wire strippers are likely to damage.
Some automatic strippers allow you to adjust the cutting blade height and the clamping strength to handle delicate wires that break easily. Many other automatic strippers, however, adjust themselves to the gauge wire you place in them automatically and lack these manual adjustments. If you need these features, be sure to check a stripper’s specifications closely.
The insulation on those wires requires special strippers. Normal wire strippers are designed with plastic insulation in mind, which is thicker and provides more traction.
Pros & Cons of Wire Strippers
Pros
- Automatic wire strippers take the guesswork out of wire stripping and save time
- Manual strippers are better tools for smaller wire gauges and service technicians
- Features like wire cutting, crimping, and needle-nose tips add functionality
Cons
- Automatic strippers sometimes use too much force when stripping small gauge wire
- Most wire strippers are limited in the wire gauges they handle
Pro Tips & Lifehacks
- If you work with a wide range of unusual wire gauges, select two or three-wire strippers to cover all of them.
- If you find yourself cutting, stripping, crimping, and bending wires around terminal posts, invest in a combo tool that can do all these tasks.
Wire Cutter and Stripper, for 8-20 AWG Solid and 10-22 AWG Stranded Electrical Wire Klein Tools 11063W
- Cuts and strips 8-20 AWG solid and 10-22 AWG stranded wire with ease
- Compound action stripping: grip and strip via single-action squeezing motion
- Precision machined stripping holes easily remove insulation without damaging the wire
- Removes up to 1-Inch (25 mm) in length of the insulation layer (jacket layer) in a single step
- Tension loaded wire-grip gently holds the cable while retaining cable geometry
WORKPRO Automatic Wire Stripper Plier AWG10-24, 3-in-1 Self-Adjusting Wire Cutter & Cable Stripper & Terminal...
- 【3-in-1 Multi-Function Usage】This tool features 3-in-1 function: stripping, cutting and crimping, which is ideal for copper, cable, coaxial, thermal and aluminum wire
- 【High-Quality Material】It is made of high-quality steel which is heat-treated, polished, and black oxidation processed, making it more durable and sufficient to deal with hard stripping work
- 【Self-Adjusting Design】With innovative self-adjusting mechanism, the conductor can be reliably stripped by adjusting the accuracy of cutting blade, which is ideal for copper and aluminum cables from 10-24 AWG
- 【Soft Grip Handles】Anti-slip handle provides maximum leverage and comfortable grip experience, helps you exert enough force and reduce hand fatigue at the same time
- 【Various Specification】Built-in crimper crimps: 22-10 AWG (0.4-6.0mm²) insulated terminals; 12-10 AWG (4.0-6.0mm²) non-insulated terminals; 16-14 AWG (1.5-2.0mm²) non-insulated terminals; 22-18AWG (0.4-0.75mm²) non-insulated terminals
CREWORKS 370W Automatic Wire Stripping Machine with 11 Channels, 220V Electric Wire Stripper Machine Tool for...
- POWERFUL MOTOR: The 220V/370W (50Hz) engine strips wire at speeds up to 30 meters per minute. Constructed with solid aluminum alloy, this cable stripper can withstand rigorous daily use and last for years to come.
- 1.5MM-38MM DIAMETER: Multi-hole design for various diameter cables. Range of threads: 0.06 "-1.5" /1.5mm-38mm.
- DURABLE CONSTRUCTION: The wire stripper machine is made with premium aluminum alloy and the blade is made of steel to ensure a clean cut every time!
- PORTABLE ENERGY-SAVING DESIGN: The compact design is lightweight and convenient to move. This machine uses little electricity making it a very economical and practical choice.
- WIDE APPLICATION: Perfect for recycling copper wire and removing the plastic or rubber insulation from undamaged scrap wires ranging from 1.5mm to 38mm in diameter.
VCELINK GJ708 Wire Stripper and Cutter Wire Cutting Stripping Tool for Solid and Stranded Wires
- Precision Stripping Tool: Suitable for solid wire 10-22 AWG and stranded wire 12-24 AWG.Meticulously calibrated tool ensures you only strip wire insulation and do not damage the core
- Multi-functional Design：Allows you to strip wires，cut and bend copper wires.You can press the lock to store it when you are not using the tool.
- High quality: The cable stripping tool is made of high quality carbon steel ,It is resistant to wear and rust,stays sharp for longer
- Handle design:The tool is equipped with high-quality non-slip plastic handles to help get a better grip. The handle is bent ergonomically to reduce fatigue caused by long-term use.
- Packaging and After Sales Service: The delivery includes 1 x Cable Stripper, including a 18 months guarantee, an invoice including VAT can be issued
Hi-Spec 3-in-1 Automatic Wire Stripping Tool, Terminal Crimper and Cutter. Self-Adjusting Cable Stripper 10-24AWG...
- ◆ MULTI-FUNCTIONAL WIRE TOOL: Easy to use self-adjusting wire and cable stripper is a handy piece of equipment that will serve a wide range of wire adjusting and maintenance needs including home electrical jobs, installing lighting to working with tiny circuit boards. An indispensable tool for electrical projects at in the home, garage, workshop, on the job and even for marine use
- ◆ REVOLUTIONARY: The must have tool for anyone working with cables and wires, this easy to use technology will reduce project time as well as stress caused! Simply insert the wire between the two machined jaws at the head of the tool and squeeze. The jaws clamp down automatically selecting the right tension to hold the wire without damaging it, and removes insulation. A swivel knob can be adjusted for use with smaller wires when more tension is required
- ◆ RANGE OF USES: Can strip wire from 10-24AWG for stereos, lighting, telephone wire, home electronics and appliances projects including copper, cable, coaxial, thermal and aluminium wire. Adjustable stopper to adjust the length that is stripped and for micro projects with gauges smaller than 20AWG an adjustable swivel knob can be used for precision. Wire crimper crimps 10-22AWG insulated, 10-22AWG non-insulated and 7-9mm ignition terminals, plus a wire cutter.
- ◆ PRECISION CUTS: High-frequency heat treated blades make clean cuts on a range of wires from 10-24AWG in size to make sure you get the job done quickly. Crimpers and wire cutter located in located in handle for easy access during work
- ◆ EASY TO USE: Soft easy-grip handle for maximum comfort and reduced hand fatigue when using. Spring loaded, flat-sided handle for speed and efficiency, this tool can be used be anyone without knowing the exact length of wire. This 3-in-1 easy to use tool is a must have piece of equipment for the DIY electrician and will make light work of tough electronics maintenance and repair projects
VCELINK GJ702 Automatic Wire Stripper Wire Cutter Wire Stripping Tool for Stripping Single or Multiple Strand...
- Stripper&Cutter 2 in 1:Stripping Range: 10 to 24 AWG( 0.25mm²-6mm² ), Cutting range 0.08-8mm².Double-sided scale, inches and centimeters.
- Applicable wire:Work for Speaker wire,Insulated wire Stranded wire Hard copper wire Multi-core wiresingle-conductor.
- Adjustment knob:The adjustment knob on the back of the tool is used to adjust the stripping depth,Adjustable peeling tension, suitable for different thickness of insulation layer, without damaging the copper core.
- Quality Material:Carbon steel + PA nylon, comfortable hand feeling, ergonomically design and non-slip handle, the force-transmission spring withstand much pressure, will not deformed for long term use.
- Package and Service: 1 wire stripper&cutter,18 months warranty. We provide VAT invoice
KAIWEETS Wire Stripper Crimper Set, 3-in-1 Stripper Cutter Crimper AWG10-24 Compound Automatic Wire Stripper with...
- 【Auto Pressure Ajust】: Strip wire from 10 to 24 AWG with our self-adjusting mechanism
- 【3 in 1 Function】: Wire stripping, wire cutting, and crimp insulated and non-insulated terminalsWire stripping, wire cutting, and crimp insulated and non-insulated terminals
- 【Anti-Slip Handle】: TPR grips can greatly increase comfort and reduce hand fatigue
- 【Wide Application】: Use it for stripping, cutting of copper wire, aluminum wire, sheathed core wire, cable, and insulated terminal electrical crimping
- 【Package Include】: 1 x wire stripper, 260 x terminals
Precision Wire Stripper and Cutter, Electrician Wire Cutting Stripping Tool, Spring-loaded Wire Cutter Pliers for...
- STRIPPING SIZE RANGE >> Wire Stripper suits for the wire of the specification 10-22 AWG (0.6-2.6 mm)
- CUTTING SIZE RANGE >> Built-in wire cutter, shears wire up to 10AWG/2.6mm. Quickly switch between stripping and cutting
- EASY TO USE >> Strong-gripping serrated nose for easy bending, shaping, and pulling of wire. Suitable for home appliances and lamp, wall socket install, distribution box, electrical repairs, machine repair, etc
- SAFE LOCK >> Convenient storage, avoiding Spring-loaded automatic opening
- ERGONOMIC HANDLE >> Grips designed for greater tool control. The handle is made of PP+TPR material, comfortable hand feeling, and optimal force-transmission
Conclusion
That wraps up our run-down of the TOP 5 wire strippers on the market in 2018. There’s something for most wire-stripping tasks in our reviews this year, whether you need a handy manual stripper, a solid automatic stripper, or you just need something to make rewiring your car’s sound system easier. We expect the tool industry to keep finding new ways to make wire-stripping easier, so be sure to check in for our next installment. Until then, we hope we’ve made shopping for your next wire stripper simpler.
