The Best Multitools of 2025

When we look for a multitool that fits into the budget category, we look for one that gives you the most bang for your buck. Right now, after considering all of the options available today, we’ve determined that the right tool for this accolade is the Leatherman Rebar ($89). Not only is it a full-sized tool with a rugged build, but it has 17 onboard tools, 11 of which are locking.

Previously, we had the Leatherman Sidekick listed as the “Best Budget” multitool. Though we still consider it one of the best multitools on the market, the Rebar offers more opportunities to the user. In testing, those opportunities were all in the stubborn department. The oversized, reinforced pliers provided a substantial hold that did not give when twisted and torqued beyond description. They also helped reach into hard-to-get places to get that grip applied.

Though we’re not big users of knives on multitools — the gang’s all here on the Rebar. There is a 420HC plain-edge blade as well as a serrated one. There’s also a saw and wood/metal file. If you’re someone who just carries a multitool — between the pliers and those four tools — you’re going to get half of the tasks you encounter done. The other half of those tasks can be handled with the other onboard tools, as well as with the replaceable wirecutters, which extend the life of the Rebar out into infinity.

But, don’t worry, if you do find a way to break this tool or any of its implements, your butt is covered by Leatherman’s 25-year warranty. The Rebar has been on the market for over a decade, but for 2025, Leatherman has introduced three new color options that may appeal to more of you out there.

For those of you looking to get on an airplane with a multitool, the Leatherman Style PS ($35) is your best and safest choice. However, if you’re traveling internationally with any multitool, we recommend you look into all of the rules and regulations before checking in.

The Style PS is a compact multitool, boasting eight onboard tools which we believe create the right assortment for just about anything for a tool this size. Beyond the spring-action pliers and wire cutters, the multitool has a nail file, a flathead driver, fold-out scissors, and a carabiner that also serves as a bottle opener. Leatherman has even managed to tuck a pair of tweezers in there.

The one thing the Style PS lacks is the ability to lock any of its tools. However, based on its smaller stature, we didn’t find this to be a problem at all. Your hand will cover most of the body of the PS, which aids in keeping whatever tool you’re using in place.

Aside from the scissors, we really enjoyed the spring action pliers on the Style PS. With a tool this small, it made it easier to work in tight places or on nuts and bolts.

Gerber has had a lot of success with its campsite-oriented multitool, the Stakeout. No one knew they needed a tent stake puller on their multitool, but now that Gerber has done it, it’s kind of a necessity. But where the Stakeout has proven its worth for a bunch of different tasks around the campfire, it lacks pliers. Not having a pair of pliers on a tool like that isn’t a deal breaker.

We love scissors, but it does leave the door open for another brand to swoop in with their multitool with pliers. For 2025, Gerber is addressing that — as well as firestarting — with its Stakeout Spark ($70).

The Stakeout Spark is a well-rounded multitool that includes a ferro rod as well as a set of needlenose pliers. The one sacrifice here is that they didn’t consider finding a spot for scissors, which could easily take the place of either the plain edge blade or saw. There also aren’t any screwdrivers on the Stakeout Spark. However, that tent stake puller is there in all its glory, and it makes this tool what it is overall.

You may not think so, but it only takes one time when you need some extra leverage in getting a tent stake out of the ground and you’ll crown this multitool the king of camping tools.

We like the fact that Gerber decided to add a pocket clip to the Stakeout Spark as well. Having put up and taken down more campsites than we can remember (those music fest sites are a blur all their own), you find yourself on autopilot.

Having multiple options to carry it on yourself really goes a long way in those situations. Putting your multitool down randomly at home is one thing. Putting it down at a campsite turns into an obstacle course where someone ends up getting yelled at.

Nick LeFort was one of the first, if not the first, people to test and review the Leatherman Signal ($140) when it came out in 2015. Though it’s remained unchanged in the nine years since, aside from a handful of new color combinations, it still stands its ground as one of the best survival-oriented multitools on the market. In fact, that same tool is still riding shotgun in his pocket as his EDC. How’s that for a long-term test?

The big appeal of the Signal is the “Scout Factor.” It was the first pliered multitool aimed at the Boy and Girl Scouts due to the inclusion of the safety whistle, ferro rod, and diamond-coated knife sharpener. But beyond that, it was the first multitool to feature a built-in hammer, and it featured both a pocket clip and carabiner for easy carry and access. These features made it a shoo-in for outdoor enthusiasts and survivalists.

With 19 onboard tools, the Signal isn’t only well-equipped, it’s also well-organized. It has to be to fit all of that into its compact size. But the one problem with the Signal is the bit driver. Based on the shape of the Signal, specifically the hammer, it’s hard to use the bit driver in tighter places. In many instances, you can’t get a full revolution without making contact with something around what you’re screwing or unscrewing.

That, however, isn’t nearly a deal breaker. There are just too many other features — like the bereft pliers with replaceable wire cutters, and the ability to lock the tool closed — that keep LeFort reaching for it all of these years later.

Read Review: The Victorinox Rambler

We would be remiss if we didn’t include a Swiss Army Knife in this lineup. The Rambler makes the cut because of its compact size — which, after all, is what you want for a keychain multitool. It is also TSA-compliant for air travel.

At just over a single ounce, the Rambler is almost unnoticeable in the pocket. But when the need arises, you’ll be equipped with 10 of Victorinox’s smartly designed functions. The weakest among these is the wire stripper, which is too small for significant work.

But don’t gloss over that 3D Phillips head. You might be surprised at what a difference it makes on tiny screws. In fact, for all the knives and multitools I test regularly, the Rambler may be my most-used combination of scissors and blade. 

All in all, this may be the best small offering from Victorinox. We reviewed one several years back, and it’s just as good now as it was then. If you’re looking for a light-duty multitool for your keyring, it’s almost impossible to go wrong with the Rambler.

The Zippo Fire Starting Multitool ($23) lives in a class all its own with the sole purpose of making fire. With its included tools, it’s able to help you harvest tinder, sticks, and branches, as well as produce a spark to get that stuff burning.

It’s purpose-built and though it won’t replace any standard multitool, it’s not meant to. That said, there is a screwdriver and bottle opener on there as well, so — thought has been given to how you plan on relaxing once the first has been lit.

LeFort been using the Zippo Fire Starting Multitool since mid-summer 2024. In that time he’s come to realize that it has a limited lifespan, but he hasn’t gotten to it yet. Eventually, it will run out of the fire-strands in the paracord. Then the flint that creates the spark will wear out and sooner than later, the tinder grater will lose its efficacy. But, for $23, he’s stoked with what this tool has done for him.

Where the rest of this list is comprised of multitools that you can use everywhere for a lot of things, the Zippo Fire Starting Multitool still deserved a heavy mention because of the impact it’s had on LeFort’s camping and prepping food, which it most certainly can provide you as well.

Read Review: The SOG Flash MT.

As opposed to almost every other pliered multitool on the market, the SOG Flash MT ($70) is designed to be a knife first and a multitool second. But that’s not to say that SOG cut any corners to come to this physical conclusion. Instead, the brand designed the overall shape of its Flash MT to look and feel like a knife when you were using it with the blade out.

The choice to use D2 tool steel as the blade on the Flash MT further supports the fact that this is a knife first, but — and man, is this a big but — the inclusion of SOG’s Compound Leverage gear-driven pliers is a stout reminder that you twist, pull, ply, and pop all day long. This proprietary plier design increases the strength of the pliers so you don’t have to wrench down to get the grip you’re looking for.

One interesting facet of the Flash MT was SOG’s choice to use the smaller 4mm style bits. These bits are more commonly associated with electronics, but the Phillips side is still big enough to be used on larger screws. Additionally, the included bit stores in the handle of the Flash MT, which is the bee’s knees.

If we had to create a category for the Flash MT, we’d would call it an “Urban EDC Multitool.” Even with its limited assortment of tools, the Flash MT is great for every outdoor use you can imagine. But it’ll do just as well for you at the office. With its minimal closed size, you shouldn’t have any issues tucking it into your Dockers.

There’s a reason why Gerber’s Multi-Plier 800 Legend ($182) has been on the market for more than a decade: it’s hard to beat. A full-sized multitool meant to be carried in its included pouch or your pack, the Legend is built like a tank. It also has zero tool bloat. This means that every tool built into this powerhouse has earned its spot there. This is important because you’re not left carrying things you don’t need or missing things you do.

One standout in the overall mix of 11 tools is the replaceable RemGrit Carbide Saw. Instead of a bolted-on toothed saw, the RemGrit saw is built like a grinding wheel with bits of carbide. Not only is this a safer option, but it’s also more effective overall. And when it wears down, you can purchase its replacement in nearly every hardware store in North America for $4.

The overall build quality of the Legend lets you know that you can twist and torque this tool without having to worry about it giving up or breaking down on you. That’s important, as is the overall grip of the tool, especially when you get into tight places. The needle nose pliers are sized and shaped so that when the proper force is applied to the handles, you won’t need to worry about them slipping off a bolt head, leading you to smack your knuckles.

Though the Legend lacks some of the refined ergonomics and one-hand operation of some of the other top-of-the-line multitools like the Leatherman Wave+, it makes up for it with its ability to take on even the most stubborn tasks. Hey, if it’s good enough for our military, it’s good enough for us!

The Sidekick ($70) is a budget-friendly option from Leatherman that focuses on the essentials, eliminating tool bloat. At just over half the cost of the Wave+, its cost-to-capability ratio is arguably higher.

The Sidekick has a plain-edged knife, a small serrated knife, and a small saw. While its brother the Wingman ($70) packs a pair of scissors, a package opener, and a half-serrated blade. Apart from these variations, users will be treated to the same spring-action pliers and file/driver setup, with a liner lock holding the main blade in place. 

The inclusion of a pocket clip with the Sidekick upgrades its accessibility. Only some people want to wear a belt sheath. And, speaking from experience, letting a multitool bounce around in your pocket is a surefire way to wear a sizable hole in said pocket.

Though we love the Wave+, sometimes you just don’t need all of those tools and features. For almost half the price, users from all experience levels pick up a Sidekick as either their gateway multitool or the multitool they carry for the rest of their lives.

Out of the 14 tools available on the Sidekick, the spring action pliers have proven to be the most useful, especially when turning nuts and wire.

Read Review: The Gerber Armbar Drive

Where you may not always need pliers, there’s a good argument for carrying a pliers-less multitool. And all signs point to that tool being the Armbar Drive ($45) from Gerber.

The Armbar Drive is a simple, single-piece multitool that puts its magnetic bit driver out front as the main tool more naturally and effectively than what we’ve become accustomed to with multitools.

A while back, Gerber came out with its full-featured multitool, the Center-Drive. This tool centered the screwdriver on the body of the tool when it was deployed. This positioning replicated the position a standard screwdriver would be in if we were holding it in our hand. This simple innovation amplified both torque and rotation and is the nucleus of the entire Armbar Series.

Rounding out the Armbar Drive is a locking, 5CR15MOV stainless steel blade, scissors, bottle opener, hammer, prybar, and awl, all of which are non-locking. It’s a minimal assortment with a lot of possibilities.

I’ve kept the Armbar Drive in my pack for more than 6 months. The hammer comes in handy, as does the minimal pry bar. It’s one of those tools you can’t build a house with, but you’ll find a million other uses for it.

Read Review: The Leatherman Arc

If you want luxury, you need to be willing to pay for it. At $230, the Leatherman Arc is not only the most expensive multitool on this list, but also it might just be the most expensive on the market today.

That said, you get what you pay for. This tool has MagnaCut knife steel, one-hand opening operation, and 20 onboard tools that are expandable to 38, out of the box. So, you’re totally getting your money’s worth. 

As much as we love Leatherman, its choice of knife blade steel was always questionable. But, when you consider that a knife is just part of a tool assortment and not a standalone tool when it’s baked into a multitool, I’ve had no problem letting it slide for the past 25 years.

That said, the inclusion of MagnaCut steel on the Arc isn’t only worth the money, but it’s a statement. Leatherman wants this tool to be the only knife or tool you carry in your pocket.

Rounding out the Arc is the ability to expand its tool assortment to 38 tools right out of the box. This is due in part to the tool having two different bit drivers and coming with Leatherman’s Bit Kit Set. Additionally, though it comes with a pocket clip, which is the bee’s knees on any multitool, the Arc also comes with a sheath, so you can carry everything, everywhere, all the time.

Aside from the one-hand operation and the inclusion of MagnaCut steel for the knife blade, the pliers on the Arc are the best in the Leatherman lineup. They originally debuted on the Free series and, even though you can find beefier pliers on tools like the Signal and Surge, I just like the insane grip you get with these.

Read Review: The Gerber Dual Force

The Gerber Dual-Force ($110) is not your standard multitool but an industrial-grade workhorse. This is due in part to the two-position slip-lock jaw pliers that Gerber claims are two times stronger than standard needlenose multitool pliers.

Through testing, we can confirm that these are the toughest pliers on a multitool that we’ve ever experienced. By design, the mouth of the pliers grips onto bolt heads like they’ve been spot-welded in place. 

The ability to open the jaws to be wider for larger objects is also a nice feature — especially if you find yourself out on the trail needing to do any random work on your off-road rig. There are two index points for smaller and larger bolts in both positions, and though these pliers don’t narrow down as much as needle nose pliers, that didn’t hold up any of the work we needed to get done.

If you’ve never experienced any of Gerber’s multitools with its Center-drive axis technology, we’ll gladly suggest that you start with the Dual-Force. The Center-drive centers the driver’s arm to act more like a standard handheld screwdriver, making for smoother rotations and less fatigue.

It also hosts one of the three ¼-inch bit holders found on the Dual-Force. Though Gerber doesn’t offer anything over the three bits included, you’ll find yourself building your own bit kit based on your needs.

Like most Gerber multitools that we’ve had the opportunity to test and use, there’s no tool bloat on the Dual-Force. You get the standard saw, file, and knife blade, found on most full-featured multitools, but nothing extra or overboard. In fact, it would have been nice to have a set of scissors on the Dual-Force, but it’s not a deal breaker.

There are a couple of things about the Dual-Force you should be aware of. The first is that the tool is a little stiff out of the box, which makes it tougher to open and close. This dissipates over time, and the butterfly-style opening operation works smooth as butter. The second thing is that the tool won’t close properly if you have the jaws in the extended setting. Just make sure to set them back into the smaller notch position, and that will go away as well.