The Best Multitools of 2023

When it comes to the world of multitools, the Leatherman Wave+ ($120) is the king of the hill. With 18 tools, an intuitive layout, and excellent materials, it’s like carrying a superhero’s accessory belt in your pocket.

The Wave+ packs two different blades, both accessible from a closed position. The thumb holes allow for single-hand deployment, and the integrated linerlock keeps their 420HC edges in place.

There’s also the interchangeable bit driver, which fits a wealth of options beyond the included Phillips and flathead. Add to this one of the best pairs of pliers to ever grace a multitool, and you’re equipped to handle just about anything.

And don’t forget Leatherman’s 25-year warranty. If something goes wrong with your Wave+, simply send it back, and it’ll fix or replace it. I purchased my first Wave+ after snapping the jaws of my Style PS while opening an electrical box, which was an impressively dumb move on my part. Since then, this has been my main multitool for everything from home plumbing, fiddling with electronics, and even twisting together wires to serve as jumpers for factory instrument testing.

Unfortunately, I noticed a problem with the blade on my Wave+, so I sent the tool back to Leatherman and received a new model in impressively short order. Long story short – Even if your Wave+ (Or other Leatherman product for that matter) breaks, you’re going to be in good hands. 

This full-size, budget-friendly offering from Leatherman serves as a one-two punch. And at just over half the cost of our top offering, its cash-to-capability ratio is actually arguably higher. 

The Sidekick ($70) 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. 

Both tools bear an additional feature not shared by their big brother, the Wave+: An included pocket clip. Sure, they’re a bit heavy to dangle from your cargo shorts, but in a pair of work jeans or secured to the front of your coveralls, this offers a nice alternative to the (still included) belt sheath. 

So, why go with the Wave+ when it comes time to outfit yourself? For some, it’s the allure of the top pick’s swappable bits and tiny eyeglass driver, which we find ourselves using on the regular. But from a dollar-for-dollar standpoint, the aptly-named Wingman and Sidekick make a heck of a value case, especially as they’re using the same 420HC steel.

Looking for something a little less pliers-centric? Gerber’s got you with one of its newer offerings, the Armbar Drive ($45). This interesting design features eight tools, all wrapped in one unfussy rectangle. Among these are a locking knife, a pair of scissors, and a 2.5-inch driver with a double-sided bit.

If that seems like a lot of tool for less than $50, you’re not wrong. The downside here is that, unlike the Center-Drive, the Armbar sits at the lower end of Gerber’s production scale. That means sometimes good/sometimes bad construction, with materials sourced and assembled in China. This can create hit-and-miss experiences, such as the Stakeout encountered by one staffer.

But at under $50, the Armbar is an intriguing, straightforward design that won’t break the bank. If you’re mainly looking for a cheap pocket knife with added capability, this could be the multitool for you

For years, the Style PS ($35) has been a mainstay of my EDC. Despite weighing in at just over an ounce and a half, this Leatherman packs a whopping nine tools into a compact, travel-friendly package.

In fact, I’m currently sporting my third model of the PS. After breaking the first as described above (my fault), I keep coming back to its amazing blend of usefulness.  Beyond the spring-action pliers and wire cutters, the multitool features a nail file, a flathead driver, fold-out scissors, and a carabiner that also serves as a bottle opener. They even managed to tuck a pair of tweezers in there.

Best of all, the lack of a knife blade makes it a perfect companion on your next cross-country flight. I’ve flown with a PS for several years, with little more than the occasional eyeballing from the TSA. Take caution when traveling out of the country, however. My second PS was confiscated during a trip to Mexico when I wasn’t about to argue with security officers with military weaponry over a $35 tool. But that’s part of the beauty of the Style PS – when I got home, it was easy enough to order another one. 

For our money, the Style PS has the perfect combination of size, capability, and go-anywhere attitude. And at just $35, it’s a great addition to your keychain.

When the Leatherman Signal ($140) hit the market, it was met with immediate acclaim by the outdoors community. A camping-themed multitool, integrating a ferro rod and sharpening system into a versatile, Wave-style toolkit? Be still, our tent-pitching hearts. 

And for the most part, the Signal lives up to its billing as “a perfect fit for every adventure.” Leatherman’s signature combination of pliers, various edges, and easy-access tools make this not just a good camping multitool, but a solid everyday companion. It’s got that wonderful bit-swapping magic, along with replaceable wire cutters and a legitimately wonderful small saw. 

Yet in some ways, the Signal feels a bit like a “try-hard,” both in its pricing and layout. As potentially useful as the whistle and sharpening systems will be in the woods, the ferro rod is a bit small for protracted work. The addition of serrations on the main blade feels a bit redundant, and with a weight of just under half a pound (not to mention its vertical configuration), no one in their right mind should resort to using this tool as a hammer.

Yet in the end, the Signal strikes a nice balance between the Skeletool and the Wave+, and it beats the heck out of most of the “survival multitool” garbage you’ll find at some of the big box stores. 

If the Wave+ is the first step into the realm of premium multitools, the Victorinox Spirit MX ($164) is the next leap. With 24-tools, an integrated pocket clip, and that famous Swiss Army pedigree, this is about as fancy as you can get before things start to get silly. 

Victorinox’s website hails the Spirit MX as “The ultimate fusion of practical functionality, quality, and elegance,” and we’d be hard-pressed to disagree. The MX represents a slight upgrade to the company’s venerable Spirit X, which packs largely the same toolset. The differences in our preferred pick include the addition of a pocket clip, along with the one-handed opening for the main blade. You’ll miss out on the X’s stylish leather pouch, but hey, you can’t always have everything.  

Again, we’re a bit cranky about the lack of swappable bits. We get it – These multitools are aimed at broad, general use, and their drivers will fit most daily tasks. But despite its arguably superior fit and finish when compared with the already-solid Wave+, the lack of a tiny eyeglass driver and the counting of multiple “scrapers” as tools knock the Spirit MX from the top spot. Still, it’s a multitool that has to be used to be appreciated.

Think of the Skeletool CX ($90) almost like a full-size Style. Though it lacks the scissors and nail file, the CX takes the same snappy, suspension-type pliers and adds in a large-bit driver and an easy-access blade. And at just 5 ounces, the CX is a hair over half the mass of the Wave+.

Its svelte nature, along with its replaceable pocket clip, allows the Skeletool to ride like a standard folding knife. But instead of just a blade in your pocket, you’ll be armed with seven tools in one.

Though a standard Skeletool costs about $15 less, the CX models upgrade the blade steel from 420HC to the superior 154CM. This makes a noticeable difference in its stainless edge retention.

While power users may prefer the all-in-one nature of the Wave+, this streamlined option is probably a better fit for casual tinkerers. If pliers, a screwdriver, and a strong edge are enough to carry you through your workday, the Skeletool CX is an absolute winner.

Despite being the lightest and one of the cheapest options on our list, the Victorinox Rambler ($38) is arguably the most versatile. An improvement on the aptly named Victorinox Classic, this slightly larger model adds a bottle opener, wire stripper, and Phillips driver to the iconic blade/file/scissors trio. The tweezers and toothpick also carry over, as does the ubiquitous key ring.

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 on a regular basis, 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.