Pliers are an extremely versatile and useful tool for any homeowner or tradesman. No matter your handyman level, having quality pliers can make all the difference. And to get the best, you need a pair of pliers made in the USA with American steel.
It can be challenging to find a quality pair of pliers. But don’t worry! We can save you time sifting through product details and point you in the right direction. Read our findings below and all the pliers we found that are made in the USA.
Complete List of Pliers Brands Made in the USA
Channellock has been making most of its tools in America by hand since 1886 and now manufactures more than 75 different sizes and types of pliers. Run by the fifth generation of the DeArment family, Channellock is fully committed to supporting the 350 American jobs it creates and being one of the largest employers in Crawford County, Pennsylvania. Their slogan is ‘it’s not the easiest way, but it’s the Channellock way,’ knowing that their products are more expensive but worth it to be American-made quality.
Channellock pioneered the original Tongue and Groove pliers and now offers a wide range of pliers. This includes SPEEDGRIP, Linemen’s, cutting, long nose, long reach, and slip joint. Their products are made from forced high-carbon US steel, and the teeth grip is laser-hardened for extra strength. They all feature a blue comfort non-slip handle, too, and you can buy their pliers in a variety of sets, depending on your needs. Not all Channellock tools are made in the USA, though – their locking pliers are now made in Spain.
Klein Tools has been manufacturing its products in America since 1857. Now onto the sixth generation of the Klein family, who is keeping the tradition of manufacturing in the US, they are continuously investing in American manufacturing. However, Klein does insource some products to its USA plants.
Specializing in pliers, Klein now offers a huge range as part of its catalog. Their product range includes side-cutting lineman’s pliers, all-purpose pliers, diagonal-cutting pliers, needle nose pliers, insulated pliers, adjustable pump pliers, electronics pliers, slip joint pliers, special use pliers, and pliers grips.
Klein designs its pliers to a standard that could be used by professionals every day.
Now part of Apex Tool Group and manufacturing under this name, Armstrong pliers can now be bought under the ‘Gearwrench’ or ‘Trusted by the Trades’ brands. Between these two brands, they sell over 300 pliers.
Their pliers come in the following types: compound action, mixed sets, slip joint, snap ring, solid joint, specialty, and tongue and groove. Made from alloy steel, these pliers also come with a limited lifetime warranty.
Lang Tools has been making professional hand tools in Racine, Wisconsin, since 1932. Despite being known for developing and patenting the first Ratcheting Box Wrench, Lang Tools also manufactures pliers as part of its tool product range. These include locking pliers, snap ring pliers, and lock ring pliers. However, their locking pliers are made in Germany.
Their customers are typically automotive technicians and industrial end users. Lang Tools’ pliers are manufactured using hand-treated steel and feature cushioned grip handles (except for the locking pliers made in Germany). Their pliers are designed to easily convert between internal and external configurations without needing to separate the handles.
Xuron sells a wide range of pliers, including chain nose pliers, combination cutter/pliers, combination pliers, flat nose pliers, forming pliers, long nose pliers, round nose pliers, short nose pliers, split ring pliers, and tweezer nose pliers.
The radiused edges featured on their pliers protect the wire, so this brand is one of the most popular in the jewelry-making business. However, electricians, aerospace engineers, and fishermen also love them. Plus, all products are covered by a factory warranty.
For nearly 100 years, Wright Tool has been hot-forging hand tools in Ohio using Wright alloy steel and precision heat training to create strong, long-lasting equipment. In their plier range, they offer tongue and groove pliers, oil filter/ PVC pipe pliers, long-nose pliers, lineman’s pliers, and slip joint pliers. This is in addition to their cutting pliers, retaining ring pliers, locking pliers, stripper/cutter pliers, and wire twisting pliers.
Most of the pliers they offer are actually Channellock pliers. Their pliers have a coating to protect them from rust protection and comfort handles.
Ampco Safety Tools is a large hand tools manufacturer that has a ton of great plier options in their online catalog and at major retailers like Amazon and Walmart. They offer a ton of variety, so no matter what pair of pliers you’re looking for, they should have the kind you need.
Mike’s YouTube Video on American Made Pliers
How To Find Pliers Made in the USA
American-made tools tend to be more durable and better quality, plus they stimulate the US economy, so why not purchase a pair of pliers made in the USA? However, most products are now produced abroad, so you need to be able to understand country of origin labels, raw material sourcing, and how to shop for American made pliers. We cover all of that information below.
What Does “Made In The USA” Mean?
Before diving in, let’s define what “made in the USA” means. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) protects the “made in the USA” label, so it makes sense to use their definition. The FTC defines it as a product that is “all or virtually all” made in the USA. However, “virtually all” can be a bit of a gray area, so it’s hard to determine in clear words what it means. But we can determine that for a product to be called “made in the USA,” all parts of its production must take place in the USA. This includes the sourcing of the raw material to the manufacturing of the product itself.
If you’d like to learn more about this topic, check out our complete “made in the USA” labeling walkthrough.
Materials
To find pliers made in the USA, the first step is to research the materials used. Knowing whether or not these materials can be found in the USA is a huge step toward finding American-made products.
Steel
Pliers are made of steel due to the strength and versatility of the material. It may be alloyed unalloyed.
Most of the world’s steel comes from China. So if you look at a cheap pair of pliers, more likely than not, the steel will come from China. However, this does not necessarily mean that it is difficult or impossible to find US-made steel. In fact, the USA doesn’t fall too far behind China in steel production, coming in a steady fourth.
The most important thing to note here is the quality and durability of the steel. US-made steel is three times stronger than Chinese-made steel. So, if you’re after quality, you should look specifically for steel made in the USA.
Plastic
Although many plier handles are also made of steel, plastic is another popular material for plier handles. It provides a comfortable grip and is non-slip.
China again dominates the world stage in plastic production. But the United States produces a whopping 20% of the world’s plastic, which is not insignificant. So, finding US-made plastic shouldn’t be too big of a challenge.
Rubber
Rubber provides a tight grip for plier handles. Even if the entire handle is not made of rubber, you will likely find a rubber dip to help with the grip.
This material will be more challenging to find sourced in the United States, but not impossible. Around 90% of the world’s natural rubber is grown in Southeast Asia. And the USA produces a minuscule amount of this raw material. So, to find rubber made in the USA, look specifically for synthetic rubber. The USA produces around 35 million tons of rubber annually, most of which is synthetic.
Labeling
The next step to finding pliers made in the USA is to check the labels. Title 19, Chapter 4, Section 1304 of the US Code states that any product made abroad must be labeled as such with the country of origin. On top of that, as previously mentioned, the FTC protects the usage of the “made in the USA” label. So, to find US-made pliers, you should specifically look for the FTC-protected label.
However, unfortunately, checking the label is not as simple as it seems. There are a few things to watch out for – specifically in the wording.
Check out these similar labels:
- Made in America: Generally means the product is made in Canada or Mexico
- Manufactured in the USA: The product may be put together in the US, but the materials are sourced from elsewhere.
- Designed in the USA: The company that produces and develops the products may be based in the USA, but all other steps of the process likely take place abroad.
- Made in the USA with imported materials: This means exactly what it sounds like. The product is put together in the USA with materials sourced from abroad.
You should also keep in mind that there is no pre-approval process for using the “made in the USA” label. It is up to the individual companies to determine whether or not their products meet the criteria to use the label. So, ultimately, it is up to the consumers to report any false usage of the label to the FTC.
Another thing to watch out for is the American flag on labels. Just because you see a US flag on the label does not necessarily mean the product is truly made in the USA. the usage of the flag is not protected, so it doesn’t mean much in this case! It is just the company trying to play to your emotions.
Other Tips
Here are some other tips to help you find pliers made in the USA.
Check The Website
When you go online to check the website, you first need to be aware that companies are not required to label their products with their country of origin online. This means companies can more easily hide the fact that their product is made abroad.
With this in mind, check out the “About Us” or product page. If you don’t find any information regarding the country or origin, the product is likely made abroad.
On the other hand, “made in the USA” is a huge selling point. So, if this is the case, the company will likely advertise it loudly on its website.
Online Shopping Sites
Online shopping websites often state the country of origin in the “Product Information” section. You can also check out the FAQ section of the product page on the website, as someone else may have already asked a question regarding the country of origin of the product.
Call The Company
If you’re still unsure, kick it old school and call the company. A sales representative should be able to help you and answer any questions you may have regarding the country of origin of the product you are researching.
Pliers Not Made in the USA
To help you make an informed decision when buying your tools, we’ve found all of the brands that are not making their pliers in the USA. See the full list below as well as where their pliers are being manufactured.
- Vampliers – Made in Japan.
- Knipex – Made in Germany.
- Irwin – Made in China.
- Sunex – Made in China.
- Southwire – Made in China (have some pliers that are made in the USA which are clearly labeled).
- ARES Tools – Made in Taiwan.
Related Research
- Hammers made in America
- Socket sets made in America
- Wrenches made in America
- Bench vises made in America
For more tool recommendations, check out our tools made in the USA page.
