Best Welding Pliers for MIG & TIG – Reviewed 2022

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Pliers that are going to be used in this manner must be tough, heat resistant, and easy to hold onto. Several pliers were used by our experts, and by some novice welders who volunteered to try the products out. The pliers that received the most positive recommendations are listed below.

Quick Look On Our Top Picks

Best Welding Pliers Reviews – 2022

A Quick Comparison

For Size 

We must recommend IRWIN VISE-GRIP, Channellock 360 and ALLY Tools as all of these 3 models are 8 inches pliers. Experts say that smaller pliers are more handy and perfect for small hands. However, some people believe that smaller ones need more effort and time to cut and grinding. For them, we recommend 9-inches Channellock Welding Pliers. 

For Multi-functional use 

you may choose any plier from our list, however, Hobart MIG Multi-Function Welding Pliers claimed that they are the best diversified pliers on the market we noticed some reports against their durability. We go for IRWIN VISE-GRIP again. 

For Weight

IRWIN VISE-GRIP MIG Pliers (9.5 ounces) is the lightest one. Though Channellock 9 (12.8 ounces) is considered the heaviest on the list people found this plier is effective for cutting and gripping. 

Best Overall

After analyzing the gripping capability, price, sharp cutting, size and multi usability we decided to declare the IRWIN VISE-GRIP MIG Pliers as the champion product for this list. 

1. IRWIN VISE-GRIP MIG Pliers

These pliers are made from a hammered design and they are perfect for doping light maintenance on your welding guns and torches. They are spring loaded so you can easily use them with just one hand. This is the lightest plier compare to all other pliers listed in this article with 9.5 ounces only.

The grips of these pliers have comfort coverings so you can hold them and they do not cause your hand to cramp, but most importantly they do not slip out of your hand while you are using them.

They have a nose that has been specially designed to allow you to remove welding splatter with little to no effort. They have an induction hardened cutting edge that stays sharper longer. You can cut wires without mashing or damaging the wires.

They provide you with the ability to do more work and to do any maintenance without getting into a bind. The nose is small and capable of reaching far into the recesses of your machine so you can always tighten screws and fasteners, or retrieve anything you might drop. They crimp wire connectors that are out of reach of your fingers.

They resist heat damage so they can handle hot items without being compromised.

Pros

Cons

2. Channellock 360 Pliers

This set of pliers is designed to be used when you are doing things like removing bushings. The pliers have a thin nose that can reach into places that are small and cramped. They allow you to reach in and grip onto small components when you are working on your welding machine, plasma cutter, or other tools.

These pliers have a cutting edge crafted from material that has been heat treated by a laser to harden it. You will get clean cuts when using these pliers. The nose of the pliers is grooved so that they can easily grip the wire and pull the wire out where you can cut it, or joint it.

You will be able to replace or remove tips with ease. The teeth in the tip of the pliers are positioned at a 900 angle so tips are easy to access and grip. You can hammer what you are holding with the pliers without concerns about damaging the tips of the pliers.

The tool is spring loaded so you can easily use the pliers with just one hand. They are designed to make your work easier and to last for a long time. They are heat resistant and have a comfort grip handle.

Pros

Cons

3. Channellock Welding Pliers, 9 In, Blue

These pliers are designed to function perfectly with a reduced amount of force. They are most frequently used by welders to install or remove bushings. They have long thin noses that can reach into small areas where other pliers cannot.

This is the second pliers in our list from Channellock and another popular one as well. But we put this plier in number 4 as they are slightly heavier than the previously mentioned Channellock 360 which weighs 11.2 ounces while this one weighs  12.8 ounces. However, Channellock 360 is 1.3 inches smaller than this model also. 

A large number of welders use these pliers to remove splatter. They are great for this purpose because of their hardened noses that can grip even the smallest component. These pliers are made in the USA. The handles are coated in a rubberized plastic that makes it easier and more comfortable to hold the pliers in your hands for long periods of time.

The teeth can grip a nozzle without damaging the nozzle. The teeth are perfectly designed to grip small items that many welders use them to grip items like tips. They are also fantastic to use when changing gas diffusers because they grip with less force and that means less damage to your consumable materials when you are working.

They make clean cuts on wires and they crimp tubing and small pipes without damaging them. The noses of the pliers are heat resistant so you do not have to wait for a tip to cool before you change it. You can hold something in place with the nose of this tool and then hammer on the item you are holding without damaging the tool.

Pros

Cons

4. ALLY Tools and Parts Welding MIG Pliers

ALLY Tools MIG pliers is the perfect all around Welding Pliers at a reasonable price. The Pliers' is made from high carbon steel with a hardness rating of HRC60, this ensures the Pliers will last you for many years to come.

So, using these pliers for hammering will not be a problem. These pliers feature the same standard bells and whistles that more expensive MIG pliers’ brands have at a lower price point.

These pliers feature hard cutting edges for wire cutting, a small-serrated hole to remove and install contact tips, a large-serrated hole for nozzle removal and installation, sharp tip edges to clean inside welding nozzles and clean out splatter.

The tip edges are serrated as well to make drawing and cutting wire a breeze. The tip edges are sharp and thin enough to reach into small areas that larger pliers cannot reach.

Overall, these pliers are comfortable to hold and use. The spring-loaded handle reduces hand fatigue by making it easier to open and close the pliers. The blue premium non-slip grip handles make the pliers comfortable to hold.

These pliers are nickel-iron plated which will prevent rust and corrosion after repeated use. They are heat resistant so you can use these pliers in any extreme conditions. If you are looking for a good combination of value and quality, definitely consider these pliers.

Pros

Cons

6. Hobart Multi-Function Welding Pliers

These pliers will hold firmly to the object you attach them to. They do not slip or let the object slide so you can do your work easier and faster. They are perfect when you are trying to connect wires. They make clean and precise cuts so you have the perfect ends to work with.

You might be surprised why a brand like Hobart in the last position on our list. This plier is quite good than many other models available in the market, however, we place it in the last position as we found this one is slightly lower quality than all of the pliers listed in this post.

They allow you to turn fasteners with little to no effort. They grab even the smallest of components and make it possible for you to access them.

They allow you to change tips and work on nozzles without doing any damage to the nozzle or tip. They are heat resistant so you do not have to worry about the heat of the welding machine compromising the metal of the pliers.

They have a small grip that is built-in and perfect for use when you are gripping contact tips and other small components. They also have a large grip that allows you to grip the nozzles.

They are recommended for anyone who is welding, anyone doing electrical work, small farms, around the house, plumbing and people doing HVAC installation or repair. They are multi-use items that can perform twelve different functions so they are handy for everyone to own.

Pros

How To Choose Welding Pliers

Welding pliers are designed to help you while you work in a high heat process. There are some things you should consider about these tools before you buy them.

The Grip

One of the most important components of welding pliers is the grip or the handles. The grip must be made with high-quality insulating material. The quality of the material that the grip is fashioned from will determine how durable and long-lasting the tool is.

The grip should be comfortable to hold onto so it does not cause hand cramps or discomfort. The grip should also be made from a material that does not easily sli8p in your hand. You want to have a grip that gives you total control over the tool.

The Basic Design

The basic design of the tool will make the pliers more useful for one purpose over another. You have to know what types of work you will be doing with the pliers, are you going to use them to change welding tips, or to grip nozzles, or to hold materials while you work. Do you want pliers that can help you do maintenance on your machine, or that can help you remove slag?

The basic design is going to make a difference in what applications the pliers can be used for.

Materials

The materials the pliers are made from will make a big difference in what the tool can do. You want something that is made from heavy-duty hardened steel. You want pliers that are going to be able to withstand the heat exposure associated with welding. You want pliers made of hardened steel that does not become less sturdy because it is exposed to high temperatures.

Fine details

The fine details of these units will determine what specialized uses they have. A sharp cutting edge is one of the fine details that make these pliers great for people working with electrical wires. You want a sharp cutting edge that will remain sharp for a long time.

You want the teeth of the pliers to properly angled so the tool can grip the material you are working on without slipping or damaging that material. Angled teeth hold tightly.

You want adjustable pressure controls so you can make the pliers grip as strongly as you desire.

You want the pliers to be spring loaded so you can work with only one hand on the pliers. The spring loaded pliers allow you to apply more pressure to the material while using less pressure from your hand.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are welding pliers?

Welding pliers are tools designed to aid you in the welding processes you are doing. They are heavy instruments that can withstand high temperatures, and they normally have cushion gripped handles to make it more comfortable for you to hold as they are being used.

What are welding pliers used for?

Welding pliers are tools used to hold an object in perfect alignment so you can use the welding machine to join the object with another piece of metal. Welding pliers are often used in repair work that requires welding because the pliers can hold small parts in position while you are welding in awkward positions.

How to use MIG welding pliers

MIG welding pliers are frequently used to hold small pieces that cannot be easily fit into a vice or clamp for the purpose of welding the small piece to a larger piece. The pliers can keep the small piece steady while you make the weld and prevent you from burning or injuring yourself.

How to use flat jaw welding pliers

Flat jaw welding pliers are used just like any other welding plier. You open the jaw of the pliers and then use the handles to make the jaws close around an object and keep the pressure on the handles to maintain the grip on the object. Flat jaw pliers have less of a tendency to slip while they are gripping certain objects.

Final Note

Welding pliers are a necessity in your tool arsenal. They help you repair items, do maintenance, and they help you hold onto items you are welding.

If you need a set of pliers that can make precision cuts in wires then consider the Hobart 770150. These pliers make precise cuts because of their super sharp cutting edge. Their edge also stays sharper for a longer period of time.

If you are looking for pliers that will hold your materials in place without letting them move to while your work then consider the Capri Tools Locking Welding Clamp. These pliers give you an extra hand while you are working.