Festool has launched new 2022 limited edition tools – a 7pc pliers set with custom-fitted Systainer3 tool box.
The tools are immediately recognizable as being made by NWS pliers, a German brand that specializes in pliers and cutting tools.
The new Festool 577456 “limited edition” product is available for preorder right now, with an estimated shipping ETA of December 1, 2022.
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It looks like you get:
- End cutters
- Long nose pliers
- Combination pliers
- Water pump pliers
- VDE insulated side cutters
- VDE insulated wire strippers
- VDE insulated angled long nose pliers
Festool doesn’t seem to list the sizes or dimensions anywhere.
Festool USA says:
The extremely sturdy and high-quality “Made in Germany” pliers have an extremely high cutting strength and are comfortable to use. This means that the seven-part set will significantly expand your application possibilities when working with tubes, screws, sleeves, nails or wires. So that you can make a professional impression, all pliers are stored – clearly organised and ready to use – in a specially developed foam tool inlay in a blue Systainer3.
Extremely sturdy pliers with extremely high cutting strength? Actually… that’s pretty accurate for NWS pliers in my experience. This set comes with NWS-made standard cutters, which are good, but I would attribute “extremely high cutting strength” to their popular “Fantastico” compound-leverage cutters (not-included).
Will this tool kit significantly expand your application possibilities when working with tubes, screws, sleeves, nails or wires? Maybe? I will say that NWS pliers do offer a superior experience than most of the less expensive pliers and cutters you can find at the home center.
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You can make a professional impression, all pliers are stored – clearly organised and ready to use. I can understand neatly organized sockets, similar to what Festool offers with their limited edition mechanics tool set, but pliers? Toss them into a pouch or tool bag.
Actually, I’d be likely to grab the Festool insert, stick it into a tool box drawer, and repurpose the Systainer for something else.
Systainer tool cases are nowhere as strong as other modular tool box systems, but decent for workshop storage or transport under less demanding conditions.
Is it worth the sticker price? Well, that depends on whether you want this exact selection of pliers and cutters, you want more hand tools with Festool branding, and you can use the blue Festool Systainer tool box.
7 pliers at $199 comes down to less than $29 apiece, plus you get the Systainer3, which is valued at $60 (via Amazon).
I haven’t yet priced out how much it would cost to buy all 7 tools under NWS branding, but this Festool set does look to be a very good value, at least if you can use what it comes with.
Price: $199
I very highly recommend NWS pliers. If you want all 7 of the Festool-branded tools plus a blue Systainer3 tool box, go for the limited edition set! If not, shop for NWS pliers individually and take your pick from a much broader selection.
P.S. Dear Festool USA associates: As a reminder, you are not permitted to leave comments without clearly (publicly or privately) disclosing your corporate affiliation.
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MM
Meh, nothing against NWS pliers, but this seems more like a “gift set” or a collector’s thing more than something practical. There’s not much rhyme or reason to the combination of tools included, it doesn’t seem geared to any specific purpose. All the tools are common enough, though I wonder why only some of them are VDE. The water pump pliers probably don’t need to be, but if I need insulated tools the straight-tipped needle nose pliers are certainly on the list. Why are only the angled ones VDE in this set?
Anyway, the price doesn’t seem to be anything special. Each tool is a little under $29 on average in this kit. If you look at standard NWS tool pricing at KC Tool, for example, the VDE tools are about $35 each standard price, and the non-VDE tools are a little over $20. The water pump pliers aka channelocks might be more expensive, I couldn’t find those in the brief moment I spent searching. But it seems like you’re saving about $5 a pop on the VDE tools in this kit, but overpaying by about the same on the non-VDE tools so the price is pretty much a wash in the end. And then you get the systainer pretty much “free”, which maybe you really like or maybe is useless to you.
NWS pliers are fantastic, but I’d think most people would do better picking and choosing the exact ones they need and there are likely better deals to be had if you shop around, this kit seems fairly closely priced to standard retail.
Jared
I basically agree with MM that the kit seems a bit unfocused, but I’ll add that it seems like a good choice, if Festool is going to release a plier kit, to partner with NWS. Those pliers ought to be pretty good and Festool is giving you a (mild) “deal” rather than charging a premium for this preselected option.
I also like foam cutouts for tool storage and I would consider it to add some value too- it’s expensive and time consuming to do on your own. The counterpoint might be that you might not choose this exact tool complement if doing it yourself, but still…
Flotsam
i have several NWS pliers and they are on par with Knipex. I guess if you want to buy a set and want a case the $200 isn’t too bad
Nathan
like that mechanic set they had – it’s nice stuff and useful but not exactly well thought out options for the purpose. is it plumbing, woodworking, electrical, ?
seems a touch random. meanwhile for all that space they take up – I have to say I love the tekton plier rack. Which holds most of those quite well.
and I will also plug that style wire stripper – very handy if you need to do thin wires in a confined space. (auto work for example) and you cant get in there with auto striper devices.
KokoTheTalkingApe
Yeah, I’m not sure why SOME of them are VDE.
I have nothing against VDE pliers. They work fine, and maybe they’re even more comfortable than standard (VDE screwdrivers can be a pain though.)
But wouldn’t people who need VDE tools want ALL their tools to be VDE?
On the other hand, what’s the point of a VDE wire stripper? I’d think that if you’re stripping a live wire, a few other things have gone wrong already. Am I wrong?
XRH07
I don’t think so. If you mainly work on dead power but occasionally have to poke around in live boxes then it’s nice to just have a couple VDE tools on hand for the occasion(s). I carry regular electrical tools, beater screwdrivers, meter/volt stick/GFCI tester, vise grips, etc. Then an extra VDE side cutters, a VDE needle nose and a set of VDE screwdrivers. I like the extra insurance when I know I’m working closer to live power, but don’t want to spend hundreds extra to convert everything else to VDE when I really haven’t found a use for them yet.
Good Tools
Nws makes and sell good pliers, cutters and some other tools. The classic series pliers in the picture with different handles was 16,70€ incl tax, not long ago ( bought one) I don’t know if they were made entirely in Germany. In the toolbox 250mm old quattro grip pliers, these have a little lateral movement in the jaws compared to the knipex cobra.
Vince
What kind of warranty do they have?
Stuart
Festool USA doesn’t seem to mention this anywhere.
Brice Beede
As best as I can tell there is no stated warranty except on power tools. I imagine if there was an obvious defect they’d make it right though. I’ve never had cause to contact them, but I’ve heard they have very good customer service.