So… this Nepros 250 mm (10″) adjustable wrench is priced at $85. That’s a lot for an adjustable wrench (Channellock’s is $21 at Amazon), but you do get more for your money.
To start, this is one of the only non-I-beam adjustable wrenches I’ve seen. Milwaukee’s new adjustable wrenches deviate from the traditional I-beam handle design, but only slightly. This Nepros has a sleek high polish design. They put as much effort into the adjustable wrench handle as some of the better ratchet’s I’ve seen – if not more.
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The wrench features a 15° offset angle, and can accommodate fasteners up to ~1.14″ wide.
This is the kind of wrench that’ll go on my wishlist – and they stay there. It would probably be the last adjustable wrench any of us would ever buy, except for maybe a smaller size, if we could ever justify it.
If it was stronger or dramatically more ergonomic than everyday adjustable wrenches, I’d be sold on the design. But I don’t see much benefit aside from maybe being easier to clean and being easier on the hands. Maybe I’m just too focused on the price.
For the money, most users would be better off with a Knipex Pliers Wrench and a solid brand of adjustable wrench – I like Channellock (Irega) and sometimes Proto (here’s a review of my Proto Click-Stop adjustable wrench).
Nepros makes these adjustable wrenches in Japan.
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P.S. Please tell me if you’d like to see this reviewed. If there’s enough interest, ToolGuyd’s Supreme Treasury Unit, or STU for short, will look into it. Maybe we’ll do a giveaway.
gregpost
I think the Amazon price is particularly bad. The website shows a price of $56.80 which is still pricey but not the 85 bucks Amazon is showing at the moment.
Stuart
The other Amazon seller prices are even worse – $92+.
The suggested price is 9,310 Yen, which comes out to be a little more than $77 USD. International shipping tends to raise the price of tools.
The only place I see a price of $56.75 is a “Yahoo e-commerce” store that’s based in Japan and looks very outdated. Shipping there is $9 or $20.
Another online international retailer has a price of $67 plus $12.50 to $15.50 approximate shipping.
Nathan
Get directly from the manufacture, nepros.net
Stuart
Thanks! I totally missed the price there. Shipping isn’t too bad – $15, for a total price of around $72.
http://www.nepros.net/?cat=3&grp=17
Steven
Franks tools has it for 56.75, shipping was $9.00 for me to Texas
http://www.frankstools.com/neadwrnw.html
Eric
I’d love to see a review of nepros tools. I’ve read a little on the Garage Journal, but would love to read more reviews. I’m all for spending someone else’s money 🙂
Nathan
I’ll say I’ve never heard of them – nor seen them in the field. Doesn’t mean much but so be it.
cost alone says I’d never once consider them – and I’ve got some stahlwille stuff.
so no I’d rather you not waste your money trying to review those. pretty thought they might be.
Nathan
since I can’t edit a post.
looked it up a bit. KTC tool of Japan. their historical claim to fame – they built the tools for zero fighters and later were the tool choice for Toyota.
so speaking for just me – I’d never consider buying any of their products.
Michael
That is the one thing I would like to see, is the ability to edit my post
T
I wonder if a cheater pipe fits the handle better.
Toolfreak
This might be something you’d have in your kit if you’re working on, say, a $300,000 + Lexus LFA or perhaps a classic Toyota 2000GT or other Japanese exotic or collectible car. May also be good for working on particularly expensive lab equipment. I can see where smoother, sleeker tools, even in the case of an adjustable wrench, reduce the risk of scratching, scuffing, or snagging stuff when doing work that requires it. Plus a sleek, high-end tool just gives you a sense of what you’re working on with it. I’d be very concerned if someone went to work on an expensive supercar with cheap tools.
Seems mainly that Nepros / KTC is what you’d get in Japan for some pricey high-end tools. I would guess that American and European buyers would mainly stick to their domestic high-end brands (for warranty and ease of replacement, if nothing else) unless they just really like that design over everything else.
No interest in seeing this get a basic review on here – though it WOULD be interesting to see how it fares, in terms of breaking strength and long-term durability, when compared to the 10-inchers from Bahco, Crescent, Craftsman, Snap-on, Stahlwille, Stanley, etc.
Steven
Over on Garage Journal, user superautobacs posted a test from a japanese magazine comparing Nepros, KTC & Bahco among others. It isn’t in english but you can still read the charts to get an idea of how each one held up.
The test also compares ratchets, box wrenches, screwdrivers, etc…
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=306388
Dan
Nepros is on my to try out list, but I will be going for one of their ratchets or their long DBE wrenches. This adjustable is just too expensive to justify when I already have a heap of them from Bahco, Irega, Gedore and a WF made Wright.
Jerry
I was in Sears recently, browsing the tools, and if memory serves me right, for about the price of one of these, you could get both a Knipex pliers wrench, and a 10 inch USA made Craftsman adjustable wrench, or a pair of similar 12 inch or single 15 inch adjustable wrench, with money left over. If the new USA Craftsman wrenches are comparable to my 20 year old one, they would be as strong as any I have used, but aren’t very polished.
Mike
Craftsman production has returned to the USA?
KL
I really like it. I think it’s a work of art. I almost ordered from Frank’s. problem is, I don’t know what I’d ever DO with it. I rarely use adjustable wrenches, and almost never in 10″. If this were a 15″ I’d be tempted, but then the price would likely be $150+
Vaheh
This is beautiful, I’d buy it just to have it. I guess I’ve become a bit of a hoarder.
John
Most of the time my adjustables are in the tractor tool box…..and none of them cost cost more than $15…..
$56.80 + freight for a shifter…no way!
In the shop I try and use the right tool for the job, no shifters necessary!
Harry
An adjustable wrench is pretty much a dumb tool. I’d rather use the correct wrench size. However, a Snap on version sells for $59.50 so, I don’t think the Nepros version is over priced. Hell, the NEPROS is cooler looking.
https://store.snapon.com/Adjustable-Wrench-Adjustable-Snap-on-174-10-long-P645147.aspx
The only bad thing I have read about NEPROS/KTC tools is that they aren’t easy to get in the US. There are some interesting tool test reports over at the Journal showing how strong NEWPROS/KTC are. They’d be more interesting if I read Japanese though. However, I’m saving my pennies to get one of their 90 tooth ratchets and maybe a couple of other things to experiment with. I’ve used Frank’s tools to get my Koken Zeal sockets and he was great to deal with so, I’ll probably use him for the Nepros/KTC items.
We need a US distributor network for NEPROS/KTC tools. I mean look at all of the Japanese cars here, why not have their high end tools too? SONIC and BETA can stay home. LOL
Bon
Amazing, a 10″ wrench for $65. I could buy at least (3) 10″ Western Forge adjustables for that price. Sorry. Not interested. To me, it’s more important to keep this country employed.
Ton
No point in doing a review for a tool most of us have no intention of ever purchasing.
cleen
Hello Stu, just some feedback: if one accidentally hits “reply” when trying to scroll up on a mobile, it quickly opens up the reply box. Give it a shot. Just some feedback. Thank you.
Stuart
Thanks! I’m aware some readers do this. I have indented it as much as I can, and made the tap target as small as possible.
I test new ideas every once in a while, but there’s nothing that could be done aside from getting rid of it entirely. The function and its behavior is built-in and incredibly difficult to modify aside from styling (such as font, size, color, placement, borders, etc).