Best Mini Bolt Cutters & Bolt Cutting Guide 2022

Last Updated on May 2022

Mini Bolt cutters are the ideal tools for cutting through chain links, padlocks, mesh, cables, or bolts. These tools are equipped with powerful yet hardwearing jaws.  The tools all vary in strength and feature handles of different lengths. The right choice largely depends on the kind of cutting force you require.

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ProductMaterialWeightProduct Dimensions
Alloy steel‎5.6 ounces‎8.5 x 2.25 x 0.5 inches
Chrome Molybdenum12.7 ounces10.5 x 2.75 x 1 inches
Chrome Moly steel10.4 ounces‎7.7 x 1.8 x 0.6 inches
Chrome vanadium electric steel‎10.4 ounces‎8 x 1.8 x 0.75 inches
Forged steel‎9.6 ounces‎10.4 x 3.5 x 1 inches

I) Best Design: TEKTON Eight-Inch Bolt Cutter

Key Features

  • 6 ounces
  • Alloy steel jaws

This mini bolt cutter from TEKTON is worked with incredible compound steel jaws that can cut bolts, chains, bars, and wires up to 3/16 creeps in breadth. To control its amazing jaws, the bolt cutter is furnished with ribbed handles for extra hold. This item additionally incorporates a simple to-utilize locking system that keeps its cylindrical steel handles shut.

Our Experience

This mini bolt cutter was an average entertainer in required force and by and large grip. Nonetheless, what put this item aside from the rest was its cut neatness, as this model conveyed cleaned slices to different estimated segments of piano wire.

Even though its presentation plunged while cutting the thickest and third-thickest piano wire, this little screw cutter had the second-most elevated average nature of cuts across totally tried materials, falling behind the first-class Capri Tools Eight-Inch Klinge Mini Bolt Cutter.

While the mini bolt cutter conveyed clean cuts, its solidified, ribbed grip caused some distress during testing, especially when cutting the enormous 3/16-inch switch bolt.

What Clients Are Saying

This mini bolt cutter got an average rating of 4.4 stars out of 5 from more than 3,000 client audits, which is marginally underneath the average client rating of 4.5 stars across all scaled-down bolt cutters in this survey. Notwithstanding its below-the-norm rating, 86% of clients appraised this item 4 stars or more, with only 5% of clients giving it 1 star.

Fulfilled clients underscored the item’s adequacy at cutting slender materials, with numerous commentators lauding its capacity to cut fence wire and ¼-inch bolts.

Negative reviews featured client worries over the item’s failure to cut thick things like latches, with one analyst whining that their bolt cutters’ jaws were harmed after attempting to cut thick material or heavy gauge sheet metal or diamond plate.

II) Most Effective: Capri Tools Eight-Inch Klinge Mini Bolt Cutter

Key Features

  • 7 ounces
  • Limited 10-year warranty
  • Double heat-treated steel blades

This mini bolt cutter is from Capri Tools is worked with quality steel cutting edges and elastic gripped handles that can slice through poles, screws, chains, and wires. The cutter accompanies agreeable, formed holds that give added influence to help you slice through materials easily. Furthermore, this item has an extraordinary blue and dark plan that is not difficult to spot in your instrument sack.

Our Experience

This item from Capri Tools was the top entertainer in our arrangement of tests. By and large, it requested minimal force and slice through every material easily. In any event, when tried on thicker materials, similar to the 3/16-inch switch bolt and 0.063-inch piano wire, its ergonomic hold cushioned the extra force that was needed to slice through the materials.

This smaller than usual bolt cutter created quality cuts on thicker things like the 0.031-and 0.063-inch piano wire. Nonetheless, its cut quality saw a diminishing when tried on the more slender wire, which might actually flag an absence of edge sharpness.

What Clients Are Saying

These mini bolt cutters from Capri Tools got an average client rating of 4.6 stars out of 5, which is marginally over the average client rating of 4.5 stars across completely tried items. At the hour of this audit, 92% of clients evaluated this item for 4 stars or more, with only 4% of clients giving the item 2 stars or less.

Positive reviews based on the item’s quality development, with numerous commentators saying that the cutters were viable in clipping flimsy wire and link. Other positive audits praised the item’s moderate cost. Negative reviews grumbled about the bolt cutter’s failure to cut thicker bolts and wire.

III) Most Comfortable: ARES Eight-Inch Mini Bolt Cutter

Key Features

  • 4 ounces
  • Limited lifetime warranty
  • Chrome-moly steel jaws

This tool from ARES is an excellent addition to your tool bag, with its solid cutting edges that can cut through heavy-duty bolts, wires, and nails. It has a rust-proof edge that is canvassed in an ergonomic handle for added control and solace. To help you slice through thicker materials, the smaller than usual bolt cutter accompanies spring-helped handles to build your influence.

Our Experience

The spring-assisted and molded grip on this ARES smaller than expected screw cutter drove this item to get full focuses for hold solace and control, tied for first with the top of the line Capri Instruments Eight-Inch Klinge Mini Bolt Cutter. Notwithstanding the little bolt cutter’s agreeable grip, the item saw a consistent decrease in cut quality when tried on progressively thicker piano wire.

What Clients Are Saying

This mini bolt cutter from ARES got an average rating of 4.4 stars out of 5 from more than 240 client appraisals, which is below the average of 4.5 stars across totally evaluated little bolt cutters. Notwithstanding its below-the-norm client rating, 83% of clients appraised this item 4 stars or more, with only 5% of clients giving it 1 star.

Satisfied clients praised the compact bolt’s leverage.  cutter’s influence. One client even highlights its capacity to cut off little nail tips that were jabbing out of their divider. Negative reviews featured client dissatisfaction over the apparatus’s failure to viably cut thick bolts.

IV) Most User-Friendly: KNIPEX Eight-Inch Bolt Cutter

Key Features

  • 4 ounces
  • Limited lifetime warranty
  • Forged chrome-vanadium steel jaws

This KNIPEX mini bolt cutter is fixed with steel jaws that are sufficiently able to cut any wire with a width of up to ¼ inches. To help clients control its solid steel outline, this item has plastic-covered handles that are not difficult to grip. Also, the smaller than expected bolt cutter accompanies special gripping jaws that can help you pull little nails and wires while you work.

Our Experience

This mini bolt cutter displayed its capacity to convey clean cuts all through our arrangement of tests. The cutter’s plastic-covered hold added control and solace to the instrument as it cut an assortment of piano wires and a switch bolt.

Regardless of requiring the most elevated measure of force out of totally tried smaller than expected bolt cutters, this item had the option to convey clean slices to each tried material. Although its cut quality consistently diminished as the piano wire expanded in measurement, this item didn’t have the irregular cut quality seen in different models.

What Clients Are Saying

This mini bolt cutter got an average rating of 4.8 stars out of 5 from more than 1,300 Amazon client reviews, which is over the average client rating of 4.5 stars across totally explored little bolt cutters. Alongside its higher-than-average client rating, 96% of clients gave this item 4 stars or more, with only 3% of clients rating it 3 stars or less.

Positive client reviews revolved around the mini bolt cutter’s exhibition and superior grade, with one client adulating the apparatus for delivering a forceful cut with its conservative size. Extra certain reviews zeroed in on the item’s influence, which numerous clients clarified assisted them with cutting thicker wires and bolts.

V) Best Value: Great Neck Eight-Inch Bolt Cutter

Key Features

  • 4 ounces
  • Limited lifetime warranty
  • Forged steel jaws

This mini bolt cutter from GreatNeck is worked with slim vinyl grips that are ribbed for added control. Alongside its simple to-grip handle, this item includes a 3/16-inch limit concerning cutting wires, chain connections, and little bolts. Moreover, this item is offered in sizes up to 36 inches, giving you the alternative of picking long bolt cutters for uncompromising tasks.

Our Experience

Albeit the GreatNeck mini bolt cutter is our most reduced appraised item, this device tied for second with the TEKTON and ARES bolt cutters for minimal measure of force expected to slice through the tried materials. Notwithstanding its hard hold that caused distress during use, its ribbed development expanded by and large control during each test.

While this mini bolt cutter slices through every one of them tried materials, it put or tied for toward the end in nature of conveyed cuts for each tried piano wire. Moreover, its little mouth made it hard to grip every material during our testing cycle.

What Clients Are Saying

This mini bolt cutter from GreatNeck got an average rating of 4.4 stars out of 5 from more than 400 client appraisals, which is marginally beneath the average client rating of 4.5 stars across all reviewed mini bolt cutters. 84% of clients appraised this item 4 stars or more, with only 8% of clients giving it 2 stars or less.

Since this item offers bolt cutters in bigger sizes, its reviews cover the range of its accessible bolt cutters, from eight to 36-inch models. Despite its size, many fulfilled clients commended the item’s acceptable quality at a moderate cost. Negative reviews repudiated the positive reviews’ cases of the item’s great, for certain clients whining about the item’s failure to slice through thin steel.

Buyer’s Guide

Before buying a mini bolt cutter, it’s imperative to see what every item’s plan and determinations mean for its exhibition. Here are four variables to consider before purchasing mini bolt cutters.

Diameter Capacity

Every mini bolt cutter is restricted in the width of material it can cut, with most models restricted to the wire, bolts, and bars under 3/16 of an inch. Commonly, the distance across size that the instrument is fit for slicing is equivalent to the width of the edges when completely open. For instance, an edge that can open ⅛ of an inch can cut material of equivalent size.

Adjustability

This is a significant consideration because it allows you viably to cut materials of different sizes. Bolt cutters with movable sharp edges will give more control during use and slice through materials of more noteworthy widths. Tiny bolt cutters are commonly changed by screws situated at the front of every item’s edge

Handle Ergonomics

Slicing through metal utilizing a mini bolt cutter requires a lot of hold strength and exertion. To help facilitate the strain on your hands, an ergonomic handle is a need for a little bolt cutter. A quality cutter will consolidate an agreeable, yet commonsense plan that limits exertion and facilitates strain. Furthermore, the handle of a smaller than normal bolt cutter ought to have non-slip properties to forestall bolt cutter injuries. For more information on reccomended safety goggles when cutting metal [Read our Full Review]

Weight

Albeit most mini bolt cutters weigh short of what one pound, the handheld idea of this apparatus loans the load to play a factor inconvenience. If the item is too hefty, your hand can tire after steady use. If the cutter is excessively light, it will not have the option to convey sufficient force to viably cut a wide scope of materials.

Brand

Go for a respected brand especially if you are focusing on more expert use. You will want to supplant the jaws when important and utilize your device as you like without the risk of the jaws clasping!

Review Standards

Required Force

The measure of expected force to slice material is intently attached to the adequacy of a mini bolt cutter. Models with more keen edges can undoubtedly slice through materials, while models with dull edges may make some harder memories slicing through materials. Also, the less force needed to slice through materials, the less exhaustion you’ll feel after proceeded with use.

Testing Metrics

To decide the viability of every little bolt cutter, we tried the items on the necessary force, grip, and nature of the cut.

Nature of Cut

The presentation of a little bolt cutter is controlled by the width of the material it can cut and how clean of a cut it conveys. For instance, a forceful model won’t simply slice through 3/32-inch piano wire, yet it will do as such without leaving behind frayed strings or half-cut wire.

Grip

While we tried every item’s capacity to slice through different estimated materials, we likewise focused on both the solace and grip strength every smaller than usual bolt cutter handle gave. We noticed the occasions each bolt cutter slipped during testing and thought about the solace level given by each bolt cutter’s handle.

Picking the right size of bolt cutters

The measure of leverage bolt cutters can create relies upon the length of the handles: the more extended the handles, the cutting power the jaws can deliver (obviously, the thicker the metal, the seriously cutting power is required). Bolt cutters by and large come in one of three sizes:

  • Compact: intended to cut 5 mm, handle length of approx. 300mm;
  • Medium: intended to cut 10 mm, handle length of approx. 450 to 800 mm;
  • Large: intended to cut 10 mm+, least handle length of 900 mm.

Determining the right quality of your bolt cutters

The cost of the bolt cutters differs relying upon the nature of the steel used to make up the jaws. It merits putting resources into a decent pair of bolt cutters as the jaws of especially modest models can curve or clasp under high tension. Greater jaws will be made of a hardened and tempered combination; numerous bolt cutters include jaws made of Chrome Moly. Contingent upon the model, you could change out the jaws of your bolt cutters if they become too harmed to even consider utilizing. These models likewise offer fast and exact changes.

Forged handles won’t twist while cutting and offer more noteworthy client solace. Models with ergonomically planned handles are likewise more agreeable to utilize.

The hardness of the jaws will decide the nature of the instrument and its capacity to withstand high pressing factors. A couple of screw cutters will be ordered by the greatest hardness the instrument can slice through, which is by and large demonstrated as numbers on the Brinell and Rockwell scales.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can bolt cutters cut screws?

Indeed. Bolt cutters are intended to slice through an assortment of materials and things, including screws. It’s essential to realize the material you need to slice through before buying a screw shaper to guarantee the device has a sufficient jaw limit.

What size of bolt cutters do I use to cut a padlock?

While figuring out what size bolt cutters you need to slice through a latch, the jaw limit of the instrument is a higher priority than its length. Most locks have a measurement between 3/16 and 7/16 inches, which implies a bolt shaper needs to have at any rate an equivalent jaw ability to slice through the material. The greatest distance across that most eight-inch little bolt cutters can penetrate is 3/16 inches, so a bigger bolt shaper with more jaw limit will be expected to cut most latches.

What are these mini bolt cutters used for?

Mini bolt cutters are used for clipping thin wires, bolts, and nails. Ordinarily, mini bolt cutters are powerful at slicing materials up to 3/16 inches in breadth.

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