Tech & Gadgets · Head-to-head
Knipex 00 20 13 5 Pc 1000V Insulated Pliers and Screwdriver Set vs Klein Tools 33526 Basic 1000V Insulated Tool Kit, 8-Piece
Which should you buy? Our verdict on both, pulled from our full The Best Insulated Hand Tools: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) comparison.
The Knipex set states both IEC 60900 and ASTM F1505 conformance and uses a two color insulation that shows damage at a glance. The Klein kit covers more tasks per dollar and puts eight marked tools in a case, which is the more practical first purchase for a lot of people.
Knipex 00 20 13 5 Pc 1000V Insulated Pliers and Screwdriver Set
Buy itA small, honest, fully marked set from a maker that publishes exactly what it tests and how.
- Knipex states the tools are VDE tested in conformance to DIN EN and IEC 60900 at 1000 V and that all its insulated tools meet the requirements of ASTM F1505.
- Knipex says every insulated tool goes through a dielectric strength test at 10,000 V AC one by one before it is sold, giving a ten times margin over the 1000 V working rating.
- The red over yellow multi component insulation means a cut or gouge exposes a contrasting colour instead of hiding in a single tone.
- Five pieces is a starter set, not a full electrician's roll, and there is no cable cutter or stripper in it.
- The set covers long nose pliers and diagonal cutters, so you still need combination or lineman's pliers separately.
- Knipex uses the phrase Comfort Grip in its US product naming for these insulated handles, which muddies the one word buyers most need to be suspicious of.
Klein Tools 33526 Basic 1000V Insulated Tool Kit, 8-Piece
Buy itEight properly marked insulated tools in one zip case, which is closer to what an actual service call needs.
- Klein states the kit meets or exceeds IEC 60900:2012 and ASTM F1505-10, the two standards a US spec is most likely to name.
- Covers three pliers, a cable cutter, a wire stripper and cutter and three screwdrivers, so one purchase handles most of a panel job.
- The orange over white two layer insulation gives Klein a hard retirement rule: destroy the tool if the white layer shows through the orange.
- Klein's page for this kit cites IEC 60900:2012 and ASTM F1505-10, both superseded editions, so ask your supplier what the tools in the box are actually marked to.
- The kit page does not name a third party certifier; Klein's brochure attributes VDE third party testing to its EINS line rather than the INS tools.
- Bright orange handles are easy to spot but harder to keep clean, and Klein warns that moisture, films and surface contaminants are conductive.
Side by side
| Knipex 00 20 13 5 Pc 1000V Insulated Pliers and Screwdriver Set | Klein Tools 33526 Basic 1000V Insulated Tool Kit, 8-Piece | |
|---|---|---|
| Our verdict | Buy | Buy |
| Best for | Someone who wants the marking, the paperwork and the visual damage indicator to all be unambiguous, and is happy to add tools around it. | A first insulated kit for someone who wants breadth of tool types in one marked, cased purchase. |
| Price tier | $$$ · premium | $$ · mid-range |
The bottom line
Our overall pick is the Knipex 00 20 13 5 Pc 1000V Insulated Pliers and Screwdriver Set - A small, honest, fully marked set from a maker that publishes exactly what it tests and how. Choose the Klein Tools 33526 Basic 1000V Insulated Tool Kit, 8-Piece instead if a first insulated kit for someone who wants breadth of tool types in one marked, cased purchase.
Want the full picture, including the other options we compared and the popular one we'd skip? Read the complete The Best Insulated Hand Tools: 4 Compared (and One to Skip).