Craftsman LED Lighted Pliers - Tool Box Worthy?

Craftsman LED Lighted Pliers - Tool Review

Just when you thought they couldn't think of anything else to stick a light on, along comes the Craftsman LED Lighted Pliers - a whole set of them, as a matter of fact. Is it gimmicky? Yes. Do they work? Yes. Should you buy them? Hmmmm...read on and decide.

Craftsman LED Long Nose & Diagonal Pliers - Opinion

When I pulled the pliers out of the package, they felt beefy - that's good when you're talking about a tool that you're going to use to cut and squeeze things with. Flimsy tools tend to fall apart under pressure, much like people. Both of these pliers feel up to the job, though. They're made of hardened steel; the fit and finish are quite nice, especially for the price. I've found them online anywhere from $19.99 each to $49 for the set. Links are included at the end of this post to begin your search.

The LED light is bright enough to light up dark areas and actually comes in quite handy when there's no other available light, as you'd expect.

The tools are certainly comfortable to use, as well. Handles are covered with a soft rubber over-mold that makes them easy to hold and slip-resistant, as well.

Craftsman LED Pliers Battery Replacement

In the interest of inspecting the tool from all angles, I took the diagonal pliers apart. In truth, I've been taking things apart since I was old enough to wrap my fingers around the fasteners or use a screwdriver. The flipside is that I was never really very good at putting them back together. Oh, I eventually learned, but I'm sure my parents were none too happy about my new-found talent in those days. But I digress.

You may have heard the old saying, "Your strength is your weakness." That holds true in the case of these pliers, as well. They're both powered by three #392 batteries and the LEDs are rated at 10,000 hours. That all sounds fine and dandy, but how long will the batteries last? That's a good question. To ensure their longevity, the tools have an automatic shut-off feature at 2 minutes.

But, when it comes time to replace those #393 batteries, they're going to run you in the neighborhood of $4 each. That's a $12 outlay for a tool that sells for $20ish alone. That's certainly a consideration when it comes time to replace them. To be fair, I have found them online for as little as 76 cents, but a) they were sold out, and b) I question the quality of those "cheap" batteries. Still, a worthwhile note.

Delving even further into the tool, there are 3 allen screws holding the two halves and the switch assembly together. When these fasteners are loosened, the tension on the handles decreases, which is handy to note in case you find them too stiff to use with one hand. Removing those fasteners altogether (which I don't recommend if you want the warranty to remain intact) allows us to see how the tool manages to fit all those electronics in such a small space.

Pretty cool, really. It's amazing how far we've come with electronics and gizmos in the past century. Edison would be proud...I think.

Craftsman LED Warranty Coverage

Craftsman is famous for their hand tool warranty and these tools are no different. Well, actually they are a little different - here's the fine print (in part) on the back of the packaging, just so you know.

"This warranty does not cover the battery, light switch or light, which are expendable parts that can wear out from normal use within the warranty period."

Craftsman LED Tools - Worth the Money?

I like both of these pliers. I think they're very handy to have in the tool box, especially for a DIYer or medium-duty user. They might even be a handy second set of tools for the Pro, but probably not the "go-to" set. They're a gimmicky item that actually works, unlike a Chia Pet, for example. They're certainly up to Craftsman standards from a quality standpoint, but the battery replacement cost leaves me with a bit of a sour taste. I know that's not Craftsman's fault, it's just the price of batteries these days, but it's certainly a factor in the purchasing decision.

With all that said, they'd make a great gift for Father's Day, Christmas, or even the 4th of July.

There is also a set of Linesman Pliers in this same configuration. More information is below.

Check price/availability on Amazon:

Craftsman 910342 - 8" LED Lighted Long Nose & Diagonal Pliers: CLICK HERE

Craftsman 8" LED Linesman Pliers: CLICK HERE

For more information on these and other Craftsman tools: CRAFTSMAN Site