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Side cutters vs flush cutters

Updated: October 2026

Side cutters vs flush cutters is a fork in the edge, not two brands. A bevel leaves a point on both ends. A flat face sits nearly flush on the piece you keep. Most cheaper packs here are flush tools sold under the side-cutter name. A 160 mm diagonal cutter is a different cut. The [side cutter comparison](/hub/cutting-tools/side-cutters) holds the product table. Length and wire class sit on the [side cutters buying guide](/hub/cutting-tools/side-cutters/sub/side-cutters-buying-guide). How you hold the flat face sits on [how to use side cutters](/hub/cutting-tools/side-cutters/sub/side-cutters-how-to-use). A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Peter F., DIY & tools editor, 20 October 2026. This is not a lab test.

Side cutters vs flush cutters is a fork in the edge, not two brands. A bevel leaves a point on both ends. A flat face sits nearly flush on the piece you keep.

Our top picks

KNIPEX Knipex 70 06 160 diagonal cutter

Best overall

KNIPEX Knipex 70 06 160 diagonal cutter
9.4/10about £27.26
View offer
HOUSERAN HOUSERAN 6 inch flush cutters, 2-pack

Best value

HOUSERAN HOUSERAN 6 inch flush cutters, 2-pack
9.2/10about £10.99
View offer
BOENFU BOENFU 6 inch flush side cutter

Alternative

BOENFU BOENFU 6 inch flush side cutter
8.8/10about £7.99
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Two edges, not two brands
  2. 2.When the flush edge is the right one
  3. 3.When the bevelled diagonal cutter is the right one
  4. 4.Owning both

Two edges, not two brands

A bevelled diagonal cutter pinches from both sides, so the kept piece and the offcut both finish with a small point. That point is the cost of a stronger edge. RS describes diagonal cutters as angled jaws for copper and aluminium. Digital Toolbelt treats a fine flush edge as less suitable for hard material. Toolsmith: the bevel pinches both ends; the flush cutter leaves one side flat and puts the pinch on the offcut. Put that flat face toward the nylon tail or the copper you are keeping. KH008, KH016, BOENFU, HOUSERAN and FLZOSPER are flush or flush-style, and several titles still say side cutters. The Knipex 70 06 160 is not described as flush; RS calls that cut with bevel.

When the flush edge is the right one

Buy the flush edge when one side must sit flat and the wire is soft: cable ties, sprue, florist wire and bead wire. Flat face in, pinch on the waste. HOUSERAN states up to 12 AWG and says hard steel will damage the edge. BOENFU states up to 2.3 mm. KH008 states 16 AWG soft copper. KH016 and KH001X6 exclude hard electrical wire. HOUSERAN notes praise a flush cut on ties and 1.5 mm² copper, and warn against the tip on copper. BOENFU notes report a paperclip chewing the edge and garden wire chipping it. KH008 notes include broken jaws on speaker cable and 0.8 mm copper-coated steel. Skip steel, paperclips and a whole twin-and-earth oval. FLZOSPER is a 4.5 inch mini with no diameter and no reviews in this file. A PVC handle is not IEC 60900.
KNIPEX Knipex 70 06 160 diagonal cutter

Testsieger

KNIPEX Knipex 70 06 160 diagonal cutter
9.4/10about £27.26
View offer

When the bevelled diagonal cutter is the right one

Buy the bevelled 160 mm cutter when the listing names soft and hard wire, or copper, aluminium and soft iron, and a small point on both ends is acceptable. The Knipex 70 06 160 is 160 mm, about 62 HRC, soft and hard wire on the Amazon file, with 1000 V and VDE on the listing. RS records the cut as with bevel. Knipex's page adds Ø 4.0 / 3.0 / 2.0 mm. Do not copy those diameters onto Sharp-tec. The Sharp-tec 160 mm pairs name copper, aluminium and soft iron with no diameter, and they share one 1,005-review block about gaps. The US PRO set is three lengths, not a flush kit. Knipex points wide nylon ties to a plastic cutter such as 72 01 160, which is not in this batch. Insulation is not the bevel. The Sharp-tec pairs are not the insulated listing.

Owning both

Trim nylon tails flat and also cut copper, and you own both. The flush pack stays on ties and 1.5 mm² tails. The 160 mm bevelled cutter stays on mixed copper and on wire the flush listing forbids. Ties only: BOENFU for one, HOUSERAN for two, or a KAIHAOWIN pack. Dead copper after a socket change: the 160 mm pair, and here the Knipex is the one with an insulation mark. Ten flush cutters do not replace that pair. Named picks sit on best side cutters. Five inch versus 160 mm is the buying guide, not this fork.

Common questions

What is the difference between side cutters and flush cutters?
Side cutters is the family name for pliers that shear from the side of the head. Flush cutters are the subset with a flat face for a nearly flat finish on the keep side. A bevelled diagonal cutter is the subset that leaves a point on both ends.
Which one leaves a flat end on a cable tie?
A flush cutter, with the flat face toward the head you are keeping. A bevelled 160 mm pair leaves a small point.
Which one is stronger on copper?
A bevelled 160 mm cutter whose listing names copper or hard wire, in this batch the Knipex 70 06 160. Flush packs here cap at 16 AWG, 12 AWG or 2.3 mm and exclude hard steel.
Can I use flush cutters on steel wire?
Not on the listings in this batch. Hard steel is called out as damage. UK notes already show paperclips, garden wire, speaker cable and copper-coated steel breaking or notching flush tips.
Why does my side cutter leave a sharp stub?
You are using a bevelled edge, or you have the flush face the wrong way round. Turn the flat face to the keep side, or accept the point and file the stub if you must.
Is a flush cutter just a smaller side cutter?
No. The head is often shorter, but the grind is the difference. A 6 inch flush cutter is still a soft-wire tool. A 160 mm bevelled cutter is a different edge.
Do I need both?
Yes if you trim nylon tails flat and also cut copper or harder wire. No if you only do one of those jobs. Do not expect one amazon.co.uk title to cover both edges well.

Related pages

Side cutters

Best side cutters for mixed copper, ties and packs

Side cutters buying guide: edge, length, wire class

Side cutters for electricians: look for the 1000 V mark

How to use side cutters without a snapped flush tip

Sources

Sources listed in the research digest for this comparison, retrieved 20 October 2026. Prices and review counts are amazon.co.uk listing lines. This is not a lab test.

  1. Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, regulation 14 (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  2. HSE HSG85, Electricity at work: safe working practices (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  3. HSE INDG291, Providing and using work equipment safely (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  4. ISO 5749:2004, Pliers and nippers — Diagonal cutting nippers (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  5. Maun Industries, Is VDE a legal requirement for insulated tools? (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  6. Knipex 70 06 160 diagonal cutters (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  7. Digital Toolbelt, Side cutters vs diagonal cutters (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  8. Toolsmith, Wire cutters: flush, side, end and cable (retrieved 20 October 2026)