The best open-ended spanners, compared.
Top pick: Mandouer 8×10 mm open-end Best value: Hilka 8-piece open-ended set – Chrome-vanadium open-end set under £12 whose UK texts do not cluster on slips. The size list is short of eight. Updated 22.10.2026.
An open-ended spanner is a fixed U-shaped jaw that slides onto a nut from the side, including along a stud a ring cannot pass. In a UK workshop the usual tool is a double open-end: two metric sizes on one spanner, often offset at 15° so a flip takes a fresh bite. You buy one when a fastener is reachable from the side and a closed ring will not go on. Judge the stamped size against the flats first, then head thickness, then the steel name the listing prints. Chrome vanadium is a material phrase, not a certificate. Two flats round a tight nut sooner than a ring, so an ordinary head is for leverage and a stated thin head is only for access. A single fills one missing size. A short set that stops below 19 mm will not turn a larger compression nut. Piece count comes last, after the pairs are printed. How to read a size list, a thin head and a steel name is set out in the [open-ended spanner buying guide](/hub/hand-tools/open-ended-spanner/sub/open-ended-spanner-buying-guide).
An open-ended spanner is a fixed U-shaped jaw that slides onto a nut from the side, including along a stud a ring cannot pass.
32 products checked · 58 hrs invested · +21,400 readers
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
What reach do you need?
The Mandouer listing titled 8×10 mm is one chrome-vanadium open-end at £4.79, 40 g, length field 11.7 cm, with 15° and 42–45 HRC in the bullets. amazon.co.uk shows 4.8 from 8 reviews. Three UK texts do not agree on the sizes: one mentions 7 mm and 6 mm, and one received 13 mm and 15 mm. One buyer used a spanner from this listing on child-gate bolts.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You can measure the jaws on arrival and you only need a small double-end.
Less suitable: Anyone who must know the size is 8×10 mm before the parcel arrives.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the file prove the jaws are 8 mm and 10 mm?
The title and the model string say 8–10 mm, one piece. One UK buyer reports 13 mm and 15 mm ends. Another mentions a 7 mm bolt and a 6 mm side. The size is not confirmed.
What angle and hardness are printed?
The bullet says 15° and 42–45 HRC. Both are seller text. Weight is 40 g and the length field is 11.7 cm.
How many reviews support 4.8?
Eight on the amazon.co.uk line, with three UK texts in the saved listing. That average can move quickly.
The YIYEIE Y1001 is a 10-piece open-end set at £24.29, chrome vanadium, nickel plated, 3 mm stated, with a roll, weighing 740 g. amazon.co.uk shows 4.7 from 432 reviews. The bullet lists 20 sizes and does not say which ends share a spanner. The 345 Nm and 58 HRC lines are listing fields. UK comments that are specific praise the thin profile for bicycles and tight gaps; one calls the jaw layout poor.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You need a thin metric set for gaps a normal head will not enter, and you measure the fastener first.
Less suitable: You need to crack a seized nut, or you need a printed pair list before you buy.
Specifications
Common questions
How thick is the set, according to the listing?
The bullets say 3 mm. That is a seller figure. The file does not include an ISO 1711-1 test.
Which sizes share a spanner?
The bullet lists 20 sizes from 5.5 mm to 27 mm on 10 spanners and does not print the pairs. The title says 5.5–24 mm.
Are the 432 reviews all UK texts?
4.7 from 432 is the amazon.co.uk aggregate. Many review blocks in the saved listing are from outside the UK. One UK text calls the jaw position poor.
The Draper 37532 listing is one 24 mm open-end at £5.00, chrome vanadium, black phosphate, 15°, raised collar, 150 g. amazon.co.uk shows 4.6 from 640 reviews. UK texts often praise a thin single for a grinder flange, a router or an M24 nut. One says it snapped. Many reviews name a different size from 24 mm. The length field repeats 24 mm.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You already know you need a 24 mm open end and you check the stamp.
Less suitable: A first spanner set, or any job that is not 24 mm.
Specifications
Common questions
What size is the title?
24 mm, one open end. The item-length field also says 24 mm, so do not read it as the overall length.
Why is the finish black?
The listing says black phosphate, and that this finish suits places where chemicals and chrome plate can give off poisonous fumes. That is the listing’s reason, not a strength test.
What should you not ignore in the reviews?
One UK buyer says the spanner snapped. Other texts name 22 mm or 27 mm jobs. Treat those as a mixed size family unless the title in your hand says 24 mm.
The BGS 1233 listing is twelve hot-forged chrome-vanadium double open-ends from 6×7 mm to 30×32 mm, including 25×28 mm, in a tetron wallet, at £19.09. amazon.co.uk shows 4.6 from 355 reviews. UK texts mention the larger sizes and the roll. One says the finish could be better. The item-length field of 32 mm repeats the largest jaw. The browse label says combination wrenches; the title says open end.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want one metric double open-end roll that includes 24 mm and 32 mm.
Less suitable: You need a ring to crack a seized nut, or a 3 mm head for a caliper pin.
Specifications
Common questions
Which sizes does the listing print?
Twelve pairs from 6×7 mm to 30×32 mm, including 25×28 mm. The item-length field says 32 mm, which repeats the largest jaw rather than an overall length.
Is this a combination set?
The title and the head-style field say double open end. Amazon’s browse label on the same file says combination wrenches. The size list is pairs of open ends.
What do the UK reviews repeat?
Buyers mention the larger sizes, the wallet, and a fair price. One review says the finish could be better. The texts read do not cluster on snapped tools or wrong sizes.
The Pronese I017-10 is a 10-piece carbon-steel set at £25.99, chrome plated, 3 mm stated, 640 g, with printed pairs from 6×7 mm to 24×27 mm and a pouch. amazon.co.uk shows 4.6 from 158 reviews. UK texts praise tight access. One reports a missing 10×11 mm, and one reports chrome peeling after a few weeks.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a thin set with the pairs written down, for occasional tight access.
Less suitable: You want chrome vanadium, or a tool for breaking rusty suspension nuts.
Specifications
Common questions
What thickness does the listing state?
3 mm, in the bullets. The item-length field also says 3 mm, so it is not an overall length.
Where have UK buyers used them?
Reviews name a radiator, an Audi caliper, a bike axle, a scooter and drop links. One buyer would not put a heavy car load on them.
What went wrong in UK texts?
One packet had two 14×15 mm spanners and no 10×11 mm. Another buyer saw chrome peel after a few weeks on two sets.
The Hilka 16600802 is an open-ended set at £11.63, chrome vanadium, polished heads, on a plastic rack, weighing 810 g. amazon.co.uk shows 4.5 from 103 reviews. The title says eight pieces and the bullet lists seven sizes, 8 mm to 17 mm, without pairs. Seventeen UK texts are mostly brief and positive, with one note that the finish looks slightly cheap.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a chrome-vanadium open-end set under £12 and you check the contents against the seven printed sizes.
Less suitable: You need 19 mm and above, or a stated pair such as 10×11 mm.
Specifications
Common questions
How many sizes are printed?
The title says eight pieces. The bullet lists 8, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 17 mm. That is seven numbers. Pairs are not printed.
What do the UK reviews say?
Seventeen UK texts are mostly short praise for strength and motorcycle use. One says the finish looks slightly cheap but the spanners work. No repeated slip cluster is in those texts.
What steel is named?
Chrome vanadium, with polished heads, on a plastic rack. Weight on the file is 810 g. Country of origin is India.
The SOL 321645 is six double-ended spanners from 6×7 mm to 16×17 mm at £4.79, material named only as metal, powder coated, 310 g. amazon.co.uk shows 4.2 from 251 reviews. UK texts split between light DIY praise and repeated wrong-size and slip complaints. The highlight says combination, which conflicts with the pairs. The length field says 4.5 cm.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You need a cheap short set for light jobs and you will try the fit before you load the nut.
Less suitable: A tight or rusty fastener, or any size above 17 mm.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this a combination set?
The size bullets are neighbouring pairs, which is a double open-end pattern. The item highlight on the same file says combination. Head style says Hex. Those lines disagree.
What do unhappy UK reviews repeat?
Jaws that are too big or too small, and spanners that slip off the nut. Other buyers say they are fine for furniture, a tap or a travel kit.
How long is the set?
The item-length field says 4.5 cm. That is not a usable overall length for these pairs. Weight is 310 g.
The Mandouer 7×8 mm line is two galvanised carbon-steel open-ends at £5.49, 73 g, length field 11 cm. amazon.co.uk shows 4.2 from 4 reviews. Of three UK texts, one says the heads are not accurate and the metal feels cheap, one says the 7 mm jaw fitted and mentions a 5.5 mm side, and one is a short positive.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want two of one small pair for a light job and you can accept a rough finish.
Less suitable: A fastener that needs an accurate, polished chrome-vanadium jaw.
Specifications
Common questions
What is in the packet, according to the listing?
Two pieces. The title says 7 mm × 8 mm. Included components says no. Weight is 73 g for the line.
What do the three UK reviews say?
One calls them usable but not accurate, and not chrome vanadium. One says the 7 mm jaw fitted. One is a one-line positive.
Is the finish chrome?
The listing says galvanised carbon steel, silver. It does not say chrome vanadium.
The Mandouer B52-BS-8mm-2PCS listing is two thin 8 mm stainless open-ends at £6.89, 3 mm and 15°/75° in the bullets, 9.6 cm and 16.6 g. amazon.co.uk shows 4.0 from 2 reviews. One UK text praises them for brake bleeding. The other expected 8 mm and 10 mm and describes two short same-size spanners.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You need a short thin 8 mm jaw and you can check both ends on arrival.
Less suitable: A set of sizes, or a buyer who needed 8 mm and 10 mm on one spanner.
Specifications
Common questions
Are the two ends different sizes?
The title says 8 mm and two pieces. One UK buyer expected 8 mm and 10 mm from the options and received two short spanners of one size.
How thin and how long?
The bullets say 3 mm thick, with 15° and 75° offsets. The length field is 9.6 cm and the weight is 16.6 g.
What is the review base?
4.0 from 2 reviews. One text praises them for brake bleeding. That is the whole UK sample in the file.
Nine open-ended spanner listings on amazon.co.uk were scored from the shelf file on 22 October 2026. This is not a laboratory test. Star points are round((amazon rating − 1.3) × 10): a 4.6 becomes 33 and a 4.2 becomes 29. Review volume scores 3 under 10 reviews, 6 from 10 to 49, 9 from 50 to 149, 12 from 150 to 399, and 14 from 400 to 999. Fit starts at 12, then loses 4 for a repeated slip or wrong-size cluster, 3 for a snap, peel or a review that names a different size, and 2 for a listing field that contradicts the title. Coverage is 8 for a pair list through 30×32 mm, 6 for a short open-end set, 5 for a thin multi-piece set, and 3 for a single or a one-size pair. The top pick is the highest score among standard double open-end sets with a full pair list. Best value is the chrome-vanadium open-end set under £12 whose UK texts do not cluster on slips. Thin sets are scored for access and do not take those badges. The weights below are the printed point figures for those four parts. They were not rescaled.
Star points
33%Star points equal round((amazon rating − 1.3) × 10). A 4.6 becomes 33. A 4.2 becomes 29. The figure is the amazon.co.uk line, not a lab score. The 33 is the printed example for a 4.6, not a cap on a higher star line.
Review volume
14%Under 10 reviews scores 3, 10–49 scores 6, 50–149 scores 9, 150–399 scores 12, and 400–999 scores 14. A thin sample cannot lead on stars alone.
Fit
12%Fit points start at 12. Subtract 4 for a repeated slip or wrong-size cluster, 3 for a snap, peel, or a review that names a different size from the title, and 2 for a listing field that contradicts the title.
Coverage
8%8 for a pair list through 30×32 mm, 6 for a short open-end set, 5 for a thin multi-piece set, and 3 for a single or a one-size pair. Access is scored. It does not take the top pick or the best value badge.
Choose the jaw first, then the printed pairs, then thickness, then the steel name. Piece count is last. A stated 3 mm head is for a gap, not for a seized nut. Seat the jaw and flip a 15° offset before the hex rounds. The steps are in the [how to use an open-ended spanner](/hub/hand-tools/open-ended-spanner/sub/open-ended-spanner-how-to-use) guide.
An open-ended spanner is a fixed U-jaw that slides onto a nut from the side, including along a stud a ring cannot pass. UK workshop sets are double open-ends: two metric sizes on one spanner, often at 15° so a flip takes a new bite. A single fills one missing size. It is not a combination spanner, which pairs an open jaw with a ring of the same size, and it is not an adjustable. A flare-nut spanner is a different tool. Start with the jaw, then the size list as pairs.
An eight-piece title can print seven sizes, and a thin set can list twenty sizes without saying which ends share a spanner. Count the pairs against the nuts you actually turn.
Under ten reviews can move quickly. A review that names 13×15 mm does not prove an 8×10 mm title, and texts that name 22 mm or 27 mm do not prove a 24 mm single.
A stated 3 mm head is for a gap, not a seized nut. A 15 mm spanner does not fit 15 mm compression pipe: that nut is 24 mm across the flats, and a 22 mm pipe nut is 32 mm.
A double open-end is the set. A single fills one missing size. A combination spanner is an open jaw plus a ring of the same size, and an adjustable is a moving jaw. Neither belongs in this choice. Read the sizes as pairs. A useful metric pattern is 6×7 mm through 18×19 mm, then 20×22, 21×23, 24×27 and 30×32. A set that stops at 17 mm will not do a 24 mm compression nut. Faithfull and Monument put a 15 mm compression nut at 24 mm across the flats and a 22 mm nut at 32 mm.
An ordinary head is for leverage. A stated 3 mm head is for calipers, axles and crowded fittings. It is not the tool that cracks a seized fastener. ISO 10102:2018 is length and maximum head thickness for double open-ended engineers’ wrenches, not strength. A public sample puts 6×7 mm at 103–144 mm long and at most 4.5 mm thick, so a 3 mm head can be under that maximum and still be untested. Strength is ISO 1711-1 Series C. ISO 691 is opening tolerance and ISO 3318 is maximum head width.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You want one double open-end roll that includes 24 mm and 32 mm, including a 25×28 mm pair. The BGS 1233 prints twelve pairs from 6×7 mm to 30×32 mm in a wallet. It will not crack a seized nut with a ring, and it is not a 3 mm head.
You want a chrome-vanadium open-end set under £12 and you will check the packet. The Hilka 16600802 is about £11.63. The title says eight pieces and the bullet lists seven sizes, 8 mm to 17 mm, without pairs. The 17 UK texts do not cluster on slips.
You need a stated 3 mm head for a gap a normal head will not enter, and you measure the fastener first. The YIYEIE set states 3 mm and does not print which sizes share a spanner. Use it for access, not to crack a seized nut.
The top pick is the BGS 1233, twelve chrome-vanadium double open-ends from 6×7 mm to 30×32 mm, including 25×28 mm, at about £19.09. It is the highest score among standard double open-end sets with a full pair list: 4.6 from 355 reviews, and the UK texts do not cluster on wrong sizes or snaps. The best value is the Hilka 16600802 at about £11.63. It is the chrome-vanadium open-end set under £12 whose UK texts do not cluster on slips. The title says eight pieces and the bullet lists seven sizes, so that gap stays in the row. Thin sets are scored for access and do not take either badge.
Hilka 8-piece open-ended set
Chrome-vanadium open-end set under £12 whose UK texts do not cluster on slips. The size list is short of eight.
Editorial
Peter F. is the editor for DIY & tools at productscompared.co.uk. Comparisons in this category are checked against amazon.co.uk listings, review evidence and public UK sources.
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
Sources from the research digest, last checked on 22 October 2026.
This page contains affiliate links. If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. The notes come from amazon.co.uk listings, review text and public UK sources, not from a lab test.
