Ferrule crimping tool buying guide
Updated: 21 October 2026
You have stranded flex to land in a screw or a tunnel, and the red, blue and yellow crimper in the drawer is the wrong jaw. A ferrule crimping tool buying guide starts with the largest conductor you will actually crimp, then the shape of the jaw, then whether you want a ratchet or marked nests, and only then the box of ferrules. Prices and the full table sit on the [ferrule pliers comparison](/hub/pliers/ferrule-pliers). The figures are amazon.co.uk shelf prices and review counts from the listings on 19 October 2026. We did not lab-test the tools.
You have stranded flex to land in a screw or a tunnel, and the red, blue and yellow crimper in the drawer is the wrong jaw.
You have stranded flex to land in a screw or a tunnel, and the red, blue and yellow crimper in the drawer is the wrong jaw. A ferrule crimping tool buying guide starts with the largest conductor you will actually crimp, then the shape of the jaw, then whether you want a ratchet or marked nests, and only then the box of ferrules. Prices and the full table sit on the ferrule pliers comparison. The figures are amazon.co.uk shelf prices and review counts from the listings on 19 October 2026. We did not lab-test the tools.
Our top picks
| Badge | Product | Stated capacity | Jaw profile | Ferrules in the box | Note | Price | Offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall |  KNIPEX Knipex ferrule pliers 97 72 180 | 0.25–16 mm² | Nine marked half-round dies | Tool only | 9.8 | about £35.96 | View offer |
| Best value |  Preciva Preciva square ferrule kit CP621200 | 0.25–10 mm² | Square, self-adjusting ratchet | 1,200 claimed | 9.6 | about £22.99 | View offer |
| Alternative |  DXCRIMP DxCRIMP hex ferrule kit 0.25–25 mm² | Selector to 25 mm² | Hex | 800 in 22 sizes claimed | 9.4 | about £33.96 | View offer |
On this page
Start with the largest conductor you will crimp
Most kits in this set print 0.25–10 mm². That covers lighting, socket and control flex, and many campervan 12 V runs, if the jaw opens around the largest ferrule you will use. A cooker or shower tail can be heavier. The AivaToba square kit prints 0.25–10 mm² in the title and 0.5–10 mm² on the size line. You move to 16 mm² or 25 mm² only when the conductor is that size. The Knipex 97 72 180 states 0.25–16 mm². The DxCRIMP states a selector up to 25 mm². A printed ceiling is not a jaw that opens. The Flintronic at £9.99 prints AWG 23–7 only.
Square, hex, or marked dies
Square means four jaws. The Preciva CP621200 states a square crimp, and so does the AivaToba HSC8-6-4A. Hex means six jaws: the AivaToba YXQ008-16, the DxCRIMP and the Weicon. Trade comment treats a square crimp as kinder to a cage clamp and a hex crimp as nearer a circle for a round hole. The profile is a fit choice, not proof that one outline carries more current. If the terminal shape is the open question, the square or hex ferrule crimper page is next.
The third shape is the Knipex 97 72 180. You select one of nine half-round nests from 0.25 to 16 mm², cited to DIN 46228 parts 1 and 4. There is no ratchet stated.
Ratchet, release, and tool-only versus kit
A ratchet is meant to hold the sleeve until the stroke is complete, then let go. A red, blue and yellow crimper is a different job. The Knipex here has no ratchet stated. The Riiriou at £13.99 has UK notes of a jam on the first attempt and a pin that falls out. A tool that sticks on the first squeeze is a Consumer Rights Act 2015 return, not a technique.
Tool only means you already own ferrules. In this set that is the Flintronic, the Holy Feather, the Knipex and the Weicon. Reviews of the Preciva CP621200 say the smaller sizes go first. Who should buy which listing is on the best ferrule crimping pliers page.
What the listing price does not include
Comfortable handles are not a live-work rating. The Weicon sheet says not to use 10100513 on live conductors. The Knipex line “Specification Met: VDE” prints no voltage, and a separate VDE variant exists, so this ASIN is not a live-working tool. The Riiriou bullet says the pliers are electrically conductive. Keep the circuit dead.
The IET’s account of BS 7671 regulation 526.9 names a ferrule crimped before insertion as the treatment for fine strands in a screw terminal, and rejects tinning. In England and Wales, a new circuit, a replacement consumer unit, and work in a bath or shower room still sit under Part P. Scotland and Northern Ireland use their own rules.
Common questions
Do I need a kit or just the pliers?
Buy the pliers alone when you already have ferrules in the right mm² and colour sequence. The Flintronic, Holy Feather, Knipex 97 72 180 and Weicon 10100513 are tool-only here. Buy a kit when you want a first stock of sleeves. Check the listing for twins if two conductors share one clamp. A claimed 1,200 or 2,100 pieces does not mean every size is stocked evenly.
Is 0.25–10 mm² enough for home wiring?
It is enough for typical lighting, socket and control flex, and for many 12 V runs, if the jaw opens on your largest ferrule and you are not landing a 16 mm² tail. Several kits in this set print that band and then disagree between the title and the size line about 0.25 mm². If the cable is 16 mm², look at a tool that states 16 mm² and at reviews that say the jaw actually accepts it.
When is 16 mm² or 25 mm² actually required?
Only when the conductor is that cross-section. A cooker, shower or battery tail can leave the 10 mm² kits behind. In this set the Knipex and the Weicon state 16 mm², and the DxCRIMP states a second range up to 25 mm². The AivaToba hex kit titled to 16 mm² has UK reviews saying the jaws do not spring open at 10 mm² and 16 mm². Match the jaw, not the headline.
Should I buy a ratchet or marked dies?
Choose a ratchet if you want the tool to finish the stroke before it releases. Choose the Knipex marked dies if you will pick the nest for a known mm² up to 16 and you do not need ferrules in the box. A ratchet that jams, as UK reviews describe on the Riiriou, is not the same thing as a controlled full cycle. The Weicon is the ratchet in this set whose listing includes an emergency release.
Are comfort handles safe on live cables?
No listing in this set should be treated as safe for live work. Comfort grips and a CE line are not insulation ratings. The Weicon sheet says not to use 10100513 on live conductors. The Knipex VDE line has no voltage in the bullets, and a separate VDE variant exists. The Riiriou seller says the pliers are electrically conductive. Isolate the circuit before you crimp.
Related pages
Sources
Public UK sources from the research digest, last checked on 19 October 2026. Shelf prices and star lines are the amazon.co.uk figures in the display file. The price bands are this set, not a market average.
- IET Wiring Matters: terminal blocks and regulation 526.9 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- GOV.UK: building work, replacements and repairs (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- IET: Part P FAQ for England and Wales (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- Knipex 97 72 180 product page (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- Weicon 10100513 data sheet (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- RS Online: crimp tools guide (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- Termnex: bootlace ferrule colour codes (retrieved 19 October 2026)