The Best Faucet Wrenches

As the name suggests, a faucet wrench (also known as a basin or sink wrench) is a specialized tool designed for faucets and sinks. Primarily, faucet wrenches are used for installing or removing kitchen or bathroom faucets. If you like to be prepared to do your own home repairs, take a look at these faucet wrenches that we recommend.

Buying Guide for Faucet Wrenches

Why buy a faucet wrench?

Simply put, there’s no better tool for working with your bathroom’s faucet than a faucet wrench. The pivoting, gripping head on the long shaft of a faucet wrench is ideal for sliding into tight spaces in order to loosen or secure mounting nuts or tube nuts. These tend to be hard or impossible to reach with standard wrenches or pliers, making the faucet wrench a perfect tool for these otherwise time-consuming tasks.

What should you look for in a faucet wrench?

• Length: Different faucet wrenches will have different shaft lengths. The size you need will depend on the size of your sink, but you’ll want a longer handle for nuts buried deep in the sink. Some wrenches also have adjustable lengths, which can be useful for multiple projects.
• Jaws: Some faucet wrenches have fixed jaws, while others have adjustable or reversible ones. A faucet wrench with an adjustable jaw may be worth the investment if you plan to use the wrench often, as a wrench with fixed jaws may be sturdier but cannot be adjusted to fit the size of a wide variety of nuts.
• Value: Like many specialized tools, faucet wrenches can range quite a bit in price. The cost is often dependent on the material, the manufacturer, and any extra functions or purposes. In order to get the best bang for your buck, you may find it helpful to shop around with a budget already in mind.

Should you invest in a metal or plastic faucet wrench?

Naturally, faucet wrenches primarily constructed of plastic are much easier to break, especially when adding extra torque to loosen an overly-tightened nut from your faucet. That being said, they shouldn’t have problems for most standard applications and can usually be fortified in order to complete the job. Metal faucet wrenches will be much more durable but will probably cost you almost twice as much. However, they are likely to last you much longer and can be used for a variety of jobs due to their versatile, highly adjustable designs.

Our Picks for the Best Faucet Wrenches

Pros: This simple yet effective faucet wrench is available in four adjustable jaw sizes to best fit your home repair requirements. The flex head pivots 180 degrees, so it can grip at any angle for nuts in hard-to-reach places. The telescoping shaft is also incredibly handy and can shrink down to 10 inches and extend up to 17 inches at the touch of a button. The wrench’s jaw is spring-loaded to better adjust to the nuts’ sizes and to give you constant ratcheting action that won’t let you lose your grip on the nut after a turn. If you’re working on supply lines, valves, drains, or faucets, this wrench is bound to prove a valuable addition to your toolbox.

Cons: Some reviewers noted that this wrench makes it fairly tricky to properly secure the telescoping handle while working. As you can imagine, this can be a real pain when you’re in the middle of a plumbing job, but the wrench itself is effective enough to make up for this quirk.

Bottom Line: While the TEKTON Telescoping Basin Wrench’s T-handle could be better, this wrench is still incredibly good at what it’s designed for, especially considering its affordable asking price. It’ll help you accomplish a wide array of plumbing jobs while also saving you a few bucks in the process.

 

Pros: This is a sturdy faucet wrench that is equally easy to use for pros and DIYers alike. It’s a 10-inch wrench made of ABS plastic for impressive grip strength without extra bulk, plus it has a nonslip texture for easy release and rotation. The jaws can adjust to nuts or pipes with a maximum diameter of just over 2 inches. The lengthy design makes it easier to reach deep-mounted nuts on faucets and sprayers. It comes equipped with a multifunctional mounting head and a balancer to help you find a balance point easier. It can also be used to shut off valves if needed.

Cons: Since it’s made of ABS plastic, this tool will have more flex in it than some users will like. That being said, it’s fairly straightforward to fortify this tool using a hose clamp or similar tightening implement in the event that you’re unable to tackle a tricky nut.

Bottom Line: While this isn’t exactly a heavy-duty tool that is suitable for extremely demanding applications, it’s one of the most cost-effective options for your average DIY faucet removal task. Also, it’s pretty simple to fortify when you require extra grip strength, making it a perfect budget-friendly option that should last for at least a few DIY projects.

 

Pros: Featuring a soft vinyl grip and an unbeatable price, the Draft Warehouse Standard Faucet Wrench is a great budget-friendly option for tightening shank coupling nuts. While this is not the most versatile faucet wrench you will come across, it’s surprisingly durable for the price and will easily fit most shank coupling nuts and faucet collars. For the money, it’s way more reliable than using pliers and affords a fairly robust grip compared to other products at its price point. If your application doesn’t call for a large-handled faucet wrench, consider this one to get the job done.

Cons: Naturally, this tool’s small size will make it unsuitable for a wide variety of applications, so be sure to compare its size to your degree of clearance before making the investment. Also, some reviewers noted that its tooth is too shallow for some applications, so if you’re attacking a hard-to-grip nut, this tool might be ill-equipped for the job.

Bottom Line: While this faucet wrench isn’t the most versatile or heavy-duty tool on the market, it’s one of the most cost-effective means of loosening draft faucet collars and shank coupling nuts. That being said, it’s important to set realistic expectations and closely scrutinize its small size before determining if it’ll be a solid choice for your project.

 

Pros: Here’s a slender faucet wrench designed with adjustability and versatility in mind. The spring-loaded jaw automatically adjusts to fit sink nuts with a maximum capacity of 1 3/8 inches. The shaft extends and contracts to different lengths as needed, and it can lock in at four selectable lengths at the single touch of a button. The head pivots at a 180-degree angle to make it easier to work around potential obstructions. The easy-to-grip T-handle is great for enhancing your leverage and allows you to work one-handed in tight spaces. This tool also stands out for its rugged chrome steel construction, making it a tool that’s built to last.

Cons: This wrench’s adjustable jaws are probably less reliable than those of our top pick, so a bit of extra wrangling is expected to achieve a secure grip. Also, it would be wise to keep another wrench on hand just in case you need a little extra torque for your application.

Bottom Line: While this wrench’s jaws may force you to work a little harder than similar tools, its adjustable design can be utilized in a wide range of applications under your sink. Factoring in this tool’s above-average durability for the price, it’s easy to see why this faucet wrench scores such great reviews despite not being the most effective tool of its type.

 

Pros: This eight-in-one faucet wrench can serve multiple functions for home repairs. In addition to removing and installing faucets, this wrench can shut off valves, tighten strainer nuts, adjust supply line nuts, and more. The unique, labor-saving end with a rod inserted in the tail-hold adds rotating power and allows you to more easily rotate the wrench at awkward angles without damaging the metal. It’s made of engineering-strength plastic and tough but light aluminum inserts. The extra-long design allows you to reach even the deepest mounted nuts, whether they’re on faucets, sprayers, or ball cocks.

Cons: While this tool is really easy to use during standard applications, it can be damaged fairly easily when attempting to remove nuts that were overly tightened. Also, it tends to flex a bit when applying lots of pressure, but this is pretty much standard for plastic tools.

Bottom Line: While this tool will likely falter when undertaking heavy-duty jobs, it’s a great product to invest in for a wide variety of standard DIY plumbing projects. That being said, if the person who installed your faucet tightened nuts with the strength of He-Man, you’re probably better off investing in a durable metal faucet wrench over this product.

Final Thoughts

Installing or removing a faucet can be an incredibly awkward task, but the right faucet wrench can truly make a difference. Be sure to thoroughly research a faucet wrench’s design and durability before making your purchase, and consider opting for a versatile tool that can serve its purpose outside routine DIY plumbing jobs.