Tools & DIY · Head-to-head
IDEAL Electrical E-Class Fiberglass Fish Tape, 100-Foot (31-046) vs Klein Tools Multi-Groove Fiberglass Fish Tape with Nylon Tip, 50-Foot (56382)
Which should you buy? Our verdict on both, pulled from our full The Best Fish Tapes: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) comparison.
The E-Class is the only tape in this comparison where the maker prints a voltage figure and puts a non-metal eyelet on the end, and IDEAL publishes the strength, the case size and the repair procedure alongside it. Klein's multi-groove fiberglass gives you the same non-conductive tip and a replaceable one at that, in a shorter, cheaper package, at the cost of any published strength number.
IDEAL Electrical E-Class Fiberglass Fish Tape, 100-Foot (31-046)
Buy itThe only tape here whose maker puts a voltage number on the tape and a molded plastic eyelet on the end.
- IDEAL states the fiberglass core is non-conductive up to 1000 V, the only voltage figure any maker in this group publishes.
- The end is a molded glow-in-the-dark plastic eyelet, so the first part into the box is not metal.
- Published as 3/16 inch tape, 350 lb pulling strength, 100 feet in a 12 inch case, with a documented eyelet repair kit (31-044).
- IDEAL footnotes the 1000 V claim as based on internal testing, so it is the maker's own number and not a third party certification.
- IDEAL's own user guide still warns not to use the tape on or near live circuits or energized equipment.
- 350 lb is the middle of IDEAL's non-conductive line, below the 500 lb S-Class.
Klein Tools Multi-Groove Fiberglass Fish Tape with Nylon Tip, 50-Foot (56382)
Buy itThe short, cheap way to get a non-conductive tape with a non-conductive tip, if you can live with fifty feet.
- Klein lists the tape end as a non-conductive nylon eyelet, narrower for feeding and chamfered so it catches less on the pull back.
- The grooved profile puts less surface against the conduit wall, which is the whole argument for buying this shape over a plain rod.
- Light and compact at 2.7 lb in a 13 inch polypropylene case, and the tip is replaceable with Klein's 56025 repair kit.
- Klein publishes no pulling strength or tensile figure for this model, so you cannot compare it on paper with the IDEAL or Greenlee numbers.
- Fifty feet runs out fast on commercial conduit or a long attic run.
- No published voltage or dielectric rating, only the word non-conductive.
Side by side
The 8 criteria below are the ones our full comparison judged every product on, narrowed to these two.
| IDEAL Electrical E-Class Fiberglass Fish Tape, 100-Foot (31-046) Our pick | Klein Tools Multi-Groove Fiberglass Fish Tape with Nylon Tip, 50-Foot (56382) | |
|---|---|---|
| Our verdict | Buy | Buy |
| Best for | Anyone who wants the best documented non-conductive tape in the category and cares what the tip is made of. | Residential work and short runs where you want the softer material without stepping up to a flagship reel. |
| Price tier | $$ · mid-range | $ · budget |
| Tape material | Fiberglass core, nylon jacket | Multi-groove fiberglass |
| Tape size published | 100 ft, 3/16 in | 50 ft, 3/16 in |
| Pulling or tensile strength | 350 lb | Not published |
| Voltage rating published | Up to 1000 V, based on internal testing | None, non-conductive only |
| Tip or leader | Molded glow-in-the-dark plastic eyelet | Non-conductive nylon eyelet |
| Replaceable tip or leader | Yes, repair kit 31-044 | Yes, repair kit 56025 |
| Case | 12 in Tuff-Grip Pro, 25 ft drop claim | 13 in polypropylene |
| Maker's live circuit warning | Do not use on or near live circuits | Do not use any fish tape on or near live circuits |
Which one is right for you?
Pick the IDEAL Electrical E-Class Fiberglass Fish Tape, 100-Foot (31-046) if
anyone who wants the best documented non-conductive tape in the category and cares what the tip is made of.
Know before buying: iDEAL footnotes the 1000 V claim as based on internal testing, so it is the maker's own number and not a third party certification.
Pick the Klein Tools Multi-Groove Fiberglass Fish Tape with Nylon Tip, 50-Foot (56382) if
residential work and short runs where you want the softer material without stepping up to a flagship reel.
Know before buying: klein publishes no pulling strength or tensile figure for this model, so you cannot compare it on paper with the IDEAL or Greenlee numbers.
The bottom line
Our overall pick is the IDEAL Electrical E-Class Fiberglass Fish Tape, 100-Foot (31-046) - The only tape here whose maker puts a voltage number on the tape and a molded plastic eyelet on the end. Choose the Klein Tools Multi-Groove Fiberglass Fish Tape with Nylon Tip, 50-Foot (56382) instead if residential work and short runs where you want the softer material without stepping up to a flagship reel.
Want the full picture, including the other options we compared and the popular one we'd skip? Read the complete The Best Fish Tapes: 4 Compared (and One to Skip).