Tools & DIY · Head-to-head
IDEAL Electrical Stripmaster Wire Stripper 45-092, 10-22 AWG vs Klein Tools 11055 Wire Stripper and Cutter, Solid and Stranded Copper
Which should you buy? Our verdict on both, pulled from our full The Best Wire Strippers: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) comparison.
The Stripmaster wins because IDEAL publishes the hole diameter and tolerance for every gauge and sells the blades and frame separately, so the tool stays accurate instead of quietly going dull. The Klein 11055 does the same fixed hole job for a fraction of the outlay and covers most residential gauges, it just does not tell you as much.
IDEAL Electrical Stripmaster Wire Stripper 45-092, 10-22 AWG
Buy itThe one tool here whose maker publishes a hole diameter and a tolerance for every gauge it claims.
- IDEAL lists the stripping hole diameter for each gauge, from .144 inch at 10 AWG to .048 inch at 20 and 22 AWG, with a stated tolerance of plus .001 inch.
- Replacement blade pairs and a replacement frame are sold by catalog number, so a worn tool is a parts order rather than a new tool.
- A gripper holds the wire on the centerline of the stripping hole and the jaws hold open afterwards, so the stripped end is not dragged back across a blade.
- One blade set covers one range, so 10 to 22 AWG is what you get until you buy different blades.
- IDEAL's own product listing gives a limited 90 day warranty, which is short for a tool at this level.
- Bulky and lever operated, so it is a bench and panel tool rather than something that lives in a pouch.
Klein Tools 11055 Wire Stripper and Cutter, Solid and Stranded Copper
Buy itA plain fixed hole stripper that puts the solid and stranded scales in separate columns on the tool face, where you can see them.
- Klein states 10-18 AWG solid and 12-20 AWG stranded, with the two scales marked in separate columns on the tool.
- Precision ground stripping holes, shear type cutting blades and a serrated nose for bending and looping, so one tool covers most of a rough in.
- Light at 5.4 oz and 7.4 inches long, with a coil spring and a closure lock, so it actually lives in a pouch.
- Klein publishes no hole diameter and no tolerance, only the description precision ground.
- Nothing on the tool is replaceable, so a dull hole means a new stripper.
- Stops at 20 AWG stranded, which rules out most electronics and a lot of low voltage work.
Side by side
The 8 criteria below are the ones our full comparison judged every product on, narrowed to these two.
| IDEAL Electrical Stripmaster Wire Stripper 45-092, 10-22 AWG Our pick | Klein Tools 11055 Wire Stripper and Cutter, Solid and Stranded Copper | |
|---|---|---|
| Our verdict | Buy | Buy |
| Best for | Anyone who strips the same handful of gauges over and over and wants the result to be identical every time. | Residential and light commercial work where the gauges are known and the tool needs to be cheap enough to replace. |
| Price tier | $$ · mid-range | $ · budget |
| Stripping mechanism | Lever action, fixed knife blades cut per gauge | Manual fixed stripping holes |
| Wire range the maker states | 10-22 AWG | 10-18 AWG solid, 12-20 AWG stranded |
| Reach into fine gauge | Stops at 22 AWG; IDEAL sells 45-097 for 16-26 and 45-098 for 20-30 | Stops at 20 AWG stranded |
| What the maker says about insulation type | Not named for this model; separate blade sets are sold for solid and for stranded | Not named; solid and stranded scales only |
| Published dimensional tolerance | Yes, hole diameter per gauge plus .001 inch | None published; described as precision ground |
| Blade replacement path | Replacement blade pairs and a replacement frame by catalog number | None; replace the tool |
| Crimper built in | No | No |
| Warranty stated on the product page | Limited 90 day | Not stated on the product page |
Which one is right for you?
Pick the IDEAL Electrical Stripmaster Wire Stripper 45-092, 10-22 AWG if
anyone who strips the same handful of gauges over and over and wants the result to be identical every time.
Know before buying: one blade set covers one range, so 10 to 22 AWG is what you get until you buy different blades.
Pick the Klein Tools 11055 Wire Stripper and Cutter, Solid and Stranded Copper if
residential and light commercial work where the gauges are known and the tool needs to be cheap enough to replace.
Know before buying: klein publishes no hole diameter and no tolerance, only the description precision ground.
The bottom line
Our overall pick is the IDEAL Electrical Stripmaster Wire Stripper 45-092, 10-22 AWG - The one tool here whose maker publishes a hole diameter and a tolerance for every gauge it claims. Choose the Klein Tools 11055 Wire Stripper and Cutter, Solid and Stranded Copper instead if residential and light commercial work where the gauges are known and the tool needs to be cheap enough to replace.
Want the full picture, including the other options we compared and the popular one we'd skip? Read the complete The Best Wire Strippers: 4 Compared (and One to Skip).