Tools & DIY · Head-to-head
Knipex 97 33 01 MultiCrimp Crimping Pliers vs Ideal Electrical Crimpmaster 30-500 Ratcheting Crimp Tool with Insulated Terminal Die Set
Which should you buy? Our verdict on both, pulled from our full The Best Crimping Tools: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) comparison.
The Knipex wins because its whole design admits that one die cannot serve three terminal families, and it makes changing between them fast enough that you actually do it. The Ideal reaches the same place for less, with a bigger die catalogue but a slower swap.
Knipex 97 33 01 MultiCrimp Crimping Pliers
Buy itOne lever-action frame with three labelled dies in a belt-clip magazine, each cut for a different terminal family.
- Three dies cover non-insulated open plug connectors, insulated terminals and butt connectors, and insulated and non-insulated ferrules.
- Dies change without any additional tool, and the locking system holds them in the frame.
- Knipex states the capacity for each die separately rather than quoting one blanket range.
- Tops out at 6.0 mm2, so heavier cable lugs need the five-die 97 33 02 or a different tool.
- The magazine is one more thing to lose, and the dies are not cheap to replace individually.
- We found no pull-out force figure or pull-test standard published for this model.
Ideal Electrical Crimpmaster 30-500 Ratcheting Crimp Tool with Insulated Terminal Die Set
Buy itA ratcheting frame that will not open until the cycle finishes, sold with the insulated terminal die set and thirteen die sets available.
- Ideal states the ratchet prevents under-crimping by not releasing the connector until a full crimping cycle is completed.
- The supplied 30-579 die set is colour coded red 22-18, blue 16-14 and yellow 12-10 AWG, matching standard insulated terminals.
- Die sets swap with a flathead or Phillips screwdriver, and the frame is also sold on its own as the 30-506.
- Changing dies needs a screwdriver, so in practice you will buy a second frame rather than swap mid-job.
- Only the insulated terminal die is included; ferrules and non-insulated lugs mean buying more.
- Ideal states the tool requires no factory calibration, which is a convenience claim and not a crimp force specification.
Side by side
The 8 criteria below are the ones our full comparison judged every product on, narrowed to these two.
| Knipex 97 33 01 MultiCrimp Crimping Pliers Our pick | Ideal Electrical Crimpmaster 30-500 Ratcheting Crimp Tool with Insulated Terminal Die Set | |
|---|---|---|
| Our verdict | Buy | Buy |
| Best for | Someone who crimps insulated terminals one week and ferrules the next and wants the same frame to do both properly. | The buyer who mostly crimps insulated ring and spade terminals but wants a route to other terminal families later. |
| Price tier | $$$ · premium | $$ · mid-range |
| Terminal families the dies suit | Non-insulated open plug connectors, insulated terminals and butt connectors, insulated and non-insulated ferrules | Insulated terminals with the supplied die set; other families need other die sets |
| Ratchet or cycle lock | Integral lock with self-releasing mechanism | Will not release the connector until a full crimping cycle is completed |
| Interchangeable dies | Yes, 3 dies, changed by hand with no tool | Yes, 13 die sets available, changed with a screwdriver |
| Stated capacity | 0.25 to 6.0 mm2 depending on die | 22 to 10 AWG with the supplied 30-579 die set |
| Maker names a terminal standard | None found for these three dies | No standard named on the listing |
| Published pull-out force figure | None | None |
| Weight | Not confirmed | Not published on the listing |
| Strips wire as well | No | No |
Which one is right for you?
Pick the Knipex 97 33 01 MultiCrimp Crimping Pliers if
someone who crimps insulated terminals one week and ferrules the next and wants the same frame to do both properly.
Know before buying: tops out at 6.0 mm2, so heavier cable lugs need the five-die 97 33 02 or a different tool.
Pick the Ideal Electrical Crimpmaster 30-500 Ratcheting Crimp Tool with Insulated Terminal Die Set if
the buyer who mostly crimps insulated ring and spade terminals but wants a route to other terminal families later.
Know before buying: changing dies needs a screwdriver, so in practice you will buy a second frame rather than swap mid-job.
The bottom line
Our overall pick is the Knipex 97 33 01 MultiCrimp Crimping Pliers - One lever-action frame with three labelled dies in a belt-clip magazine, each cut for a different terminal family. Choose the Ideal Electrical Crimpmaster 30-500 Ratcheting Crimp Tool with Insulated Terminal Die Set instead if the buyer who mostly crimps insulated ring and spade terminals but wants a route to other terminal families later.
Want the full picture, including the other options we compared and the popular one we'd skip? Read the complete The Best Crimping Tools: 4 Compared (and One to Skip).