New Budget Multi-Tool Releases: What's Worth Buying and What to Skip

Introduction

Budget multi-tools keep evolving, and a fresh batch of releases has just landed. Most of them are variations on designs that already exist, but a couple genuinely stand out. In this roundup we look at a new Nextorch release that disappoints, another that might be the most interesting multi-tool we have seen in a while, a WorkPro value pick, a FISA clone to skip, and a Byberry Surge clone with some clever add-ons.

Nextorch Flagship Pro: A Step Backwards

This new release, distributed by Nextorch, is essentially the Flagship Pro with two changes that make it strictly worse. The one-handable blade is gone, and the whole tool is built in 3CR steel instead of having a 5CR blade. There is very little else to say about it. It feels like a missed opportunity, since this would have been the perfect chance to improve on the Flagship Pro rather than downgrade it.

If you are considering this one, the safer move is to stick with the original Flagship Pro instead.

Nextorch Pioneer: The Standout of the Bunch

The Nextorch Pioneer is where things get genuinely exciting. In many ways it does things that have never been done on a multi-tool before, and if it had been made in slightly better steel, it could compete with tools from any established brand. The build is all 3CR steel, which is the main limitation, but the design thinking is exceptional.

The headline feature is a small slider on the outside that releases a folding arm with a crunch-style cutter blade designed for large zip ties. It takes up very little space and could plausibly handle more than just zip ties, potentially including electrical work, though the 3CR steel means the edge will not hold up long term. Also on the outside you get a small tapered saw with decent teeth, a tiny but one-handable blade with a liner lock, a slip-joint flathead that does not quite open to 90 degrees but settles in a usable position, and a rope pull cutter for pulling someone out of a tense situation.

Open the frame and you find the real star: a set of robust, spring-loaded, serrated safety-style shears. They cut through thick plastic without any effort at all, and for soft materials they should hold up well. Unfold the arm on top of the scissors and you get a pair of tapered pliers with replaceable cutters and hardwire cutters, shaped flat so they can pass the scissors inside the frame. There is even an oxygen wrench built in.

The most surprising part is the weight: just 268g, about 9.45 ounces, which is not much heavier than an average Leatherman Wave clone. Pricing is not confirmed yet, but if it lands around the 50 to 60 dollar mark rather than 100, it occupies a market position nothing else fills. It is an especially strong consideration for law enforcement users who need to cut very large wire ties, which is exactly what it is designed for.

WorkPro Multiforce: The Better Budget Buy

There is nothing radically new in the WorkPro Multiforce, but it remains one of the best values in the budget space at around 24 dollars. That is roughly a quarter or even a fifth of a Leatherman Wave, and while it is not a tool you would stake your life on, it is a perfectly reasonable backup to keep in a tackle box or travel kit, anywhere you might not want to risk a 120 dollar Leatherman.

The tool set is standard for this style: scissors, flathead, small flathead, can opener, bottle opener with wire stripper, a ball-detent double-sided quarter-inch bit, straight and serrated blades, a diamond file with an aggressive cross cut, and a saw. Everything locks, and the pliers have replaceable pass cutters that cut wire remarkably well, arguably even better than the ones on the Wave. Blades are believed to be 5CR with a 3CR frame. Note that it does not come with a pocket clip; it ships with a sheath instead.

At this price, it is hard to argue with.

FISA NXT Clone: New Colors, Same Problems

FISA has released new color variations of its NXT clone, including a tan and black combo and a green and black combo, and the new look with the aluminum top is genuinely attractive. The tan version is closer to a true tan than the green, which comes out dark and simply is not a proper green.

The problems outweigh the looks, though. The scissors do not fully seat when closed, at least on the unit examined, and there are general quality control issues elsewhere in the tool. The one advantage over the NXT is the pliers with replaceable pass cutters, since the NXT’s anvil-cutting pliers have had recurring quality control problems. Still, at 19 dollars you are far better off with the WorkPro Multiforce, which adds a spring-loaded plier at a similar price. Hold off on this one, however good it looks.

Byberry Surge Clone: Familiar Tool, Interesting Add-Ons

The new Byberry release is essentially the same Surge clone the brand has offered before, with the inside tools being a reamer, large flathead, small flathead, can opener, bottle opener, and wire stripper. Fit and finish are done well, and the quarter-inch bit driver is a bit more robust than the one on the Wave clone. All tools lock, and the Surge-style plier head with replaceable cutters cuts wire better than current Leatherman pliers do.

The solid handles are the main design complaint. They emulate the Free series rather than the older cutout version, which was lighter thanks to cutouts along the frame. The tool set includes a T-shank holder with a diamond file, an aggressive cross cut, a set of teeth that are not aggressive enough to rely on for soft steel, a straight blade that came very stiff out of the box, a serrated blade, and a pair of beefy, impressive scissors. One caveat: the sample unit had scissors tips that did not quite meet at the point, plus a lockup issue on the serrated blade. That is the first problematic Byberry sample seen, so if you hit the same issue, exchange it; the brand is responsive about it.

The add-ons are what make this version interesting. Instead of multiple saws, you get one saw that is substantially longer than the frame, thicker and more robust with big teeth, noticeably longer than even the saw on a Leatherman Surge. You also get a T-shank scalpel holder, which is a genuinely unusual inclusion, though the third blade feels a bit redundant. The add-on kit, which includes the bit kit with security torx and uncommon heads plus compatibility with Klein double-sided bits, can be bought separately for around 20 dollars.

On pricing: never pay more than 50 dollars for any variation of these tools. A Surge clone with the preferred cutout handles currently sells for around 36 dollars, so buying the spare components separately puts you at roughly 56 dollars total. Realistically, around 45 dollars for this full setup is the target.

Buying Advice

If you want the most interesting tool of this entire batch, the Nextorch Pioneer is the clear pick, provided the price lands near 50 dollars rather than 100. If you just want dependable budget value, the WorkPro Multiforce at around 24 dollars is the easy recommendation, and it is a far better buy than the FISA NXT clone at 19. For maximum capability per dollar in the Surge-clone space, the Byberry is solid as long as you stay under 50 dollars, and the add-on kit can be bought on its own if you already own one. The new Flagship Pro variant is best avoided in favor of the original.

Conclusion

Most of these releases are iterations rather than reinventions, but the Nextorch Pioneer proves there is still room for genuinely novel design in the budget multi-tool market. Pair it with the WorkPro as a beater backup or the Byberry Surge clone if you need a bigger platform, and skip the downgraded Flagship Pro variant and the FISA NXT clone. There has never been a better time to get a lot of tool for very little money.