Cobalt Locking Pliers: A Two-Piece Set That Fixes the Biggest Vice Grip Annoyance

Introduction

Locking pliers have been around forever, and most of us have accepted their quirks as part of the deal: fiddling with the adjustment screw until the jaw lands in the right spot, and wrestling the release lever open when the tool is clamped down hard. The Cobalt locking pliers set takes both of those annoyances and fixes them in a genuinely clever way.

The set includes two sizes, a 10-inch and a 6.5-inch, and the pair costs around $24. They are not new, having been available for roughly four or five years, but they remain an easy tool to overlook. For anyone who uses locking pliers regularly, this set is worth a close look.

What Makes Them Different

Right out of the package, the build quality stands out. Everything on these pliers is metal, and not thin metal either. The construction feels thick and heavy duty in the way old-school tools used to be, the kind you expect to outlive the workbench they sit on.

The standout features are a quick-release button and a built-in tightening mechanism, and together they change how the tool feels to use day to day. Clamping and releasing take seconds instead of requiring hand-cranking gymnastics.

The Quick-Release Button

On a traditional pair of vice grips, once you crank the jaws down tight, opening them again becomes a fight. The release lever sits flush and demands real pressure, and if the tool is genuinely seated hard, you can pinch your fingers trying to pop it open.

The Cobalt pliers solve this with a small button on the handle. You clamp down as hard as you want, then simply press the button in and pull down on the handle. The jaws release immediately, no matter how tight the grip is. It works the same on both sizes: press the button, and the pliers pop open. It is a small mechanical detail that saves your hands every single time you use the tool.

The Built-In Tightening Trick

The second feature addresses the classic vice grip frustration: finding the right jaw setting. Normally you open the pliers, clamp down, find the grip is too loose, re-adjust the screw, clamp again, and repeat until the bite is right. That trial-and-error loop is slow and hard on your hands.

These pliers have an extended back adjustment piece built into the design. You clamp the jaws loosely onto the workpiece, and because the back piece sticks out far enough, you can insert an Allen wrench or a screwdriver into it and turn it to tighten the grip precisely. Even better, you can fit a socket over it, for example a 15 millimeter socket on the larger plier or a 10 millimeter socket on the smaller one, and ratchet it down until the grip is dead tight with no slip.

When you are done, press the release button and the pliers let go instantly. It turns a two-minute fiddle into a ten-second operation.

10-Inch vs 6.5-Inch

Both pliers share the same quick-release button and the same tightening mechanism, so the choice between them comes down to scale. The 10-inch model is the workhorse: it clamps with serious force and is described as an absolute monster for really crimping something down. If you can only grab one, this is the one that handles the heavy jobs.

The 6.5-inch version is naturally smaller and correspondingly less powerful, but it suits tighter spaces and smaller fasteners, and it carries the same socket-friendly adjustment feature. Having both in one set covers the full range of everyday clamping tasks without doubling the cost.

Buying Advice

At roughly $24 for the pair, this set is one of those rare purchases where the price feels out of step with how useful the tools are. If you already own conventional locking pliers and have simply learned to live with the stiff release and the adjustment dance, this is a straightforward upgrade. For anyone working under vehicles, holding rounded or awkward workpieces, or needing a clamp that stays put under a socket, the Cobalt set makes a strong case.

Other locking pliers exist, including full sets from brands like Milwaukee, so if you already have a favorite, it is worth comparing. But for the price, the combination of all-metal construction, quick release, and socket-assisted tightening is hard to beat.

Conclusion

The Cobalt locking pliers take a familiar tool and fix its two biggest pain points without complicating anything. The quick-release button alone would justify the purchase for anyone who has ever pinched a finger opening tight vice grips, and the built-in tightening feature makes precision clamping effortless. For around $24, this two-piece set is an easy recommendation for any workshop.