WorkPro Budget Multitool Review: A $22 Multi-Tool That Puts Premium Brands on Notice

Introduction

Budget multi-tools have come a long way, and every so often one arrives that makes you question what a fair price actually looks like. The WorkPro budget multitool is exactly that kind of release. At $22, it packs a spring-loaded plier head, a solid blade, a bit driver, and a set of secondary tools that punches well above its price bracket.

That price is worth repeating because it reframes the whole conversation. This is a tool built by the same OEM behind several well-known clones like the Ozark Trail Multiforce and the Byberry variants, and that track record shows these designs hold up better than people expect. For anyone shopping carefully in 2026, this is one of the most compelling budget multi-tools available.

Who This Product Is For

This tool is ideal for people who want a capable multi-tool they can stash in a glove box, a bag, or a junk drawer without worrying about losing a $200 or $250 premium tool. There are endless stories of expensive multi-tools left behind on job sites or set down for a moment and never seen again, and no warranty covers a lost tool.

It is also a strong choice for budget-conscious buyers who want real capability without overpaying. If you already own a premium tool like a Leatherman Wave or Surge, this still earns its place as the low-risk companion tool for messy jobs, loaning out, or environments where the expensive option simply is not worth the exposure.

Design and Carry Options

The first thing you notice is the color. Green and blue finishes make the tool easy to spot when you set it down, which is a small but genuinely useful touch. Carry-wise, you get both a sheath and a pocket clip. The sheath is the weak point, but the included pocket clip means pocket carry is a real option at roughly a nine-ounce weight class. Most owners will likely keep it in a glove box or bag, and that is fine too.

One design choice deserves special mention. The long implements sit on the opposite side from the pliers, so there is no chance of pinching your hand the way you can with the Leatherman Wave design, where the two handles come together near your palm. That single improvement, borrowed and refined from the Multiforce design, makes the tool far more pleasant to use repeatedly.

The Outside Implements

On the outside you get four implements, all using liner locks. There is a diamond file with a surprisingly decent cross-cut file on the back, plus a third cutting surface that is less impressive. The serrated blade includes a small flat area at the front, and the straight blade is believed to be 5Cr steel while the remaining implements use 3Cr, comparable to 420 stainless. That means the straight blade holds an edge longer than the rest, but everything is reasonable for the money.

The saw stands out with aggressive teeth and clean lockup with no problems. The straight blade, using the higher-grade steel, is the one to rely on for regular cutting tasks.

The Inside Tool Set and Scissors

Opening the tool reveals a large flathead, a can opener and bottle opener combo with a wire stripper, and a pair of scissors. The scissors are a genuine highlight, improved over the older Multiforce design and capable of very clean cuts, even through braided cord with embedded copper wire. In some respects they outperform scissors on much more expensive multi-tools.

The plier head is the feature that elevates the whole package: it is spring-loaded, which makes one-handed grip-and-release work far more comfortable. Spring loading slightly reduces raw grip strength, but for the tasks this tool will realistically see, it is unlikely to matter. In testing, the wire cutters handled coat hanger wire without trouble, the same hard wire that famously broke the Leatherman ARC cutters.

The other side of the tool, a difference from the Multiforce, is the bit driver. You get two Phillips drivers, roughly a #0 and a #2 or #3, made of cast steel like most Phillips drivers on multi-tools. You can leave the small driver open and close the large one to select the bit you want, and both lock. It is not a replacement for a dedicated screwdriver under high torque, but at a $22 price point, hard to argue. There is also a flathead with a pull cutter, excellent for cutting strapping.

Things to Consider Before Buying

The sheath is poor quality, so plan on the pocket clip or bag storage instead. The bit driver being cast steel means no high-torque screwdriving, and the 3Cr implements will not hold an edge as long as the main blade. The spring-loaded pliers trade a bit of strength for convenience. None of these are dealbreakers at this price, but they are honest limits.

Buying Advice

This is where the value argument gets interesting. The tool ranks number three on a recent list of the top budget multi-tools under $50, just behind the SOG PowerPint and the Byberry Surge clone. More pointedly, it puts pressure on the budget Leatherman models like the Rev, Sidekick, Bond, and Curl, which used to sell for $35 to $40. Compared with the Gerber NXT, the closest big-box alternative, the capability gap is not even close.

WorkPro has a retail presence through Lowe’s, and if this lands on shelves alongside the Gerber tools, it will change what people expect a multi-tool to cost. My only suggestion to WorkPro: an iteration about $3 more expensive that includes a better bit driver would be near perfect. As it stands, the spring-loaded plier head and minimalist stamped construction are more than enough.

Conclusion

At $22, the WorkPro budget multitool delivers a tool set that would have sounded absurd at this price a few years ago: spring-loaded pliers, clean-cutting scissors, a usable blade, working wire cutters, and a locking bit driver. It is not here to replace a premium tool, but to sit alongside it for the jobs and places where losing a $200 tool would sting. For glove boxes, bags, and careful budgets, this is one of the best value multi-tools you can buy right now.