WorkPro W72070AZ Slim Jaw Stubby Adjustable Wrench: A Niche Tool That Earns Its Spot

Introduction

General purpose tool brands rarely make something this specialized, which is what makes the WorkPro W72070AZ interesting. Officially called the 120 mm Slim Jaw Wide Opening Stubby Adjustable Wrench, it is essentially a conventional small adjustable wrench that has been ground down to produce a very narrow, offset pair of jaws. The result is a niche tool with a name much longer than the tool itself, and one that fills a gap most adjustable wrenches cannot.

At around $17 and change, it also undercuts several direct alternatives significantly, which matters for a tool most people will use only occasionally.

Who This Tool Is For

The W72070AZ is aimed at anyone who has ever tried to reach a fastener squeezed between washers, larger bolts, or other hardware. Traditionally, the workaround is needle-nose pliers, but standard pliers are not designed to grab bolts and can slip or round off fasteners. A slim jaw wrench like this one lets you get flush into a small area and actually hold the fastener solidly.

It is also a plausible compact EDC candidate for tool enthusiasts, in the same conversation as similar slim jaw tools from other brands that sell for considerably more.

Where the Slim Jaw Design Shines

The jaws measure roughly 2.1 to 2.2 mm depending on where you measure, and the offset profile sits differently from a traditional curved jaw. That means the wrench can slide flush into tighter slots and between stacked fasteners, holding something tight where a wider jaw simply cannot fit.

Once a fastener is in the jaws, it grips nicely and solidly. The wrench does have a degree of jaw play when closing, and the alignment is not perfect, but under load the design locks in and the jaw holds steady. In practice, the play has not caused the jaw to open on its own.

Everyday Uses That Surprise

Beyond fastener work, the W72070AZ doubles as a small vice for holding very small parts while working on them. A thinner jaw makes this noticeably easier than a thicker conventional jaw, and it is one of those uses that only becomes obvious once the tool is in hand.

For anyone working in fields where stacked fasteners appear regularly, the ability to clamp down in tight spaces without swapping between pliers and wrenches is a genuine time saver.

Things to Consider Before Buying

The fit and finish is good but not flawless. The jaw alignment when closing is fine but not perfect, and there is more play than in some rivals. The tool is also thicker overall than its closest Japanese competitor, which likely comes down to steel grade, so the competitor achieves a slightly smaller package at similar performance.

Those trade-offs are reasonable at this price, but worth knowing about if you expect perfection.

How It Compares on Price and Fit

The most direct comparison is the Engineer slim jaw adjustable wrench, which currently sells for about $30. It has finer alignment when closing and less play, with slightly different blade and handle shapes and a generally more compact build. The WorkPro, however, actually opens a little wider at maximum, if that matters for your use case.

Other slim jaw wide-mouth options exist as well, including a version sold under a different brand for around $35, and what appears to be the identical tool rebranded and sold at truck-brand prices between $65 and $70. Against that landscape, the WorkPro is the value pick by a wide margin, and it even makes some premium brand options start to look oddly affordable by comparison.

Buying Advice

If you regularly encounter tight, stacked fastener situations, the W72070AZ is an easy recommendation at around $17. If you want the very best jaw alignment and a slightly more refined build, and are willing to spend nearly twice as much, the Engineer is the step-up choice. For occasional use or as an EDC curiosity, the WorkPro delivers most of the function at roughly half the price.

Conclusion

The WorkPro W72070AZ is a niche tool that does one thing very well: holding small fasteners in places conventional wrenches and pliers cannot reach. With a solid grip once engaged, a surprisingly wide maximum opening, and a price well below comparable slim jaw tools, it is a smart add for anyone whose work brings them face to face with stacked hardware.