Choose these wire cutters for your occasional use. Compared to standard wire cutters, they're not as durable. However, they have a slimmer head, so they fit where space is limited. This makes them great for depaneling panel circuit boards and cutting small gauge wire. Also known as diagonal-cutting pliers.

Cutters with an oval head are more durable than cutters with a tapered head. Cutters with a tapered head fit more easily in tight spaces than cutters with an oval head. However, they are less durable.

Cut profile refers to the amount of pinch left on the tip of the wire after it has been cut. Pointed cutters produce a deeply pointed, pinched end. Use them for electrical and general applications. Flush cutters produce a cut with virtually no pinch left on the tip of the wire after it has been cut, creating clean connections for easy soldering. However, flush-cut tools don’t last as long as pointed ones.

Tip-cutting tools allow precise cutting from above.

Spring-assisted jaws open automatically when you release the handles.

Cutters with a wire catch hold onto one side of a wire that's been cut to prevent it from falling. To engage the catch, keep the blades together after making a cut. Open the blades to let go of the wire.