Miscellaneous Plumbing Tools

There’s no single all-purpose plumbing tool. Anybody who tells you otherwise hasn’t spent a Saturday crawling under a sink. “Miscellaneous plumbing tools” is a catch-all fineline covering everything that isn’t a fixture or a fitting — and the smartest thing a buyer can do is learn to match each tool to the pipe material and the job in front of them, then build out from there.

The category breaks into four working groups. Pipework tools include cutters and a hacksaw, specifically for repairing, installing or cleaning pipes, tubes and supply lines. Then come the wrenches — pipe, basin, adjustable, faucet keys. Drain and clog tools — plungers, hand augers, rod sets. And prep and sealing accessories — abrasive sand cloth, flux brushes, soldering pads, thread tape. Get a handle on those four buckets and the rest is detail.

Matching Cutting and Joining Tools to the Pipe

This is the single biggest selection driver, and it trips up more people than anything else. The wrong cutter for the material makes a clean, code-compliant joint harder than it needs to be.

Start with the material. Tubing cutters for copper. Ratcheting shears for PVC. Hacksaw for metal or when you’re working a tight space and nothing else fits. Pipe cutters are predominately classified by the materials they can cut through, such as plastic, steel, copper and brass. They are an alternative to a hacksaw, as they make more precise and clean cuts.

The hacksaw still earns its spot in the kit. Plumbers will typically use a hacksaw when a pipe cutter won’t work — for example, if a pipe is oddly shaped or they need to cut around an object. Since a hacksaw is more flexible and is operated by hand, it allows for more control. For lighter, more detailed work, a junior hacksaw makes sense: while a standard model has an average blade length of 10 to 12 inches, a junior model measures about six inches, which is especially helpful for cutting through smaller pipes and completing more detailed work.

A ratcheting cutter is worth a look for anyone doing repeat cuts. Due to its ratchet system, it can make cuts in small, incremental strokes of the handle. Plumbers prefer this type because it is easier to work with and less strenuous on the user. Good for PVC, steel, copper, or brass.

There’s also the internal cutter for the jobs where you can’t tear into the wall. An internal PVC pipe cutter is a handheld tool shaped like a cylinder with a blade at the end, allowing workers to insert the blade into the pipe and cut from the inside. This is especially useful when a plumber needs to cut pipe without disturbing the surrounding structure.

On the joining side, you’ve got three real paths. Solder is the old standby — many plumbers seal copper piping by soldering it. You need heat to solder. Plumber’s torches are small, handheld tools that allow plumbers to apply intense heat in precise areas, soldering and sealing new piping for installs and replacements. Soldering pulls in the prep accessories too — a flux brush and a soldering pad to protect what’s behind the joint.

Press-fit is the faster route. A press fitting system joins pipes using a mechanical press rather than traditional methods like soldering. These systems produce efficient and effective results thanks to watertight sealing elements, such as EPDM rubber. Good for copper and stainless on supply and heating lines. And for plastic runs, PEX systems use an expander and crimper for the half-inch through one-inch lines. Where freeze-prone lines may need future repair, the faster joining methods are worth thinking about up front — though how a joint holds in a cold snap depends on the install, not the tool.

One rule that doesn’t bend: always check local codes for compliant materials before starting any installation.

Wrenches, Drain Tools, and the Prep That Makes Joints Last

Wrenches are the most-used tools in plumbing, and the most common mistake is buying one when you need two, or buying the wrong sizes.

The pipe wrench is the workhorse. The pipe wrench serves as a plumber’s largest wrench. Plumbers use these heavy tools to tighten and loosen nuts and fittings on pipework. They typically use two together — one to hold a pipe in place and the other to rotate the nut or fitting. Buy them in a matched pair. A 14-inch for tight spots, an 18-inch for leverage. As a rule of thumb, the longer the handle, the more torque the plumber has for turning the desired item. Cast iron outlasts aluminum under daily jobsite use.

The basin wrench is the one tool nothing else replaces. Basin wrenches help loosen and tighten nuts in tight spaces, typically behind or under sinks. They feature a vertical handle the plumber uses to easily tighten or loosen these hard-to-reach nuts and bolts. Telescoping models extend roughly 10 to 17 inches to reach faucet mounting nuts where your hand can’t go.

For everyday adjustment work, the adjustable wrench covers a range of sizes. It tightens and loosens hexagonal nuts and fittings on pipes, comes in various sizes, but plumbers most often have the 6- and 10-inch versions on hand. Smooth jaws protect chrome fixtures. Round out the wrench drawer with tongue-and-groove pliers in 10- and 12-inch — non-marring teeth so you don’t chew up finished parts. They allow professionals to loosen and tighten nuts and bolts too small for a wrench to grip, and fit easily into tight spaces where a wrench won’t fit.

The faucet key earns special mention in Montana. Faucet keys are also known as sillcock or hose bib keys. They are specifically designed to fit valves on outdoor spigots and faucets and control water valves. The end of the key has a square or pentagon shape that fits into the valve to control the flow of water. The use that matters here: turning water on or off from outside a structure — specifically for winterization or a construction project where water must be temporarily turned off. Draining outdoor spigots before the freeze is a yearly ritual around here. There are versatile models for dealing with different stem fittings — 1/4”, 9/32”, 5/16”, and so on.

Most homeowner and small-job purchases in this fineline are for specific repairs, not new installs — and that’s where the specialty tools come in. Cartridge pullers are brand- and model-specific, so match the puller to the faucet. A Moen cartridge puller, for instance, is built for the 1200, 1222 and 1225 single-handle cartridges. Other common repair tools include tub drain extractors, compression sleeve pullers, faucet reseater kits, and internal pipe extractors.

Drain tools run from simple to serious. A large plunger uses a 125mm (5in) cup; a mini plunger runs 115mm (4.5in). Step up to a universal drain set for tougher blockages — a set built around rods with plunger and worm attachments handles what a plunger alone can’t.

Don’t skip the prep accessories — they’re what makes a soldered joint actually hold. Abrasive sand cloth comes in 80, 120, and 180 grit for cleaning copper before you sweat a joint, and a wire fitting brush scrubs the inside of fittings. Plumbers use plumbing brushes to clean and prepare the inside of pipes, fittings and other plumbing components. A deburring tool finishes the cut: it removes burrs resulting from cutting and drilling the edges of metal or plastic pipes. Sometimes called reaming, deburring helps smooth the surface of the pipe to prevent erosion. Thread sealing tape rounds out the consumables — used to patch or prevent leaks at threaded joint connections, quality tape resists high and low temperatures, stretches for form-fitting coverage, and never dries out.

A few related access and shutoff items belong in the same conversation. Western Building Center carries wall access panels in 6x9, 8x8, 12x12, and 14x14 inch sizes for getting at valves and cleanouts behind a finished wall, along with water meter keys and a square four-way stem key for utility shutoffs.

Beginner Versus Pro: Where to Spend

Don’t buy a pro’s kit if you’re fixing your own sink twice a year. Beginners should start with simple hand tools — a pair of pipe wrenches, an adjustable wrench, a basin wrench, a faucet key, a cutter matched to your pipe, and the prep consumables. That handles the vast majority of household repairs.

Pros earn back the time on heavy-duty power tools and systems. Press-fit and PEX expander systems are the big time-savers — they cut roughly 20 to 40 minutes off a bathroom rough-in compared to soldering. Over a season of jobs, that adds up fast. The cast iron versus aluminum call also tilts toward the pro: cast iron pipe wrenches take daily abuse and keep going.

Either way, the principle holds. Match the tool to the material and the task. A drawer full of mismatched gear is just expensive clutter.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the difference between a tubing cutter and a hacksaw? A tubing cutter gives you a clean, square, precise cut on copper or plastic. Pipe cutters make more precise and clean cuts than a hacksaw. The hacksaw is the backup for awkward situations — when a pipe cutter won’t work, like an oddly shaped pipe or cutting around an object. Being operated by hand, it allows for more control.

Why do plumbers use two pipe wrenches at once? One holds, one turns. They typically use two of these wrenches together — one to hold a pipe in place and the other to rotate the nut or fitting in the appropriate direction. That’s why a matched pair beats a single wrench every time.

What size adjustable wrenches should I start with? The 6-inch and 10-inch cover most household work. Plumbers most often have the 6- and 10-inch versions on hand. Look for smooth jaws so you don’t mar chrome fixtures.

Do I need a special tool to drain outdoor spigots before winter? A faucet key is the tool for it. Faucet keys fit valves on outdoor spigots and faucets to control water valves — specifically useful for winterization where water must be temporarily turned off. Versatile models cover stem sizes like 1/4”, 9/32”, and 5/16”.

Is press-fit or PEX better than soldering? It depends on the job. Soldering is proven and works anywhere you can run a torch. Press-fit and PEX systems join faster and skip the open flame, saving roughly 20 to 40 minutes on a bathroom rough-in. For freeze-prone lines that may need future repair, the faster joining methods are worth considering — but always confirm your materials meet local code first.

Are cartridge pullers universal? No. They’re brand- and model-specific. A Moen puller, for example, is made for the 1200, 1222 and 1225 single-handle cartridges. Match the puller to the faucet you’re servicing.

What grit sand cloth do I need for copper? Plumber’s abrasive sand cloth comes in 80, 120, and 180 grit. Use it to clean and brighten copper before soldering, paired with a wire fitting brush to prep the inside of the fitting.