When a screw works loose on the camp chair or a cable tie needs cutting, a good multitool saves digging out the toolbox. The Bosch 16-in-1 Multitool is a full-size plier tool with 16 functions, softgrip handles and tools that lock open, in a pouch you can put on your belt.
We’ve used it at camp and around the house for the usual small fixes, and it’s the best full-size multitool we’ve tested.
What’s in the box
A multitool with green softgrip handles around stainless steel tools: pliers, wire cutters, a knife, a saw, scissors, a file, screwdrivers and openers among the 16 functions. Red buttons on the handle lock the tools open. It comes in a fabric pouch with a velcro belt loop.
What we like
- Tools lock open
- Softgrip handles
- Sharp knife, useful saw
- Good stainless steel
- Pouch with belt loop
- Great value at $32
What we don’t
- Hefty at 280 g
- No spring in the pliers
- Small tools for light jobs
Quick Specs
| Spec | Details |
|---|---|
| Brand | Bosch |
| Material | Stainless steelHigh-carbon steel |
| Colour | Green |
| Weight | 280 gwith the pouch |
| Packed size | 15.8 × 6.8 × 2.5 cm |
| Tools | 16 |
| Included | Fabric pouch with belt loop |
The locking tools
Every tool snaps out with a firm click, and the red buttons on the handle lock it there, so a blade or the saw can’t fold back onto your fingers. The buttons are big and easy to find, also with cold hands. It’s the feature we like most.
Steel and grip
Most tools are stainless steel, which copes with damp and dust at camp. The knife and saw are a high-carbon steel that takes and holds a sharper edge. The two-part softgrip handles stay comfortable and don’t slip when you squeeze the pliers hard.
Using it
The pliers grip and turn small nuts and bolts, and the wire cutters cut cleanly. The knife came sharp, and the saw gets through small branches for kindling quickly. The pliers have no spring, though, so you open them by hand, and the small screwdrivers and can opener are for light jobs, not real work.
All 16 functions, grouped. Hover over a tool, or tap it on a phone, to see what it’s for.
Size and carry
At 280 g with the pouch you notice it in your hand, and at 15.8 cm it’s a belt or glovebox tool rather than a pocket one. The pouch has a velcro loop on the back, so it goes on a belt or a bag strap and doesn’t vanish into the bottom of the pack.
How it compares with other multitoolsMultitool comparison
Of the full-size multitools we’ve tested, the Bosch scores highest. The Gerber Suspension-NXT is slimmer with spring-loaded pliers but costs more than twice as much, and the Raxco Knife Multi-Tool has a bigger knife and a nine-bit driver set.
The Workpro 11-in-1 is the lightest and the RAXCO 15-in-1 Multitool Hammer adds a hammer. For a pocket tool, look at the Roxon M2 or the keyring-size Gerber Dime; the multitools guide has all nine.
This one Bosch 16-in-1 | Slim Suspension-NXT | Hammer RAXCO Hammer | Bit set Raxco Multi-Tool | Lightest Workpro 11-in-1 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hammer | No | No | Yes | No | No |
| Carry | Pouch | Pocket clip | Sheath & clip | Belt sheath | Sheath & carabiner |
| ToolsTools (functions) Victorinox counts for each model. | 16 | 15 | 15 | 16 + 9 bits | 11 |
| Folded length | 15.8 cm | 10.8 cm | 16 cm | 10.2 cm | 13.5 cm |
| Weight | 280 g | 196 g | 430 g | 340 g | 220 g |
| Price | $32 | $73 | $30 | $25 | $24 |
| Our score | 9.0 | 8.7 | 8.2 | 8.6 | 8.6 |
Conclusion: Bosch 16-in-1 Multi-toolConclusion
The Bosch 16-in-1 Multitool is a well-made all-rounder. The tools lock open, the steel is good, the softgrip handles are comfortable and the saw is properly useful, all for about $32. It’s 280 g, the pliers have no spring and the small tools are for light jobs. For a camp box or a home toolkit, it’s the full-size multitool we’d pick.
The best full-size multitool we've tested.
The tools lock open, the steel is good, the softgrip handles are comfortable and the saw is properly useful, all for about $32. It's hefty at 280 g, the pliers have no spring and the small tools are for light jobs.
- Car campers
- Caravanners
- Tradies & DIY
Yes. For about $32 you get locking tools, good steel and comfortable handles. It’s the full-size multitool we’d pick for a camp box.
