Black and Decker Battery Operated Adjustable Wrench Review

I originally bought the Black and Decker Adjustable Wrench for my husband as a Christmas gift.  I remember purchasing it at Sears for around $ 30.00, and thinking, "He will LOVE this!"  My husband is a tool-fanatic and has at least two or three of each type of tool every made, so I thought he would find the idea of a wrench that adjusts itself with the touch of a button a very cool find.  I was wrong.

Christmas morning arrived and I eagerly handed him the Black and Decker Adjustable Wrench, expecting him to spend the remainder of the day playing with it around the house.  He opened up the gift, looked at me, looked at the wrench, looked at me, and said, "I already have four wrenches".  Disappointed, I thought he must have missed the fact that this wrench works by battery, so i pointed it out to him on the packaging.  He replied, "That's stupid.  Why do I want a batter operated wrench?"

Oh well.  Win some loose some.  I think that the wrench is fun and easy to use, and I have since "inherited" it as my own tool that I use around the house.  Ladies!  This is a tool YOU can use!  Trust me, I'm not very handy with wrenches or screwdrivers, or any of that stuff, but I like this tool!  I'm glad my husband didn't want it!

What makes the Black and Decker Adjustable Wrench so unique is that it operates my battery.  Just insert two AAA batteries into the housing, and you are ready to use it.  Really, the batteries don't wear out too quickly, so one set of batteries should last you awhile unless you plan on doing a lot of home repairs. 

All you need to do to operate the Black and Decker Adjustable Wrench is push the button, which is located where your thumb would set anyway, and hold the wrench up to what you want to turn.  It automatically adjusts to the size you need.  You don't have to turn the knob and keep checking to see if it fits, and then readjust the stupid knob over and over again.  Just push the button, and it automatically goes to the size you need.  If you need to immediately turn a bolt on something else, just move the wrench and hit the button again.  It automatically adjusts to THAT thing and you keep going from there. 

I was surprised at how firmly the Black and Decker Adjustable Wrench held on to things when I used it.  It's hold on firmly enough that I was able to use it turn a pipe on my son's bike that was stuck in place.  You would almost think that since it is battery operated, it wouldn't hold on as tightly, but it does.  My children think it's neat the way it moves on it's own, and they've asked if they can "play" with it, but they were told, "NO!  This is Mom's wrench!"  - That sounds so funny.

From what I understand, the Black and Decker Adjustable Wrenchisn't meant to replace specialty tools like a ratchet (sp?) set, but it's a great addition to your existing tool set, or if you're like me and just need something that is easy to use for simple jobs around the house.  The jaws of the wrench will open up to accommodate everything from a small bolt that needs turned, to an item that is up to 1 1/4" in size.  Just one touch of a button is needed to move from one thing to the other, so it makes your job much easier.  No more fumbling to change the expansion size of the wrench.  You stay in place and hit the switch.  If you use your wrench for working under the sink, or in an area that is hard to reach, I think the Black and Decker Adjustable Wrench would be the perfect tool for the job.

As I mentioned, if you are like me and not a big "tool" person, I think this is the best tool for you.  It's lightweight (only weighs 1.3 pounds) so it's easy to hold, and the handle is padded so it is comfortable to grip and won't slip from your hands like some of the metal wrenches I've seen my husband use.  It's 8" long, so you can use it to get to hard to reach areas, and then when you're done with it just store it somewhere in the kitchen. 

If you understand "tool talk", I guess I should mention that it has been heat treated and it provides 200 pounds of torque.  I have no idea what that means, but the packaging mentioned it so I'm sure it's relevant to those that understand it. 

Bottom Line - My husband doesn't speak for all men, so I would still recommend this as a great gift idea for the guy in your life.  And for the guys that are reading this review, the Black and Decker Adjustable Wrench is easy for women to use too!   So....if you're struggling for a stocking stuffer idea for your wife, surprise her with this battery operated wrench.  Don't let it be the ONLY gift you give her, because that will put you in the dog house!  BUT, she may just end up having fun with this wrench like I did.