Multi-tools fold a set of pliers, blades, screwdrivers, files and other implements into a single pocket-sized unit, which makes them genuinely useful in a vehicle, a toolbag or a camping kit.

The point of a multi-tool is not that any one function is as good as the dedicated tool, because it never is. The point is that it is actually with you when something needs tightening, cutting or gripping at the roadside, on a trail or on a job where fetching the toolbox is not an option.

Look at build quality rather than the number of functions, since a tool with fewer, well-made implements beats one with thirty flimsy ones. Stainless construction resists corrosion, a locking mechanism on the blades and drivers matters for safety, and a belt pouch keeps it accessible.