Best One Handed Opening Multi-Tool

Being able to access the tools on our multi-tool with just one-hand is obviously a useful feature of any multi-tool. Sometimes we don’t have both hands free. It’s a feature that a couple of the big brands have recognized as a good thing and have in the last few years released one-hand multi-tools.

Best One Handed Opening Multi-Tool: Leatherman OHT

With the OHT, Leatherman has done the best job of having more tools that can be opened with one hand than any other multi-tool on the market. They claim an industry first of being able to open the pliers with one hand AND also open the knife with one hand. And they weren’t pulling our legs either, they were the first but the OHT isn’t the only multi-tool that can claim this feat. More on that later.

What makes the Leatherman OHT the best one-hand opening multi-tool is that it gives you access to a pair of pliers and 10 other useful tools all with one hand. Perfect for when you’re hanging off a high ladder by your fingernails!

The pliers extend out by depressing a small tab on each handle and sliding forwards. This is the ‘official’ Leatherman way to open them but also the most awkward way in my opinion. In my full review of the OHT, I have a short video showing you 2 other ways to deploy and retract the pliers that are much easier and faster.

The pliers are spring-loaded and have the added feature of replaceable wire cutter blades. Almost a mandatory feature before I can give a multi-tool the ‘Recommended’ crown.

There are 4 thumb slots on each handle with one tool in each slot giving you one-handed access to a total of 8 tools. To get to all the slots you have to switch hands but that’s no different than any other multi-tool – we can’t do anything about how our hands are designed!

The OHT gives you 3 blades – a straight edge knife and a serrated edge knife and a saw. All of them are on the ‘economical’ side being 2.4 inches (6 cms). They’ll get most jobs done, maybe just a bit slower than a bigger tool would.

Screwdrivers are plentiful on the OHT with small, medium and large flathead screwdrivers and a Philips screwdriver. There’s a combination can opener and the multi-tool compulsory bottle opener here. You’ll be able to deploy the can opener with one hand but I reckon it will take a bit of practice to be able to lift a cap with just one hand. Good party trick though. The oddball tools are a strap cutter with oxygen tank wrench cutout. One hand deployable of course but unless you’re a first responder, you’re probably not going to reach for this tool too much.

If there’s something that I don’t recommend about the OHT it’s the MOLLE sheath. There’s no pocket clip option so if you want to carry this hooked onto yourself, you’re going to need to use the sheath. And from a lot of user reports, the sheath doesn’t last. The bottom of it will probably tear as early as one month after daily use. You’ll need to get yourself an aftermarket sheath or carry it some other way.

The OHT is my pick of the one-handed multi-tools because it can’t be beaten if your priority is to have as many tools as possible accessible with one hand. But there are some things about the OHT that I’ve talked about that might have you looking elsewhere.

Check the current price of the Leatherman OHT on Amazon. Available in Coyote Tan and Black

The OHT Alternative: Gerber Center Drive

If you are looking for a great alternative to the OHT, I would look closely at the Gerber Center Drive (full review) especially if you don’t need to have every tool one-hand deployable. It has one hand opening pliers with replaceable wire cutters and way you open them works just as well as the OHT if not slightly better.

The Center Drive has 2 other tools that are one hand deployable and they are full sized. A straight edge knife that’s X inches (x cms) long. The other tool is where the Center Drive gets its name from. It’s a long bit driver arm with a magnetic bit holder. It comes standard with a Philipps bit and a flathead bit and can carry a total of 2 bits onboard.