Our pick
This is the only painter’s multitool that we found that cleans two sizes of roller covers, and it can also open paint cans, scrape old plaster, and crack a beer, among many other tasks.
Basically, this tool can assist with every element of the painting process, other than the actual painting. Like most similar tools, the Hyde can open a can of paint, scrape and apply putty, set a nailhead, open a bottle, pull a nail, and unscrew little things like electrical plates or light enclosures.
So why this one? What really sets it apart is that it can clean paint from large and small roller covers, both of which are essential to big painting projects—and no other tool we found could do that. Squeezing out excess paint may not seem like a big deal, but you could argue it’s this tool’s most important task, because once you start adding up the dollar value of the paint you throw away on a full roller, it’s too much to ignore. In fact, properly used, this tool will probably pay for itself after just one or two painting projects.
Also great
The Hyde 6-in-1 doesn’t have the best features of our main pick, but it’s cheap, and you can still use it to open a can of paint, scrape, apply putty, and clean a large roller.
If you just want a basic painter’s tool for a minimal investment, we recommend the Hyde 06986 6-in-1 Multi-Tool. It is missing a number of the functions of our main pick, such as the small roller cut-out, the screwdrivers, and the bottle opener. But you can still use it to clean a large roller and do most prep work like scraping and puttying.
