Side by Side Comparison of: OKGEAR vs Circotech vs Molex

Worked great for crimping mini molex pins. Took me a couple of test pins to get a nice crimp after playing with the tightness setting. I increased it one notch increasing positive to get this crimp in the picture working perfect.

Works well with Molex KK crimp terminals. I ordered this tool to use it with 28 gauge stranded wire and KK crimp terminals. It worked well but it took several failed tries until I got the knack of it. I set the adjustable crimp force dial to lowest (-) setting so that I didn't crimp the bejeezus out of the very small gauge wire, essentially amputating it off at the crimp joint. And even at that I had to be careful not to ratchet all the way down. You can use the ratchet release lever to open the crimp tool before applying maximum force. After several tries I was finally able to get consistent and reliable results. Also the word "interchangeable" seems to be wishful thinking. I was't able to find any source for other dies to use in this crimper tool. This is a great price considering what Molex is charging for a similar tool designed to use with their products.

What a revelation! I had been struggling with a Dupont (2.54mm) crimper (sold under many names: mine is a Weierli SN-28B). I inspected the tool in detail to understand how the crimping function worked, and tried many different approached and adjustments, yet I could not get it to work consistently. It took 3 steps to get anything acceptable (that would fit in the header). I finally gave up in frustration and ordered these.

I did the same inspection and a lot of research, and after a brief orientation period of trying different approaches I am now achieving excellent results with a very low failure rate (maybe 1 in 20). The are a couple of keys to success. First, the jaws have 2 different functions: crimping the tabs that go around the insulation and second, the tabs that go around the stripped part of the wire. Proper alignment is an absolute necessity to achieve the proper result. The connector must be inserted to the right depth (this varies with the male and female connectors), it must be flat and not twisted in the jaws. (Oh, and you have to use stranded wire, of course!) Some reviews have you align the connector on the left (looking down on the tool) but this is incorrect. The following works consistently for me:

1. Strip stranded (I used standard AWG22 stranded hookup wire) wire to 2.5mm for female, 3mm for male. This does not seem like much, but you only want enough length to cover the area under the wire-gripping tabs. Measure your connectors with calipers to ensure they are the same.
2. Close the crimper 1 click
3. Insert connector from the left with insulation-gripping tabs facing up
For the Dupont 2.54mm (0.1") connector (e.g Arduino boards) use the smaller opening (towards the end of the tool) even though it says
it is for 24-30 AWG wire.
4. Looking at the right side of the tool (from above) align end of wire-gripping tabs with the outside edge of the upper crimping jaw
5. Observing from the left, ensure the connector is perfectly flat along top of bottom jaw, centered, and not twisted in the channel
6. Insert wire at a slight angle, angling it slightly top to bottom inclined towards the crimper then aligning it parallel to the bottom jaw
(this is to clear the insulation tabs which stick up)
7. Observing the right side, ensure end of stripped portion of the wire aligns with the edge of the wire-gripping tabs, and then pull it back towards the left slightly so it is just inside the edge of the outer tab
8. Close the crimper the remaining 5 clicks and release

By following all these steps consistently, and doing so under a bright desk lamp so I could see everything in detail, I get nearly perfect results. It may seem like a lot of steps, but once you get the rhythm down, muscle memory takes over and this goes very quickly. You're also dealing with something very small, so accuracy and attention to detail matter a lot. The ultimate measure of success if the ease of which you can insert the connector into the header, and these will go in smoothly with minimal force and a satisfying click.

Now that I see the differences between the 2 tools, I understand now why the others are so terrible. This unit has curved faces on both jaws (in the Weirli, the top is flat) to help shape the insulation-gripping tabs rather than just flattening them. The jaw also has a slight rotating action as it closes, which seems to help the crimping process. The HT-225D also has much more surface area inside the channel (deeper walls) which helps to keep the connector aligned and not crushed. All of these small differences add up to much more than the sum of their parts.

Highly recommended. Hard to see how these realistically could be better. And still less expensive than other very similar crimpers I found online.

As most of the other reviews note, this crimping tool is absolutely an exceptional value, particularly at this price of just over twenty dollars. The crimper simultaneously crimps the two sets of tabs on the pin, one set for the insulation and the other for the conducting wire. Although the tool is rated for 18 AWG wires and hire, I was able to use them with 16 AWG wires and the 0.093 Molex connectors just fine. Going through the full range of compression (the full 6 clicks) with the 16 AWG was a bit too much and would end up over-bending the Molex pin, but releasing the crimp prematurely by engaging the release lever after 5 clicks resulted in a perfect crimp. I include pics here that show the crimps using the 16 AWG wire and how it's done using this tool. It doesn't come with instructions, and this was my first time using such a tool, so I had to research it online, watching youtube videos, etc. I hope this helps!

This crimping tool works as well as the expensive ones from Molex and others. It works on a variety of connectors including .093", .063", and Trifurcon Molex connectors. This price is similar to other crimping tools that are non-ratcheting. Ratcheting crimpers are far superior to the non-ratcheting type for both ease of use, and quality of the crimp. This tool also crimps the conductor and the insulation in one step.

It works okay. It doesn't really crimp down the way you'd expect, into two loops into the insulation, but whatever, it still held

I shopped around quite a bit before settling on these, and I'm glad I did. When they arrived, I was surprised by the heft, nearly 15 oz. This indicated that they were probably pretty well built, and, after using them, that seems to be true. Most of its competitors in this price range seem to be flat, die-stamped, single-walled tools that I was concerned might splay while making crimps. I can't see how this tool would ever splay. The handles and body are very heavy duty and the dies seem to be solid cast metal.

There are YouTubes on best Molex crimping practices, but I'll just say this: When crimping, lightly put the Molex pin in the die of the tool first (with the "open" part of the pin facing up). Trying to put the wire in the pin first and then putting it into the tool without the wire falling back out will drive you crazy. Put the insulation-holding side of the pin in the left side of the die (if you look at the jaws, you will see that the left side of the upper and lower dies is wider). Squeeze the jaws until they release and you'll have a crimped pin.

The only problem I have found is that some sizes and types of pins will stay stuck in the die after crimping. When this happens, I simply twist a wide-bladed screwdriver just above the pin so that it pries the pin out. I can do this in just a couple of seconds, so it hardly slows things down at all. In a high-production environment, this might be an annoyance. I took off half a star for this.

I've used this tool only for Molex pins and have wasted zero pins. I've also seen YouTubes of people using this tool for Dupont connections, and they seemed to have no trouble. I'm not sure why some reviewers are having trouble. And no, this is NOT a fake review. I don't understand why the ad for this tool says it can be used for D-Sub. I don't see how this tool could possibly be used for D-Sub, which requires an all-around crimp.

Yes, saying "with interchangeable die set" is misleading, but I knew this from other reviews before I bought it. They are sold with that wording all over the Internet. Somebody needs to wake up and change the wording. I've taken off half a star for this continuing miswording of the ad. What they mean is "replaceable die set." If you look at the manufacturer's web sight, google Hanlong, you will see that they show the various dies but give no indication of where they can be purchased. Searching for "crimper die set" on Amazon shows various dies that look like they might fit, but who knows?

I'm happy with the HT-225D crimping tool because all of the crimps I've made are good, solid connections with the insulation also held tightly, and all of the pins have fit into the Molex connectors perfectly.

I had used this successfully (or so I thought) it was only after I tried another tool that I realized the connectors were getting crushed. I tried the adjustment knob and figured out that you need to switch holes to get half notches. I loosened mine by 1/2 notch and the force went way down and no more problems with connectors stuck in the die, or hard to insert in the housing. The force multiplier is quite high so if you find it hard to crimp, chances are you are set to high a force on yours as well. Another indication is that if you can see an imprint of the die in the bottom of the finished connector. When set correctly, the bottoms of the connectors are smooth and round.

for the DuPont connectors, I followed the excellent directions from Rob59AZ and had professional DuPont crimps in a few tries. The tool works perfectly out of the box once you figure out how to use it. Once again, I have gotten better instruction from amazon reviews than I did from the company that makes it.

HT-225D Full Cycle Ratchet Crimping Tool >>> with interchangeable die set <<< HT-225D. The name implies different die sets are available. That is not so, this is why I have it 4 of out 5 stars. Otherwise the tool works great for crimping molex pins. I had a project to do at work, crimped 50 pins with no problems. This is the perfect tool for the casual use or professional alike. I would buy this same tool again if needed.

Solid piece of equipment. I bought this to build a RepRap Delta bot. Crimped the larger Molex and smaller JST type consistently without fail. Can't complain about the way the tool functions, nor its price. This is the kind of build quality that will ensure it is still around for another 50 to 100 years. It's just one of the tools you like to use. Sadly I do not have enough connections to make. Kinda makes me wanna rewire something, anything, just so I'll have an excuse to use it...

Works great for standard R/C connectors but does not crimp well with smaller connectors at or near the bottom of the stated gauge range.

It could be a 2-4 star tool, depending on your needs. For me it did not work very well.This is a review of the HT-225D Crimping Tool HT-225D Full Cycle Ratchet Crimping Tool with interchangeable die set HT-225D4 stars for the ratcheting tool frame.2 stars for the dieThe ratchet mechanism is not one of the problems. It works very well, though the ratchet release could be easier to work for early release when needed with one hand. That would avoid over crimping without resetting and readjusting the crimp stop depth when changing wire gauge or insulation thickness. That is a pretty minor issue though. The ratchet mechanism overall would get a 4 stars for function and 4.5-to 5 if the depth and/or release were easier to control/change..Using Molex open barrel pins there are a few problems.The real issue is the die set. The surface finish on the die set where the tool crimps and contacts the wire/pin is too rough and frequently grabs the edges of the metal and rotates the pins resulting in an undesirable crimp. Often I need to secure the position of the wire/pin with another pair of needle nose pliers or very firm finger pressure.It also does not have camel-hump face on the top to re-curve the pin tabs back into the wire/jacket so they are not as secure as they could be when using other crimpers. With only two crimp size options you might or might not have the right size for your needs. Some Molex pins are $0.75+ per pin so mistakes and poor crimps can add up. The IWISS Dupont Professional Pin Compression Ratcheting Tool (sold under various names) IWISS Dupont Professional Pin Compression Ratcheting Modular Insulated Terminal Crimper Pin Crimping Tool 2.54mm 3.96mm 28-18AWG 0.1-1.0mm2 with Wire-electrode Cutting Die is the same price generally, has 3 crimp size combinations instead of 2 and the die set has tighter tolerances and a smoother finish on the crimp faces. It also shapes the crimp much more like the actual OEM Molex crimp tools and the wire seems harder to pull free in my testing.I also did not see replacement dies for other types of crimps being very available as others commented for the HT-225D.So there is my experience with this tool.

I bought this tool to attach wires to the Multicomp 2226TG, 28 to 24 AWG, Crimp Socket Contacts. They work but I was disappointed in them because several contacts that I tried to attach to wires failed. The contact will rotate out of position in the tool’s die as the jaws are closed. This causes a bad crimp. I've been using this type connector and tool for decades, different corporation’s products, and I usually have an easier time of it.
The one thing these have going for them is they are inexpensive and for hobby use they are better than using pliers to fold the crimp tabs. I wouldn't recommend them for professional use but I’m not ready to give up on them either. I think the problem is in the crimp die.
The die doesn’t positively secure the contact to be crimped like the dies of other tool manufacturer’s do. Since the die isn’t held in position securely, the connector can and does rotate. While I’m on the subject of dies, the dies are replaceable on the tool for different uses like the crimping the more standard ring, spade, and butt-splice crimp connectors.
The tools construction is top notch with heavy gauge metal body and plastic covered handles.
The bottom line is: It shouldn't be hard to get a good crimp every time but a top-of-the-line tool will cost in the neighborhood of $2-300.

I was hoping these would work with the VW style barrel pins and have yet to get them to crimp right. The ratchet works and locks but the release is a pair. To use, and if you squeeze too hard the ratchet lock releases and crushes connnector. Could be user error, but seller need a better description of what these do. No instructions come other the universal pictures that make no since. Was going to return them but figured I'd just toss them into the drawer and maybe figure how they work right sometime.

The tool is made well enough and I was drawn to it being designed to use interchangeable die sets. I called the distributor of this tool with the goal of getting additional die sets. The distributor said the only die set they import is the one that comes with the tool. The tool may be made to accept other die sets but there are none to be had. If you want a multi use tool that is really single purpose then this is the tool for you.

These seem to be harder to use than other brands I've been experience with. Not sure if the die is mis-shapen or something, but I just haven't been getting good crimps with these.

What can I say… it's just okay. It will make a decent crimp after some practice; but not at all great. More often than not it slightly twists or bends the terminal. So… it's just okay. I bought this crimper because I thought I could purchase more dies for it. The title and description are dishonest, deceiving, and disappointing, but technically true. Don't expect to be able to change dies for different size or style crimps, because there are no other dies to be had; not with it or for purchase, nowhere! I even tried going directly to Hanlong Tool to get dies; no luck. So, if you know where or how to get dies for this crimper please let me know. Thank you, in advance, for any help you may offer.

I bought this crimper because I read in the reviews here that it would produce perfect reproducible crimps with 22awg wire and 2.54mm/0.1" dupont-style crimp pins. These are the type of pins that people typically use with 0.100 headers on arduinos and such.

I've had no luck getting decent crimps with this crimper. The crimps look reasonably good to the human eye, but when I attempt to insert them into a 0.100 housing, they are 100% of the time ever so slightly too wide to fit the housing. It's not off by much, just enough to make it a miserable task to try to force the pin into the housing (usually by pressing on it hard with a precision screwdriver). I've tried all settings on the tension adjustment.

I suspect that the die is just slightly too wide to properly crimp these pins. I'm at a loss as to how other people are having success using these crimpers on these same pins and wire AWG. If someone could recommend a decent crimper that will reliable crimp this size pin and wire, I'd be very appreciative.

I was explained by my boss that the reason crimpers were made to be ratcheting is to ensure that both sides come together parallel to each other with equal force. Not only does this not achieve this end, the die is too wide and only works with the long Molex/TE pins, forget about trying the small JST terminals with this. I do like the fact that the dies are interchangeable and maybe I'll edit my review if I find some that work with small crimp pins. For now, the Molex 63811-1000 may be over 2x the cost, but makes a perfect crimp on almost anything I can throw at it.

1 of 3 crimps held for dsub connectors, molex pins crimped well but had to be pried out of jaws

Does a fair job of making the wire portion of the crimp. Doesn't do worth a darn on the strain relief portion. I am having to go back over each one with an old set of manual crimpers to make everything satisfactory. Headed for a return / refund. Why should I do it twice?

Does not do clean crimps on the official Molex mini fit jr. pins, regardless of whether the pins are male or female. Yes, I do know how to make proper crimps. I ordered another crimping tool from a PC modding site and the crimping ridge was much more pronounced, leaving me with a proper crimp, whereas this one I ordered here on Amazon did not.

Purchased this and decided to return it. Molex type crimpers should have a "top heart" style top die so the tabs on the crimper come up around, and bend in to grasp wire. The top die of this was too square resulting in extremely poor crimp. Purchased Engineer Inc PA-20 crimper and am much happier with it.

i dont understand how these got 4 plus stars , i was using this on a computer sleeving job , and they absolutly sucked. they would not do a good crip for nothing and believe me i tried and tried , and they would not do it , so i got pissed and went to mainframe customes and bought there crimper and it worked perfectly the first time and has not once messed up a crimp unless i did something wrong ..if you are doing custom pc work get the mainframe customs crimp the guy there makes sure the are pre set and working right before he ever sends them out you wont regret it.as far as these , mine are going in the trash unless i can find a different use for them

All of the sellers of this product are promoting that the jaws in the ratcheting crimpers are interchangeable, but no one is selling any other die set different than the one that comes with the crimpers. Doesn't sound like they're interchangeable to me. Seems to be a good crimper, I guess I should have looked into it deeper before I bought them.