Buying guide

Which press tool to buy?

You buy a press tool once, the press jaws you buy on top. Choose the wrong tool and the jaws are expensive or impossible to get. Here you read which type of press tool suits your job, what to look out for with a used tool and when renting is cheaper.

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In short

Small job with multilayer pipe: a manual press tool will do, but only the insert jaws of that brand fit on it.
Renovation or a whole house: take a battery press tool in the 32 kN, 19 kN or 15 kN class. Universal press jaws are available for those.
Saving money: a used tool without jaws plus a separate set of jaws is often cheaper than a complete new tool.
You do not choose the profile by the tool, but by your fittings: TH, V, U, M or UP.

Manual, battery or mains?

Type	For whom	Universal jaws
Manual press tool	A few joints with multilayer pipe in small sizes. Cheap, but hard work with larger sizes and many presses.	no, only insert jaws of that brand
Battery press tool	The standard for installers and for anyone doing a renovation or a whole house. Fast and always the same pressing force.	yes, per class
Mains powered (cable)	Older tools, often cheap second hand. Works just as well, you only need a socket.	yes, per class

Which class of battery press tool?

A press jaw only fits a tool of the same class. You recognise the class by the pressing force (kN) and the type number, not by the brand: Henco, Uponor, Comap and Bonfix, for example, sell Klauke tools under their own name.

Class	Examples	STAHLPRESSE set
32 kN, standard	REMS Power-Press and Akku-Press, Novopress ACO 202/203, Rothenberger Romax 4000, Viega Pressgun 5, Milwaukee M18 HPT, Klauke UAP2/UAP4L, Ridgid RP 340/350	Standard €345
19 kN, compact	Novopress ACO 102/103, Milwaukee M12 HPT and M12 ONEHPT, Klauke MAP2L19, Henco Mini 3, Hilti NPR 19, Ridgid RP 219	Compact €345
15 kN, mini	Klauke MAP1, MAP2 and MAP2L, also sold under the name Uponor, Henco, Comap or Bonfix	Standard Mini €395
Own jaw mount	REMS Mini-Press 14V and 22V, Viega Pressgun Picco, Ridgid RP 210/240/241/251	check first

Tip: if you already have batteries from one brand, first look at the press tool on that battery platform. The Milwaukee M12 HPT is a compact 19 kN tool, the M18 HPT a standard 32 kN tool. In doubt about a tool with its own jaw mount? Look it up in the checker below before you buy.

Buying a used press tool: what to look out for

Ask for the exact type number. A name like "i-press" or "mini" says nothing about the class.
Are batteries and a charger included? Separate batteries and a charger quickly make a tool a lot more expensive.
Ask about the last service or inspection. Manufacturers advise periodic maintenance; a sticker or receipt is a good sign.
Look for oil around the piston and let the tool press a few times. It must press through in one go and return by itself.
In the Netherlands and Germany, bare tools without jaws sell second hand for around €450 to €600. Used single jaws cost €50 to €110 per size, a new brand-name jaw €124 to €142 per size.

That is why many people buy a bare tool and a separate set of jaws: a STAHLPRESSE set has 1 press jaw and 19 inserts with TH, V, U and M for €345, roughly the price of three separate brand-name jaws. The UP profile for Uponor S-Press Plus is €50 extra.

Rent or buy?

For a job of one or two weekends, renting a press tool is usually cheaper. If the job takes longer, buying and selling again afterwards is often cheaper.

Job	Renting	Buying and reselling
Bathroom, 2 weekends	usually cheaper	more expensive
Renovation, 4 weekends	more expensive	usually cheaper
Whole house, 3 months	adds up fast	much cheaper

Example: buy a used tool plus a set of jaws and sell them again after the job. The difference is what you spend net. A used press tool and a good set hold their value reasonably well.

Does my tool fit? Check before you buy

Choose the brand and model of the press tool you have or want to buy, and you see right away which set fits.

The jaws to go with it

Every set has 1 press jaw and 19 inserts with TH, V, U and M, up to 28 mm copper and 32 mm multilayer, made of hardened steel. Standard (32 kN) €345, Compact (19 kN) €345, Standard Mini (15 kN) €395, UP profile €50 extra. Free shipping in the EU, dispatched within 24 hours.

STAHLPRESSE press jaw set: press jaw and 19 inserts TH, V, U and M in a case — In the set: 1 press jaw and 19 inserts (TH, V, U, M) in a case. UP is an add-on.

View the sets →

Frequently asked questions

For a few joints with multilayer pipe a manual press tool is enough. For a renovation or a whole house a battery press tool in the 19 kN or 32 kN class is more comfortable and faster. Used with a separate set of jaws is then often the cheapest route.

Usually not. Manual press tools work with their own insert jaws that only fit the head of that brand. Universal press jaws are made for battery and mains tools in the 32, 19 or 15 kN class.

In the Netherlands and Germany a bare tool without jaws sells for around €450 to €600. Used single jaws cost €50 to €110 per size. A complete set with all profiles is then often cheaper than collecting separate jaws.

For a job of one or two weekends usually yes. If the job takes longer, buying and selling again afterwards is often cheaper.

Your fitting decides that, not the tool. Multilayer pipe usually needs TH or U, copper and stainless steel V or M, and Uponor S-Press Plus needs UP. Look on the fitting or the packaging.

Sometimes, often not. Check which profile and which sizes are included: a few jaws in the wrong profile are of no use to you. A complete set with TH, V, U and M (and UP separately) covers almost everything.

Which press jaw do I need? →
Which press profile do I need? →
Which press fittings to choose? →
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