I am sure all of you have had a moment where you’ve been in a pinch to find tools to hang a picture, tap in a nail that has stuck out on a piece of trim, or needed to get a quick measurement. These are some of the projects the Kelvin.23 can help with.
The Kelvin.23 multi-tool is “The Urban Super Tool” that fits into the palm of your hand and features 23 tools. It has a hammer head, LED light, 5 1/2 ft tape measure, magnet to hold loose screws, spirit level, and 16 screw bits. The screwdriver can lock at 180 degrees or 90 degrees for extra torque. Kelvin.23 is priced at approximately $30-35, is 5 1/2″ long, 1 1/2″ wide and weighs approximately one pound. It was invented by Kevin Royes of Vancouver, Canada, and is made in China.
Kelvin.23 feels well built in my hand and is made of a cast aluminum body. It has a hammer head on the lower right end of the device in the above picture. Please note this is for small jobs and not for full carpentry projects. The website, http://www.kelvintools.com says “for any of those jobs where the heel of a stiletto would make a good solution, then we’ve got your back. Zinc die cast and chrome plated…hammer away and save those shoes for Saturday night”. It would be nice if the hammer head would be placed out a bit further from the body so there was less possibility of hitting the body of the unit or fingers when swinging.
The screwdriver can lock in at 90 and 180 degrees. The bits seem to sit securely in place. There are two magnets on the sides of the screwdriver, which are ALNICO magnets and seem quite powerful to hold loose screws.
A tape measure is included. The packaging says it’s a 6 foot tape measure, www.kelvintools.com says 5 foot, and comfortable working length is 5 1/2 feet.
The bit compartment holds 16 bits that are of standard sizes. The bits may be hard to remove for someone who has large/thick fingers. There is no lock for the hinged portion that contains the level and sits over the bits. If it wasn’t shut all the way or if debris got in the hinge, level function could be off. The battery cover is to the left of the bits, under the hinge, with a thin cover. Once the battery cover has been opened, it seems difficult to keep it locked in place. I have a fear of batteries falling out with longer use.
There is an LED light above the screwdriver that is nice to give some extra illumination. It works well as a small, portable flashlight to help locate objects too. The light does disperse and it would be nice it would be a bit more fine focused for use.
Overall, it does seem handy to complete small kitchen tasks. This gadget is said to be 23 essential tools, which are the 16 bits, level, LED light, hammer, tape measure, two magnets to attract the loose screws, and the extra angle to the screwdriver. I wish it would combine some essentials from the Leatherman, like pliers and maybe a cutting tool.
Product Information
| Price: | $29.99 |
| Manufacturer: | Kelvin Tools |
| Pros: |
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I’m not seeing the hammer here. Where is it?
Hey Bob, the hammer is the small metal plate above the date stamp in the second photograph of the article. You can see its function demonstrated in this YouTube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8BfJjfxKhw#t=1m56s
i bet this is another one-million-in-one useless pricey garbage =)
I think the hammer head is the silver piece of metal sticking out at the bottom right of the first picture. Must be a real handyman to hit a nail with that tiny head, and have results that are worth using it 😉
Thanks to the Gadgeteer for the great review. We certainly will be taking your recommendations for additional functions to the kelvin into consideration for future products. We are always looking to our users for great feedback.
@Dmitriy I realize the kelvin.23 isn’t for everyone but I do believe in this product and we have carefully chosen the material that goes into the kelvin.23 in order to make sure that it lasts and does the work it is intended to do.
@Sebastien The hammer head on the kelvin.23 is no different than those on smaller hammers that you would use for small to medium jobs in and around the house. We’ve typically seen the hammer used for nails to hang pictures which don’t need to go flat into the wall, wooden anchors for flat-pack furniture, etc… If you’re looking to build a house with it, it might not be the best choice!
I’ve purchased a couple as gifts and have one myself. So from experience, I know it’s not one of those buy it and forget about it gadgets. From Ikea furniture to the handlebars of my bike, it’s done exactly what I needed. Great product, can’t wait to see what’s next.
Good idea but a shame it’s not made in America
Hi Steve,
This is Neil from Kelvin tools, we would love to manufacture in North America. if anyone know a company whom could build our product, we’re all for it.
Cheers
@Steve Classic American response. This is a Canadian company, and while it is a shame the product couldn’t be made locally, that doesn’t mean that everything that is not made in China is made in America.
How do you put the batteries in
Yes, please, how do you replace the batteries? My little Christmas present looks like a dandy tool! I have it figured out just fine — except for that point.
3:30 into this video
https://youtu.be/rKM-h2AiJ3E