REVIEW – A few weeks ago I posted news about a 9-in-1 multi-tool pen from Atech. That post got a LOT of traffic and Atech noticed and asked if they could send me the pen to review. Imagine my surprise when I opened the box discovered that they sent me ALL of their multifunction tool pens and even a cool little keychain multi-tool. Let’s check them out!
What is it?
Atech offers a 5-in-1, 6-in-1, 7-in-1, and an 8-in-1 multifunction tool pen along with an 8-in-1 multi-tool keychain. They are all made of steel and have an individual selection of features depending on the pen/tool. Let’s start out with the keychain multi-tool.
Atech 8-in-1 Multi-Tool Keychain
I’m starting with the 8-in-1 Multi-Tool Keychain because it doesn’t quite fit with the rest of this pen themed review. That said, this is also a multi-tool, just in keychain form.
What are the 8 tools? First of all, there’s the knife which folds out and locks in place. At only 0.8 inches, the knife blade isn’t huge, but it’s large enough to open boxes, etc.
This tool also holds 6 bits that store inside the edge of the tool. Included bits are Phillips, Mini Phillips, Slotted, Mini Slotted, Hex key wrench, and a Mini Torx hex key wrench.
The opposite side of the tool has a magnetic bit slot.
The small bits are held in the storage slots by friction. Getting some of the smaller the bits out of the slots is a bit of a struggle if you don’t have strong fingernails.
Last but not least, the 8th tool is the keychain cable that will let you hook it to your existing keychain.
What I like
- 6 small bits that store in the tool
What I’d change
- Make it easier to remove the bits
Price: $19.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Atech 5-in-1 Multi-Function Tool Pen
I’ve had a thing for small EDC pens for a long time and I have to say that the Atech 5-in-1 Multi-function tool pen is one of the most unique and feature-filled pens that I’ve had a chance to check out.
It has a black metal barrel that doubles as a short ruler with measurements in both metric and inches.
A knurled section at the tip extracts and retracts the ballpoint pen with a really smooth action. The pen refill is a standard D1 size that can be easily found on Amazon.
The opposite end with the keyring unscrews to reveal a capacitive stylus tip.
Then unscrewing the stylus tip reveals a reversible 2mm flat and 2.5mm Philips head screwdriver bit holder.
The dual-headed bit is held in place by friction with a rubber O-ring.
What I like
- Small EDC pen with extra features
- Ruler
What I’d change
- Nothing
Price: $14.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Atech 6-in-1 Multi-Function Tool Pen
If the pen above appealed to you but you prefer something full-sized, check out Atech’s 6-in-1 tool pen. This one has all the features of the small 5-in-1 pen, plus one extra tool.
Like the 5-in-1, the 6-in-1 is made of black metal with ruler on the barrel that has b metric and inch measurements.
This pen has the same knurled grip that is used to extend or retract the black ink pen which accepts the same D1 sized ink refills.
The opposite side has an exposed capacitive stylus tip and a pocket clip.
There’s even a bubble level built right into the handle for all your balancing needs.
We’re not done yet folks. Unscrew the stylus tip and you’ll be greeted with a bit holder that houses a reversible 2mm flat and 2.5mm Philips head screwdriver bit.
The bit is held in place with a black rubber O-ring that holds the bit firmly in place with no fear that it will fall out.
What I like
- Pen with extra features
- Ruler and bubble level
What I’d change
- Nothing
Price: $9.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Atech 7-in-1 Multi-Function Tool Pen
We’ve talked about a 5 and 6-in-1 multi-tool pen so it stands to reason that the next Atech pen that I’m going to show you is a 7-in-1 multi-function tool pen.
This one is available in a shiny gunmetal black and features all the features of the pen above, but with an extra tool.
There’s the ruler on the barrel that you can use for on the fly measuring tasks that involve mm/Inches.
There’s a pocket clip and a built-in phone holder on the end.
The phone stand is designed to fit smartphones up to 12mm thick. In the image above, I’m testing it with an iPhone X in a thin case.
The phone stand can also be used as a bottle opener.
The guts of the pen unscrew from the barrel to reveal a stylus on one end…
And a bit holder on the other end.
Just like the other pens, this one comes with a dual bit that has a 2mm flat screwdriver and a 2.5mm Philips head screwdriver.
The twist ballpoint pen comes with a standard D1 size (0.7mm) black ink refill.
Of all the pens in this review, this one is the heftiest at about 0.03kg (0.06lbs).
What I like
- Pen with extra features
- Ruler and built-in phone stand
What I’d change
- Nothing
Price: $14.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Atech 9-in-1 Multi-Function Tool Pen
If you’ve been paying attention, you might be wondering why we skipped from a 7-in-1 pen to a 9-in-1 pen. Me too… No idea, but let’s roll with it.
The 9-in-1 Atech pen features the following tool: a box cutter, a ballpoint pen, a file, a level, a bottle opener, a stylus, a mini flat-head, a Philips screwdriver, a metric and inch ruler.
There’s a 4 inch / 10mm ruler on the barrel for all of your measuring needs as long as whatever you happen to be measuring is no longer than 4 inches.
Also built into the barrel of the 9-in-1 pen is a bottle opener and a bubble level.
Flip the pen over and you’ll see the pocket clip, a file, and a box cutter. The file is handy for… filing things… duh. The box cutter will definitely open boxes because it is sharp. And that’s the problem. It’s really easy to cut yourself on that end of the pen because the blade is exposed. I really think some type of cap should be included to cover it when it’s not being used to slice things.
Just to be consistent, this pen also uses a standard D1 black ink refill which is extended and retracted by turning the knurled knob.
Unscrew the pen the opposite way and you can remove the guts to reveal a stylus on one end and the dual-headed screwdriver bit holder on the other end.
What I like
- Pen with lots of tools
- Bubble level and file
What I’d change
- Box cutter can be dangerous and needs a protective cap
Final thoughts
All of the Atech multi-tool pens and the keychain tool offer a lot of bang for your buck. They are well made, have a nice selection of tools and are affordably priced. My favorites are the 5-in-1 and the 7-in-1 pens, but all of them would make a great give for your EDC and multi-tool loving friends if you don’t want one yourself..
Price: $29.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Atech.
Gadgeteer Comment Policy - Please read before commenting
As a fellow gadget junkie, I really enjoyed this review. I’m not sure how many times I read it, but it took several to determine which pen tripped my trigger (the 7-in-1 wins). I’ll be using the Amazon link you provided to make my purchase. I’m of the school, “you can never have too many gadgets”. Regardless what my wife might say.
The box cutteris pourposly exposed it might not be mentioned but you might come to understand what value a readily exposed blade can be useful for in certain situations and or places that might come across