CROWDFUNDING REVIEW – What is a must-have feature of your multi-tool? Scissors? Spring-loaded pliers? A knife? The NexTool Gemini 13-in-1 electric multi-tool has all that, and it also has… a built-in electric bit driver! Let’s check it out.
What is it?
The NexTool Gemini is a 13-in-1 electric multi-tool made of stainless steel with a built-in electric bit driver.
What’s in the box?
The NexTool Gemini multi-tool comes packed in a zippered case.
- NexTool Gemini multi-tool
- 10 driver bits with holder
- USB-C charging cable
- Zippered storage case
Design and features
The NexTool Gemini has an industrial utilitarian style. It’s all black with the logo in white. It kind of gives me sci-fi vibes. One of the first things I noticed about this tool is its weight. It’s hefty at 9.8 oz. For comparison, I have a Gerber multi-tool that’s 8.8 oz and a Leatherman Wave that’s 8.0 oz.
The tool is very angular, but thankfully, the edges aren’t sharp, so it’s not uncomfortable in the hand.
All of the fold-out tools are housed in one handle.
The opposite handle has a USB-C port and a forward/reverse button for the built-in electric bit driver.
The NexTool Gemini multi-tool unfolds smoothly to convert into a pair of 4-in-1 spring-loaded 30Cr13 stainless steel pliers. They are needle nose pliers, regular pliers, wirecutter, hard-wire cutters, and stranded wire cutters.
Here’s a view of the side of the tool when opened.
Here’s the opposite side of the tool. Note that you can’t easily unfold the tools from the handle when the tool is unfolded to use the pliers.
The knife locks in place when you fully unfold it from the handle.
There’s a liner lock that you can depress with your thumb to unlock the blade in order to fold it back into the NexTool Gemini handle.
The other tools include scissors, a Phillips screwdriver, a flat screwdriver pry bar, a bottle opener, a can opener, and a box cutter. Note that only the knife blade locks in place when it is fully deployed.
Now for the most interesting feature of the NexTool Gemini multi-tool, the built-in electric bit driver. The magnetic bit socket extends out the bottom of one side of the tool.
To use the electric driver, you’ll first need to charge the built-in 230mah rechargeable lithium battery using a USB-C cable. Once charged, you just insert one of the 10 bits included with the tool or any standard-sized H4 bits.
The handle has a rocker-style button that will drive the bit forwards or backward and provides 0.2 N.m of torque when using the electric features and 3.0 N.m of mechanical torque when you use the driver manually. You can watch the short video below where I give the Nextool’s electric bit driver a real-world test with a variety of screws around my home.
See it in action
What I like
- Unique built-in rechargeable bit driver
- Included bits
- Affordable
What I’d change
- Include a belt pouch
- Give the electric bit drive a LOT more torque
- Add bit storage in the handle
- Make it harder to accidentally activate the electric driver buttons
Final thoughts
As a multi-tool, the NexTool offers a basic selection of tools in a rugged yet hefty package. From the limited testing that I’ve done with the electric bit driver function, I find that it’s more of a novelty than a truly useful feature. It does work as long as you’re trying to untighten or tighten lightly tightened screws. The price for this multi-tool isn’t super high, so even the fact that it can be used as a manual bit driver is useful.
Price: $59.00
Where to buy: Kickstarter
Source: The sample for this review was provided by NexTool.
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This tool is an expensive paper weight. Completely useless electric screwdriver. I wish wouldn’t have purchased this junk. The only good thing about this product is the concept.