15 Best Keychain Tools

Quick, empty your pockets.

If you happen to be outside the house, you’ll likely have at least three items: a wallet, phone, and keys. We’ve already talked about credit-card knives that fit into wallets and the iPhone multitool case, but that leaves us with keys.

Since your keys are always within reach whenever you’re outside the house, they’re a natural place to attach essential tools.

If you’re looking to make your keys even more useful, we’ve assembled this list of tools that fit right on your keychain.

Some of the tools we first wrote about when this was published in May 2015 have gone the way of the dodo, so we decided to give this list an update.

Gerber Shard

The Gerber Shard is a small and easy to carry piece of steel that doesn’t overwhelm with functions. The small tool has two screwdrivers, a pry bar, a nail remover, a bottle and can opener, a scraper, and whatever else you can get out of it.

The tool is 2.75 inches long and made of stainless steel with black titanium coating.

Victorinox Classic SD

Perhaps the best-known multitool ever is the Swiss Army knife. The Victorinox Classic SD is not only one of the best-selling Swiss Army knives but it is also small enough to fit on your keychain.

This multitool doesn’t have the 30 tools found on the larger models, but it does have the essentials. Just a few of the tools are a small blade, nail file, screwdriver, scissors, tweezers, and toothpick.

When closed the tool is 2.5 inches. It also comes in a variety of colors and designs.

Kershaw K-Tool

The K-Tool from Kershaw has a cool design in the shape of the “k” in Kershaw’s logo. It has a bottle opener and some corners that work as screwdrivers.

While it is easy to see this as only a giant (well, small actually) billboard for Kershaw, it is surprisingly functional.

NiteIze DoohicKey

The DoohicKey, which is an annoying name to type out, has been around for a while and frequently gets mentioned on these lists and for good reason. For only $5, you get a basic but very functional tool that comes with a pry bar, ruler, screwdriver, wrenches, and more.

There are a few iterations of this, but the original is the best.

CRKT K.E.R.T.

Seat belts save lives. There’s no question about that. But when a car has flipped over and the belt has trapped you inside a burning vehicle, the seat belt can be a death trap.

That’s why designer Ray Kirk set out to make his own emergency strap cutter with the CRKT K.E.R.T. (Keyring Emergency Rescue Tool).

The tool can quickly cut through a strap to save your life or a stranger’s. There’s also a hex wrench, bottle opener, and oxygen tank opener.

SOG Key Knife

If you want a small knife to blend completely into your keys, the SOG Key Knife is your number one choice. This locking folder looks exactly like a standard key, but it has a hidden knife that can be used to open letters and cut things.

Gerber Mullet

The Mullet is the newest addition to this list. Despite its sully name, the tool is nondescript and highly useful. It has 11 functions, such as a cap lifter, screwdriver, and pry.

SOG MacV Tool

The SOG MacV Tool is keychain tool similar to the K-Tool. Instead of being in a K-shape, the tool is in the shape of the original skull from the MACV-SOG group (which the company takes its name from). There are 12 components to the tool, including screwdrivers, wrenches, a nail puller, a pry bar, and more.

Gerber Dime

The Gerber Dime is a full-blown multitool that’s modeled in the style of the Leatherman. It remains a beloved multitool that’s small enough to fit on a keychain but still be functional enough to be used on all types of tasks.

The Dime is less than 3 inches when closed and only a little more than 2 ounces.

Kershaw PT-2 Tool

Kershaw added two keychain tools to its lineup in the PT-1 and PT-2. We gave the latter the edge because it has more functions at eight. It has a bottle opener and cap lifter, a pry bar, two screwdriver tips, a wire scraper, and 3 sizes of hex drives.

It comes in at under an ounce.

CRKT Compano

The CRKT Compano is an excellent keychain tool companion. It features a carabiner that allows you to clip the keys to a belt loop. It also has a 1.42-inch clip joint blade that can open with a single hand.

Opinel No 4 Key Chain

The Opinel is one of the best and most beloved folding knives of all time. This mini version is made specifically for key chains. Its blade is just under 2 inches.

This version has a red wood handle.

CRKT Pry Cutter

This keychain tool is less knife and more multi-tool. It has a dedicated pry bar with a but driver tool that’s held into place. But for those times you need to cut something, there is a replaceable cord cutter strategically placed into the tool.

When you add in three hex wrenches, this little tool has it all.

Victorinox Midnite Manager

Yes, I already have a Swiss Army Knife, but the Midnite Manager is a different beast. When you don’t want to carry a bunch of extra tools, a flashlight, and a pen, the Midnite Manager is your solution.

It has a small LED light, a pressurized ballpoint pen, wire stripper, scissors, screwdrivers, and more. It is thicker than the Classic SD, but it is more robust in the toolset it offers.

Swiss+Tech MicroMax

With a 19-in-1 design, the MicroMax probably offers the most bang for its buck in terms of space. It might be a bit too bulky for the keys, but by god it has a lot of tools.

There are six screwdrivers, various wire tools, a hand drill, a bottle opener, rulers, hex wrenches, pliers, and more. And it fits right on the keys! Some have complained about quality control issues, so your mileage may vary.

Bonus: KeySmart Tools

Finally, there’s the KeySmart. The KeySmart itself isn’t much of a tool, but it holds all your keys in a cool little package. But, you can also accessorize the KeySmart to include a bevy of tools, such as a folding knife, screwdriver, pliers, and golf divot tool.

The more you put on this, the bigger and thicker it gets, but there’s no denying the usefulness of the KeySmart on your keychain. It also allows you to have a more organized key set that doesn’t include a bunch of tools jangling about.