My Favorite Do-It-All Multitool Is Perfect for Around the House or an Emergency Bag

CNET

28-05-2025

I have always liked DIY-ing my way around things, but before I moved to the San Francisco Bay Area, keeping an emergency go bag in the house wasn't something I ever worried about. But now I live less than a mile from the fault that earthquake experts say is the region's most dangerous. And among the most frequently asked questions in my house is, "Did you feel that?"
However, natural disasters don't issue a prior warning, so my family and I have created an emergency plan for when the need arises: We keep our car fueled up, we have our portable chargers topped up and at the ready, and we all know how to shut off our gas. But maybe the most important prep work we've done is to put together an emergency go bag, also known as a bug-out bag. One item I've included in my go bag is a multitool by Gerber that includes pliers, scissors, screwdrivers, wire cutters, as well as a knife.
You can drop a lot of money on a multitool, and some of those more expensive models are worth it. But because I wanted to buy more than one of these -- since my kids could always use one too -- both price and weight were important to me, which is why I chose the Gerber Dime 12-in-1 Mini multitool.
Priced at about $30, this multitool is always worth grabbing, whether it's on sale or not. Below, I'll go through why I like this tool so much. For more mainstays of the go bag, here are our favorite power banks for iPhones and here are the best portable solar panels.
Hey, did you know? CNET Deals texts are free, easy and save you money.
Where this multitool fits into my emergency preparedness plans
In addition to having bug-out bags at the ready, we keep an extensive earthquake kit in a big toy chest. With this big kit -- called a stay box -- weight isn't really an issue, and we can store enough food, water and whatever else we need to make it through a few days or even weeks. But in a go bag, each item has to be portable and essential, because weight adds up quickly. (This is the mini lantern I went with.) The Gerber Dime 12-in-1 Mini weighs just a few ounces and fits into the palm of my hand when it's folded up.
Gerber Dime 12-in-1 Mini multitool specs
Material: Stainless steel
Stainless steel Dimensions when open: 5.5 x 4 x 0.6 inches
5.5 x 4 x 0.6 inches Dimensions when closed: 5.5 x 2.75 x 0.6 inches
5.5 x 2.75 x 0.6 inches Weight: 2.2 ounces
2.2 ounces Included tools: Pliers, wire cutter, tweezers, small and medium-size flat-head screwdrivers, bottle opener, retail package opener, plain-edge blade, scissors, fine and coarse files, lanyard/key ring
Why the Gerber Dime Mini makes a great gift
This is also a great tool to have in your car or your desk drawer at work.
Gerber
Gifting this multitool may seem overly practical, but there will eventually be a time that it will come in handy for anyone. Plus, you really can't beat its price compared to some of the competition out there. This is perfect for your handy friends who could always use another gadget for fixing things or someone building out their emergency bags.