Wire connectors are used to ensure a secure and low-impedance connection between two or several electrical wires within a box.
With current and flame-resistant exteriors and materials, wire connectors stop wires from making contact with other wires or exposed conductive surfaces, preventing dangerous short circuits or other faults.
Let's have a look at some options in the market to find out which ones are the best wire connectors to buy in 2018.
Comparison Chart
Last update on 2020-03-20 at 06:35 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Our Wire Connectors Reviews
1. Weilder Heat Shrink Wire Connectors Kit
This wire connectors kit is one of the best value-for-money kits offered to-date by the Weilder brand, offering a selection of 9 different connector types that come in a variety of sizes and colors.
Features:
This full set of wire connectors is certified to electrical standards, including ROHS, ISO 9001:2008, SGS and CE standards compliant.
This ensures their strength and durability for daily use. The set features a wide array of forks, rings, hooks, quick disconnects and butt connectors.
What's to like about Weilder Heat Shrink Wire Connectors Kit
Though the price is similar to other sets we’ve listed, this set comes with a huge 270-piece selection of parts, with a wide variety of hooks, rings and more.
The copper barrel design provides benefits such as reduced voltage fluctuation and increased current flow.
What's not to like about Weilder Heat Shrink Wire Connectors Kit
Though there are numerous distinct types of connections, there are only three colors – yellow, blue and red. This can make things a little confusing.
Also, you’ll need a high-quality crimper to ensure a straight-forward crimping process, as poor-quality units may not heat quickly or sufficiently enough.
PROS
CONS
2. Wirefy Heat Shrink
Wirefy are one of the brand leaders in creating high-quality wire connectors with built-in features that service to improve strength and durability. These are also waterproof and corrosion-resistant.
Features:
The barrel is crafted from a single piece of seamless copper, removing the issue of the barrel opening up. The translucent heat shrink tubing also ensures a high tensile strength, providing resistance to stretching or mechanical damage.
What's to like about Wirefy Heat Shrink
The design of these connectors makes them translucent, which is really useful when crimping wires, as you can see the success of the connection inside. The heat shrink feature also makes for a more secure connection between two or more wires.
What's not to like about Wirefy Heat Shrink
As this is typically a more expensive brand, you will pay a little more than some of the other products listed here, whilst getting less units. However, you do get added features like the heat shrink. Unfortunately, it does also take a great deal of heat to shrink the wrap, so you’ll need a good crimper.
PROS
CONS
3. Glarks 540 Pieces
These connectors aren't the best but aren't terrible either. For a low price, however, you do get a great deal of units, making them perfect for the electrician or DIY enthusiast who uses such parts on a semi-regular basis.
Features:
The wire range within this set includes 22-16 (red), 16-24 (blue) and 12-10 (yellow) connectors, with a selection of quality copper and PVC materials used in the making. All parts also comply with UL and ROHS electrical compliance standards.
What's to like about Glarks 540 Pieces
Given that the set includes 540-pieces and 12 different types of connector, you’re not going to run short on any particular parts. This makes the set perfect for somebody carrying out electrical work on a semi-regular basis, as the connectors will last for a great deal of time.
What's not to like about Glarks 540 Pieces
The telling part is that you get such a large number of units for such a small price. As would be expected, the quality is not as good as leading brands. What’s more, as these parts are produced abroad, delivery can take some time.
PROS
CONS
4. Eventronic 200 Pieces
The 200-piece Eventronic set of wire connectors comes with a generous number of pieces, though what it makes up for in abundance, it lacks in variety; there are just 3 types within this set.
Features:
The connectors within this set come color-coded (blue, yellow, and red) and are marine-grade, insulated and waterproof products, offering a great deal of protection to your electronic wiring. Translucent heat shrink tubing ensures a high-tensile strength and resistance to stretching.
What's to like about Eventronic 200 Pieces
Though this may sound like a small benefit, the case in which these connectors come stored forms a tight seal that keeps them in order. Many products come in flimsy cases that result in chaotic cases with no organization. Color-coded tubing also helps to identify wiring quickly and easily.
What's not to like about Eventronic 200 Pieces
One of the downsides to this product is that the crimping process causes breaks to form within the heat seal. What’s more, you’ll require a reasonably powerful and good-quality crimper to make these work; a low-quality, inexpensive model will not suffice.
PROS
CONS
5. Wirefy 120 Pieces
This set of connectors from Wirefy has just under half of the units offered by the other set of the same brand that we looked at earlier. Around since the end of 2016, this set has the same design features and quality product features as the aforementioned set.
Features:
This set has 120 pieces, featuring forks, rings, hooks, and a range of other connectors. They feature a copper barrel to increase current flow and reduce voltage drop and have strip wire insulation and a crimp connector barrel. These connectors are also compliant with electrical design standards.
What's to like about Wirefy 120 Pieces
The Wirefy 120-piece set of wire connectors are delivered in appealing packaging, with a wide array of connectors available out of the box. What's more, the shrink tube extends all the way to the end and seals forwards, in addition to against the blade, covering the crumping area.
What's not to like about Wirefy 120 Pieces
Two of the negatives with this product are closely related; for one, the case is quite flimsy, which results in the catch detaching on some occasions. Also, though a minor point, you only get a specific number of each connector, so if you need more of 1 type, you might have no use for a lot of the others.
PROS
CONS
Buying Guide: How to Choose the Right Wire Connector
An automotive wire connector ensures that your car’s electronic tools or devices are not only working properly but also working safely. For these reasons, you should always make it a point to purchase the ones with the best quality. This buying guide aims to help you with that.
Water-Resistance
Under any circumstances, never purchase a wire connector that is not water-resistant. You will never know how far water can reach into the inner workings of your vehicle, and may you never experience the day that you find out.
If water gets into your vehicle’s electronics or cables, the best thing that could happen is that your devices will malfunction. The worst is that it could short-circuit and damage your battery. Make sure that the wire connector you’re using protects your cables from moisture.
Ease of Use
Generally, automotive wire connectors are already easy to use. However, some of them, especially those that are a bit sophisticated, are quite complex and require you to use multiple tools.
Your car’s wire connectors will probably be hidden in plain sight already. Hence, you don’t need anything fashionable or aesthetically pleasing if it compromises the convenience of installation.
Copper-Plated
If you want to maximize the capabilities of your wire connectors and get a bang for your buck, make sure that they’re copper-plated. That’s because the best type of metal for electricity conduction is copper, and they’re also not prone to corrosion.
Wire Gauge Imprints
In some cases, you’re going to need different sizes of connectors when combining different sets of cables. Look for wire connectors that indicate their sizes. It makes it easier to identify which one you should use for a specific task.
Price
At the end of the day, it will all boil down to your budget. You should figure out how much you plan to spend on your wire connectors and start from there. Just because a connector is expensive does not mean that it’s the best. Wire connectors are quite simple, and you will probably find a top-quality one for a reasonable price.
FINAL VERDICT
For us, the clear choice amongst all of these products is the Weilder Heat Shrink Wire Connectors Kit. This set comes at a similar price tag to the rest of those listed here, though the set includes a whopping 270 pieces, as well as a large variety of connector types.