The 7 Best fishtape metals (2023 reviews)

We consider a fishtape metal to be a worthy investment in the long run. We are here to help you choose the right one for your purposes from all the best available products in market today.

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Our Top Picks:

Best Overall: Buy: Gardner Bender fishtape metal READ REVIEW

Best With drill: Buy: Ram-Pro fishtape metal READ REVIEW

Best With One caveat: Buy: Southwire fishtape metal READ REVIEW

Best With leader: Buy: Klein Tools fishtape metal READ REVIEW

Best For Running Wire: Buy: Yanborui fishtape metal READ REVIEW

Best With measure: Buy: Ideal Industries fishtape metal READ REVIEW

Best With camera: Buy: Vevor fishtape metal READ REVIEW

Best Overall: Gardner Bender fishtape metal

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The gardner bender fishtape metal's high-end materials makes sure that it ages well with use. The plastic casing states that it contains some gnarly pthalates that are good for wreaking havoc on the human body, but it is assembled rather like Legos and comes apart very easily, no crushing or cracking required. It is great for snaking wires inside the wall when hanging your tv. The steel is a little thicker which makes the initial run up the conduit a lot easier than the Klein does with it's flimsy steel. The reel has instructions advising you to wind the knob like you are tightening it as far as it will go and releasing it and the tape is unlocked for easier pulling.

The dispenser is comfortable in the hand and the case is convenient when you are up on a ladder and need either the handle or to hook your hand through the center comfortably. It is a good puller for tight places. The tape itself is flexible enough for average bends, but keeps rigid for pushing down narrow paths. The uses are endless and this tool is a real time saver.

• Works perfectly to fish wires once you get the hang of the mechanism
• Great tool for the home electrician
• Work very well for short pulls of power and communication wires
• Perfect for pushing and pulling wires though tough spots

Best With drill: Ram-Pro fishtape metal

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We know from years of feedback from readers, customers and amazon sellers, what most people want in a convenient and appropriate tape. The ram-pro fishtape metal is exactly that - it's a simple tape that hits all the right notes. This fish tape has a nice balance of flexibility and stiffness to make long runs with curves. It looks and feels heavy duty to make long runs with curves. It has the length and strength to make it through almost any tight places where you try to get wires through. The cable is also bendable, so if theres a spot you want to hit, you can bend it to ensure the result.

If you have lines to run this is a great tool to have. It is easy to rewind, and good to pair with a fiberglass rod kit. It is easy to figure out how to expand and contract the tape. Overall quality of materials and construction is very good. It's inexpensive, expect "Harbor Frieght" quality.

• Good value for basic diy work
• Works well, excellent value for diyer
• Flexible but keeps shapes you set
• Perfect for running wire in a sailboat mast

Best With One caveat: Southwire fishtape metal

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Compared with other tape in this category, the southwire fishtape metal has a convenient design. This fish tape is very smooth to feed and retract. It is easy to fish through walls for speaker wires. It is impact resistant and jobsite tough. It is easy to go between studs along the wall. It has marking for the amount of feet you use and is very comfortable. It will be durable enough for the worksite.

This one is easier to roll up, the foot markings on the cable are invaluable in certain situations.

• Great tool for routing lines in wall
• Worked great and easy to use
• Worked perfect for putting wires through wall once got the hang of it

Best With leader: Klein Tools fishtape metal

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Next on the list, we've got yet another tape that manages to win our hearts. It's the klein tools fishtape metal and it's widely considered as one of the best convenient tape you can buy. This thing makes pushing a tape through conduit so much easier. It has a rustproof inner steel cable core wrapped with a spiral cover for exceptional flexibility. It helps with getting the flat fish tape started through elbows. It is strength rated up to 250 pulling pounds. It comes with instructions on how to attach it.

It's great, not hard to install using a mini torch. This thing makes pulling wire (or getting the fish thru the conduit to pull the wire) so much easier, it's almost criminal.

• Must have item for steel fish tapes
• Almost eliminates snags forward or back
• Flexible leader guides steel tapes through
• Makes goi g around conduit elbows a ton easier

Best For Running Wire: Yanborui fishtape metal

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Not everyone likes to purchase tape for their daily purpose, but the yanborui fishtape metal would be an anomoly. Electrical fish tape rods are colored with a bright yellow to be able to locate and differentiate the rods from wires easily. It is easy to quickly pop back and forth to make it around bends. The fiberglass rod fed out without any snags and it wound back up beautifully. It is used to help fish tape make more convenient to use.

It is flexible yet has moderate hardness, is easy to handle, has a strong waist and is strong against pushing, so it is easy to insert and it can pass through piping or 90 degrees as well. The pull back is pretty tight, and 15" from the end (of about 90' run), the small threaded connector which holds the wires pulled off. It is easy, the rod is sent out, and the rod is retracted smoothly.

• Excellent durability and easy to pass
• Compact and convenient for storing electric wires and packs with a rod storage function
• Very useful snaking up and down drywall
• Works great like brand name fishing rod

Best With measure: Ideal Industries fishtape metal

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These Ideal stainless steel fish tapes are the best period. It is made using high-quality stainless steel that is resistant to rust and corrosion. The wire puller tape has a finish that makes it resistant to rust and corrosion. This boosts the lifespan of the tape, making it reliable for electrical conduit runs.

Whether it’s pull line, conduit measuring tape, or lube, Ideal has a superior tool for every stage of the job. It is great for a wet or corrosive work environment. It is designed to assist in heavy-duty electrical applications, but this tape is a reliable tool for longer conduit runs. You will love how it is stainless and has the distances on the tape so you know how far it has gone.

• Nice grip and unwinds / winds great
• Great fish tape with distances on it
• Dependable, durable, consistent, you can’t do better than ideal
• Save time and money-thread, measure and pull with single product

Best With camera: Vevor fishtape metal

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The vevor fishtape metal is capable of outshining several other tape featured in this list in overall features for the price point. This new duct rodder works great, much easier to use than the old one. It is welded by high-hardness iron, sturdy and durable, with functional compression resistance capacity. It is long enough for distance work. It is easy to carry with a top handle for moving freely. It is an excellent assistant tool for traction and guideline in the pipeline.

The fish tape is perfect for use in telecommunication, electrical, wall and floor conduit, walker duct, and utility installations, which suits your different needs. It is great for a 250' underground run.

• Rust and corrosion resistant, superior pulling strength
• Good compression resistance capacity and proper structure
• Great tensile strength and strong bending property