The 5 Best fishtape Rigids (2023 reviews)

The tape is a must have accessory for your daily purpose. It is perfect for non-conduit situations. It is made with regular plastic and can break with impact. The best part of the unit is the wire attachment end. This has just the right amount of rigidity to push through wiring paths without damaging existing equipment. It also has a tape rewind knob to quickly rewind the tape for storage.

It is rigid, made from spring steel. It is perfect for a wall fish where no insulation is present. The reel is tight, the stop works well, and the tape is just stiff enough to not bend while being inserted in tight places. It is good for the small jobs around the house.

Why We Like This:

Made of spring steel unlike ideal, klein, and gb
Very durable and works great for commercial side working too
Great tool for the home electrician

Best For shorter runs: Southwire Fish Tape

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For a low asking price, southwire fish tape has managed to overwhelm their customers by packing as many features as they could. This is a truly great fish tape. It looks, and can be "pushed" better than any metal fishtape. It is perfect for shorter runs and pipe with wires inside. It is best for use in up to 2 inch conduit. The return wind-up design with the case is great and much easier to use than a handle. You will appreciate the flexibility, smooth pull and the very functional swivel tip.

It is very durable, and the head is easy to attach your wire or whatever onto.

Why We Like This:

Much nicer than conventional flat steel fish tape
Held up to winter outdoor use
Good brand reputation

Best For new construction: Klein Tools fishtape rigid

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The klein tools fishtape rigid gives the top-tier tape a run for their money by offering flagship specs at a much more affordable price. It is great for getting under carpet and behind interior walls. It's a nice size, so it fits in the toolbox and it does the job really well. Like most Klein tools, this is sturdy and should hold up for a long time. It works well, but it's big, heavy and overkill for fishing 6' inside a wall. It has optimized design of the tape housing that decreases payout effort.

It is durable 1/8-inch wide steel fish tapes are firm yet flexible for large wire pulls. It is perfect to push through the wall cavity and then pull the ethernet cable back through without catching on anything. The Multi-position handle gives you a firm, steady grip as you pull tape from the case. This retracts much better and easier, but the tape out of the box does not leave any black oil at all.

Why We Like This:

Turns and the size of the hook where you attach the wire
Great tool to have at home
30 feet of blown insulation with no problem
A solid solution for pulling wires through otherwise inaccessible spaces

Best With leader: Southwire fishtape rigid

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The southwire fishtape rigid is satisfactory and appropriate and fits well with your daily purpose. The head is very big at the end of the snake. It is great for conduits under 1. Flexibility than fiberglass fish tapes, this fish tape will not break when folded. It can be used around power lines so a huge plus.

It is great for either filled or empty conduit. The leader is the only thing that glows in the dark. It is best for use in up to 2 inch conduit.

Why We Like This:

Worked great and pushed through with ease
Better functionality than a metal fish tape
Works better than steel or fiberglass

Best With camera: Swanlake garden Tools fishtape rigid

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Not everyone likes to purchase tape for their daily purpose, but the swanlake garden tools fishtape rigid would be an anomoly. It is the perfect tool to fish a wall. For running NM wire or Cat6 wire behind walls, this makes the perfect tool. It is a good selection of heads, good tradeoff between flex and stiffness, and nice length. The metal ends on the rods are fastened on especially tightly and can be pulled off with a moderate-force tug.

This works great to get from the wall to the first speaker hole on the right. It is perfect for installing camera wires. Theyre very flexible, and theyre not as thick as some other ones out there and thats what makes these perfect for fishing wire. It makes the perfect tool to add to that it is flexible yet durable.

Why We Like This:

Great value for these fishing sticks
Very flexible unlike some of the "higher quality" ones which can be very handy
Included hooks and clips are fantastic
Degree turns without breaking or issue