A fiver for a wire stripper, then
Honestly, wire strippers sit in that category of tools where most people make do with something terrible for years. A dodgy set of pliers, a craft knife, occasionally their teeth. So when a self-adjusting 3-in-1 model pops up for under five quid, it catches your eye.
The VORX does the basics: strips, cuts, and crimps. The self-adjusting jaw is the bit that matters. You clamp it on the wire and it figures out the gauge itself, rather than you fiddling around selecting the right notch and inevitably guessing wrong. If you've ever nicked the copper inside a cable doing it manually, you'll appreciate that.
Who this actually suits
This is a tool for the occasional DIYer. Someone rewiring a lamp, sorting out some speaker cable, maybe doing a bit of low-voltage work around the house. If you're a sparky or you're working with this stuff daily, you'll want something beefier with a bit more precision and build quality.
For casual use though, it's spot on. The grip feels solid enough in the hand, and the spring-loaded action means it doesn't feel like total tat. I've used similar budget strippers that felt like they'd snap if you looked at them funny. This isn't that.
One honest reservation: the crimping function is fine for basic connectors but don't expect miracles at this price. It's a bonus feature, not the reason to buy it.
The bottom line
At under five pounds, it's a proper sensible little buy for the junk drawer. Not a professional tool. But for most people doing occasional home wiring jobs, it'll do the job without complaint.
