Found out the hard way that cheap pex crimp rings are a false economy

I spent $25 on a off brand bag of 100 crimp rings off Amazon and three of them split on me during a small bathroom reno last weekend. Had to go to Home Depot and grab the brass ones for about $18 for a 50 pack. The cheap ones might save you a buck up front but when one pops while you're pressing it you lose all that time and maybe a fitting. I'm also wondering if the tool I have is fine or if I should upgrade that too. Anyone else have bad luck with no name copper crimp rings?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_joel6d ago

Oh man, that's a rough way to learn that lesson. I gotta gently push back on one thing though - those brass rings aren't really better in every situation. In my experience, brass and copper crimp rings are meant for different setups. Copper rings are standard for pex-b and they deform evenly when you crimp them right. Brass ones can actually be harder on your tool and sometimes on the fitting if you overtighten. But yeah, those off brand copper rings are a total gamble. I've had bags where half the rings felt like they were made of soft tin foil, not real copper. Your tool might be fine, just check that the jaws are closing all the way and not leaving a gap.

hernandez.jordan6d ago

You ever try the stainless steel crimp rings? I switched to those about two years ago after having a similar issue with cheap copper rings splitting. They cost a little more per ring, like 20 cents each, but I've never had one fail on me yet. I also made sure to buy a decent brand of tool, the Milwaukee one actually, and it made a big difference in how clean the crimps come out. The cheap tool I had before would leave the rings looking sort of oval instead of round. What brand of tool are you using now?