For many years I've been using a motley assortment of mini- and needle-nose pliers and cutters to do my hobby-level electronics work.
I have a few that were manufactured by Xcelite and they were OK when I bought them years ago, but they're showing their age.
Others, mostly from Harbor Freight but some from other sources, are pretty much disposable garbage (although the $3.00 Pittsburgh mini flush cutters are surprisingly good
https://www.harborfreight.com/micro-flush-cutter-90708.html).
I've seen some info about Vampire Tools "Vampliers", and I'm considering buying some of those, but I have not seen them in person or handled them - they're made in Japan, which is a plus, and while they're not cheap at around $25 to $30 each, they're not a fortune either.
Specifically, I'm thinking about the VT-001-5MN cutters
https://www.vampiretools.com/shop/products/pliers/vampliers-mini-4-75%e2%80%b3-precision-nippers/, the VT-001-5NN needle-nose pliers with smooth jaws
https://www.vampiretools.com/shop/products/pliers/vampliers-mini-5-25-needle-nose-pliers/, and the VT-001-5LN mini pliers with serrated jaws
https://www.vampiretools.com/shop/products/pliers/vampliers-mini-5-5-long-nose-pliers/ (yeah, I know that using serrated jaw pliers on component leads may cause reliability problems over time).
The other ones that I have considered are from Engineer tools, such as the PS-01 and PS-03
https://www.engineertools-jp.com/pliers, however I have not seen or handled those either. In fact, the photos of the Vampliers VT-001-5LN grips have an embossed ENGINEER label visible on the left side, and they appear to be similar or identical in most aspects to the PS-01 photos that I see on amazon (see below), but the Engineer pliers are less expensive. Are the Vampliers just rebranded Engineer tools?
Has anyone used either the Vampliers or Engineer tools, and if so, what was your opinion of their fit and finish and quality and 'feel'? Did you use them in a professional setting or for hobby work?
Are there other, better alternatives, in the same price range or less expensive that you'd recommend?