Quick answer
Buy the PTS PRO Universal Crimp Tool (12520C). It is the one tool in our catalog that crimps both Platinum pass-through families, EZ-RJ45 and ezEX, and it also crimps standard RJ45 plugs, on unshielded and shielded cable. Each family needs the die its maker specifies (the die is the shaped jaw in the crimp tool that presses the plug onto the wires). Platinum states that the PTS PRO Universal crimps both families.
Plug-to-tool table
| Connector | Price | Part | Family | Die it needs | PTS PRO Universal (12520C) | EXO-EX tool (100061C) | All-In-One (12503C) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EZ-RJ45 Cat5/5e | $33.19 | 100003C | EZ-RJ45 | EZ-RJ45 | Yes | No | No |
| EZ-RJ45 Cat6 | $37.50 | 100010C | EZ-RJ45 | EZ-RJ45 | Yes | No | No |
| EZ-RJ45 Cat6 Connector, 100 per jar | $73.49 | 202010J | EZ-RJ45 | EZ-RJ45 | Yes | No | No |
| ezEX44 Cat6 | $70.02 | 202044J | ezEX | EXO-EX | Yes | Yes | No |
| ezEX48 Cat6A | $84.85 | 202048J | ezEX | EXO-EX | Yes | Yes | No |
| Standard RJ45 (non-pass-through) | Varies by plug | various | Standard | Standard modular | Yes | No | Yes |
| Standard RJ12, RJ11, RJ22 | Varies by plug | various | Standard | Standard modular | Not stated | No | Yes |
The three tools, and who each one is for
PTS PRO Universal Crimp Tool (12520C): if you use more than one family
The PTS PRO Universal is the one tool in our catalog that crimps both Platinum pass-through families. It also crimps standard RJ45 plugs, on UTP and STP cable. Buy it if your truck carries EZ-RJ45 and ezEX plugs, or if you have not settled on one family yet.
When to skip it: if every plug you crimp is ezEX, use the 100061C below.
EXO crimp frame with EXO-EX die (100061C): ezEX only
Platinum describes it as the EXO crimp frame with the EXO-EX die. The EXO-EX die crimps the ezEX family: the ezEX44 Cat6 and the ezEX48 Cat6A. As sold, with the EXO-EX die, it crimps the ezEX family only. The frame takes other dies, which we do not carry. Buy it if every plug you use is ezEX.
What it does not do: it does not crimp EZ-RJ45 plugs, including the EZ-RJ45 Cat6 sold 100 to a jar (202010J). Those need the EZ-RJ45 die. If you have a bag or a jar of EZ-RJ45 plugs, use the PTS PRO Universal.
All-In-One Modular Plug Crimp Tool (12503C): standard plugs only
The All-In-One Modular Plug Crimp Tool is Platinum's crimp tool for standard, non-pass-through plugs: RJ45, RJ12, RJ11 and RJ22. It has a ratchet with a quick release, a built-in cutter and two strippers. It is for crews that terminate standard plugs for voice and data and do not use pass-through plugs.
What it does not do: it is not an EZ-RJ45 or ezEX tool.
A note on the ezEX Starter Kit
Platinum's ezEX Starter Kit (90188), which pairs the EXO frame and EXO-EX die with ezEX connectors, is currently unavailable. Until it is back in stock, buy the tool and the connectors separately.
Tools we do not sell
Klein Tools and IDEAL make pass-through crimpers for their own pass-through plugs. We do not sell them. If you crimp another brand's plugs, check that brand's tool list. If you crimp Platinum plugs, use the die Platinum specifies.
How to choose
- List the plugs you actually use. Read the part numbers on your bags and jars.
- Sort them by family. EZ-RJ45, ezEX, or standard. The family is in the product name, not the pack: EZ-RJ45 plugs come in clamshells and in jars.
- One family, one dedicated tool. All ezEX: the 100061C. All standard: the All-In-One Modular Plug Crimp Tool.
- More than one family, or any EZ-RJ45 plugs: the PTS PRO Universal. It crimps EZ-RJ45, ezEX and standard plugs.
- Planning a Cat6A job. The ezEX48 Cat6A uses the EXO-EX die, so either the 100061C or the PTS PRO Universal will crimp it.
For the broader question of which crimper is best overall, see our best RJ45 crimp tools guide.
Related reading
Frequently asked questions
What crimp tool do I need for EZ-RJ45 connectors?
A tool with the EZ-RJ45 die. In our catalog, that is the PTS PRO Universal (12520C).
Does the 100061C crimp EZ-RJ45 plugs?
No. It is the EXO crimp frame with the EXO-EX die, which crimps ezEX plugs. Use the PTS PRO Universal for EZ-RJ45.
Can one tool crimp Cat6 and Cat6A pass-through plugs?
Yes, within one family. The ezEX44 Cat6 and the ezEX48 Cat6A both use the EXO-EX die, so the 100061C or the PTS PRO Universal crimps both.
Can I use a standard crimp tool on pass-through connectors?
Only with a tool that has the die the plug's maker specifies. Pass-through plugs need the die their maker specifies: the EZ-RJ45 die for EZ-RJ45 and the EXO-EX die for ezEX. A standard modular crimp, as in the All-In-One Modular Plug Crimp Tool, is for standard plugs.
Does the PTS PRO Universal crimp shielded plugs?
Yes. Platinum lists it for shielded (STP) cable as well as unshielded (UTP), for EZ-RJ45, ezEX and standard plugs.
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