What Cobra adds to a compact plumbing bag
The 87 01 250 is the 250 mm Cobra with non-slip plastic handles. Its push-button adjustment lets the buyer select a jaw opening without treating every fitting as a maximum-capacity grip. The appeal is a compact adjustable gripper for appropriate service work. It still needs enough head clearance and handle travel, and its toothed jaws need a workpiece that can tolerate them.
The smooth-jaw companion may be the more important second purchase
For faucet work, the distinction between toothed and smooth jaws is often more important than the distinction between two adjustable-gripper brands. The 86 03 250 pliers wrench is a separate tool in this shortlist because it acts on flats with smooth parallel jaws. It is not a universal replacement for Cobra, but it can protect the appearance of appropriate fittings when the alternative is applying serrated teeth.
Compare the exact adjustment and handle version
KNIPEX sells several lengths and handle treatments. Check 87 01 250 in the listing, including the 250 mm length, rather than accepting a product photograph as proof of the version. CHANNELLOCK 440 and 442 offer other jaw arrangements; Alligator gives another adjustment approach. We have not measured user comfort or wear, so the recommendation rests on mechanism and task fit rather than an invented field-test score.