There is a wide selection of pliers available in various price ranges.  The main differences are in the size of the pliers, the joint construction and the handle style. 

Size and Weight

Pliers are available in several sizes, mini pliers are great for occasional use and when travelling - they work just as well as standard size pliers.  There are several ranges of pliers that are either 115mm or 120mm and light weight, medium weight and heavy weight pliers are available.  Light and medium weight pliers are suitable for most jewellery making tasks.  Heavy weight pliers are also suitable for working with memory wire.

Box joint vs Lap joint

Lap jointed pliers are constructed like scissors where the two arms cross over each other.  These are considered to be slightly less hard wearing than box jointed pliers.

Box jointed pliers - one arm passes through the other.  This means that the joint is stronger with less 'play' than lap joints.

Handles

A number of handle styles are available including PVC, Foam grip and Ergonomic.