Updated: December 8, 2020
If you're a law enforcement officer, a good pair of handcuffs is an essential tool you need to do your job of apprehending suspected criminals.
Depending on the specifics of your job and department, there may come a time when you need to choose a pair for your own use, such as if you want to supplement or replace your issued cuffs or if you are required to furnish your own.
No matter the situation, there are a few main types of handcuffs that you'll want to know about. After taking some time to look at these, we will move on to some specific models to consider before making your decision.
By choosing from the best handcuffs on the market, you should be able to keep using your pair for years and years.
Chained vs. Hinged Handcuffs
Chained handcuffs are held together by a short chain. The other major type, hinged, are considered to be stronger as they allow less movement than chained handcuffs.
This will usually be more painful for a subject being cuffed, but many LEOs report that it gives them much more control, so they can be ideal for disagreeable or potentially dangerous subjects.
For this and other reasons, many officers carry a pair of both types in their bag to use in different situations.
There is also a third type: rigid handcuffs which have a solid bar, but these are heavier and more cumbersome to carry, although a variation is used by many police departments in the United Kingdom and some other areas.
Handcuff Materials: What Are They Made Of?
With handcuffs, as with many other products, the quality of materials had a big say in which models are the best on the market.
In general, handcuffs are made out of one of a few types of metal, especially steels such as carbon or stainless steel or aluminum.
Some synthetic materials are also used and these can still be high quality as well. You'll also encounter plastic handcuffs, but these are lighter duty, cheaper and suited for specific situations.
This might include something like a large raid in which a much larger number of pairs of handcuffs may be needed for the amount of suspects you're bringing in.
This variety of cuffs does have some drawbacks, however; for one, they can't be loosened so they have to be cut off and disposed of after use.
Where to Buy Handcuffs for Law Enforcement Officers?
There are quite a few places where you can buy handcuffs, but we recommend Amazon for a couple of reasons.
First, it's a massive brand and the most trusted name in online retail, and they allow a multitude of sellers to use their marketplace, which allows them to offer the lowest prices.
Second, due to its massive popularity you can find a wide variety of reviews from real LEOs and other users who have tried the products to see what's likely to be the best police handcuffs for your needs. (You can read these reviews below by following the links)
Top 5 Best Handcuffs Reviewed
Smith & Wesson is an industry standard and frequent police issue, and these handcuffs are durable, thick and reliable.
They're chained handcuffs, and their primary material is carbon steel. The model is double locking and you get two keys with the cuffs.
A trusted name, you get high quality with Smith & Wesson and these handcuffs are a great choice without breaking the bank.
These chained handcuffs don't come from as big of a brand name as Smith & Wesson and for that they are priced lower.
But don't get the wrong idea: they're still high quality and durable.
The one gripe that we've seen from some customers is that the cuffs are on the smaller size, which won't work well in all situations.
Still, they're definitely worth a look, as they're demonstrably better than your typical cheap pair of handcuffs.
Vipertek offers up another pair of top rated chained handcuffs at a low price point. They're made of heavy duty steel and have a silver nickel coated finish.
The only real gripe that we've seen from user reports is that regular universal keys do not work with this model, only the keys that come with them. But this is not a major expense to detract too significantly from what's already a low price.
So far we've looked at chained handcuffs, so let's next turn our attention to the hinged variety. Smith & Wesson, as you might guess, has an industry standard for high quality in this variety, too.
These hinged cuffs can fold flat so they can fit in most pouches. Hinged cuffs typically cost a little more than their chained counterparts, but the benefits in security often make them worthwhile in the right situation.
These Peerless handcuffs are another hinged model that gets the job done well and comes in all steel construction with spun rivets and smooth single strand action.
You'll also see quite a few color options, which is mainly an issue of personal preference except for one situation. Some officers report that black as not ideal because if you drop them at night during a struggle, it can be difficult to find and pick them back up.
The Bottom Line on Police/LEO Handcuffs
In conclusion, you face quite a few choices for your handcuffs as a law enforcement officer, and everything from your budget to the types of people you will be putting them on play a role in deciding which brand and model is optimal for you. We hope this article has given you some helpful information so that you ultimately make the best choice. If you have any experience using these or other models, let us know what you think in the comment section below!