Are Wago lever wire nuts any good?

 In the electrical world, how wiring connections are made is a big deal.  Current through wires generates heat and any exposed wiring can lead to unexpected contacts with things that shouldn't be contacting and that's a BIG problem.

So when intentional and necessary connections are made, they need to be done right and well.  For a very long time now, traditional wire nuts, you know, those cone-shaped devices, have been the defacto standard of "doing it right."

At one point in time, those wire nuts were the new thing.  The technological "latest greatest" and also looked at with a side eye by electricians everywhere.  The first of the type were invented as early as 1914 and the modern ones we see now have been around since the early 1930's.

What did they replace? Solder and tape.  And yes, there was, pardon the pun, some resistance. It's human nature.  We get used to things that become "tried and true" even when we know they have limitations.  We distrust new things we know little about and haven't been around yet long enough or used by other people we trust.

The Wago lever lock nut, especially the 221 and 500 series, have a LOT going in their favor.  They are approved by code pretty much everywhere and are being used in a wide variety of industries that use electrical wiring.

Personally as a professional handyman,  I use the 221 series as I install lighting fixtures and other low amp fixtures, switches, and devices in apartments , houses, and businesses.  These are typically low current passing devices, generating less heat through wiring.  They are also typically the most frequently changed out items.  So having connectors like this, in my experience,  is very useful.

They, for my values of usefulness,  provide reliable connections that are also visible and eliminate any guesswork in determining if the connections are actually made.

I have a general rule for where I use Wagos as opposed to traditional wire nuts.  Basically,  that rule is, if it's 14 or higher gauge wiring, it's Wago time.  If it's 12 gauge or lower wiring,  it's traditional wire nuts or something else more appropriate to the type of need.

So if it's from a receptacle to a switch for lighting that will all be run on 14 gauge, Wagos will be fine. Ditto from a switch or receptacle to a junction box for a fixture to be attached to.  Then again, inside the box to connect the fixture or device.

So why do the Wagos catch so much "heat" from so many people if they are UL listed and meet current code requirements?  Honestly, like so many things, despite how easy they are to implement,  some people still actually don't install them correctly.   It sounds crazy, I know, but they do.

And, like many things, if they are installed incorrectly,  they will malfunction.  Proper attention to details AND the manufacturer instructions is still required.  There are plenty of both DIYers AND licensed professionals who get it wrong anyway. They end up making it look bad because something that seems so simple shouldn't be that hard.  But, people get in a hurry.  They don't pay attention.  They get careless.   Mistakes are made.

But installed correctly,  Wago lever nuts work just fine. The problem that people think Wagos have, end up being people.