A hammer is one of the most essential hand tools in every home. In addition to driving nails into a wall, you can use a hammer to perform small demolition tasks. No matter what your project is, accurate measurements are your best ally. That's why a measuring tape is an essential tool for your tool kit.
Your best option is one with imperial and metric units, which is pretty standard among tape measures. Some trusted brands of measuring tapes are DeWalt and Milwaukee, which offer up to 10 meters of measuring tape. Your ratchet, or socket wrench, will save you a lot when it comes to elbow grease. They are excellent for tasks involving several screws, since the ratchet does all the work of loosening or tightening them.
If the socket wrench becomes one of your most useful hand tools, consider getting some accessories for it, such as a U-joint adapter. . This item is an essential hand tool for new homeowners, helping you hang photo frames, curtain rods, towel racks and other interior items. They are also a must for outdoor projects, such as building a fence for a property.
When it comes to choosing a level, there are pocket, foldable and standard levels. If you're undertaking home improvement projects, you'll need a steel square. The advantage of a square for framing is that it helps you find right angles, in addition to marking cuts in materials. Many companies also produce combined squares, which have both a level and a square.
It's not a bad idea to have a separate level and square. Make your job even easier with the help of a cordless drill. A cordless drill is an essential tool in our book because it eliminates sweat from home projects. Instead of using a screwdriver, you can speed up the process with the power of a cordless drill.
Electric drills are another option, and may be a good investment if you need additional power, but they don't offer the same freedom as cordless drills. Take on more projects and you'll find that pliers are one of the most useful hand tools. They are versatile and come in several different configurations, from bent ends to wire strippers, locks and more. If you're interested in adding more than one to your toolbox, there are sets of pliers that will provide you with everything you need.
Each tool kit should include a multi-purpose knife. Whether you're adding bagged compost to your finished gardening project or throwing a bag of rock salt on your icy walkway, you'll always find a use for a knife. Knives also include spatulas, which are part of the list of tools and materials for every plastering or plastering project. The head of a hammer allows you to drive nails to build, hang wall decorations or assemble office furniture.
Meanwhile, the end of the claw can be used to remove nails and open boxes. While some companies may use specialized hammers for more complex tasks, the claw-shaped hammer is a trusted item at the top of any list of hand tools. An adjustable wrench is useful for assembling furniture or performing basic office plumbing repairs. There are many common situations in which you may need a wrench to tighten or loosen bolts, nuts, and a variety of fasteners due to the clamp's ability to loosen or tighten around fasteners of different sizes.
Hexagonal wrenches or Allen wrenches are commonly used to fix and assemble furniture, upgrade electronics, and adjust power tools. Unlike a wrench used for gripping, a hexagonal wrench fits in a hexagonal shaped hole often found in the head of a screw or other hardware. A set of folding hexagonal wrenches can fit half a dozen sizes or more and folds up to fit inside a drawer, toolbox, or pocket. Long, pointed nose pliers are ideal when you need to cut, hold or pull.
An extended tip helps reach narrow areas where pliers with shorter noses cannot. Pliers are useful for gripping, bending and cutting. Portable flashlights are useful during power outages, at night, or when navigating dark or poorly lit office spaces. Some flashlights have rugged, waterproof designs that work well in rainy weather or humid areas.
While a measuring tape may not be the first tool that comes to mind when making a list of hand tools, it is one of the most commonly used items. Anyone putting together a toolbox should start with these versatile basics. The MegaPro is the roundest screwdriver we've found. It has an ergonomic handle and a soft ratchet action, and comes with all the right bits to store them comfortably on the handle.
A good multi-purpose knife not only allows you to quickly break boxes to recycle and open plastic containers, but it also allows you to perform serious tasks such as cutting carpets, slicing a closed window or marking drywall. The best hammers are sturdy enough to handle large nails, delicate enough to place picture hangers, easy to grip, comfortable to move and designed to last forever. Any Estwing steel hammer is a well-balanced hitting and demolition tool that redefines what “durable” means, and this particular size is easy for most people to move, with a classic curved claw for easy nail removal. This hammer, a smaller version of our main pick, is perfect for hanging pictures or assembling furniture.
A good adjustable wrench can replace a much nicer set of wrenches or bushings to take care of the nuts and bolts in the house. You must enter tight spaces, open your jaws wide and maintain a position under pressure. More than just a safe and organized place to store tools, a large toolbox is big enough to store everything, but not big enough that you can't carry it. And it's organized enough so you can place (and find) all the tools here, plus some spare hardware.
This toolbox stores tools vertically, keeping them well organized and easy to grip. As long as you carry it with you, the weight doesn't shift. And with the cover on, it can serve as a seat. You have to reach, grab, and pull small items in tight spaces on a consistent basis during home repairs.
A good set of fine-tipped pliers makes it easier, and for DIY electrical work on accessories and switches, this tool and a screwdriver are all you need. If you need to change the batteries in a toy, change a thermostat or tighten your sunglasses, you need a precision screwdriver. A basic tool with bit storage is sufficient for most people, but we also found a complete set for electronics enthusiasts. The Maxcraft precision screwdriver is inexpensive and basic, but its built-in drill storage, knurled grip and good selection of bits can meet the needs of most people to work with electronics, toys and other small accessories.
The iFixit 64-bit kit has everything you need to repair computers and appliances, as well as many practical features, such as a swivel back cover and a flexible stem. Most people don't need that much, but this screwdriver has it all. These tools may seem perfect for a well-stocked home toolbox, but they're more for merchants, hobbyists, or those who need to work on vehicles. While this is essential for working on vehicles and other machines, most owners can get by with an adjustable wrench (or two) and versatile pliers.
To insert and remove a variety of fasteners, including flat head screws and Phillips screws, you will need at least six to 10 individual screwdrivers in a variety of sizes and tip lengths. For those times when you don't need too much torque, such as that which can come from a motorized drill, a screwdriver is what you need. Allows you to tighten a bra with your hand so that it fits the size. The best screwdrivers have hardened tips that don't chip or bend.
When choosing, also consider screwdrivers with magnetic tips that hold the screw at the tip for easy insertion. They may look alike, but hammers and sledgehammers have distinctly different uses. Metal saws and files help cut and smooth metal and PVC pipes, which is why most plumbers have a few of each in their toolboxes. The metal saw has a C-shaped frame that holds thin saw blades that you can swap out when you want to cut different materials.
While most blades are designed to cut metal or PVC, you can also find a blade for cutting wood. Nails are used to remove rough edges or metal burrs from the cut ends of metal and PVC pipes. Hand tools often come in sets, so you can choose from several sizes for different projects. A good collection should include screwdrivers and wrenches that vary in width and length.
Long handles are needed to reach hard-to-reach bolts and nuts, while miniature versions may be needed to tighten or loosen small nuts and bolts. For best results, keep all sizes of the same tool together so you don't have to search numerous places to find the one you need. Give your tool collection a boost with the DEKOPRO 168-piece hand tool kit. The set includes the most commonly used hand tools, such as a hammer, hand screwdrivers in some common sizes (plus a set of drill bits to cover the rest), several wrenches, including a ratchet wrench, two pairs of pliers, a measuring tape and much more.
Designed for automotive work and home repair projects, the DEKPRO tool kit has something for most situations. There's even a level to make sure the paint hangs directly on the wall. The hand tools come in a heavy-duty molded plastic case for easy organization, and the tools are made of high-quality steel and designed for greater durability. Don't let a tight budget keep you from getting the tools you need to make repairs around the house.
The 39-piece CARTMAN set includes the tools commonly used by DIY enthusiasts: a hammer, pliers, four precision screwdrivers, a set of screwdriver bits, a set of Allen wrenches, a tape measure and a multipurpose knife and scissors. You'll have the hand tools you need for many home projects and repairs, such as replacing drawer handles or assembling furniture, at an attractive price. The tools come in a molded plastic case for storage. Although there are many special tools, the most commonly used tools are screwdrivers, hammers, ratchet sets, multi-purpose knives and measuring tapes.
For example, a hammer; a carpenter may choose a hammer for 25-ounce frames, which generates enough head speed to drive nails with just a couple of blows, but if you're not used to wielding a hammer of that size, a 16-ounce hammer will cause less hand fatigue and may be able to control it better. Better tools allow you to work better, and that means confidence that you can handle routine household problems. Some prefer to collect their hand tools piece by piece to ensure that they get the best tool for each project. Humidity is the natural enemy of metal hand tools, and leaving tools outside in good weather will reduce their lifespan faster than anything else.
Wrenches are the preferred hand tools for tightening and loosening nuts and bolts and are essential for mechanical repairs and maintenance. You can choose to buy a set of screwdrivers with Phillips heads and grooved heads in different sizes, but the least on any list of hand tools is the multi-tip screwdriver. The blades fit any metal saw frame (in the small frame, the blade protrudes from the front) and both saws have ergonomic grips to reduce hand fatigue. Before you buy hand tools, think about the projects you'll do most often to decide what tools you need.
To make sure you have the right tools handy in case you need to hang up a whiteboard, set up a desk, or take care of other common business projects, compile this essential list of hand tools. .
