In Part 1 of this series, we discussed what essential tools any up-and-coming handyman (or handy-woman) should have to start their collection. In this post, I’ll talk about some other tools that I think are very useful to have, and should be on your list when considering what to add next to your arsenal .
Just a note on these two posts – this is by no means a “you have to buy these in this exact order” type of list. I made these lists based on what types of tools I thought the average person could use the most, but of course I am naturally going to be biased toward my most-used tools. Your needs may be much different than mine. There may be a type of tool that you could potentially use every day, and I did not include it on these lists. If so then feel free to let me know in the comments! But overall, this post is meant to spark ideas for those of you who may not know where to start.
So on that note, here are my nominations for the next-most important tools to own:
Extension Cords
These should be kept in every household regardless of how much DIYing you do. There have been countless times when I go to plug something in (either inside or outside) and the cord is juuuuust too short. That’s when it’s time to break out the extension cord! I like to keep at least one “heavy duty” cord around – one that can be used both indoors and outdoors, and is nice and thick so that it holds up to heavy use. 25 feet is good; 50 feet is even better. Make sure it’s rated for indoor/outdoor use. 16 gauge wire (typically labeled “light duty”) is suitable for lights and basic electronics (like if you want to hook up a projector for outdoor movie night), but if you’re planning on using it for bigger stuff like power tools, it’s recommended that you use 14 gauge wire (“medium duty”). A 12 gauge cord is typically overkill for most home uses, but if you’re a “better safe than sorry” type of person, then getting one won’t hurt anything (other than your wallet). However, if you plan to use a very long extension cord (i.e. 100 feet or more), or if you plan to use a splitter to connect multiple electrical loads to the same cord (a la National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation) then it’s recommended to use a thicker gauge wire (just FYI, lower gauge number = thicker wire) so that there is less risk of overheating. That’s not just my opinion – that’s basic physics (nerd alert).
Tool Storage
If you ever need to bring your tools somewhere other than your house – perhaps your brother-in-law got a new apartment and needs help hanging his TV on the wall – it is WAY more convenient to do so when you have something designated to put all of them into. I personally like using a tool bag because it’s lighter and easier to carry, but that’s just my personal preference. Plenty of people like using a structured tool box instead, because it provides better protection and easier organization (plus they’re often lockable).
A bucket-liner organizer is also a good alternative, especially if you already have a 5-gallon bucket hanging around. It can also double as a makeshift seat (just make sure no tools are poking out before sitting down…).
Wrenches
If you remember from the Part 1 Post, some types of tools can be vast subcategories in themselves – pliers and screwdrivers, for example. Wrenches are also one of these tools; you’ve got socket wrenches, monkey wrenches, pipe wrenches, combination wrenches, torque wrenches, adjustable wrenches… you get the idea. Each type is best suited for certain tasks, though some are more versatile than others.
Wrenches tend to be used more for mechanical/automotive applications, as opposed to carpentry or woodworking tasks. As a result, they tend to be used less often for general household DIY jobs (you probably won’t need them to hang a picture frame or build a shelf). But if you’re doing something a bit more technical, like installing a faucet or changing your car’s oil, they definitely come in handy. Many times when you buy something that has “some assembly required” – IKEA furniture and TV wall mounts come to mind – it comes with a little wrench or two to aid in the assembly. While these are very helpful if you have nothing else, they’re pretty shitty quality (and much more difficult to use) compared to a “real” wrench. Typically I just throw those included tools away and go grab my own; it makes the process much easier and quicker. (Quick note: always confirm you have the correct size tools before throwing any of those types of things away; I may or may not have learned that from experience).
If you are just starting out, i.e. you do not have a single wrench in your possession, I recommended first buying 2-3 adjustable wrenches (also known as “crescent” wrenches) to begin your collection. These are adjustable, as the name suggests, meaning they can be used on a fairly wide range of nut/bolt/screw sizes. That is their main advantage – one crescent wrench can do just about all of the jobs that an entire set of “fixed” wrenches can do. So if you only find yourself needing to grab a wrench every now and then, it might be all that you need. And if you have good-quality ones, they can still do the job quite well.
However, while an adjustable wrench may be the most versatile option, and can perform a wide range of tasks, it is typically not the best tool for any of those tasks. It tends to be more of a “good enough” type of tool – it gets the job done when you have limited options (or a limited budget). I have a few adjustable wrenches in my tool box, but they’re not the first ones I reach for. If I’m doing a job that requires a wrench, I’ll instead usually grab a socket wrench or a combination wrench (matched to the exact size bolt/nut/screw that I’m working with). The only time I really find myself using a crescent wrench is if my other wrenches don’t fit the bolt I’m working on, or if I need 2 same-size wrenches at the same time and I only have one standard wrench in that size.
If you already have a couple (or more) adjustable wrenches and find that you need something more, it may be worth investing in a set of combination wrenches. You’ll find that you’ll get a better fit on a nut or bolt head (assuming you match the size correctly), and unlike a crescent wrench you won’t need to keep tightening the jaws every few turns when they start coming loose.
If you plan to use these often, it is definitely worth investing in a quality brand – cheap wrenches are prone to breaking when subjected to heavy use. Now I’m not saying you need to go sell a kidney and buy a complete set of Snap-On wrenches – those are worth the money if you’re a professional mechanic, but I’m gonna go out on a limb here and assume that if you’re reading this article then that does not apply to you. There are good middle-of-the-road options that are perfectly suitable for the average weekend warrior. Many “tool guys” – especially older ones – swear by Craftsman, namely because of their lifetime warranty. There has been some debate in recent years about whether the quality is as good as it used to be, but you can’t beat being able to just replace a tool – no questions asked – if it breaks.
Combination wrench sets come in either SAE (i.e. inches) and metric sizes – determine which type you need before purchasing (though it doesn’t hurt to have both if you can afford it). Most stuff nowadays, especially in the automotive world, tends to be in metric (yes, even the ‘Murican brands), so that’s probably the better choice if you can’t decide.
If you are already planning to fork over some cash for a high-quality set of combination wrenches, and if you are a “time is money” type of person, you should instead consider spending a bit extra for a set of ratcheting combination wrenches. With these, the boxed end of each wrench has a built-in ratcheting function, which allows you to keep tightening or loosening without having to remove the wrench from the nut/bolt on each turn. When you’re working on a lot of bolts, that time savings really adds up!
Another type of wrench worth mentioning is the socket wrench. If you’re the type of person who prefers to work on their own car instead of taking it to the shop, these are a must. In fact I’d bet money that if you ask an auto mechanic what their most-used type of tool is, they’d point to their socket set (which is probably quite a large set). The socket wrench is not so much a single tool but a collection of interchangeable pieces that together make an assortment of bolt-turning tools. In its most basic form, a socket set consists of a ratchet and various-sized sockets that connect to the ratchet. The socket fits over a nut or bolt head, and the ratchet allows you to loosen or tighten with a quick back-and-forth motion. They are much quicker and less cumbersome than traditional wrenches, with the only main downside being that they don’t fit in as tight of spaces.
Socket sets are made to fit one of three sized ratchets – ¼”, ⅜”, and ½”. For most light-duty applications, ¼” will suffice, but if you need a little extra beef then the ⅜” setup is necessary. The ½” sockets are usually reserved for big stuff, like suspension bolts or lug nuts (if you don’t know what either of those are, you probably don’t need a ½” socket wrench).
While I mention auto repair as a primary example of when to use a socket wrench, that only scratches the surface of their abilities. Many tasks that require a normal wrench can be performed just as well (if not better/faster) with a socket wrench. In fact I’d venture to say that if you own a set you will find yourself using them more than any other type of wrench that you own (I know I do)!
Clamps
Ask any woodworker if there’s any type of tool he/she can never have too many of, it’s clamps. And while they are certainly an essential tool for woodworking (and many other crafts), they can also be handy for just about anything else around the house. While the premise of a clamp is rather simple – it holds one object tightly to another – the limits to where and how you can use them are bound only by your creativity. One thing I often find them useful for is gluing stuff together; perhaps because I’m clumsy and often tend to break stuff…
If you just need something simple and don’t want to spend a lot, you can’t go wrong with a basic C-clamp or a spring clamp. But if you really want to step up your game (or you just have bigger stuff that you need to hold together), I recommend either bar clamps, or my personal favorite – trigger clamps. Trigger clamps are sometimes grouped together with bar clamps, but they have a slightly different mechanism (which is easier to use in my opinion). And as I mentioned in the Part 1 post, you can also use a pair of locking pliers as a clamp in certain situations.
All types of clamps come in various sizes, and you never know what size you’ll need. If you’re like me, the size you need is almost always the size you don’t have… So per my usual recommendation if you’re unsure – get multiple!
Putty Knife
If you ever plan on painting or working on drywall, a putty knife is a must. Perfect for scraping off old paint/wallpaper, applying spackle, or even flattening/smoothing out tape. They’re cheap yet very versatile.
Once again, you have multiple sizes to choose from.
And once again, I suggest just getting a variety pack.
Drill/impact driver
Now we’re finally getting to some power tools!
Many people would put this way higher on a list of household essential tools, but I guess I’m just a traditionalist. Don’t get me wrong though, I use the hell out of my power drill and impact driver.
Are power drills used for anything more than just putting holes in stuff? Nope. Are there really that many things that need holes put in them? You betcha! Putting up some curtains or blinds? You’ll need a drill. Mounting a TV on the wall? You’ll need a drill. Installing tip-over protectors on all of your furniture so that your kid won’t kill himself? You’ll definitely need a drill, and maybe even an extra battery.
So yes, even though I don’t have it higher on the list, if you even remotely think you might need a power drill, I absolutely recommend getting one. And don’t forget a set of drill bits!
But wait, there’s more! (RIP Billy Mays)
Typically, like 95% of the time if not more, you’re gonna want to drive a screw into that hole you just drilled with your power drill. Sure you could use a screwdriver, if you have the patience of Jesus. But instead I’d highly recommend using an impact driver. Many people just prefer to use their drill to drive screws, and if you know how to do it correctly (there is a specific driver setting on every drill) then that’s perfectly fine – in fact that’s the way I did it for years. However I can tell you from experience that it is way too easy to put the drill on the wrong setting and totally “screw” up (Ha! See what I did there? Ok fine I’ll stop). I was actually gifted a drill/driver combo set years ago, and at the time I had never used an impact driver so I basically just left it in the box for months, if not years. But then one day I decided to use it to install a bike hanger in our garage, and it practically changed my life. In fact I can’t remember ever stripping a screw head since switching to the impact driver (something that I used to do constantly when using the drill). The impact driver is especially a must if you’re driving longer/larger screws, as you’ll definitely appreciate the extra torque!
So obviously I recommend getting the drill/driver combo pack (if you wait for holiday sales you can get a great deal), but If you have to choose one then a drill tends to be more versatile for your average household tasks. But if you’re able to get the combo pack on sale, it’s actually much more economical than getting both separately.
Another perk of having both – if you’re ever doing a job that requires drilling holes and then driving screws into the holes, you’ll have one tool for each task, instead of having to change out the bit every time you switch from drilling to driving. Sometimes it’s those little conveniences that really make a difference!
Something worth noting about which one(s) to buy: If you are just getting started buying battery-powered tools, and you think you may expand your collection over time, pick the brand you like the best and stick with it. Most of the major brands are fairly similar in quality (Dewalt, Milwaukee, Ryobi, Makita, Bosch, etc.), and each brand’s entire line of battery-powered tools is powered by the same type of battery, which makes it super convenient, especially as you keep adding tools to your possession. However, batteries do not work across brands, so once you start buying one brand of tools, it serves you best to stick with that brand (so that you only need to buy one type of battery). I personally use Dewalt tools, because a family friend works for them and gets us some sweet deals. But I don’t consider them the end-all-be-all; in fact it really depends on each specific tool when judging the superiority of each brand.
Hand Saw
Sometimes, you just gotta cut some wood. Whether you’re building some shelves for your garage, constructing some raised beds for your vegetable garden, or installing some trim or moulding in your living room, you won’t get too far on many types of projects if you can’t cut your lumber to the required dimensions. While a saw might not be a necessity for everyone, if you plan to do any type of work involving wood, it is a non-negotiable.
There many types of power saws that are really great at cutting a lot of wood in a lot of different ways – miter saws, table saws, circular saws, band saws, etc. – but these are not only expensive, but many of them take up a lot of dedicated space, which you may not have. If you’re just starting out (i.e. don’t own any kind of saw yet), then a basic hand saw will suffice, at least until your needs evolve and you decide to upgrade. In fact, with 2 or 3 inexpensive manual saws (maybe a coping saw and a hack saw in addition to the hand saw) and some relatively inexpensive accessories (like a miter box) you can make just about any type of cut that most of those expensive power saws can (it’ll just take you a lot longer).
If you want to delve into the world of power saws, there are a lot of resources out there to help you decide which one is best for you. They are practically an entire topic of their own, so to avoid going down a rabbit hole in this post, I’ll perhaps just save that discussion for a future post.
Stud finder
If you’re ever trying to hang stuff on a wall – pictures, shelves, TVs, towel racks, cabinets, etc. – one very important thing to keep in mind is that the heavier it is, the more important it is to secure it to a stud.
For those unfamiliar with house construction terminology, “studs” refers to the vertical boards that make up the wooden frame holding the wall up. These boards are typically spaced anywhere from 12 to 24 inches apart, depending on the house.
Drywall is not nearly as sturdy as wood – even if you use a good drywall anchor, it will not hold nearly as much weight as the stud will. But since you can’t see through the drywall, you’ll need some help finding out exactly where along the wall the studs are located – hench the stud finder.
Electronic stud finders are the most popular, but if you want a good one they can get expensive; in my experience cheap electronic stud finders tend to be inaccurate and/or inconsistent.
I use a simple magnetic one that costs less than $10. It works by sticking to the nails/screws that secure the drywall to the studs, so you know for sure that you’ve found the middle of the stud each time. Only drawback is that you have to move it around the wall a bunch to find the nail, which can take some time. But once you’ve found one of the nails it’s easier to find more if needed. These are also easier to use if you live in an old house with plaster walls instead of drywall, because there are a lot more nails holding up the lath on each stud.
So unless you’re willing to shell out $50+ on a high-quality electronic stud finder (which may be worth it if you use it often), a cheap magnetic one is all you need for most projects.
Important note: If you are using any type of stud finder, the official Standard Operating Procedure states that the very first step is always to point it at yourself and say “found one”. Preferably when your wife is nearby, to induce maximum eye roll.
Shop Vac
One of the first things you’ll realize when doing any type of DIY activity, is that there will always be at least some mess – dust, dirt, wood shavings, etc. When you’re just tinkering around the house or doing small projects, your normal household cleaning equipment will suffice. But if you’re starting to do some pretty significant work and have a lot more mess that you need to handle, you’ll need to bring out the big guns. Time to get yourself a shop vac.
In terms of basic operation, a shop vac works about the same as a regular vacuum. What sets it apart, though, is that it can take much more of a beating and clean up much more dirt/debris than a normal vac. Shop vacs are typically bagless – they just have a big tub that you dump out once it fills up (though you can often get bags for them if desired). The hoses/nozzles on a shop vac also tend to be wider and beefier, to better suck up bigger and heavier items (ok, time to get your mind out of the gutter…). But one feature that really sets it apart is that it can be used to clean up water or very wet debris (as long as you use the correct filter), which a typical vacuum tends to struggle with. Because of this many people call a shop vac a “wet/dry vac”.
You can find shop vacs in various sizes – the main specs to pay attention to are number of gallons and motor horsepower. There’s no “best” for either – it just depends on your needs (and how much storage space you have).
As I finish up this second list, again I can’t help but think that there should be more included on it. There are so many of my tools that I often feel like are “must-have” items – and often times I never knew how much I needed them until I already had them. But at the same time, I realize that many of the tools I love so much are ones that are way more specialized than the average person requires. For example, my Kreg Pocket Hole Jig is one of my favorite Christmas presents from recent years, but unless you plan on building a bunch of furniture, shelving, or cabinetry, it’s not really worth buying (though they do have a smaller, cheaper model which is a great option if you’re looking to try out some pocket-hole joinery).
And that is why these lists were so challenging to put together – they are entirely subjective! I’m sure there are a number of you who will look at a tool I’ve listed and think “I’ll never use that in my life.” And you may be totally right. But it’s also possible that you think you won’t need it, but then once you own it you wonder why you’ve gone so long without one (it’s happened to me once or twice). So keep an open mind when reading these lists, but still use your best judgement. And you don’t need to just go out and buy a whole collection of tools all at once. I’ll admit that I have a fair share of tools that were purchased solely out of necessity for a project I was working on; but being in that situation is much better when you have some base knowledge beforehand, so as to prevent any buyer’s remorse.
While there are many types of tools that are relatively cheap, some can also be an investment – especially if you want something that’ll last a while. So do your homework, shop around, and talk to some knowledgeable people before making your decision (look for the old guy who works at your local hardware store – he’s probably a treasure trove of information).
And don’t hesitate to leave a comment here if you have a question or want to share your own tidbit!
