Home Tools Reference
Every home tool — hand, power, and specialty — documented with buying advice, safe-use guidance, maintenance, and the projects that call for it.
Hand tools 32 tools
Screwdrivers, wrenches, pliers, levels, saws, and everything you can swing or grip. The foundation of every home tool kit.
Power tools 31 tools
Cordless and corded tools — drills, saws, sanders, and nailers. The category where investment level scales with project ambition.
Specialty tools 28 tools
The tools you buy for one job and use forever. Electrical testers, plumbing wrenches, tile saws, drain augers. Skip these until the project calls for them.
Safety and PPE
Every tool page includes the personal protective equipment (PPE) required for safe use: safety glasses, hearing protection, dust masks, gloves, and situational awareness. The specialty tool section — especially electrical testers and plumbing torch work — carries safety warnings not just about the tool but about the system you're working on.
Read the safety disclaimer for our full framing on what we won't teach as DIY regardless of the tool you own.
Building a tool kit from scratch
If you're a first-time homeowner, the practical starting kit is smaller than the internet suggests: a cordless drill, an impact driver, a good screwdriver set, a level, a tape measure, adjustable and pipe wrenches, channel-lock and needle-nose pliers, a stud finder, and a utility knife. Add a multimeter and a plunger. That's ~80% of common home fixes covered.
Add specialty tools when the project calls for them — a wet tile saw when you're doing a tile floor, a PEX crimp tool when you're doing a PEX repipe. Renting is often cheaper than buying for once-in-a-decade jobs.
Frequently asked questions
We don't recommend one brand universally. The right answer depends on the battery platform you're already invested in — DeWalt, Milwaukee, Ryobi, Makita, Bosch, and Metabo HPT all make solid cordless drills and impact drivers. If you're starting from zero, pick the ecosystem based on battery availability and the specific tool models in the range that match your projects. Individual tool pages discuss brand tradeoffs where they matter.
Rent for once-in-a-decade jobs (wet tile saw for a bathroom floor, drum auger for a stubborn main line). Buy for tools you'll use annually or more (multimeter, PEX crimp tool if you own a PEX-plumbed home, drain snake). Home Depot and Lowe's both rent most specialty tools for $30–$75/day.
Yes — see our advertising disclosure. We participate in Amazon Associates, Home Depot, and Lowe's affiliate programs. Recommendations are made on the merits, not on commission rates.