If you ask people what tools a toolbox at home should contain, chances are you’ll get varied lists with some overlap and inclusions that will ensure debate. The truth is, it’s impossible to create a definitive list of the tools every man should have because needs differ from person to person.
I use my reciprocating saw all the time, for everything from pruning trees to sawing lumber or PVC pipes to cutting drywall, but plenty of perfectly handy people may never have laid a finger on this type of tool (also often called a Sawzall. Get it? “Saws all”). So while for me that’s an essential, it’s not going on this list.
What is going in the list of the best tools you truly need? Think a hammer. Pliers. A screwdriver. To put it simply, basic and truly essential stuff. This list is the bare bones of what you need in your toolbox — without these tools, your kit is simply incomplete.
Dewalt Tool Box
A hard case with a removable top insert is the gold standard for a toolbox. Tool storage is important because not only is it where you store all the necessities, it also protects your hardware, makes it easy to keep tools sorted, and even offers you a handy seat or step stool in a pinch. That said, if you prefer a soft-sided case, you do you: You just need a place you will put your tools when you’re not DIY-ing away. This mobile toolbox is detachable and portable for easy-to-move tools to any project.
Irwin Hammer
A one-pound claw hammer is the most basic and essential tool you can own. You’ll use it to hang pictures, fix furniture, raise barns, you name it. A good solid hammer is also essential for demo work like removing old tile.
Craftsman Tools Phillips Screwdriver
If you’re only going to get one screwdriver, make it a #2 Phillips screwdriver with a six-inch shaft. You won’t be able to repair iPhones or eyeglasses, but for just about every other screwing need, you’ll be set.
Performance Tool Slotted Screwdriver
Ultimately, you should probably get Torx, hex, and Robertson screwdriver sets, but for now, that #2 Phillips and this 5/16″ slotted (aka flathead) will do. This screwdriver is precise enough for most smaller hardware, tough enough for larger screws, and also doubles as a mean paint can opener.
Irwin Long Nose Pliers
From pulling brad nails to snipping wire to holding a nail in place so you spare your fingers during an errant hammer swing, needle nose pliers are essential; you will use them even more than standard pliers, though often two pair of pliers working in tandem is the true force multiplier. G… get it?
Irwin Locking Pliers
Not only can a pair of adjustable locking pliers work like standard non-locking pliers, but as they can stay squeezed tight even when you let go, they essentially give you a spare hand.
Dayou Tape Measure
You can’t measure twice, cut once if you don’t have a tape measure. From simple projects like hanging a shower rod to more involved work like renovating an entire 3,500-square foot mini-mansion, you must have a tape measure. And for the latter, ideally a construction company, too.
Qooltek A Level
You need a level if you want to hang pictures, tile a wall, or build cabinets properly. You may only be interested in the first activity there and think a laser level is overkill, but when you can get one for well under $20, why not upgrade beyond the basic spirit level?
Crescent Adjustable Wrench
You might have heard of a Crescent wrench and just assumed that was the name of the tool, but in fact, it’s the name of the toolmaker. Crescent is to the adjustable wrench what Kleenex is to tissue or Q-tip is to a cotton swab, so why not go with the OG that developed this type of tool more than a century back?
AmazonBasics Utility Knife
Often called a box cutter, a good utility knife can slice through so much more. You can cut out sections of drywall, strip or slice wires, and even cut through thinner pieces of wood or laminate such as you might use for a veneer. And yeah, you can make short work of boxes and other kinds of packaging.
AmazonBasics Hex Wrench Set
You probably already have a drawer full of 1/8-inch Allen wrenches thanks to those Ikea furniture assembly packs, but you should have a full set of Allen wrenches, a.k.a. hex wrenches, for everything from working on electronics to bikes to, well, Ikea furniture. And other furniture, too.
Dewalt Cordless Drill
The only power tool on the list and quite possibly the only power tool many people will ever need, a good drill can help make holes, sink screws, remove screws, and quite a bit more, as it happens. You can buy attachments that turn it into a power sander, a buffer for waxing the car, a tool to snake out a clogged drain, and so much more.
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