Nothing kills your momentum when you’re in the midst of a DIY job than having to stop and run to the store for a tool you don’t have. It can adds hours to an otherwise simple job. Don’t make it harder than you need to, and don’t shell out good money for a contractor to do easy jobs you can perform with a screwdriver and a pair of pliers. Instructions on how to construct things can be found in manuals and YouTube videos, but there are certain tools you inevitably need, whether you live in an apartment or a single-family home. We’ve rounded up all the best tools you should have to handle all but the biggest DIY jobs.
Be sure to check out our many other buying guides, including our favorite cold-weather gear under $100, all the gear you need to start climbing, and emergency gear to keep at home.
Updated March 2021: We’ve updated pricing and added the Wiss titanium shears.
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Photograph: Harbor Freight
The Tool Bag
Harbor Freight Hercules Tool Tote
You don’t need a metal toolbox at home. It’s going to live an easy life on a closet shelf, not on a construction site. Fabric makes it lighter, and having an open top makes it easy to pop in and grab something for a quick job on a whim, which is common with a home tool kit. Harbor Freight is hit or miss on some products, but this tote is the best I’ve come across. The quality of the fabric and construction makes this a great deal, and I like it better than the brand-name totes. It has 22 pockets on the inside and outside, perfect for tools you want to keep easily accessible. You can fit the bigger stuff, like a power drill or hammer, in the wide main compartment.
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Photograph: Home Depot
The Tape Measure
Stanley Fatmax 25-Foot Tape Measure
Stanley’s Fatmax has a wider-than-typical tape that is less prone to bending and collapsing when extended across a room. You can supposedly extend it straight through the air, without anyone or anything propping up the other end, for 14 feet before it falls down. As far as length goes, 16 feet is about as small a tape measure as I’d recommend, and 25 is a good size for most homes. This one is marked in standard units, but Stanley also makes metric ones.
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Photograph: Milwaukee
The Utility Knife
Milwaukee Fastback Utility Knife
In my experience, utility knives don’t vary that much with effectiveness. It’s the replaceable blade that matters much more. The Fastback is the best I’ve used (I have used a bunch!), and you can replace the blade without having to find a screwdriver to take the knife apart. It also folds—you can flick it open and shut it with one hand—it locks securely, and the coating is tough enough to last for years. A nice plus is the built-in gut hook for cutting string and plastic ties without opening the knife. It came in handy more than I thought it would.
