A staple that every household should possess is a tool set! When it comes to completing DIY projects or tackling repairs around the house, having a high-quality tool set is essential. The best tool sets will include a variety of tools that are both durable and versatile, making them useful for a wide range of tasks. Look for sets that include essentials like screwdrivers, pliers, and wrenches, as well as more specialized tools like saws, hammers, and measuring tools. Researching the most reliable brands will help as well, if you want to make sure you’re purchasing a tool set that will last you a lifetime.
Many young adults or those that are just moving out into a household of their own for the first time are likely not to own a tool set or toolbox. Most people aren’t even able to perform basic home maintenance without the help of the internet. A survey conducted by BigRentz of 1,000 American adults finds about two in five (38%) respondents said they are helpless and unable to fix any common household problems (patching up a drywall, fixing a running toilet) without the help of the internet. Another survey conducted in the UK of 2,000 British adults found that some respondents admitted they couldn’t even change a lightbulb on their own. Some would even go so far as to leave a dead light bulb in place for more than three weeks before finally mustering up the courage to ask for some help.
Basic tools and household knowledge seem to be disappearing not just from young adult households, but from millennial family households as well. A survey of 2,000 dads, conducted by OnePoll found that nearly half (49%) of millennial fathers don’t own a cordless drill and almost just as many (46%) don’t own a stepladder. Thirty-eight percent of men admit they don’t have a set of screwdrivers in their toolkit and another 36 percent don’t even own a hammer. A new toolset might just be one of the most useful gifts you could give someone!
Research aside, finding the most comprehensive tool set on the market can be tricky. StudyFinds has done the searching for you, to help you figure out which to purchase based on our list of the best tool sets across 10 expert sources. If you have a staple tool set you already use in your own home, let us know which one in the comments below!
The List: Best Tool Sets, According to Experts
1. Black+Decker 68-Piece 20V Max Drill & Home Tool Kit
This kit totals at 68 pieces for $89 to $100. This tool set manages to include every possible useful tool without saddling the buyer with multiple tools they’ll never use. According to Forbes, “One of the big features of this kit is a 20-volt lithium drill that makes assembling furniture and hanging cabinets a breeze.” The drill alone would often cost half the price of the entire tool set.
“If you feel that a good tool set is not complete without a power drill/driver, this budget option from Black+Decker might be the best tool kit for you,” adds Better Homes & Gardens. The drill can hold a charge for up to 18 months and comes with 10 bits for drilling plus 32 bits for driving. This tool set will be sure to handle any DIY project or house maintenance task you can throw at it.
The NY Post‘s reviewers are happy with this kit: “One reviewer says ‘don’t let the size fool you: it’s small but strong and a great package deal.’ Another reviewer says she was ‘able to install [her] curtains, a couple of shelving units, hang [her] art and put together all [her] new furniture,’ with the title of her review, ‘perfect tool set for an independent woman!'”
2. DeWalt 168-Piece Mechanics Set
This DeWalt set is perfect for car owners who perform their own repairs or mechanics who want their own tool set. You’ll find 168 pieces of tools that snap efficiently back into their own spots in an organizational case. NY Post writes “The tools have a polished chrome vanadium finish and DirectTorque technology to help prevent the fasteners from rounding, along with providing a stronger grip.”
At $162, the set is an average price and can handle a wide variety of automotive, cycling, and home maintenance tasks, but it doesn’t include pliers or screwdrivers if you need more basic tools. “Included are 12 open-end wrenches that are useful for tight spots and other places you can’t get to with a ratcheting wrench,” adds Popular Mechanics.
3. Crescent 180-Piece Professional Tool Set
The Crescent 180-Piece Professional Tool Set isn’t one that you’d get for beginners – most tools included are great for working on cars, tractors, lawnmowers, and other motorized equipment. There are a few additions like pliers and screwdrivers that can be used for regular home repairs. “This isn’t a first-timer’s toolkit unless you jump straight into auto-care. But the expansive selection of tools will help you accomplish many household chores,” adds GearLab.
The set also comes with a slim storage case with organized compartments for your tools that can fit easily into a closet, under a bed, or even in your car trunk. The Spruce writes “The inside compartments make it easy to organize the tools so each one has a proper, easy-to-reach spot.” Some basics like a hammer will have to be bought separately.
“For guys who take their home improvements seriously, this is the tool kit for you. It comes with 180 pieces—including wire cutters, pliers, a crescent wrench, two ratchets, a wide selection of sockets, multiple screwdrivers, two sets of Allen wrenches, dozens of magnetic screwdriver bits, and a selection of wrenches,” explains Werd.
4. WorkPro 100-piece Home Tool Kit
“Also included is a utility knife, which will make unpacking your moving boxes so much easier, and eight hex keys, which will come in handy in case you lose any hex keys that come with your assembly-required furniture,” says Real Simple.
The WorkPro 100-piece Home Tool Kit is the top choice for a starter tool set for anyone moving into their first apartment or home. It has all the essentials like a hammer, wrench, measuring tape, multiple screwdriver heads, pliers, and others. Werd mentions “It comes all wrapped up neatly in a 600-denier polyester case that’s tough and makes organizing your tools easy.”
Better Homes and Gardens touts the quality. “All the tools are made from chrome vanadium steel—one of the hardiest materials you can find—and they’re polished for extra corrosion resistance. They also have rubberized handles for superior grip.”
5. Cartman 148-Piece Tool Set
The price of this tool set often fluctuates, but you can often snag it for around $25. In it you will find almost every single basic tool you’ll need including a small box of screws and nails and a roll of electrical tape. According to Reviewed, “the Cartman kit comes with a nice bonus: nine sockets designed to work with the kit’s interchangeable screwdriver handle.”
The tools within the set should last you a lifetime, with easy-to-hold grips and treated tips. There are even 30 screwdriver bits so you should have every size you could possibly need.“The base of these tools has anti-slip gripping, and the tips are made of metal that has been heat-treated and chrome-plated to make the tools more durable and resistant to corrosion,” says This Old House.
“The Cartman 148-Piece Set is a reasonable buildout. Half of it is good enough to use often (skip the wrenches and the sockets),” writes Gear Lab. If you’re only looking for the basics, they also note the brand’s 39-piece set as being a great choice.
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Sources:
- Forbes
- Better Homes & Gardens
- NY Post
- Popular Mechanics
- The Spruce
- GearLab
- Real Simple
- Werd
- Reviewed
- This Old House
Note: This article was not paid for nor sponsored. StudyFinds is not connected to nor partnered with any of the brands mentioned and receives no compensation for its recommendations. This post may contain affiliate links.
There is no way I would buy any of the above
I get it man. They must’ve been paid to write this silliness
This us s list of the worst tools. Try talking to people actually using tools at work
This report is horrible. These tools are complete shit. Try using Snap-on, Mac tools, even craftsman are better than this junk
Total BS. Who researches and writes this stuff. Tools mentioned nothing more than box store junk. True most people can’t fix a leaking faucet, this junk will never raise their skill level; just lower it. I’m a semi retired heavy truck tech. I’ve built my own log cabin and continue to perform my own household and my lawn business repairs. At least look at craftsman . You don’t need snap on or Mac. Lots of good choices with proto, Sk tools. Dewalt does make a great cordless tool as does milwaukee. Buy this low grade cordless tool and u just add to the toxic waste in a landfill. Thi writer should get away from his desk and go out to see what the pros use. His writing skills remind me of a political speech; talk all day and say nothing
These tools are for people who don’t know how to hold a spanner or a screwdriver …. use them once never to be seen again …