Smart buys, value picks and money-saving guides for power tool shoppers
For a small bathroom renovation, a manual tile cutter is often the best-value way to make straight cuts in ceramic wall tile and ordinary porcelain floor tile. It is faster and cleaner than renting...
For a small patio, fence footing, mailbox base, or repair job, a concrete mixer can save your back and produce more consistent batches than a wheelbarrow and hoe. The best affordable choice is usually...
A cordless pruner is useful when hand loppers become tiring but a chainsaw would be excessive. For a small orchard, garden, or a few fruit trees, the best value is usually a compact electric...
For occasional tile work, the best-value tile saw is usually a compact wet saw in the $100–$250 range—not the cheapest dry-cut tool and not a professional bridge saw costing several hundred dollars. That middle...
A good heat gun for paint removal and shrink tubing does not need to be expensive. For most household repairs, a basic two-temperature model in the $20–$35 range provides enough heat. The main differences...
Recurring household clogs usually do not require an expensive professional drain machine. For sinks, tubs, showers, and many toilet blockages, a manually operated drain snake in the $20–$60 range is often the best value....
A bench grinder is useful for restoring the edge on screwdrivers, cold chisels, mower blades, punches, and other household tools. For occasional sharpening, you do not need a large industrial machine. A basic 6-inch...
For trimming small residential trees, the best budget pole saw is usually a cordless model with a 6- to 8-inch bar, an adjustable reach of roughly 8 to 10 feet, and a battery system...
For repeated home improvement work, a cordless caulk gun earns its keep when you are sealing several windows, running long baseboard joints, or applying construction adhesive. For one small bathroom repair, a manual gun...
The best budget choice for occasional work For one or two room renovations a year, a corded 9-inch drywall sander with variable speed, an adjustable head, and basic dust extraction is usually the best...
