No matter what age or sex you are, you’re going to need specific tools in your home to get the job done without having to call outside help. The following are all the 10 tools you’re ever going to need over your lifetime, the 10 tools that are guaranteed to fix (almost) everything in your home that needs to be fixed! These 10 tools are rated in order, and I’m sure you’ll be pleasantly surprised to find out what number 1 is! Let’s begin…
While this isn’t exactly a “fixing” tool, a tape measure in an indispensable tool that you must have. This handy tool measures all windows if you need curtains or blinds, it measures the square footage of any floor you want recarpeted or tiled, and gives you all the important measurements you need when moving a new piece of furniture into your house. You will use this over and over again, so it’s important to get one that will last a life time.
It’s best to get one that’s really long and measures at least 25 feet. The tape itself needs to be really strong and rust proof, so it will go the distance. The numbers on the tape need to be big and easy to read with a true-zero end hook for exact measurements. It’s important that it measures in mm, cm, inches, metric, and imperial. The spring of the tape should be high-performance so that it springs back safely into place. In order to be fully durable, the outside also should be strong and made out of rubber.
A utility knife is one of those tools that’s going to come in handy almost every day. From cutting rope and string that holds packages together, to cutting through duct tape that holds boxes intact, and cutting through layers of plastic that cover important items, a utility knife is what’s needed to do all of this. You may even need it in the kitchen – however, it’s important to keep kitchen utility knives, and general utility knives separate as to not contaminate the blade which may then contaminate the food you are eating.
It’s important to get a really sturdy knife that will be able to cut through anything. It’s best to get one that’s made out of zinc-alloy, with a rubber anti-slip cushion grip handle so that you don’t lose your grip and cut yourself by mistake. It must be retractable and preferably measure out to 3 or more different blade lengths. It definitely must be able to lock into place when not in use, so that if it gets into any child’s hands, it will remain safe. It should also have replaceable blades as the sharpness of the blades go blunt over time.
You’re going to need to use a screwdriver a lot over your lifetime! Whether it’s putting in, or taking out screws, your screwdriver is going to come in really handy. Not only do you use screwdrivers for screws, but they come in really handy too when lifting lids off tins such as paint tins.
You can get a normal screwdriver (both flat and star), but it’s best to get a set that can help with precision details such as eyeglasses, cellphones, watches and jewelry, PCs , and toy repair. Make sure your set is made out of CR-V steel, which is much stronger than carbon steel, and has a plating of black-oxide on the tips to prevent them from rusting. Your screwdrivers need to be all the important sizes: 2 Philips (PH00, PH0), 4 slot (1.5,2.0, 2.5, 3.0), and 6 torx (T4, T5, T6, T7, T8, T10) sizes.
A hammer is an essential tool in anybody’s house. If you have paintings or certificates that need to be hung, you can’t do it without a hammer. Anything that needs to be placed into another object with force needs to be done with a hammer. Hammers are used in any sort of construction, and can even be used to help with elaborate art projects.
The best option is to get a hammer with a claw hook at the back to remove nails easily and effortlessly. It needs to be durable and made out of good-quality steel so that it will last a long time. It definitely needs to be easy to grip and hold, because you don’t want this baby flying out of your hands and causing harm to anyone. Make sure the grip is rubberized, non-slip and shock-resistant.
Pliers are really important when you need a tool that will do things like cut wire. Pliers come in all sorts of varieties, such as a channel locks, vice grips, needle-noses and wire strippers. A wire stripper is a bit different from a wire cutter as it strips the coating off wires while leaving wires intact. Pliers always come in handy, and are also great to use for any sort of art work made from wire.
You’ll want to get a good set of pliers with variety. It will need to have long nose pliers (which are 6-inch), groove joint pliers (which are 8-inch), diagonal pliers (which are 6 inch), slip joint pliers (which are 6-inch), and linesman pliers (which are 7 inch).
There’s no need to call the plumber when you own one of these. If you need to fix a tap, just put on a pair of latex gloves (you are dealing with plumbing), and use it! It has an adjuster you move with your thumb and it’s easier to use than it looks! You’re going to use this on all the nuts and bolts in the house – so make sure you get a good one!
Make sure you have at least one crescent wrench, or even better, get a set of three different sizes so that you don’t ever have to worry about buying another one in a different size should you need it. Make sure your set of adjustable wrenches has wide opening jaws for added versatility and a chrome finish so that it doesn’t rust. It’s important it has a metric and SAE scale to accommodate all size nuts and bolts. This will always come in handy! Also remember, that a pipe wrench is the wrench you need for all your plumbing needs when it comes to pipes.
Box/open-end wrench sets are the must-haves of the wrench family. Yes, you do need at least one crescent wrench and a pipe wrench, but you need to add this set to your tools as well. These all have fixed sizes, so there will never be damage caused to your nuts and bolts, and many of these are tiny enough to fit into really small spaces. They’re also perfect to use on your car!
When choosing a set, choose an open-end wrench set that has many wrenches of different sizes. Get wrenches that are strong and made from chrome vanadium steel with a polished chrome surface to keep corrosion at bay. The sizes you should look at owning are 8mm, 9mm, 10mm, 12mm, 14mm, 17mm, 19mm, 22mm, 24mm, and 27mm. The best way of keeping these wrenches organized is against the wall on a magnetic 24-inch heavy duty magnetic tool holder that will keep your wrenches firmly in place. If the 24-inch is too long for you, you can also try the 17-inch version.
A saw comes in really handy when you need to cut through any sort of light metal or wood. You’re not always going to need it, but when you do, it really helps to have one around. It’s not the easiest tool to access – not all your neighbors will have one, so best to keep one around for the times you will need it!
You can get a small and handy 5-1/2 inch frame depth and 6-1/2 inch blade length saw which you can use on anything small that needs to be sawed through. Alternatively, you can get a 15-inch hand-held saw. Get one that uses M2 tooth technology with Tri-Ground teeth so that cutting and sawing will be fast and efficient. Make sure the one you get also has a very sturdy handle – this is a saw, and any mistakes can end up with you cutting yourself or worse! Also make sure the body is thick for extra control, and that it has a tapered-pitch nose at the end for more stability. You’ll also want to get one that is made out of a material that doesn’t rust easily and is light at the same time.
Power drills are really great! They make life so much easier with their capacity to get things done really fast! They come in handy whenever you need to rotate drill bits to make holes in wood, plastic or metal. Screwdriver tips can also be installed to turn screws. They can also be used for grinding. These are really powerful, so if it’s your first time using one, practice a few times on a thick piece of wood. Once you get a hang of it, putting up those kitchen shelves will be a cinch!
It’s best to get a cordless power drill that comes with many drill and screwdriver bits, sockets and brushes so that you never have to worry about getting anything extra as its already there! Get one that doesn’t take too much time to charge and has a lot of power – like 13Nm of forward and reverse turning torque. It’s best to get one that is offered in a handy set that you can safely pack away and put up high on a shelf somewhere to keep it safe from children.
It doesn’t matter how many screws you have in your wall that were pushed in with hammers, screwdrivers or a power drill if the paintings or certificates you are handing are skew. A spirit level is how it sounds – it levels things so that everything sits beautifully and straight at 180-degrees or whichever degree or angle you want. It has a small glass tube which has alcohol or another liquid inside with an air bubble. The tube is closed tight and placed horizontally in a block or frame that is made out of wood or metal with a smooth lower surface. When the bubble is perfectly in the middle, you know that what you are measuring straight.
It’s best to get a spirit level that provides 180-degree horizontal, 90-degree vertical and 45-degree diagonal angles. Get one that has a heavy duty aluminum alloy frame to ensure accuracy and durability. Make sure it has TPR soft rubber at the end caps to protect it from shock. It also helps if one of its sides is magnetic side. Remember your level can be stored against a 24-inch heavy duty magnetic tool holder to keep it nicely in place when you’re finished using it.
There you go, all the 10 most important tools you need that will see you through all your home repairs, and will save you thousands from calling outside help. If you’re unfamiliar with these tools, just practice with them, and you’ll soon be able to use them with ease. Just remember that many of these tools are dangerous in the wrong hands (as in young children), so keep them organized neatly high up on the wall against a heavy-duty magnetic tool holder that will keep them all safe!
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