18 Must Have Hand Tools Everyone Should Own

Owning your own house can be very expensive, and hiring professional plumbers/carpenters can be costly.

must have hand tools

However, you can do the DIY projects to save a lot of money.

There are a variety of essential tools that every homeowner must own it, and it should be kept in your essential tools kit.

Essential Hand Tools Everyone Should Own

The list of essential tools could be endless, but we have managed to make a list of the top 18 essential hand tools everyone should own.

Now, let’s check out the following hand tools:

1. Tape Measures

This must-have hand tool is a convenient tool that has a retractable metal reel along with markings for measurement on it.

The purpose is to measure curtain and windows, such as how high to hang a picture or will that dining table fits in a perfect spot in the living room and not take a lot of space.

To ensure that you purchase the one that is 25 feet so you can also measure the square ft. of a room.

2. Pliers

There are two types of pliers; needle-nose pliers and electrician pliers. The needle-nose pliers are great to fit into compact spaces where your fingers might not be able to reach.

While electrician pliers are used to cut wires. There are also pliers with adjustable heads that hold the nuts tightly until you unscrew it.

3. Utility Knife

Utility knives are a must-have hand tool for your DIY projects. For instance, cutting dried glue, cutting open boxes, or scoring glass.

Thus, the best part is that the blade is stored inside a knife case when not in use, which means less chance of accidents.

4. Wrenches

There are two types of wrenches that are available in the market; combination and an adjustable wrench.

This professional wrench set has two ends, one with U-shaped while the other is a closed circle. While one end allows it to hold the nuts and bolts tightly.

An adjustable wrench is also called crescent wrenches that are heavier than combination wrenches. This type of wrench fits around different sizes of nuts and bolts.

Thus, the wrenches are useful for tightening or loosening of the nuts and bolts. You can purchase the shorter-handled wrenches for compact spaces.

5. Pry Bar

This must have a tool that is a heavy piece of metal with a curved end at one side while flat end at another.

Both sides have V-shaped claws, which will help you to pull out the stubborn items out of the hard materials like wood or metal.

Thus, you never know, but it can make your life simple is so many ways, like helping with stuck doors too.

6. Hand Saw

You should have at least one hand saw in your essential tool kit. It is recommended to get a hacksaw as it is ideal for multi-purpose saw.

It will cut through hard substances very smoothly and efficiently, such as PVC pipes, wood, metal pipes, brackets, and plastic tubing.

7. Allen Wrenches

Allen wrenches are small-sized L-shaped tools which more or less looks like a hexagon. These are used for nuts and bolts that have a hexagon head.

However, it is not used for every purpose, but they are handy to have for the times when you need it.

To ensure that you keep them in a safe spot as they are small, which can be easily lost.

8. Stud Finder

This is an essential tool you should look at home when doing your DIY projects.

You need to ensure that your nail goes into a stud giving the heavier objects more supports. For instance, LED TV’s, pictures, lights, etc.

Therefore, the best way to find out that if your nail is going into a stud is by the tool stud finder.

People try to find this by traditional methods such as by knocking in the wall to check any hollow sound.

This can work, but it does not work efficiently every time.

9. Socket Set

Socket sets are one of the essential hand tools which should be used whenever working with nuts and bolts.

They ensure that they secure your things by tightening the nuts around it, so it remains firm.

However, you must get a set of various sizes of ratcheting socket wrench and sockets to assist you in fixing multiple things.

You can move the handle to loosen or tighten without even taking off the plug off.

10. Wire Cutters

Wire cutters are the ideal tool that you can need it for different purpose such as cutting trimming off nails, cutting wires when putting up a barbed-wire fence.

While side cutters are ideal for smaller jobs. However, if you are going to do a more burdensome task like trimming off nails, then you must get top cutters as they are relatively stronger.

11. Caulk Gun

Caulk is a tool that is exclusively used to seal gaps and cracks. For instance, a leaky window, pipes that need sealing, or a crack in the wall.

It is used in the cracks between ceramic tiles to hold the tiles in place. It is a tool that holds the container in which caulk is in.

Thus, the user can use it easily by pushing the handle.

12. Wheelbarrow

Wheelbarrows are ideal in spring to pick sticks in the yard.

Thus, it is effortless and efficient to collect things in a wheelbarrow as everything can be picked up in a single trip rather than making multiple trips.

13. Safety Gear

You must always keep the safety gear to keep you safe, no matter whatever the task is.

For instance, there are a few items like plastic gloves when working with grease. Heavy work gloves when doing yard work or glasswork.

Dust masks to keep you away from the dust getting into your lungs, ear muffs to protect ears when using loud power tools like saws and c-clamps or drills, safety goggles for eyes protection from any substance that can infect your eyes.

14. Sawhorses

A sawhorse is an essential tool for your DIY project, which looks like an A-shaped frame to support large items.

For instance, it can hold full sheets of plywood to make the items more stable when you cut them.

15. C-clamps

This is a universal tool used for most of the DIY home projects.

Thus, you never know when you might need them as this will help you to secure the wood or plastic in a place to cut it and grind it down.

Also, it will help to hold it in one place until the glue dries.

16. Level

A level is an essential tool when you are doing any cumbersome task, such as leveling the wall to an equal position.

This straight tool helps to level the cement on the wall so you can hang your pictures or install cabinets.

You must get the metal one rather than plastic one as they are durable.

17. Putty Knife

It is a straight-bladed tool which is used to fill all cracks, apply drywall mud, scrape dry or crack off the old furniture paint.

This a convenient tool that can fulfill most of your purposes.

18. Extension Cord

This is an essential tool that every household should store it in its crucial tool kit. As you can never have enough extension cords due to its intense usage.

They are handy to plug in anything, especially when the socket is farther from the point where you need to work.

Smaller cords are suitable for indoor tasks while you need lengthy cords when working outdoors in the yard or garden.

Conclusion

It is significant for each household to at least keep and maintain these top 18 essential hand tools.

Before purchasing, make sure to review the guide to assist you in getting all the vital tools.

We hope to have provided essential knowledge of these tools.

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