Getting tool advice online is not always a good idea.Half the recommendations come from people who haven't touched the tools they're reviewing, and the other half are buried in comment threads you'd need an hour to sort through.I spoke to Ace Hardware and Home Depot associates to ask what their staff actually recommend to customers just starting out.
I looped in my brother, who works in a field I can't talk about because it's government work, and drew on the time I spent landscaping for guys who'd been at it for years.The same four tools kept coming up every time.You need to get a cordless drill first The clutch stops you from stripping screws Close If you're putting together a home workshop or starting DIY projects, a cordless drill is the first thing most experienced builders tell you to get.
A good one is the 18V ONE+ 1/2" Drill/Driver.It was actually the first tool my brother told me to get.It makes clean holes through wood, plastic, and metal, and drives screws into pretty much anything you're putting together.
Apparently, what makes this Ryobi drill so handy for driving screws is its 24-position clutch.The clutch lets go of the drive once it feels a set amount of resistance.That keeps you from stripping screw heads, snapping screws, cracking thin wood, or sinking a screw so deep it is impossible to get out.
Don't underestimate your clutch, and don't think you're better than it.Drill mode is for drilling and won't stop the screw.No matter how long you've been doing this, you don't have the reaction time to stop something in milliseconds, and you will end up with a worse fit than if you just trusted the clutch.
This drill comes with a two-speed gearbox you shift by hand depending on the task.Low gear gives you more torque at slower speeds (up to 450 RPM), which is what you want for long screws, big fasteners, or lag bolts where control matters more than speed.High gear spins up to 1,750 RPM, which is better for quickly drilling holes through wood or metal.
Keep in mind this is a budget drill with a brushed motor and 515 in-lbs of torque, so it can only handle so much.Expect problems if you're going to drill large holes with spade bits or hole saws through dense hardwood or anything with that kind of resistance.You could stall the motor, overheat it, damage the drill, or drain your battery fast.
Ryobi 18V ONE+ HP 1/2-inch Drill Color Green Tool Type Drill The Ryobi ONE+ 18V HP drill/driver is a great starting point for any project.Whether you're drilling holes or assembling furniture faster, this drill comes with a battery and charger. Warranty 3-Year Manufacturer's Warranty $79 at Home Depot Expand Collapse An impact driver pushes screws in without hurting your wrist Tiny hits keep the force inside the tool I used to think the impact driver was like a second drill, but I soon learned it's a totally different tool built to drive fasteners hard and fast without wearing you out, and many professionals swear by them.A regular drill/driver pushes screws using only the steady spin of its motor, but when an impact meets resistance, a little hammer inside kicks in and hits the bit up to 4,000 times a minute as it turns.
The one to get is the 18V ONE+ HP Brushless 4-Mode 1/4 Impact Driver.It puts out up to 2,200 in-lbs of torque, which is roughly four times what the drill can do.And because those hits happen in tiny bursts, the force stays inside the tool rather than twisting your wrist, so you can drive big fasteners all day without your arm giving out.
Since there's no friction clutch to stop overdriving, this impact driver uses four modes to give you some control.Three are speed settings topping out at 2,900 RPM, and the fourth is called Assist Mode.Assist Mode starts slowly, so the screw can bite before it ramps up to full power.
That keeps the bit from slipping out of the screw head, cross-threading, or blowing out softer materials.Even so, be careful.One slip on a small or delicate screw, and you can strip the head, snap the shank, or crush the wood, and now you've got a real problem.
Ryobi 18v ONE+ Impact Driver Brand Ryobi Color Yellow Ryobi's 18V ONE+ Brushless Impact Driver is one of the smallest and fastest in its class.Level-up your DIY projects with this versatile tool. Tool Type Impact Driver $129 at Home Depot Expand Collapse A circular saw is what you need for straight cuts Going corded means you never worry about batteries The SKIL 15A 7-1/4 In.Corded Circular Saw with Laser is what you want for fast, straight cuts.
It'll handle crosscuts and rip cuts through 2x4s and big sheets of plywood, OSB, and MDF without much trouble.In a lot of home workshops, a good circular saw covers most of the straight cuts you'd otherwise need a table saw or miter saw for.My brother said he'd have to replace or fix it immediately if anything happened, because so many of his projects depend on it.
I've always thought going corded was the smart move, since you'll probably be working in one spot near an outlet.A 15-amp, 2.5-horsepower motor with no battery to drain can run all day at up to 5,300 RPM without slowing down or shutting off from heat.Sure, you have a cord to manage, but keeping it out of the blade's path is pretty easy.
For angled cuts, the saw tilts up to 51 degrees with a positive stop at 45 degrees.Maximum cut depth is 2-7/16 inches at 90 degrees and 1-15/16 inches at 45 degrees.A built-in dust blower pushes sawdust off the cut line so you can see what you're doing, and a laser guide projects a red line onto your material to help you track the cut.
The laser is great for quick freehand work, but for a perfectly straight cut, clamp down a straightedge.The laser won't get you there.15A 7-1/4 In.
Corded Circular Saw with Laser Color Red Tool Type Circular Saw A circular saw that comes with a laser that can cut through many materials.Brand Skil $70 on Skil Expand Collapse An oscillating multi-tool is built for tight spaces The blade swings back and forth instead of spinning When I was first landscaping, one of the experienced guys on the crew showed me his oscillating multi-tool, which turned out to be a lot more useful than you'd think.The ONE+ 18V Cordless Oscillating Multi-Tool Kit is made for tight spaces and tricky cuts that a circular saw, jigsaw, or handsaw can't make.
I've seen it trim door casing flush to the floor when installing tile, cut openings in drywall for electrical boxes, and clip pipes or nails in spots where a larger saw won't fit.It doesn't spin, which surprised me when I first found out.The blade swings back and forth through a tiny arc up to 20,000 times a minute.
That motion lets you plunge straight into a surface without drilling a starter hole, and it's much less likely to grab, kick back, or fling material around than a rotary tool.There's a speed dial, so you can control how hard it works.Lower speeds are better for gentle scraping jobs like removing old carpet adhesive, dried caulk, or paint without tearing up the floor underneath.
Crank it up when you're cutting hardwood trim, framing nails, PVC pipe, or drywall.You can also attach the included sanding pad to turn it into a detail sander for tight corners, window trim, and furniture molding.Ryobi ONE+ 18V Cordless Multi-Tool Kit $79 $168 Save $89 Color Yellow Versatile cordless oscillating tool for home repairs and DIY projects Tool Type Multi-Tool Kit Brand Ryobi $79 at Home Depot Expand Collapse They're good to start with, but they're just the first step None of these tools are meant to replace a full workshop setup.
What you're getting is a starter set that handles a lot of real work without costing a fortune.My brother basically told me that most people overbuy on their first tool run, grabbing stuff because a friend has it, and end up with gear they don't need.These four keep you from doing that.
Read More
