Buying home tools can be an extremely expensive venture for new homeowners — especially if they don’t know where to look and what to look for.
In 2021, hardware store sales in the U.S. alone amounted to $63 billion dollars. Sadly, many of these tools are either very costly or of poor quality.
This article will give you a list of the 12 best inexpensive, essential tools for new homeowners that can help with all your home projects, whether it be day-to-day fixes or big home improvements.
Here’s a list of the 12 most affordable, quality tools for new homeowners.
Power-driven hand tools, such as drills, are extremely useful tools to have for any homeowner.
Consumers from around the world have realized this, which is why the global market value of power-driven hand tools was valued at close to $42 billion in 2021.
Drills can be used for many tasks, including drilling holes in several different materials, securing screws, and more. By purchasing additional drill bits in a variety of sizes, you’ll be prepared for any DIY project.
With 20 torque clutch settings, the Warrior 18v Cordless Drill can handle any task around your home. The drill features variable speed settings, an electric brake, an LED light (making it easy to drill in dark corners), and a keyless chuck. It also has a 90-day warranty.
The Warrior Drill has over 2000 reviews, and 97% of customers highly recommend it as their go-to drill for home projects.
Price: $27.99 at harborfreight.com
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Having an extension cord around the house will undoubtedly be a lifesaver whenever you’re hosting an outdoor party, if you need a little extra light in a dark corner, or if you have a home improvement project somewhere where your electric tools can’t initially reach.
The AmazonBasics 6-Foot Extension Cord is an affordable, highly useful tool designed to be used indoors with consumer electronics, media equipment, and tools.
It comes in white and black, and you also have the option to choose a shorter or longer option, including:
Price: $8.77 at amazon.com
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A retractable, lockable tape measure is a small tool with a huge impact. You’ll find it crucial whenever you need to measure a room’s square footage, furniture, windows, rugs, hanging artwork, and more.
The Hyper Tough 25’ Self Lock Tape Measure features an automatic blade lock with push-button retraction, easy and precise readability, a rubber over-mold for impact resistance, a non-slip grip, and a conversion and information chart at the back of the blade.
Price: $7.34 at walmart.com
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Utility knives can be used for making precision cuts, breaking down boxes, removing and scoring old caulk, and more.
The Gordon Utility Knife is a small yet powerful tool that's highly affordable. The knife comes with a nine-position retractable blade, extra blade storage in its handle, two blades, and a solid die-cast aluminum construction for maximum durability.
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Price: $1.99 at harborfreight.com
If you’re planning on hanging pictures or artwork, laying a patio, or installing cabinets, a level will come in handy.
The 24-Inch Heavy Duty Level makes leveling easy with its three easy-to-read vials of transparent acrylic glass with a bright fluorescent liquid inside.
It features built-in slip-free stoppers for secure placement, soft shock-resistant Thermoplastic rubber end caps, and an aluminum frame for increased strength.
Price: $19.49 at amazon.com
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A socket wrench with different socket sizes will help speed up the assembly process of anything held together with nuts and bolts.
The Pittsburgh 64 pc Socket Set includes a wide variety of sockets in the most popular sizes. Each socket is made of chrome vanadium for maximum durability and strength. The set comes with a heavy-duty organized carrying case.
With over a thousand reviews and 95% of customers recommending this set, it’s a great deal.
Price: $39.99 at harborfreight.com
A set of manual screwdrivers is extremely useful for simple jobs like tightening a shelf knob or switching plates. You have the option to get several different-sized screwdrivers or one screwdriver with interchangeable heads.
The Blue Ridge 6 pc Household Screwdriver Set is a great choice as it consists of a set of the most popular screwdriver sizes at an affordable price. The screwdrivers feature an ergonomic handle design, CR-V heads for durability, and magnetic tips.
Price: $9.99 at target.com
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Everybody — even renters who have no desire to make home improvements — need a plunger on hand.
The MR.SIGA plunger is a great option as it comes with a bowl brush which is ideal for cleaning your toilet. It has a two-compartment steady holder with a stylish design that’ll fit right into your bathroom.
The plunger is heavy-duty and was built with a commercial-grade suction cup to clear out all clogs.
Price: $21.98 at amazon.com
Generally, hammers are used for carpentry purposes such as framing, cabinet making, nail pulling, upholstering, and more.
The Pittsburgh 16 oz. Fiberglass Rip Hammer has a shock-absorbing fiberglass handle (which relieves arm strain), a drop-forged steel head, and a rip claw that enables you to remove nails with ease. Out of more than 1700 people who left a review, 99% of them highly recommend this product.
Price: $5.99 at harborfreight.com
Aside from applying spackle, putty knives are also super useful for scraping down loose or flaky surfaces and removing old decorative coverings.
The small and sturdy Blue Ridge Putty Knife is perfect for quick and detailed compound application, as well as wallpaper or paint removal. With its lightweight and fine-tuned flexibility, it’s extremely easy to use.
This powerful putty knife is designed to be cost-effective, eco-friendly, and, most importantly, user-friendly.
Price: $4.99 at target.com
Pliers are great multipurpose gripping tools generally used to grip round objects such as rods and pipes, twisting wires, cutting wires, craft projects, and more. Depending on the type of task, you may need different plier sizes.
The Pittsburgh 6 pc Pliers Set is made of rugged carbon steel and features non-slip comfort grips for comfortable use. The plier set includes:
In addition to being extremely affordable, the plier set also has a 90-day warranty to guarantee that you’re happy with its usability and quality.
Price: 13.99 at harborfreight.com
Flashlights are great for providing light in places without permanently installed lights, during power outages, in the outdoors, or any time a portable light source is needed.
The Quantum 588 Flashlight casts a bright beam of light up to 538 ft away. It’s brighter than standard flashlights and features a rugged engineered aluminum body for excellent grip in all circumstances.
Additionally, it also has adjustable zoom for precise focus, a five-foot striking edge for self-defense, easy access to the on/off button, and more. With over 7000 reviews and more than 99% of customers recommending this product, you can be sure that it’s an excellent buy.
Price: $11.99 at harborfreight.com
Getting the right home tool collection from the start can be a lifesaver. Aside from being affordable, the tools listed above are of great quality with excellent reviews. You can’t go wrong with them.
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