Table of Content
Is there a particular task you need to complete with your tool kit? For example, if you’re hanging a painting, you’ll probably need a measuring tape, level, screwdriver or hammer, and maybe even a stud finder. If it's gardening that you love, you'll want hand tools, pruners, and a watering can. Think about what you’ll be using your tools for as you hunt for the perfect home kit. On the plus side, the tools were very secure in this kit’s case and included most of the must-haves we expect in an entry-level toolkit.
The Workpro W009036A avoids all of this by packaging its tools in a tool bag. This ensures that your tools are secure and, as a bonus, that you’ll have the extra space in the bag to store new tools in you may buy over time, as required. Unfortunately, the quality of the tools in the W009036A aren’t as high a quality as those in our main pick.
Intended Projects
While you aren't going to carry out complex DIY projects with these tools, they are more than adequate for basic tasks and repairs around your home, such as tightening loose screws, hanging pictures, tackling minor plumbing repairs, or putting up curtain rods. There's even a bottle opener so you can enjoy a cold beverage once your project is complete. A basic home tool kit should have the essentials you need to hang a picture, change batteries in your devices, and maybe even replace a doorknob or lock.
However, considering that this kit can be found at almost half the price of the others in this roundup, the lower quality of tools, which are still highly functional, feels like a reasonable compromise. The Apollo DT9408 is comparable to the Cartman in price but lacks a number of the tools that the Cartman comes with. For this roundup, she considered dozens of home tool kits, evaluating each for basic features, extras, and feedback from customers, and also sought advice from Glenn Wiseman; RASDT, RHDT, and sales manager at Top Hat Home Comfort Services. Additional reporting was done by Lauren Murphy, a freelance writer whose work has also appeared on Hunker and the Huffington Post. You don’t need a huge collection of tools if you only occasionally do odd jobs around the house, but you should have at least the basics. Plus, it includes a sturdy plastic case to keep everything neatly organized and ready for use.
Stanley 94-248 65-Piece Homeowner's Tool Kit
While these tools are by no means heavy duty, this affordable tool set is ideal for small, common household jobs. The hammer included in the B V1 wasn’t my favorite—my heart belongs to Stanley. It had a fairly comfortable handle, however, the rubber was softer and the grip was not as secure as the Stanley. The pliers and screwdrivers in this kit, however, really shone, with a ratchet on the interchangeable head screwdriver and magnetic tips on the dedicated flathead and Roberts screwdrivers. Most of the extra pieces in this kit looked useful, including some clips that were stronger than expected.
We researched dozens of tool kits, considering their included components, sturdiness, durability, and functionality. Our best overall pick is the BLACK+DECKER 12V Max Drill 60-Piece Home Tool Kit, which comes with a robust collection of dependable starter tools, including a cordless drill. The kit includes a sturdy plastic storage case, which makes it easy to store in a closet, garage, or even under your bed.
Shipping and handling
The mid-priced Stanley 65-piece Homeowner’s Tool Kit has the tools and quality to cover basic home tasks. Kits usually come in a handy case that makes it easy to keep everything organized while keeping the tools protected during storage. We put the Stanley through basic household jobs to see how it held up. Even though it's not the most important factor to consider when buying a tool kit, you should think about how much space it will take up in your home. If you’re living in a small apartment, a kit with several hundred pieces will take up a solid chunk of your storage space and rarely come in useful. If you plan to work on your car, you’ll need a quality mechanics tool set, such as this 194-piece kit from Husky.
While its molded case does not have space for additional tools, it held the tools that the kit comes with, relatively well. This kit includes all of the tools that you’ll need for many basic and intermediate home repairs, and the limited one-year warranty provided for the kit is among the best we were able to find. Tools include a chain rivet extractor, chain ring nut wrench, and metal tire lever, as well as screwdrivers, chain tools, a pedal wrench, a spoke wrench, pre-glued patch kits, and more. With these tools and some knowledge, there aren't too many bicycle repairs you won't be able to manage on your own, as well as tuning up your bike and performing regular maintenance.
Basic plumbing and bolts that fall either above or below the provided sockets will require additional tools. That means you’ll make short work of assembling furniture, tightening screws, hanging pictures, fixing that drooping door or garden gate, or any other common tasks on the honey-do list. And while these tools might not be professional quality, they are sturdy enough so that just about any average DIYer can rely on dependable performance use after use after use. It's the perfect tool kit for anyone just starting their tool collection, a new homeowner, or anyone who enjoys handling their own repairs around the house and garden.
Each tool has a plastic molded holder in the case, which we also liked. Stanley’s case gets extra credit from us for keeping everything organized and easy to grab. Our premium STANLEY FATMAX range includes a selection of our highest quality and best performing tools and equipment, giving serious Pro’s a significant advantage over the job. Whether on the belt, in the hand, or on the jobsite, choose STANLEY FATMAX to be sure you’re equipped with the very best of our best.
We anticipated plenty of small repairs and adjustments we would need to do on the move. Four years later, while many of the tools are still mostly functional, they've become rusty and the kit's hinges have split. Recently, the socket wrench adapter snapped in two while I attempted to remove a stubborn oil pan plug. I’ve invested in many new, high-quality tools over the years, but I still resent the poor quality of the first kit I purchased—and I’d love to save you from that frustration. However, the one included in the Stanley kit convinced me that a good hammer can make a big difference when you’re working on a repair or building something new. The grip on the Stanley hammer was the most comfortable out of all the hammers tested for this guide—I felt like the force of my strikes were actually being directed onto the nail, rather than bouncing off of it.
While it isn’t one of Stanley’s popular FATMAX tape measures, the one that comes in the kit is good quality. The Stanely’s level, with its magnet and fine build quality, was one of the best I encountered while writing this guide. Most comprehensive home tool kits come in a carrying case with slots and compartments specifically designed for holding the included tools. If you are organizing individually purchased tools in a tool box, however, try to keep like tools together, and put the ones you reach for most often near the front or top of the box where they will be easy to find when needed. Anyone with a green thumb will love the Jardineer Garden Tool Set, which is ideal for both novice and experienced gardeners.
We were always rummaging around trying to find the right tool amongst a sea of sharp edges. Everything has its place, making jobs go faster because we didn’t waste time searching for tools. The tool quality in this kit was slightly lower than that of the others tested for this guide. The needle-nose pliers, for example, were sticky to open and the box cutter felt flimsy.
