power tools every homeowner needs
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11 Power Tools Every Homeowner Needs

As a homeowner and DIY enthusiast, power tools have helped me the most in various projects and house repairs. Power tools will save you hours of work, and a whole lot of energy. Plus there are plenty of projects that you just can’t do without them. Today we will go over the basic power tools every homeowner needs and why they need them.

Before we get started with number one, here is a quick list of the power tools you are going to need:

  1. Cordless Power Drill
  2. Cordless Impact Driver
  3. Power Washer
  4. Band Saw
  5. Electrical Wire Staple Gun
  6. Angle Grinder
  7. Chainsaw
  8. Air Compressor
  9. Nail Gun
  10. Paint Sprayer
  11. Digital Multimeter

Since these power tools are often used for both home and DIY projects, they could give you ideas as gifts for father’s day, wedding gifts, birthdays and more.

Give us your opinion on #11, is it truly a power tool or not? Either way we feel it is a must have, let us know your thoughts!

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1 | Cordless Power Drill

Black+Decker 20V Max* Power Connect Cordless Drill/Driver + 30 PC. Kit

If there’s 1 tool that you should have as a homeowner, it’s a power drill. This is perhaps the most useful power tool on this list. I mean just think about it: they are so versatile! Aside from using it to screw, and drill holes, you could also use the power drill in a myriad of ways using attachments, such as a scrubber add-on, a sander, and even a wire brush.

In my opinion, this is the first power tool you should be getting. This is because power drills are part of 80% of home repairs. Want to replace your kitchen cupboard? You are going to have to screw and unscrew the hinges. Want to make a wooden table as a DIY project? You are going to have to drill some holes on the lumber. Having a power drill on those situations is going to make your life a lot easier.

Aside from its intrinsic versatility, a power drill should be the first power tool you get because they are so cheap nowadays. You could get a decent Black & Decker cordless power drill for around 60 bucks on Amazon that comes with drill bits and screw bits, and even nut drivers. That is very affordable, especially when compared to other “must-have” power tools out there. If you are looking for power tools for woodworking or general home improvement but are on a budget, I would personally just get a power drill with several attachments that can do the job of other bigger tools, which may or may not be possible depending on the project that you are working on. 

2 | Cordless Impact Driver

Black+Decker 20V Max* Power Connect 1/4 In. Cordless Impact Driver Kit

Another very important tool for any homeowner is a cordless impact driver. These are very similar to a normal power drill, but with some key differences. I would argue that all homeowners will eventually need both, especially those creative types who love doing DIY repairs around their home.

First of all, I need to explain the differences between an impact driver and a drill driver, also known as a power drill. A drill driver is mostly used for drilling holes and as a screwdriver. Pretty much everybody has a drill driver these days, and they will probably be enough for 80% of tasks. 

An impact driver, as I said above, has its similarities and differences, but to summarize them, just assume that impact drivers are drill drivers on steroids. They will provide 2 or 3 times more torque than the average power drill, which is perfect if you need to screw very hard wood or even concrete. Also, impact drivers differentiates from power drills because they will also use concussive force to really drive the screw home. In other words, it will create a hammering motion that will be very useful when working with harder materials. 

A few other differences include the impact driver using only hex shaped attachments, and also there’s the price discrepancy. Drill drivers tend to be much more affordable than it’s big brother, but this is only for entry level products though. The prices become much more similar with professional grade gear.

3 | Pressure Washer

Sun Joe SPX3000 2030

Anybody that has owned a property for longer than a few years know how quickly they can become dull and unkempt. And this is usually because of grime, mold and dirt that naturally builds up on the outside walls. And often the only way to clean them is by using a pressure washer, which is pretty much a hose on steroids. They are an essential for anybody that has dirtied up surfaces around their home, especially those caused by fumes or smoke.

I honestly wouldn’t have recommended this just a few years ago because they used to be so expensive, but recently pressure washers have become much more affordable. I personally bought one myself for less than $200 to clean up the back part of my personal residence. Years of exposure to exterior elements had really made it look ugly, and the only way to really remove the imperfections was to use a pressure washer.

The Sun Joe pressure washer did a heck of a job cleaning some really hard to remove stains, and that’s why it’s included on the list. If you are somebody who really cares about how clean your house looks, especially from the outside, then this is pretty much a mandatory purchase. 

4 | Band Saw

WEN 3962T 3.5-Amp 10-Inch Two-Speed Band Saw with Stand and Worklight

For all you creative types out there, you really need to try out a band saw. For those who do not know, a band saw is a powered blade that Is attached between two powered mechanisms, which is used to cut material such as wood, plastic and metal.

In my opinion this is the fastest, cheapest and easiest way to replace broken cabinetry wood laminates. Depending on where you live and the wood’s quality, you might have to replace plywood every so often, and that entails cutting wood sheets in a precise way. If you are like me and prefer doing repair work by yourself, then a band saw is pretty much a requirement.

A woodworker’s dream, a band saw differentiates itself from other similar power tools by the fact that it’s so much easier to cut materials in intricate shapes. That is one of the reasons why I prefer this over a jigsaw. It provides a much cleaner cut with less sawdust. When combined with a feather board, cutting wood into circular shapes is a piece of cake.

You could technically even use a band saw as a meat cutter. I personally know a friend that uses a band saw to cut poultry before setting the food on his table, something that I found strangely funny and kind of bizarre the first time he told me. I’m honestly not sure if a band saw made for wood cutting is going to suffer damage from cutting meat, but he has months doing it already and he hasn’t had any problems yet, so I’m pretty sure that as long as the blade is clean and sterile, cutting food is completely acceptable.

5 | Electrical Wire Staple Gun

Milwaukee 2447-20 M12 3/8 Crown Stapler

Eventually, you are going to need to staple something that can’t be nailed down, making staple guns an essential in any homeowner’s tool kit. Staple guns will tend to be used by homeowners in several ways, including fixing carpets in place, stapling electrical wiring, and even installing house wrap. It might even be used by your kids if they want to staple some homework papers or an art project. In short, these things will be used very often for years to come.

Now some of you might be wondering: why is a staple gun so necessary if I have a nail gun already? Don’t they do essentially the same thing? And the truth is that yeah, a nail gun can sometimes replace a stapler, but there are a few things that you shouldn’t nail down for obvious reasons. For example, those working with electrical wiring in their basement are going to want to tie those cables down for aesthetic and security purposes, and that obviously can’t be done with a nail. This makes a stapler a necessity in these situations. 

You might also want to avoid nailing down thermal insulation material (staples do a better job of holding the material without destroying it) carpets (Staples do a better job of holding the carpet in place) and some softer types of woods. If you are thinking of doing some of these things in the future, then I would advise getting a high-quality stapler to assist you. 

6 | Angle Grinder

Avid Power Angle Grinder 7.5-Amp 4-1/2 inch with 2 Grinding Wheels, 2 Cutting Wheels, Flap Disc and Auxiliary Handle

An angle grinder, also known as a disc grinder, is another power tool with diverse uses. They are, in a sense similar to power drills in that they give you the ability to attach different attachments depending on the task at hand, making this another essential tool that you won’t regret adding to your garage. If you want to deal with some excess mortar between your home’s bricks, need a tool to cut tile or ceramic, or need to cut through literately anything else then an angle grinder can be your best friend!

Angle grinders will also prove useful to sharpen the edges of several other tools, including knives, lawnmower blades, steel piping, and axes, among other things. The more tools you have, the more important a grinder is going to be. Just remember that the attachment used is going to be different depending on which task you are going to do. Sanding will require a sanding disk and cutting ceramic will require a cutting wheel, etc…

Angle grinders are also a must-have for anybody that has brick walls on their home. In the process of building these walls, there’s usually some excess mortar leftover which looks ugly and unsightly. If you are OCD about that like me, then you are going to want to make the gaps as flush as possible. Angle grinders will help you with that by removing any excess mortar from the gaps, so that you can refill them with some cement, or if you are feeling fancy, some artificial filling.

7 | Chainsaw

Husqvarna 120 II 16″ Gas Chainsaw

A decent chainsaw is essential for any homeowner that has trees nearby. If you just bought your home, then you are probably going to spend some time logging small trees and cutting small branches. This is where the chainsaw comes in. It’s also an easy way to maintain smaller bushes or to eliminate undesired tree species.

This is where having a chainsaw can be so useful. It’s going to make pruning and limbing tree branches a piece of cake, and you could even cut whole trees if you are feeling daring! Cutting firewood will also be easy with a chainsaw when compared to using an axe. Although you can still use that axe to split your logs after chopping them up with the chainsaw.

The internet is full of electric chainsaws, but they will not last nearly long enough in my opinion. If I need a chainsaw, I am likely going ot be using it for hours and I dont want it to quit if I am not done. So I still use a gas Husqvarna chainsaw, which has plenty of power and can run all day long.

8 | Air Compressor

Bostitch Pancake Air Compressor, Oil-Free, 6 Gallon, 150 Psi

An air compressor may be one of the most undervalued tools on this list. I started using air compressors a few years ago because I had bought by first paint sprayer and I needed a compressor to go with it. Since then I have used this nifty little machine in several other ways, including inflating tires and powering nail guns, cleaning, and more. An air compressor is an essential power tool because it powers plenty of other tools and is also useful on its own.

Air compressors are exactly what their name suggests: they are machines that will suck in air, use pressure to compress it, and they will then release the pressurized air in a violent way to an attachment like a paint sprayer or a hose. They are usually powered by electricity, but there are also gas-powered models above. The choice between an electric or gas-powered model will depend on several factors, including how portable you want the air compressor to be, your budget, and how powerful you want the compressor to be, among other things. When you get your own, you will also need a hose and tip set.

A small electric air compressor is going to be enough for 99% of homeowners out there, so that’s what I recommend that you do, at least until you need something more powerful. Air compressors might be useful and everything but they can get expensive really quickly as you start looking for more robust compressors or ones powered by gasoline.

9 | Nail Gun

DEWALT Brad Nailer Kit, 18GA, 2-Inch

Nail guns are a woodworker’s best friend. If you are spending a lot of time hammering nails across your whole home, then you really need to get one of these. These wonderful tools will save you a LOT of time and effort. If used correctly, nail guns can be safer than hammering nails the old fashioned way. All in all, this is one of the essential tools any homeowner should have, especially one that is going to be working with wood on a frequent basis.

When it comes to which nail guns you should get, it’s going to depend a lot of what types of crafts or activities you tend or are thinking of doing. If you are going to do something like fixing a cupboard or your living room couch, then a simple electric corded nail or gun will probably be enough. These nail guns tend to use 2 in nails which is good enough for small crafts.

If you are going to be doing a lot of nailing on bigger pieces of wood, then you will probably need a pneumatic nail gun. These use air pressure to pierce the intended object, and they are more expensive than electric models, but they tend to have better build quality. Also, pneumatic nail guns tend to be the only ones that support bigger nails. You should get a pneumatic nail gun if you are going to be doing foundation work or are going to be nailing concrete.

10 | Paint Sprayer

HomeRight Super Finish Max HVLP Paint Sprayer

If you have a home and keeping it looking nice is important to you, then you are eventually going to think about painting something. This is where a paint sprayer will come in handy.  From painting dirtied-up walls to coloring DIY crafts, paint sprayers will prove to be useful in all kinds of situations, especially for painting at a faster pace. While paint sprayers will serve DIY enthusiasts more than anybody else, they will still be useful for 99% of homeowners.

Compared to painting with a brush or paint roller, paint sprayers tend to deliver the paint on a more uniform and even manner. They are also great because they will save you a lot of time, which is great if you are thinking of painting your whole home. They are a little bit more complicated to use compared to the manual alternative for obvious reasons, but using one isn’t rocket science either. 

Paint sprayers are even more important to DIY crafters than probably anyone else. Many crafters now prefer spray guns to brushes because they simply make painting much faster and easier. Some prefer brushes for smaller projects that need more precision.

11 | Digital Multimeter

AstroAI Multimeter 2000

The multimeter gets overlooked when it comes to power tools in the home, yet it is a very important one and something you will eventually need if you are serious about doing jobs around the house or other DIY projects. They are available in a wide range of prices from the very cheap to extremely expensive but for most, a basic multimeter for around $15 should suffice.

7 Reasons Why You Need A Multimeter

  • To test your car and alkaline batteries.
  • Test to see if you have a hot wire exposed.
  • Testing old extension cords that don’t look safe.
  • Measure light switches and other switches to see if they are bad.
  • Fuses (works great on small and hard-to-see fuses and if they are burned out.)
  • Measure temperatures.
  • Continuity test on old incandescent bulbs.

As you can see by just the 7 reasons listed above once you have a multi meter in your tool box you will find yourself using it more than you think.

Conclusion

From the day that I bought my first house, I decided that I was going to do most of the repairs and fixes the house needed by myself. This was something that I definitely couldn’t do with a simple hammer and a few nails though. I needed power tools, and you probably are going to need them too. If you are a new homeowner, you are going to eventually have to screw something to a wall, try to fix a water leak under the sink, or even cut a rogue tree with a chainsaw.

Ideally, you are going to want to buy a power drill, an impact drill, an angle grinder, and a chainsaw. These are the most important tools you should have, and I would recommend starting from there and adding up tools as you start needing them.

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