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One of my biggest complaints about pre-assembled toolkits doesn’t always concern the tools included in the kit. Rather, it’s the plastic cases that the kits sometimes come packed in. Many cases can be aggravating to snap tools into and, even once the tools have been returned to their spot, I’m often infuriated when I try to close the kit, only to have a number of seemingly secure tools, fall out of their designated spots.
Given its price, you’d be better served by our main or budget pick. The balance of selection and quality versus price makes this one worth it for many homeowners. It has its blind spots like the lack of wrenches and cheap quality level, but for most people, it has what’s needed at a reasonable price. For about $50, you’ll be equipped for hanging photos, mounting a TV, and doing minor home repairs.
Intended Projects
If you are starting from scratch and just want all of the basics in one easy bundle, then you'll love the Anvil Home 76-Piece Tool Kit. This handy set of tools includes all of the essentials, such as a hammer, pliers, adjustable wrench, tape measure, screwdrivers, utility knife, level, and much more. This Apollo Tool Set comes with a claw hammer, slip joint pliers, tape measure, utility knife, manual bit driver with 2-inch bit extension and 20 popular bit sizes, precision screwdrivers for small screws, hex keys, and a pair of scissors. All the tools are made from steel alloy and are chrome-plated to resist corrosion, and they feature non-slip handles for a more comfortable grip.
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
This mini set is perfect for college students living in dormitories, apartment dwellers, to put in an emergency kit, or for anyone who never needs anything much beyond a hammer or screwdriver. For those who do minimal work around the house, a budget pick like the Apollo Tools 39-Piece General Repair Hand Tool Set will be more than enough for your needs. This highly rated kit is incredibly wallet-friendly and it includes all your basic tools in a convenient, compact storage case. Although we had a few minor issues with the Stanley tool kit, we found the balance of tool quality to price to be well worth it. This isn’t a kit you can bring to a construction site, but it’s got the tools you need for basic home maintenance in solid weights, durable casings , and a solid case. We tested a Black & Decker tool kit that had a storage bag rather than a hard case.
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 the screwdriver, level, and tape measure were all of average quality—which, given the DT9408's price, is impressive—the hammer was easily one of the worst tools we tested for this guide. During testing, the hammer tended to bounce rather than direct force downward into the nails I was attempting to drive. The included tools are a hammer, tape measure, needle-nose pliers, long tweezers, phillips screwdriver, and a flat-head screwdriver. The case measures a mere 8.25 x 4.5 x 1.75 inches, so you could fit this even in the most storage-deprived home or in your car's trunk. Note that the included tools are a little smaller than the typical sizes, but that helps keep the weight and storage requirements down.
It includes eight essential pieces for container garden, houseplant, or small garden bed maintenance, including pruning shears, a garden trowel, transplanter, weeder, cultivator, hand rake, unisex garden gloves, and tool bag. Unfortunately, the tools are of poorer quality than the other Workpro set featured in this guide. The hammer is quite light—I needed more strikes to drive in a nail than I did with the Stanley kit’s hammer. I also disliked that the kit’s screwdriver had a handle with a flat bottom, making it hard to push down on and turn. The quality of each individual tool was the best in this Stanley kit.
They have large, hard-stamped size markings to help you quickly find the tool you need, and the plastic storage case has size markings, as well. These gardening tools are made from polished aluminum to resist rust, and they feature ergonomic handles to reduce fatigue and discomfort during long gardening sessions. The tote bag has five external pockets surrounding the spacious inner compartment, and it has a board in the bottom so it can stand up on its own.
Stanley is a well known brand of tools and has produced millions of hand planes, saws, rulers, try squares, chisels, screwdrivers, and many other types of tools for consumer and for industrial use. Their innovations include the Bailey plane, the Surform shaper, the PowerLock tape measure, the utility knife, and an unusual multitool known as the Stanley #1 Odd Jobs. If you're looking for a mini tool kit that has only the bare basics, then look no further than the Stalwart 6-Piece Household Tool Set.
Power tools are a must-have for tougher jobs, and the RYOBI 18-Volt ONE+ Lithium-Ion Cordless 6-Tool Combo Kit will help you tackle a wide range of tasks. The kit includes six popular power tools, two batteries, a charger, bag, and several accessories—basically, everything you need for a solid at-home workshop. It would be easy to break the thin plastic piece along the top of the level when trying to insert or remove it in the case. Thankfully, Stanley provides a limited lifetime warranty on their tools. I was unimpressed with the thin handle on the pliers, which made them uncomfortable to use. Additionally, the bag fabric on the inside felt like tissue paper.
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.
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