Essential Tools Included in Every Beginner’s Toolbox

July 11, 2018

What tools are essential to every beginner’s toolbox?

Safety equipment
Tape measure
Screwdriver set
Claw hammer
Adjustable wrench
Vise grip pliers
Hacksaw
Utility knife
Level
Basic necessities

When it comes to home repairs, renovations, and projects, we can’t always depend on power tools in the Philippines. There are jobs that only call for basic tools that many people seem to have abandoned in place of more advanced equipment. While it’s not wrong to own power tools, it’s also necessary to have a toolbox filled with the most basic yet essential tools.

Everyone needs it—professionals, beginners, men, and women. And some have probably tried assembling the perfect toolbox once or twice in their lives only to end up with one that’s too heavy to carry. This happens when you stock your box with unnecessary tools and multiples that you most likely won’t use for simple projects. In the end, it defeats the purpose of having a toolbox that you can lug around with you anywhere you need.

Luckily, we have a solution to this problem. There are tools that need to be in your toolbox and other ones that you can just let sit in your garage. In this article, we’ll list the tools that are essential to every beginner’s toolbox—heavy emphasis on beginner.

Protective and Safety Equipment

While not technically considered tools, it is important to consider your safety and have protective equipment in your toolbox. Included here are your work gloves, safety goggles, flashlight, and rags. Adding these essentials to your toolbox not only makes you safer, it also provides you with confidence that allows you to do the job with more efficiency and speed.

Tape Measure

Accurate measurements are important whether you’re trying to resize an item or squeeze it into a tight space and the best way to get them is by using a tape measure. There are many types of tape measures in the market each of them varying in widths. If you’re finding it hard to choose the right one, then go for a retractable measuring tape that is ¾ of an inch wide and at least 5 meters long.

Screwdriver Set

Aside from removing screws, you can also use a screwdriver to pry lids off of paint cans and/or open battery compartments, which is why they are must-have tools. There are many things to consider when choosing a screwdriver set as there are many different types. However, the two most commonly used ones are the flat and Phillips-head, so you should go for those. Make sure to get sets that have interchangeable heads and comfortable grips to make the job of screwing and unscrewing easier.

Claw Hammer

No toolbox is complete without a claw hammer—one that has a flat end that can drive nails in and another claw-like end that can be used to pull them out. Like a screwdriver, a hammer should also have a good handle that offers shock absorption and a solid grip—you can usually get these from handles made from rubber, vinyl, or plastic. The length and weight also matters and standard ones should weigh at least a pound and have a 16-inch handle.

Adjustable Wrench

Furniture and plumbing are riddled with different kinds of nuts and bolts that you have to either tighten or loosen up. Instead of buying a specific wrench for each one and making your toolbox heavier, the most practical and smart solution is to just buy an adjustable wrench. Having an adjustable, crescent wrench is literally like having multiple kinds in a single tool. It’ll allow you to adjust all the nuts and bolts that you need without a problem.

Vise Grip Pliers

There are times when you need an extra hand with your project but none is available. During these moments, you can depend on your vise grip pliers. These can lock in place and act like a third mechanical hand. Moreover, they’re versatile tools that can be used as a wire cutter, ratchet, pipe wrench, adjustable wrench, and a clamp. Be careful when using these, though, as they can easily tear apart anything you’re working on.

Hacksaw

Some home renovations and projects involve cutting down pieces of metal, wood, and/or plastic. While you can do all this with a normal saw, it’s not practical as its teeth will eventually go dull and won’t be able to cut anything. In order to sidestep this problem, go for a hacksaw that has easily replaceable blades. Having this ensures that you always have a sharp blade to cut materials with.

Utility Knife

It’s normal to think that a utility knife has no place in your toolbox as anything it can do can be done better by another tool. However, there really are times when you have to enlist the help of the little guys and that’s when a utility knife comes in handy. You can use it to open boxes, make small incisions in drywall, cut wires, sharpen pencils, and more.

Level

Nothing is as irritating as crookedly-hung picture frames and TV sets. Even the process of ensuring that the item is level to the ground is exhausting. The constant and repetitive cycle of adjusting and then walking back and checking over and over again can drain your energy. If you want to avoid all that, then we suggest you put a level in your toolbox. You can go for a hands-free, laser level or a traditional 3 to 4-foot metal one. Both are guaranteed to help you ensure that anything you hang or install is horizontally perfect.

Basic Necessities

Pencils, duct tape, screws, scissors, super glue, and the like—these are basic items that every toolbox needs to have. The reason is pretty obvious, so we’ll not bore you with the details. What’s important is that you have these included in your toolbox. They won’t take much weight anyway so you can just add them after you’ve assembled all the essential tools listed beforehand.

Key Takeaway

These are the most basic yet the most essential tools that everyone has to have in their respective toolboxes. They may not be the most exciting ones or as advanced and beefy as power tools in the Philippines, but they are guaranteed to get the simplest jobs done.

You can easily buy these things for cheap at any hardware shop, so you should be able to assemble the perfect toolbox in no time. Once you’ve done that, you can now tackle any job confidently knowing that you have all the necessary tools at hand!