Holiday Gift: The Ultimate Starter Tool Set - Remodelista
When I moved into my first apartment, I acquired tools piecemeal as needed. Several tools from that first set remain in my arsenal, but my kit has grown exponentially. Over the years I’ve added several pieces that have hugely expanded my ability to build and repair on my own, and I know now what I would have loved to have from the get go. Photography by Meredith Swinehart. The basics need not be expensive. A Stanley 25-foot Tape Measure ($9.97) stays firm when measuring and is long enough to meet most needs. If anyone had ever told me I would be able to make use of almost all of the screwdrivers in a 71-piece set, I wouldn’t have believed it. The HDX 71-Piece Screwdriver Set is $9.88 at The Home Depot, and a Klein Tools 12-1/2-inch Canvas Zipper Bag ($9.48) is helpful to keep the pieces in one place. I wish I’d bought a power drill years sooner. Today, I like the Ryobi 18-Volt One+ Lithium-Ion Drill Kit; $79 at The Home Depot. The Dremel Multi Max Oscillating Tool Kit is an efficient and easy-to-use multitasker. I’ve taken to storing my tools in a Husky Tool Cabinet and I love it. But you’ll inevitably need to carry tools around your home... ...garden, and beyond, and a sturdy, generously sized tool bag comes in handy; the Klein Tools 16-inch Canvas Tool Bag is $57.18 at The Home Depot. These are the critical pieces in my tool set, and it would have been a dream to have them in my first apartment. Want to see some of what Meredith has built?