We all have that friend, dad, brother, uncle, son, or significant other who loves to work on projects. For the people in your life who love to tinker, fix, make repairs, or otherwise work with their hands, finding great gifts can be a challenge. Fear not. We put together this list of the 24 best tool gifts for DIYers for 2022. If you can’t find something here that knocks their socks off, you won’t find it anywhere!
Editor’s Note: Be sure to check out our best tool deals page for the latest discounts and sales.
Table of Contents
Best Tool Gifts for DIYers Under $25
Milwaukee 10-Piece Titanium Nitride SHOCKWAVE Drill Bit Kit
These bits tackle everything from wood to metal. The titanium nitride coating is great for thinner steels and non-hardened metals. They also have excellent chip ejection and don’t heat up as quickly as other bits we’ve used. The Quad-Edge tip may seem like a gimmick—but it drilled 30% faster than other split-tip bits in our testing. Maybe that’s why it made it on our best drill bits list.
Klein-Kurve Wire Stripper and Cutter
Any handyman or woman needs a great pair of wire strippers, and we love the ergonomics and feel of the Klein Kurve. Klein makes about two dozen variations of wire strippers for every possible occasion. We think this one makes for one of the best tool gifts for DIYers of all types. It gives you the most common wiring sizes and features that comfortable curved handle. Best of all—it’s made in the USA!
MagLite Mini PRO LED Flashlight
MagLite makes some excellent flashlights. For everyday task use, their SP2P01H LED flashlight gets the job done. Powered by a couple of AA batteries, this simple light puts out up to 332 lumens for up to 2.5 hours straight. Of course, for longer run-time, drop it into low and you can run this flashlight for multiple 8-hour workdays. We like its adjustable beam, IPX4 rating, and 1-meter drop-tested durability.
Irwin 5WR Vise-Grip Multi-Pliers
The Irwin Vise-Grip 5-inch curved jaw locking multi-pliers add some twists to the traditional tools. They include a wire cutter feature as well as a fold-out stainless steel serrated knife blade. You even get a screwdriver that handles removable bits in its 1/4-inch bit holder. This three-tools-in-one design lets your favorite DIYer do more with less. Finally, it carries a lifetime guarantee.
Home-It Mop and Broom Holder
Who doesn’t like organization? We love that, for under $15, you can get anything from brooms and mops to rakes and shovels off the ground and on the wall. The system uses gravity to instantly lock tools in place simply by creating tension from the floating gripper balls. You get 7.5 pounds of support for each position. Any DIYer loves an easy way to get organized, so this makes for an easy win when looking for an inexpensive but handy gift.
Franklin T6 ProSensor Stud Finder
Stud finders come in all shapes and sizes. Some get downright complicated to use. The Franklin Prosensor T6 is an accurate, compact whole stud finder that works intuitively. You don’t need a user manual. The simplicity of the control and one-hand use combine with accurate readings in drywall to make it one of the best tool gifts for DIYers.
Best Tool Gifts for DIYers Under $50
Smith & Wesson SWPENMP2BK 5.8in Aircraft Aluminum Tactical Pen
Tactical pens make for great self-defense weapons that can, for the most part, go anywhere you do. We prefer traditional designs that don’t go overboard on features. Forget the penlight—just give us a plain tactical pen with aircraft aluminum body and refillable ink.
Gerber Prybrid Utility Knife
While the main feature of the Gerber Prybrid Utility Multi-Tool knife revolves around its integrated pry bar, this unique tool/EDC knife offers even more. Gerber managed to jam 8 different tools into a sub-$25 package that’s more compact than most utility knives.
NOCO GENIUS2 2A Automatic Smart 6V/12V Battery Charger
We’ve used this tool extensively, charing up a dead car, truck, SUV, and motorcycle batteries. One feature that really stands out is its ability to use “Force mode”. Where other chargers fail, the NOCO Genius 2 lets you force the charger to trickle juice into a battery until it comes back to life. Then the normal charging process takes over. We’ve literally brought back batteries from the dead with this smart charger!
Bosch GLM20 Laser Distance Measure
The GLM 20 laser distance measure builds on the foundation of the simple but accurate GLM 15. They then added a backlit screen and boosted the range from 50 feet up to 65. Bosch also simplified this model with the addition of an inches-only setting in addition to feet and inches.
Milwaukee Hole Dozer Bi-Metal Hole Saw Kit (9pc)
Milwaukee makes these Hole Dozer hole saws in the USA. This 9-piece kit gives you a great assortment from 3/4 to 1-1/2 inches. Milwaukee Hole Dozer hole saws also have a unique slot design that gives you full access for plug removal. We also love the quick-change arbors that allow for quick, tool-free change-outs. Pick up an additional 2-1/8″ hole saw and you can tackle door slabs as well.
Bestek 300W 12V Power Inverter for Vehicles
When my Ridgid power inverter bit the dust, I picked up a Bestek 300W 12V power inverter. With two 120V outlets and dual 0-2.4A high-speed USB charging ports, it has delivered flawless on-the-road power for more than a year—and I use it every two weeks for approximately 6 hours straight. You may not have heard of Bestek, but they have a good thing going.
Best Tool Gifts for DIYers Under $100 (or so)
Ryobi PCL406B 18V 5″ Random Orbit Sander
I don’t know how you get more convenient than a cordless orbital sander. The Ryobi 18V PCL406B sander presents its second-generation take on cordless sanding. This 5-inch random orbit sander reduces vibration by up to 40% over the former model. With onboard dust collection and multiple grip zones—we love the simplistic design of this sander. Since the Ryobi ONE+ system already has over 250 cordless tools, your favorite DIYer may already have the required 18V battery and charger. If not, you can pick up a starter kit for not much money.
Klein MM400 Digital Multimeter
Every DIYer needs a good basic digital multimeter. The Klein MM400 auto-ranging multimeter keeps you from having to manually adjust to measure different voltage ranges. It measures AC/DC voltage and current as well as resistance. However, it also adds the ability to measure temperature, capacitance, frequency, duty cycle, and even test diodes and continuity. For the price, this multimeter covers all the bases.
Hart 20V Cordless Rotary Tool
Hart Tools has some pretty impressive products—all of which are sold at Walmart. Notably, they have a 20V cordless rotary tool that includes a 33-piece accessory kit. You can do all manner of tasks and projects with this tool. Plus, since it’s cordless, you can take it anywhere. You still have to buy a battery and charger ($58), but at $69 for the bare tool, it makes for a fantastic and reasonably-priced gift.
DeWalt DW08802CG Green Cross Line Laser Level
For a simple but effective layout tool, you probably can’t beat the DeWalt DW08802CG Green Cross Line Laser Level. You get the benefit of a brighter green laser for easier indoor viewing. You also get a really simple tool without a lot of complexity.
Makita DMP180ZX 18V Cordless Inflator
The Makita DMP180ZX 18V Cordless Inflator lets you inflate vehicle tires or sports equipment quickly. This 12V Max cordless inflator features a backlit digital LCD screen so you can dial in the auto-stop function when the tool reaches the desired pressure. The kit version of this tool includes two 2.0Ah batteries. For anyone already on the Makita battery platform—this tool makes for an easy recommendation at just $99.
Our Favorite Tools for DIYers
Bora Portamate PM-4500T Speedhorse
By far, the Portamate PM-4500T Speedhorse is the easiest sawhorse we’ve ever used. Portamate constructed the Speedhorse sawhorses to support up to 1500 lbs. each. You also get 2×4 support arms to convert 2 sawhorses into a solid jobsite table. The legs unfold like magic using a lever on the side, and they fold up just as easily. The easy carry handles let you move them quickly to and from the garage, truck, or shed. A pair cost less than $160 (far less when on sale).
- Another great recommendation: Toughbuilt C700 Metal Sawhorses
EGO PowerLoad Telescopic Aluminum Shaft String Trimmer
The EGO Powerload Telescopic aluminum shaft string trimmer has an aluminum shaft that adjusts to fit your height. That makes it super-adaptable—but also very lightweight. We recommend this trimmer to anybody and everybody. From the unusual automatic powered string loading to the durability of this tool—this remains our newest favorite string trimmer by far. At around $219 for the kit ($159 for the bare tool), it also makes a great DIY gift.
Greenworks CS60L212 60V 16″ Cordless Chainsaw Kit
If you’ve never used a battery-powered chainsaw, buckle up. We really like the boost in performance this Greenworks 60V 16-inch chainsaw has over the first generation. This updated saw pushes well beyond what general homeowners need. It moves into performance levels that even larger property owners can take advantage of. From storm cleanup to regular tree maintenance, we love this saw.
Skil CB739601 20V 4-tool Kit
This might just be the ultimate best DIYer tool starter kit on the market right now. For less than $180 you get three core Skil cordless tools, an LED flashlight, two batteries, and a charger. The three primary tools include a 1/2-inch drill, 1/4-inch impact driver, and reciprocating saw with a 1-inch stroke. Whether your day has you installing shelves, loosening tough bolts, or even demoing a wall, this kit should get you there. With the two included batteries, you should have almost unlimited run-time depending on the task at hand.
Metabo HPT 8-1/2″ Sliding Compound Miter Saw C8FSESM
Back when this saw was branded Hitachi, it consistently topped our recommendation list. Now the company rebranded as Metabo HPT. As it turns out—it didn’t affect our favorite tool one bit. The Metbo HPT C8FSESM miter saw weighs just 36.2 lbs. At $329, it’s not cheap. However, it’s the most portable, easy-to-use miter saw we’ve ever used. We recommend it for everyone—from DIYers to trim carpenters, framers, and even woodworkers who insist on the highest-quality, most accurate cuts.
Milwaukee Cordless Framing Nailer
We love the cordless freedom you get from the Milwaukee M18 FUEL framing nailer. From simple repairs to building projects in your workshop, this 18V battery-powered nailer has the power and run-time to get it done. Unlike some battery-powered nailers on the market, this one uses the battery to “pre-load” the firing mechanism. That means that when you pull the trigger—you get results. It doesn’t have to “spool up” before that first shot. The result is a battery-powered nailer that has the responsiveness and power of a pneumatic tool.
Get Any More DIY Tool Gift Suggestions?
If you have a favorite DIY tool gift for the handyman or woman in your world, leave a comment below. We’re always looking for more ideas. Also, be sure to check us out on Youtube for great tool reviews, head-to-head comparisons, and great guides for training the apprentice.
I’m curious why you think wire strippers that do 12 AWG and LARGER would be best for a DIYer. While 12 AWG I get, working with 10, 8 and 6 AWG wires is probably not something most DIY’ers should do. Wouldn’t the ones for 10-18 Solid And #12-20 Stranded be more useful for DIYers (they can be used on smaller wires to fix electronics too) – link https://www.acmetools.com/shop/tools/klein-tools-11055k