Tools for the beginning DIYer – Power tools

I’m often asked about what I think are the best power tools for the beginning do-it-yourselfer. It’s a question that truly has no one right answer and will be dependent on many different factors…. needs, budget and goals. I try to go over some of the considerations someone should consider and then select a variety of basic tools that I feel might be a good starting point for the beginning DIYer on a budget.
My selections are not necessarily the ‘best’ tools for all jobs, but rather a starting point for someone looking to acquire some basic and useful tools. Please note that I made this list with budget and compactness in mind for it to be inclusive for those that may not have the extra room for a table saw, miter saw, etc,… OR a booming budget;) So the tools on the list may not necessarily be the best at a certain task, BUT can accomplish a task while being affordable as well as storable.

Thanks for watching and please let me know if you have any questions!

#diytools
#beginnertools
#essentialtools
#homesteading
#drilldrivercombo

Intro music by my brother in law, Trey Harris:)

119 thoughts on “Tools for the beginning DIYer – Power tools”

  1. Here trying to learn as much as possible for a job I’m eager for.. very new to this sort of thing, but looking to learn the basics so I can work retail at a tool shop. 🙂 any pointers of things that are a must know?

  2. Thank you so much for this useful info. I’m a new single mom but lost my dad a few years ago so this is truly so helpful for someone like me trying to take on to take on some DIY tasks on my own

  3. If you can afford it buy tools that’s Garenteed to last. Milwaukee or dewalt are the best but that’s on a professional level. But if your just learning and don’t know a lot about tools I personally recommend craftsman. There affordable and reliable and come with a 3 year warranty. And I have seen them handle hard use jobs on the job sight. All there batteries will fit all there tools made. But like I said if you can afford them go with Milwaukee’s or dewalt.

  4. Hi thank you for this video, it was very informative. What do you think of Wlamarts Hart tools? I had already ordered them prior to watching your video. I’m an absolute beginner at DIY’s and a new homeowner.

  5. A router of some sort adds a lot of capability for a reasonable price. I got a porter cable on craigslist for $30 and it’s been perfect for a dozen years. I mounted it to a sheet of MDF and clamp it to two saw horses and I have a DIY router table that takes no space and costs basically nothing.

  6. “in 2019, this site helped me learn how to woodwork like a pro *learnwoodworking.store?Zo* hope it helps you out too!”

  7. Nice to see you use ryobi. My dad bought me a ryobi drill when I was 16 and it has always held up, but I have worked with some snooty tradies who will only use milwaukee.

  8. I. Got with what works. For me my jigsaw. Is a old b&d 7580 1979 I rebuilt it been in. My family. Since new 3amp 3200 strokes is fine for a. Diy in my book my circular saw is. A. Skilsaw is a 5485 it’s my second first blew . The motor. After 23 years my father got it for me from pergament model 5150 ….10 amp but I looked. At. Parts. New was chaper for me in both tools. You. Buy good brand blades your good to go. I. Go Irwin does the job jigsaw DeWalt. Bosch work fine u shank is harder to. Find. I got. :5 drills. Ones. A. 6amp b&d hard. Case. Had. It. For. Years. Got. 3 DeWalt 14.4v. Ni-cd. Pro grade yeah old but do. The Job a. Ridgid. 18 v lithium ion gen 4 two impact drivers ones a ridgid.gen 5 others. A. Bosch idh182 both work for. Me. Nice. Video. Thanks for sharing.

  9. Exactly, get the circular saw instead of the table saw or miter saw !!! It’ll save your ass hundreds !!!!

  10. Lovely Video clip! Forgive me for chiming in, I would appreciate your opinion. Have you tried – Rozardner Successful Handyman Reality (do a google search)? It is a good exclusive product for how to start a handyman business minus the normal expense. Ive heard some pretty good things about it and my friend after a lifetime of fighting got excellent results with it.

  11. I would replace that oscillating multi-tool and reciprocating saw with an angle grinder. With an angle grinder, you can grind, polish, brush rust or paint, cut metal(like cutting these nails), cut wood, concrete, glass, … you can cut pretty much anything. It is a much better multi-tool than an oscillating tool. Also, you can carve with it.

  12. Hmm, no nailer Brad, Finish or otherwise? I thought for sure that’d be listed. I was hoping you’d tell me which nailer would be most practical. Nonetheless, enjoyed watching ur well done video.

  13. привет, могли бы вы для нас сделать пост. мы вам бесплатно дать наш товар, например, шуруповерт дрель, и вы сделайте видео о нашем товаре, хорошо. жду вашего ответа.

  14. I use all these tools but my hobby is surfboard shaping an glassing and in the old days we used a Stanley surform and a hand plane but now an electric handplane  and the hand basic router is idespensible. and if you don’t have clamps the $$££ shop is great for bungy chords and car ratchet ties etc if you don’t have clamps.

    1. I gotta get some more of the container project finsihed but after that I’ll do some more off the cuff style videos talking about tools, shop things, etc,.:)

  15. thanks for overcoming the confusion that strikes to a beginner DIYer in choosing the right tools.. great video 👍

  16. nice video. Im not in the market, i am at the advanced tool stage now, but since i moved countries 5 years ago, and kinda left everything to my dad and brother to divide, i had to start over.

    First things i bought were :

    corded Hammer/impact drill (for drilling in concrete walls)
    Cordless Power drill
    Jigsaw.

    After that i bought a circular saw, and an orbit-sander. (but i think a belt sander would have been smarter in hindsight)
    then i acquired a router.

    The router really meant my projects went ‘level up’ due to much better finishing.

    A good compressor is also very advisable for a gazillion little cleaning jobs, even if it is not strong enough to run air-tools. (but i went straight for a big powerfull one, to make sure i could use air tools for my vehicles.

  17. Good video for a lady who doesn’t use tools for fear of breaking a nail (finger nail, fools) and doesn’t know dick about tools. If you have a penis, don’t waste time watching this.

    1. President Trump must pass a law prohibiting woman from using powertools because they dangerous women are not the powertools!

  18. I don’t know whether he’s going to sell it or not, but I’d get Woody Hyezmar’s book before he does. It has some good plans, others not so good, but it’s something to work with at least:)

  19. Just came over here after watching you and Brad. This is just the kind of video I was looking for. I bought a cheap cordless drill (Hubby said it would work fine). It could barely drill a hole through some thin wood. Will be buying something better. I have a question that maybe you can help me with. I found a band saw that someone threw out. The motor runs, but the blade moves very very slow. I was told that if I just clean and oil it, that it should work fine.Also, it probably needs a new blade. What do you think? Thanks and just subscribed.

    1. +homesteadonomics Thanks for the advice. I wasn’t sure if it would be worth buying a new blade. I don’t mind spending time on it. At the very least like you said, I’ll learn something!

    2. +LINDA BROWN Hi Linda! It’s sounds like the saw is bound up or the motor has bad bearings or something that is not lubricated properly. I would definitely try to clean it up and see if you can resurrect it. Blades aren’t too expensive and if you spend a few hours on it and can’t get it working… then at least you’re only out time… but will have gotten good experience in playing with the motor components of the saw. Anyways, hope that helps and thanks for subscribing Linda! I hope you’ll find some useful info here:)

  20. thanks for the video. you covered your tool list and purchasing options, but I would like to hear your opinions on where it makes the most sense to spend the money. I.e. which tools are you best off buying new vs refurbished vs used

    1. +hdjc86 interesting idea.. I’ll have to think about it a bit. It’ll ultimately depend on the tool and the situation. Used can range a lot depending on how much it was used and taken care of. Most larger corded tools I’d say used should be fine… but like battery operated tools, i’d rather have a new one as the batteries will be fresh and not worn out like used ones. Anyways, hope that quick answer gives you some ideas and maybe I’ll do more on a followup video:)
      Joe

  21. Thanks for your videos and work Joe. I was wondering if you built the workbench on which you displayed the tools in this video. I noticed in other videos you were able to drop in your chop saw and I’d like to build a work bench like that at some point. Thanks again!

    1. +homesteadonomics Thanks Joe…I’m not sure why I missed that! Love your channel and great work on the sunken green house…also built your grow light set up which was a great idea. You’re keeping me inspired!!

    2. +Josh Yates Hi Josh… I have a work bench tour video… just go to my channel page and click the videos tab and you’ll see it right by this video:)
      Joe

  22. Wow, I actually collected all of those tools in the last year or so.  The next one I want to buy is an angle grinder since I saw you cut sheet metal like butter in another video.  Must get one!  Tin snips are the worst.

    1. +daizy A Yes, an angle grinder is pretty darn useful to cut a lot of different metals and totally beats snips! Thanks for watching Daizy!

  23. Very informative as usual Joe…..i need not even say good job at this point, keep em comin’! 👍

    1. +gavin murray Thanks Gavin! I’m hoping to do another one like this on the non-power tools… but I’m still figuring what might be a good start to focus on… as well as being up to my ears digging a hole for a sunken greenhouse…lol! More work than I figured;)
      Joe

  24. wish i could give this vid 2 thumbs up.. great info.. am certainly interested in part 2.. thank you for the great info

    1. +lisa norwood Thanks Lisa! I’m thinking about part 2 for sure… just gotta figure out what are the most useful tools that I have and can present well 🙂
      Joe

    1. +Ted Alexander Thanks so much Ted! I was expecting more push back from the ‘brand’ nerds but so far the feedback has been pretty positive.
      Joe

  25. Now THIS is very valuable info that I need.  Thanks for another great video! 🙂 Also, I think “UK Tony” has a very good request!  Thanks for all you share with everyone!

    1. +MM X3 Thanks so much MMx3! I’ll have to see what fits the bill, but I think they are great ideas as well:)

  26. Joe – Great video as always. Two follow up videos required being most useful hand tools for the home owner plus outdoor tools such as strimmers, mowers, spades etc for the garden. Looking forward to a lot more of your videos in 2016. Best wishes from your UK fans.

    1. +UK Tony Thanks Tony! I think those are great ideas…. I hope to be very productive in 2016 for sure! Thanks for the well wished sir… it’s you guys that make the videos even worth doing:)
      Joe

  27. I have several of the Ryobi One series tools too.  Any good recommendations for what to do with the six chargers you end up with?  Just line them up and use them all?

    1. +Jeb Gardener yep, they can build up for sure…lol! But I’m not too bad as my wife got me the 6 pc Ryobi set and it only came with one charger so I’m good there. But I guess you’ll always have a spare… or if you took some of the excess housing off of them and mounted a couple in a DIY charging station. Might be a cool project and functional for those bigger projects where you might need to recharge two batteries at a time:)
      Joe

    1. +Blackberry Hideout Thanks Jess! There are lots of different options out there and some that might be better but I really wanted to make this selection good for all… with budget and space considerations for anybody to ‘get in the game’!

  28. I always buy the best tool I can afford at the time. I can always Craigslist it later and upgrade. For people just starting out I’d say stay away from anything “professional” until you know for sure you’re committed to using, and caring for, the tools. Learning how to take care of them is just as important as learning how to use them. Keeping blades/cutters sharp, bearings lubricated, keeping them clean and properly tuned. There’s far more to tools than buying and using…

    1. Kudos for the video content! Excuse me for chiming in, I would appreciate your opinion. Have you tried – Rozardner Successful Handyman Reality (should be on google have a look)? It is an awesome one of a kind product for how to start a handyman business minus the headache. Ive heard some super things about it and my close friend Aubrey finally got amazing results with it.

    2. Nice Video! Apologies for chiming in, I would appreciate your opinion. Have you ever tried – Rozardner Successful Handyman Reality (Have a quick look on google cant remember the place now)? It is a good one off guide for how to start a handyman business minus the normal expense. Ive heard some super things about it and my BF got amazing success with it.

    3. @homesteadonomics I saw a guy try to force a sheet of plywood through a tables with the blade on backwards. It’s amazing how well a determined person can be when they don’t think there’s a problem… 

    4. +Tracy Luegge Yes, I totally agree. And for certain regarding maintaining and caring for the tools! I’ve seen people trudging through wood with a dulled out table saw blade by just pushing and pushing… and I just can’t help but thinking… ‘when is that motor gonna burn out?” … kinda like driving with one foot on the accelerator and one on the brake..lol!
      Joe

  29. Great video Joe! I quite agree with all the info you’ve put forth here. I still need a reciprocating saw, as they are so very useful! Cheers!

    1. +Canadian Sasquatch Yes, the reciprocating saw is pretty multipurpose for sure… I’d actually check into the harbor freight one that is corded… you’ll spend about $24 bucks and it’s not to bad overall:)

  30. Wish I could keep my garage that clean. I swear my counter tops are magnetic, all kinds of stuff are attracted to them. Your shop looks like a great place to tackle projects. 😎

    1. +my2cents0 haha… you just never get to see what the tops of the workbench looked like about an hour before the video…lol! Trust me, mine are magnetic too:)
      Joe

  31. Good list. I’m surprised, there are actually 3 tools on your list that I don’t have: Dremmel, oscillating saw and the belt sander. I use a cheap miter saw in almost every project, but as you said, the circular saw can perform almost all of the same functions.

    1. +How To Fix It Workshop Thanks Josh! I agree about the miter saw, as I use it in almost every one of my projects… as well as a table taw. But I was trying to go for the most bang for the buck option:) But I’m thinking of doing a followup on some of the bigger, more expensive tools….that is of course if I don’t get hammered to hard on this video…lol! Thanks for watching Josh and again, great job on the headboard:)
      Joe

  32. Nice video!! I just bought a Ryobi circular saw it seems decent.I will hopefully get an impact driver next,the Ryobi is the most reasonably priced.What table saw do you use?

    1. +BCdesign Thanks.. I like them as well… not the mercedes of tool brands, but they’ve been great for me. I figure if a cut is clean, it really doesn’t matter if it was made with a festtool or dewalt… or with a piece of junk yard sale saw:)  
      As for my table saw… it’s a used Ryobi bt3100 that I got off of craigslist for $150. Again, not fancy but it does the trick.

      btw… i just saw that your pallet challenge gift box was up to almost 30K views…awesome work! I really liked that one a lot:)
      Joe

  33. I am in the market and this video was very helpful. I have a lot of projects I’m going to attempt to do myself around the house because money is tight so thanks a lot.

    1. +Reginald Roberts Thanks Reginald, I’m glad you got some good info out of it. I’m certainly not an expert in the matter but this is essentially the tools that I started with and have been able to accomplish a lot in the past several years with them. Obviously you’ll end up buying other tools too that might work better for certain tasks but I think these core tools will ‘get you in the game’:)

      Thanks for watching!
      Joe

  34. parabens admiro seus videos!! vc nao imagina a inveja q tenho de vcs americanos q tem ferramentas de qualidade e com preço acessivel. enquanto nos sofremos aki no brasil

    1. +marcelo borges Muito obrigado … somos abençoados com boas ferramentas acessíveis. Mas as ferramentas utilizadas são sempre uma ótima opção como bem e são uma grande parte do que eu uso 🙂 Outra opção seria a de entrar com alguns amigos em uma compra de ferramenta de os EUA onde você pode combinar o transporte e obter uma taxa melhor. Espero que ajude e obrigado por assistir 🙂
      Joe

  35. Big fan of Ryobi huh? Have you tried any Milwaukee brand tools? I’ve got a carpenter buddy who swears by them, he’ll only use Milwaukee circular saws.

    1. +rtf709 nope.. they just fit in my price range:) I don’t have brand allegiances, just basically what fits in the budget at the time. I have heard great things about Milwaukee though:) But for now, so long as they do the job, I’m happy with them. Thanks for watching RTF!
      Joe

    1. +homesteadonomics some people are petty and will try to put you down because of your success,i only have a little channel and have started getting the odd snide comment.I think YouTube should remove the thumbs down or let you see who thumbed it down

    2. +Kestrel hahaha… some people are just hard to please I guess:) But it was funny when I saw it within the first 2 minutes of posting it…lol… they literally hadn’t even had a chance to watch more than a minute or two..? Who knows? Anyways, thanks for watching Kestrel!
      Joe

    1. +uKNOWuLIKE that haha… I’d love to but I’m sure they have some bigger fish they’d rather have promoting their tools than me…lol

  36. it might be useful to point out that when you choose a cordless tool it MUST be a li-ion. it isn’t a big deal if you already own ni-cad tools, but if you buy them new you should always buy li-ion

    1. +G.Work.Specials Definitely a good piont GWS! I like the li-ion batteries for sure…. they’ve been really good for me so far:) Thanks for watching and the great tip!
      Joe

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