The Best Power Tools to Gift Your Favorite DIYer.
Choosing the perfect gift for a DIY enthusiast who seems to already have every tool imaginable can be challenging. Whether you’re looking for something suitable for a beginner or an experienced crafter, all the options can seem overwhelming. As a seasoned home improvement enthusiast, as well as a skilled carpenter and cabinet maker, I’ve compiled a selection of tools I’d love to give this year.
The best tool to give as a gift this year.
My favorite drill and driver combo, the new Makita 18-volt LXT drill and driver combo, is the ultimate tool for anyone who loves DIY and construction. These tools feature an efficient cordless system that delivers longer runtime on a single charge. The drill in this combo delivers approximately 70% more torque than its predecessors, and the impact driver features variable speed control, allowing you to apply more force when working with harder materials and less force when working on more delicate projects. This combo makes a great gift, as it comes ready to use: an 18-volt impact drill, an 18-volt impact driver, a 2-amp-hour battery, a 5-amp-hour battery, and a charger.
Makita is known for producing the best cordless drills on the market, and its first cordless drill was introduced in 1969. These drills are still popular among professionals for their balance and wrist comfort. This set builds on that reputation by offering lightweight batteries that provide greater control.
The best gift option this year (second place on the list of the best).
The new 20-volt DeWalt oscillating multi-tool makes a great gift for any DIY enthusiast thanks to its versatility. This oscillating multi-tool can be used for everything from installing a sink to repairing drywall. The main improvement over its predecessor is that it has been redesigned to reduce vibration, making it more comfortable and safe to use. It also features a wider cutting radius and a brighter LED.
This kit makes a great gift because it includes everything you need to use it right out of the box, including a DeWalt 20-volt oscillating multi-tool, a compact 20-volt MAX battery, a charger, a Tool-Connect chip adapter, a high-speed wood blade, a wood and nail blade, a sanding pad, sandpaper, and a depth gauge.
DeWalt makes some of the best woodworking tools and is known for its durable and precise cutting tools.
The best tool for the home woodworker.
The Kreg Rebel 20-volt pocket hole jointing tool is a great gift for a woodworker, as it allows you to create precise joints in half the time. Kreg is known for producing high-quality jointing and straight-cutting templates, but this tool integrates the power tool into the template, making it much faster to align and drill pocket holes. The kit includes the jointing tool, a 4-amp-hour battery, a charger, an easy-adjust drill bit, and dust collection attachments.
I use Kreg jigs for furniture making, to quickly create hidden joints on frames and to build shelves, and this tool has been a game changer for all of those projects.
The best tool for the amateur car enthusiast.
DeWalt’s new 20-volt, heavy-duty, sealed-head ratchet set is an excellent choice for DIYers thanks to its unique adapter system. Interchangeable sleeves allow this set to be used with both ⅜-inch and ½-inch socket drivers. The mechanism that drives the socket driver is sealed against metal dust and debris, making it more durable than its predecessors.
The kit includes everything you need for immediate use. It includes a 20-volt cordless ratchet wrench, a 20-volt, 2-amp-hour battery, and a charger. This ratchet wrench is compact enough for oil changes and vehicle maintenance, yet powerful enough to remove stubborn bolts, such as those found on the outside of the HVAC filter access panel.
The best tool for beginners.
A cordless drill is a great place to start building a DIY tool kit. A Ryobi 18-volt cordless drill kit makes a great gift for a beginner, as it’s a high-quality tool that includes everything you need to get started, including a battery and drill bits. For everything from hanging pictures to changing air filters, a drill is an indispensable tool.
The kit includes an 18-volt drill, an 18-volt 1.5 amp-hour battery, a charger, a 40-piece drill bit set, and a tool bag.
The best tool for a person who has a home workshop.
The DeWalt 20-volt cordless/corded wet/dry vacuum is a great gift for a home workshop owner, as keeping a workshop clean and tidy is always a challenge. Sawdust can be dangerous because it’s flammable, so a construction vacuum is also a great gift for safety. This construction vacuum handles both wet and dry cleaning, making it ideal for cleaning a car or garage, as well as a workshop.
This is a tool-only vacuum cleaner, but it can be plugged into a power outlet and used without a battery. The vacuum cleaner comes with a hose, crevice tool, and HEPA filter.
The best handmade gift under $100.
The Klein digital laser level and angle meter can be used for a variety of purposes, from aligning a mounted TV to making precise cuts in woodworking. It’s a great gift for a DIYer of any skill level, and it can be a useful addition to even a well-equipped workshop.
This tool uses an internal electronic accelerometer instead of a bubble level to measure angles and determine level. This allows you to measure angles based on numerical values rather than a visual bubble, and also allows the level to determine angles from any starting point you choose.