Best Tool Sets of 2023 (Our Top Picks)

Tool sets come in all shapes and sizes, with some including standard hand tools and others including tools specific to certain projects like woodworking and gardening. To help you find the right kit for your home improvement projects, the This Old House Reviews team researched the best tool sets on Amazon. Keep reading to learn about our recommendations and how to choose a set that’s best for you. You can also check out our tools buying guide for more helpful info for building your tool set.

Top 11 Tool Sets

• DEWALT Mechanics Tool Set
• DEWALT Combo Kit
• Craftsman Mechanics Tool Set
• DEWALT Cordless Drill Combo Kit
• Craftsman V20 Cordless Drill Combo Kit
• Apollo Tools DT9706 Original 39-Piece General Repair Hand Tool Set
• Cartman 148-Piece Tool Set
• WORKPRO 408-Piece Mechanics Tool Set
• Taiker 49-Piece Garden Tools Set
• Scuddles Garden Tools Set
• JUMPHIGH Garden Tools Set

DEWALT Mechanics Tool Set

What Customers Are Saying

This tool set for mechanics received overwhelmingly positive feedback from customers who said that the tools were well-made, well-priced, and held up to demanding tasks in the garage and around their homes. They also liked the variety of tools included in the set. The primary critical feedback customers had about the tool set was in its flimsy plastic blow mold case, which made some of the sockets difficult to remove.

DEWALT Combo Power Tool Kit

What Customers Are Saying

The majority of customers who reviewed this combination power tool kit from DEWALT gave the product a four or five-star review, highlighting the set’s versatility, power, battery life, and overall utility in and around the home. Reviews with three stars or less criticized the quality of the circular saw, which bogged down for certain users during otherwise routine cuts.

Craftsman Mechanics Tool Set

What Customers Are Saying

Though this tool set is designed for mechanics, homeowners and customers of all kinds found use in each of the 135 included pieces. Positively, they liked the solid feel of the tools and included lifetime warranty from the manufacturer. Negatively, customers were missing various pieces of the 135-piece set, and the socket extension tool broke during the first use for one customer.

DEWALT Cordless Drill Combo Kit

What Customers Are Saying

Despite the high price tag of this comprehensive power tool set, satisfied customers said that the do-it-all value of the tool set justified its cost. They also highlighted the tool set’s 20-volt lithium-ion battery system, which made charging and powering each tool fast and easy. Alternatively, select customers thought that the included tools in the set were outdated compared to current models from DEWALT, detracting from the overall value of the set.

Craftsman Cordless Drill Combo Kit

What Customers Are Saying

Suitable for all drilling needs around the home, happy customers didn’t have to compromise between a power drill or an impact driver using this combination kit. Included in their four- and five-star reviews were the combo kit’s carrying bag, rapid charging system, and overall quality of the power tools. Conversely, some customers felt that the tools weren’t fit for heavy-duty use, and said that they felt too flimsy.

Apollo Tools 39-Piece Hand Tool Set

What Customers Are Saying

Overall, satisfied customers said that this simple but reasonably priced hand tool set came with durable tools that stood up to everyday use over the course of several months or years. They included that the tool set was the perfect starter kit for small jobs or new homeowners who wanted to tackle basic repairs around the home. Critically, some customers said that the tools felt cheap, and others said that the size of the tools was smaller than they expected.

Cartman 148-Piece Tool Set

What Customers Are Saying

Happy users of this 148-piece tool kit stated that the set was borderline overkill for general household repairs, but that the variety of tools lent itself to being prepared for nearly any fix around the home. Complaints about the tool set centered around its case, which customers said was cheap, flimsy, and wouldn’t snap closed easily.

WORKPRO 408-Piece Mechanics Tool Set

What Customers Are Saying

Customers who purchased and used this comprehensive mechanics tool set were primarily pleased with the durability and overall quality of the tools, leading to many four and five-star reviews. Those who weren’t totally satisfied with the tool set said that the dividers inside the tool box felt like a waste of space and that the quality of the tools themselves was sub-par.

Taiker 49-Piece Garden Tools Set

What Customers Are Saying

Avid at-home gardeners were impressed with how many items were included in this robust 49-piece garden tools set. In their positive reviews, they highlighted the set’s overall value and completeness to handle most standard gardening tasks, adding that the set made a great gift for friends or family members. Negatively, some customers complained that the set didn’t come with instructions, and others complained about a strange odor upon arrival.

Scuddles Garden Tools Set

What Customers Are Saying

Customers who purchased and reviewed this set of garden tools said that though it might not serve a professional gardener well, that it was a great set of tools for novice gardeners. They added that the included basket was well-made and the spades, gloves, cultivator, and other tools could handle everyday use. On the other hand, some users thought that the tools could only handle light-duty gardening work, stating that the tool set felt like more of a novelty set.

JUMPHIGH Garden Tools Set

What Customers Are Saying

Compared to other garden tool sets online, happy customers said that these tools were more decorative and added a fun visual flair to their gardening experience. Some customers who had issues with the set followed up and reported that the manufacturer offered great customer service. Critically, some users wished that the tools were slightly higher quality given the price of the tool set.

Types of Tool Sets

Most people think of hand tools when they think of a tool kit, but you can also purchase sets designed for specific tasks, like gardening, woodworking, or mechanical work.

Hand Tools

Hand tool sets come with essential tools like hammers and screwdrivers that you’ll need for projects around the home. Every homeowner should have at least one of these sets so that they don’t have to run to the store the next time they need to do a simple home repair.

Mechanic Tools

Mechanic tool kits usually consist of socket wrenches and regular wrenches of different sizes because those are the types of tools that mechanics use most frequently. Occasionally, you’ll find a mechanics tool set that also includes standard hand tools for a comprehensive two-in-one kit.

Power Tools

A set of power tools is useful for people who use drills, saws, and drivers frequently. The tools in these kits tend to be cordless, which limits their power, but it makes them more portable so that you can use them anywhere around the home.

Gardening Tools

This type of tool set is specific to the tasks you complete around your garden. It doesn’t overlap with any of the projects you would complete with the previous sets, but it does give you a variety of tools to help you tend to your garden.

Factors To Consider Before Buying a Tool Set

Keep reading to learn how your experience level, the intended use of a tool, and storage space will affect what kind of tool kit you should buy.

Experience Level

If you’re new to DIY projects, you may only need a tool kit with standard hand tools, like hammers and screwdrivers. If you’re more experienced and perform routine home improvement tasks, you may want a more comprehensive tool kit to supplement your basic tools at home.

Intended Use

If you plan on using your tool kit for specific home improvement projects, make sure that the kit has the right tools to help you accomplish those projects. For example, if you’re hanging a picture frame, you’ll probably want a tape measure to find the center point of the wall, a hammer to nail a fastener into the wall, and a leveler to make sure the picture is straight.

Storage Space

Tool kits don’t usually take up a lot of space, but if you have limited storage space in your garage or closets, look for a kit that’s smaller in size. Keep in mind that a smaller tool kit will limit the selection of tools that come with it.

Frequently Asked Questions

What tools are found in every basic hand tool kit?

Most basic tool kits will include the following items:

• A hammer
• A tape measure
• A screwdriver with different bits
• Scissors
• Pliers
• Allen wrenches

Are there tool kits that only contain certain types of tools?

Yes. You can buy tool kits that only contain pliers or only come with wrenches if you already have a basic tool kit and need a certain type of tool for a specific job.

Should I buy a tool kit from a well-known company?

Tool kits from well-known manufacturers, such as DEWALT or Craftsman, usually offer high-quality tools that last a long time. We included a mix of tool manufacturers in this review, but we made sure that the more complex woodworking tool sets and tools for mechanical work were from well-known companies like DEWALT and Craftsman.

Why Trust The This Old House Reviews Team

This Old House has empowered homeowners for more than four decades with top-notch home improvement content in the form of television programs, print media, and digital content on its website and social media platforms. The This Old House Reviews Team focuses on creating in-depth product and service review content to help inform your purchasing decision for just about any item or resource that you might need for your home. The This Old House Reviews Team has written over 1,000 reviews on products in the home space, from cordless drills to kitchen trash cans, lawn mowers, and dining room decorations.

We recommend products in each review using an intensive research process, spending hours combing through the best available models on Amazon. For a product to make our list of top picks, it must hold a solid sales record on Amazon, have consistently positive customer reviews, and offer unique features, among other factors. After narrowing down our list of recommendations, we conduct additional research and sometimes in-person testing to ensure that the products meet our standards. Once we conclude the research phase, we craft a well-rounded, user-friendly article that includes our recommended products and additional information to help homeowners like you make the right purchase.

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