Hand Tool Reviews

I LOVE this drill. It requires no cords or electricity. It's lightweight and simple to use. It's simply the handiest tool when you need to make a hole in most surfaces.

This is one of the most used tools I own. It is so much easier than hauling out the power drill. It does take some skill to use well but it is SO handy that it is worth the effort. I think I need another one so I have twice the chance of being able to find it. Mine is Yellow BTW.

We use this all the time for hanging pictures, repairing furniture, etc. It's easy to use, it's reliable and steady and is the perfect tool for anyone who needs a small drill for home projects. We considered buying a power drill when we bought our house a few years ago but we've found that this hand drill works fine for everything we do here.

After years of purchasing products on Amazon, this is the first review I've written.

The product arrived in 2 days after ordering. As explained in the product description, the handle is not included for shipping cost concerns. The directions include specifications for the best type of handle to get, which I easily found at Lowe's.

I followed the directions to install the product onto the handle, which took about 3 minutes, and took it out to the large orange tree in our backyard. The Twister is as efficient as your hand in terms of being able to manuver to the fruit you want to pick, and picks off easily.

The product appears to be make of durable parts. The parts that might wear over time should be replaceable.

All in all, this product is worthy of your attention.

We have a satsuma tree in our back yard & the fruit is high in the tree. The twister picker allows us to reach up through the thick branches & pick the small fruit without getting stuck by the big thorns. It works great & it's fun to use. We've been able to harvest more fruit from this tree since we have had the twister than ever before. We received it in record time & it had very good instructions with it.

I was a little worried that this product wasn't going to work the way the seller said it would. After trying it for 15 minutes, I find it works BETTER than he says it works. For the first time I have no bloody arms from reaching in to pick my lemons! This is a unique product and well worth the $25 and it should last for years. Can't wait to try it on my Persian limes...

As simplistic as the tool is it is hard to imagine surviving a day in the garden without the Hori-Hori. Solidly constructed it will withstand any punishment you deliver. With its slightly concave blade it will penetrate the most stubborn soils and pry up the most tenacious weeds with ease. The serrated edge cuts any roots blocking its path. The opposite edge is smooth but not sharp which allows carefree handling. The sheath has a belt loop for convienent carrying. I have also uncovered a larger version of the Hori-Hori with a total length of 14 inches. However this 11 inch model has performed quite nicely in my garden. Perhaps a bit overpriced considering the inexpensive vinyl sheath provided to house the Hori-Hori but overall a worthwhile investment.

When I'm in the Garden wielding my hari hari knife I feel like a super hero in an action movie.

Digs any kind of holes in any kind of soil easily. Best dandelion digger in the world. I've lost two and replaced them as soon as I finished searching. Paint the handle red!

I'm glad I didn't buy the Porter-Cable 18 gage brad nailer kit from Home Depot.

Instead, I spent the additional $$$ at The Building Box in Mississauga, Ontario for this well-rounded kit to install our primed MDF 4-1/2" crown moulding project this Spring. This kit cost me $$$ plus 15% taxes. I guess to keep the price low, Porter-Cable outfitted this kit with their 135 psi pancake compressor, rather than their 150 psi compressor which is sold with their 18 gage brad nailer kit.

The positives of the kit are;

1) The 17 piece accessory kit with the pistol grip blower,
2) The gun has a balanced and quality feel,
3) Easy to load gun,
4) Easy to clear jammed nails,
5) Shorter and more streamlined design of gun,
6) Enough power to countersink a 2-1/2" nail into red oak,
7) Portable and reasonably light-weight compressor,
8) Very good sight line of nailing surface,
9) Value purchase.

The negatives of this kit are;

1) Noisy compressor,
2) Gun does not warn user when it runs out of nails,
3) Should have provided 2-1/2" nails, rather than the 2" nails,
4) Compressor's auto on/off lever can dislodge from the switch assembly when the lever is pushed/pulled at the wrong angle,
5) Must order the free black coloured trigger separately,
6) The gun will at the odd time spall the MDF moulding surface at the nail's point of entry (which means more caulking).

Here's the deal ...

Do you want a small, safe, easy to use, out of the box compressor / finisher kit. Do you plan on spending the [money] it would cost to piece meal this deal together? Drop the [money] and pick one of these up.

Setup - 5 stars
Ease of use - 5 stars
Noise - 3 Stars
Standard Equipment - 5 stars
Nailing in 20 minutes from opening the box - 5 stars

In a nutshell, if your a homowner with a gift for home improvement, you'll use this unit. Fill up your car tires, the kids bikes, blow out the garage, and of course nailing stuff to the wall...

I'm puting in a harwood floor this weekend and It'll go in like cake. Tested it out on some 1/4 round ... no splitting. goes straight through a 2x4 no problem. Noisy? Stick the compressor outside and use the 25 foot cord to maneuver around. It's the icing on the cake. Right up there with the table saw and the 12 inch Dewalt miter saw ...

Save your shopping time for fishing lures and just get this.

Purchased [online]. The compressor is light enough to move easily, but stays in place unless the floor has some kind of gloss finish. The nailer is light-wieght, easy to hold overhead, the exhaust duct is easy to direct and the nail depth is simple and stays in place. The DeWalt guns are nicer (more substantial feeling and heavier guage nails), but a DeWalt 15g costs as much as the whole PC kit. Trigger trip point fluctuates a little, and it's pretty easy to double nail a spot if you pull too slowly. But other than that it's a wonderful tool and a great value.

Every time I need to use a handsaw, this is my favorite one to use. It cuts faster than a regular handsaw & with less effort.
It must be because it cuts on the pull stroke. I used to always get frustrated using a regular saw that cuts on the push stroke & having the blade to bend & bow. Highly recommended!

Light, sharp, easy to use -- you can't run out of good things to say about this great saw. The thin blade cuts through wood, particleboard, PVC, whatever -- with virtually no effort. And the pull saw is very easy to control to get precise cuts with minimal effort. I like this saw so much I often find myself using it instead of my circular saw. A perfect tool.

Cut on the pull, easy blade replaceent and high quality construction.

I'm new to nail sets but I bought these forlike $8, the otherday a saw Stanley nail sets for $5 but they were not color coded. If you ask me spending an extra $10 for the color coded ones would be worth it. I use this set every week and it is simple to determine whichone I need everytime thanks to the colors.

these sets work great and function well. It is hard to screw up a set of nail sets. these are just fine.

I replaced my old Stanley nail sets with these and have not regretted it one bit. Though my old set was reliable and very good quality (good steel, through and through) these are much more pleasant to use. The cushioned handles are much easier to hold in wet or sweaty hands and MUCH easier to find in a crowded tool box or tool belt pouch. Also, by having three different colors it is easier to remember which is which! Lastly, though this is not a big deal, I prefer these because they won't discolor as much as my old set did over time (due to the coating).

Basically they are inexpensive and a joy to use!

Klein has long been the standard in the electrician's tool industry. These are pretty darn good pliers.

HOWEVER, personally, I've switched to Bahco pliers. Unfortunately (or not, depending on how you feel about them), Bahco has been bought out by Snap-On. Still, they have retained their unique designs. Bahco's handles are MUCH more comfortable, and the tool just stays in your hand better. Everybody is making the high-leverage joint now, that's standard. But Bahco's teeth are cut better, the hardening is better, and the handle is so many miles ahead of the Kleins it's not really even a comparison.

Still, the Kleins are easy to find, and can be had relatively cheaply. For the money, they're pretty darn good, but for the best, I'd get a set of Bahcos. They may not be on your company's approved list, and that's about the only downsided to them. Klein is approved by everyone, and used by very large companies, like Qwest.

I seriously would be embaressed to be caught doing electrical work with any other dikes (lineman's, your choice). It's not so much about caring what other people think, but these are absolutely the best pair of dikes you can buy. I've even had tile guys and masons look at them and tell me that Klein makes the best pair. Buy these pliers if you don't own already own a pair and plan on ever coming close to a piece of electron carrying media.

Klein linemans are the best, and most everybody I know in construction uses Kleins. Klein actually makes 2 flavors, one style is the standard cutters and the other has the ASCR cutters, which are much harder and don't dull out as quickly. If you want more comfort I'd get the plastic handles, though. They are much better than the vinyl ones, and offer a bit more protection than the vinyl. The handles come in 9" and 7".

For me, the main reason to purchase this tool set was to build the Costco SUNRAY playground playset in my backyard.

As a new homeowner myself, I did not have any tools. And this is the list of the Required tools from Costco for building the playset:

Tape measure, Carpenters level, Claw hammer, Wood clamp,
Standard cordless drill with medium Phillips bit,
1/4" and 3/8" ratchet,
1/4", 7/16", 1/8" drill bit,
7/16", 1/2", 9/16" deep well socket,
9/16" box wrench.

I expected to spend two hundred dollars in Homedepot to have the complete set. Luckily I checked Amazon first and found the Allied 39025 tool set.
Sixty dollars and three days later, I have almost every tools I need.

I am no expert on tools, but after three days of intensive use, I feel this tool set is very solid, especially taking consideration of the value.
The drill is very powerful too.

If there is anything more I'd hope for, it would be an extra battery. But with the current price, I have no complain.

...SO if you are paid to put wooden things together, fix plastic things or do any of that jazz on a daily basis, then you should know better. Much better.

For someone like me, however, who occasionally puts cupboards and wardrobes from Ikea together, this kit is simply the best value for money I could find online and offline.

I've had it for about 3 months and it still performs as new. The drill doesn't come with diamond crystalized drill bits to break into safes; it comes with bits to drill holes into dry wall and brick wall. And it does a great job.

The plastic casing supporting the tools/holding them in place, feels a bit cheap but that's about the only problem I can identify.

Here's why I was interested in this tool set and why it's pretty much perfect.

a) Hated having to search through a giant toolbox over & over on every project because everything is tossed on top of each other. EVERY tool, component, etc has its own slot and it's a nice tight fit so if you drop it, the 178 pieces do not fall into one giant heap of tools, sockets, etc ...

b) While quality is important, if tools are just tools to you and you don't need/want a $1,000 tool set - these might not last three generations but they are all solid and work great and at a price where I don't have to worry about if people might make off with some tiny wrench.

c) No real compromises on what you get. Unlike other sets, it not missing some main tool. This one has a screwdriver, wrench, plier, crescent wrench set, hammer, saw, etc, etc ... not to mention the cordless drill. Look at the ZOOM photo - and unlike other sets where 100 screws count as part of a "115-set" tool kit, 99.5% of what you get are actual tools or actual attachments to tools. (there are $1,000 tool sets without a hammer!)

d) the box is nice. It's not pretty but it's solid heavy plastic and the pieces require effort to get in each slot - again, that's actually a good thing as I've had sets that look pretty in the picture but if you drop the tool kit, all the pieces fall in a heap and no one really likes to pick through 50 socket heads to put everything back or the 'holder' is some flimsy plastic that yellows, cracks or just gives up the ghost. This is very solid.

There's even a little extra room in the middle when it's closed that you can keep gloves and a towel there.

About the only thing missing is that if the bolt is very long, the crescent wrench does not have an extender and you can't really reach the nut but that's pretty obscure - not to confuse anyone - there is an extender if the nut is merely a ways from your hand but not if the bolt is exessively long.

Other than that, finally a set that will serve 99.9% of your average home, car and even some computer repair use (it has torx and even a tool/magnet retriever if you drop a screw somewhere) - ALL solidly built in a solidly built case with a slot for EVERYTHING. And of course, a great price also! It's excellent!

Like other reviewers, I've found this item to be quite a little gem. The large side pocket is deep and has more than enough space to carry nails, screws, hardware, etc. However, there are only two small slot-type pockets for screwdrivers and other small tools. If it had a couple more, it would be worth 5 stars.

Have one and love it.

Best feature is the velcro bellows bag. Holds a full bag of cable nail straps (for romex) and opens wide for easy access. The velcro seals tightly with no leakage, even when the ladder is folded up and tossed in the truck. I usually demonstrate this feature by climbing down, slapping the pocket closed, folding up the ladder, and then turning the whole thing upside down and shaking. No spillage.

The second best feature is the drill holster. Holds securely even without the strap fastened. Easy in/out even with long bits or drivers.

Having hammer loops on both sides is very handy. I don't lay tools on the top of the ladder because I usually forget and don't like getting thumped in the head when I move the ladder. The hammer loops are stiff so they don't collapse and trap the hammer handle.

These features turn the step ladder into a mobile workbench.

This is one of those "gadgets" that you think you can live without, until you actually see one! I use mine at work everyday, and constantly have electrcians, plumbers, HVAC, and even carpenters ask me where I got it. No one cares how much, becuase they see the value from the start. Makes it very easy to bring to the job exactly what I need, but not be dragged down by a heavy tool belt. Make sure you put your name on it, because it may walk off.

I had went thru about three craftsman saws when I decided to purchase a unisaw. I had held back sometime because of the cost.
When I started using it I knew why there was a difference in cost factor. I also wondered how my old saw was rated at 3 HP,when there is no comparison between it and the 3 HP unisaw. It was like changing from from a model T Ford to a new Cad. What a difference! I highly recommend spending a few more dollars and getting what you really want. Very satified with it and wished I had purchased it sooner.

In the three years that I've had the saw, I can't find one complaint. It's been up to the task on every occasion. I routinely rip and crosscut 8/4 oak, rock maple, and old growth locust - (the hardest wood that I've encountered), without a glitch. If you keep your blades clean, all that you'll hear from these saws is that familiar whistle that the blade makes when powered up. It seems to be saying, "Bring it"! What amazes me most is the lack of run out. To date, I haven't measured any. My dado set keeps advising me of it & I shim using their recommended sizes, but always end up with dado's that are too tight. This is a very precise machine. To any one considering the 36-821 Unisaw, I would highly recommend it. However, after your purchase, don't be too anxious to discard the blade guard. I've recently reinstalled mine to improve the performance of my dust collector. What a difference, who would have guessed that it's possible to run MDF without choking. The splitter also keeps the cut stock tight to the back of the fence. Thus, eliminating that left turn that long stock likes to make towards the back of the blade after being cut.

When guys like "Norm" and others recommend the Unisaw, they are not kidding about how nice and smooth they cut compared to contractor type saws. Unisaws and all cabinet/type table saws are made for woodworkers. You can balance a nickle on it's edge, turn the saw on, shut it down, turn it on again - the nickle doesn't fall over. It's that smooth. I expect that most all cabinet saws are this good - I really don't know. The reason I like and recommend the Unisaw is that they are pretty much unchanged as far as internal parts are concerned. In other words, if your 1950 model Unisaw needs a new trunion - chances are it's still in stock. This tool definately falls into that category of "expensive but worth it."