20 Essential Power Tools for Your Next DIY Project

Homeowners and DIY enthusiasts alike know how important it is to have the right tools on hand. Doing a job, project, or repair with the wrong tool can lead to hours of wasted time and frustration.

That’s why we’ve put together this list of our top 20 power tools for homeowners. Whether you’re looking for a specific type of drill, saw, or sander – we’ve got you covered!

1. Drill

When it comes to making round holes in a variety of materials, there’s no better tool than a drill. Fitted with a bit, a drill can be used to originate or enlarging circular holes in solid material. And with the many different types of bits available, you can use a drill for just about any drilling application.

Some drills also come with a driver chuck, which allows you to use the drill as a power screwdriver. This can come in handy for tightening or loosening screws on furniture, appliances, and other household items.

For heavier-duty drilling applications, a drill press may be a better option. Drill presses are stationary drills that can be fed into rotating work or the work can rotate in opposite directions.

Cordless drill examples:

2. Nail Gun

If you need to drive nails into wood or other materials, the nail gun is a great option. The tool is easy to use, lightweight, and very powerful. You can drive nails in with almost no effort at all.

There are two different types of nail guns: pneumatic and electric. Pneumatic nail guns use compressed air to drive nails into the material, while electric nail guns use a battery to drive nails.

Nail gun examples:

3. Shop-Vac

A shop vac is a special kind of vacuum that is common in woodworking and construction. It features a strong motor and suction unit which helps suck up dirt from building sites and woodworking shops. They also have a big hose and canister, making them perfect for cleaning dirty spaces.

Shop-vacs are also great for smaller DIY projects. For example, if you’re refinishing a piece of furniture, the shop-vac can help you clean up all the sawdust and wood chips that are generated during the process.

Shop Vac examples:

4. Circular Saw

Next on our list is the circular saw. Circular saws are great for cutting large pieces of wood or other materials, like plywood and OSB board. They can also cut through metal sheets with ease.

Circular saws feature a blade that is fitted to an arbor (the shaft on which it rotates). Some larger models have adjustable blades allowing you to make bevel cuts.

There are two main types of circular saws: sidewinder and worm drive. Sidewinders are the most popular type, and they feature a motor that is located on the side of the blade. Worm drives have a motor that is located at the back of the blade, and they are typically used for more heavy-duty applications.

Circular saw examples:

Also read: 7 Best Circular Saws with Dust Collection System

5. Scroll Saw

Another saw that can come in handy for DIY projects is the scroll saw. Scroll saws are small electric or pedal-operated saws that are used to cut intricate curves in wood, metal, or other materials.

Scroll saws can range in price from around $100 to $2000, depending on the brand and model. Some popular models include:

6. Rotary Tool

A rotary tool is a handheld power tool that uses a fast-spinning motor tip to grind, sand, hone, and polish various materials. They are commonly used in woodworking, metalworking, and construction.

Rotary tools come in a variety of shapes and sizes and are powered by either electric or pneumatic motors. They are typically fitted with a variety of attachments (such as grinding stones, sanding drums, and polishing pads) that allow them to be used for a wide range of tasks.

Some popular models include the Dremel Lite 7760 and the WEN 23190.

7. Router

A router is a woodworking tool that is used to rout out an area in hard material, such as wood or plastic. It can also be used to make cutouts, duplicates from a pattern, sharp edges, cut joints, and decorative surface cuts. Routers are most often used in woodworking, especially cabinetry.

There are three main types of routers: fixed-base, plunge, and combo. Fixed-base routers are the most common type and have a base that doesn’t move.

Plunge routers have a base that can be moved up and down to allow the router bit to be inserted into the material at different depths. Combo routers are a combination of the two previous types and can be used as both a fixed-base or plunge router.

Some popular models of routers include:

8. Oscillating Tool

An oscillating tool, also known as a multi-tool, is a handheld power tool that uses a fast-spinning motor tip to grind, sand, hone, and polish various materials.

It can be used for a wide variety of tasks, such as trimming door casings, sanding the wood smooth, removing old paint, grinding out the grout, and scraping up adhesives.

Oscillating tool examples:

9. Lathe

Lathes can be used for a variety of tasks, such as cutting, sanding, knurling, drilling, deformation, facing, and turning. They can also be used to remove unwanted parts of the material.

Lathes are typically powered by electric or hydraulic motors. The workpiece is held in place by a chuck or collet, and the operator uses tools (such as chisels, cutters, and drills) to perform the desired operations.

Lathes can range in price from around $600 to $4000, depending on the brand and model. Some popular models include:

More info: 7 Best Wood Lathes for Turning Bowls

10. Heat Gun

A heat gun is a device that emits a stream of hot air, usually at temperatures between 100 °C and 550 °C. It can be used for a variety of tasks, such as removing paint and wallpaper, heating and bending plastics, and softening glue and adhesive.

It can also be used for thawing frozen pipes in the winter and for shrink wrapping.

Some popular heat gun models include:

11. Biscuit Joiner

A biscuit joiner, also known as a plate joiner, is a woodworking tool used to join two pieces of wood together. It is used to cut a crescent-shaped hole in the opposite edges of two pieces of wood or wood composite panels.

The hole is then used to insert a biscuit (a small, thin, crescent-shaped piece of wood) which helps to reinforce the joint and prevent it from coming apart.

Biscuit joiners can also be used to cut notches in both pieces of wood, you wish to join. This allows the biscuits to fit into the notches and help to keep the joint aligned.

Some popular models of biscuit joiners:

13. Table Saw

A table saw is a saw that has been mounted under a table surface, driven by an electric motor. It is most commonly used to cut larger boards into smaller ones, but can also be used for ripping, crosscutting, and cutting joints.

The main benefit of a table saw is its precision. It can easily cut straight lines with a high degree of accuracy. Table saws are also very versatile and can be used for a variety of tasks.

Table saws are available in both portable and stationary models. Stationary models are typically larger and more expensive but offer a higher level of precision. Portable models are smaller and less expensive but can be less accurate.

There are four types of table saw blades: rip blades, carbide-tipped blades, crosscut blades, and combination blades.

Rip blades are designed for cutting along the grain of the wood. They have a thicker blade and a shorter tooth count, which allows them to cut quickly and smoothly through the wood.

Carbide-tipped blades are designed for cutting metal. They have a special coating that helps them to stay sharp longer and makes them less likely to chip or break.

Crosscut blades are designed for cutting across the grain of the wood. They have a thinner blade and more teeth than rip blades, which allows them to cut cleanly and smoothly through the wood.

Combination blades are a combination of rip and crosscut blades. They have a thicker blade than crosscut blades and more teeth than rip blades. This allows them to cut both along the grain of the wood and across it.

Table saw examples:

Also read: 10 Best Portable Table Saws for Fine Woodworking

14. Reciprocating Saw

A reciprocating saw, also known as a Sawzall saw, is a handheld electric saw with a blade that moves in a backward or forward cutting motion.

It is commonly used for demolition and remodeling. It can be used to cut through many types of materials such as wood, metal, drywall, PVC, and nails.

Some popular models of reciprocating saws include:

15. Miter Saw

A miter saw is a saw that is used to make quick, accurate crosscuts in a workpiece at a selected angle. It can be used to make angled cuts for molding, trim work, rafters, and other general carpentry applications.

There are four types of miter saw blades: standard blades, thin-kerf blades, bi-metal blades, and carbide-tipped blades.

Standard blades are designed for general purpose cutting. They have a medium tooth count and can be used for most types of woodcutting.

Thin-kerf blades are designed to reduce the amount of material that is removed during a cut, which reduces the amount of heat that is generated. This reduces wear and tear on saw components, which can help to extend tool life. They are typically used for cutting hardwoods or plywood materials.

Bi-metal blades are designed for use with sheet metals such as aluminum, brass, copper, etc. They have a high tooth count to provide extra strength and durability.

Carbide-tipped blades are designed for cutting metal. They have a special coating that helps them to stay sharp longer and makes them less likely to chip or break.

Miter saw examples:

16. Belt Sander

A belt sander is a tool that is used for shaping and finishing wood and other materials. It consists of an electric motor that turns a pair of drums on which a continuous loop of sandpaper is mounted.

Belt sanders can be used to sand very rough surfaces and level surfaces. For example, if you are replacing a board on a hardwood floor, you can use a belt sander to sand down the surface of the old board so that the new board will be level with the rest of the floor.

Belt sander examples:

Also read: 10 Best Belt Sanders for Deck Refinishing

17. Random orbital sander

A random orbital sander is a hand-held power tool that sands in a random-orbit action. This means that the sandpaper is not rotated in a circular motion, but instead, it moves in an elliptical or random pattern.

The benefits of using a random orbital sander are that it produces a smooth finish, it is excellent at removing material, and it causes less hand fatigue than other types of sanders.

Random orbital sanders can be used to sand rough metal, wood, or plastic surfaces. They can also be used to remove paint or rust.

Random orbital sander examples:

18. Jigsaw

A jigsaw is a power tool that uses a reciprocating blade to cut irregular curves. It is a handheld saw that is typically used to cut wood, especially softwood. Jigsaws can also be used to cut and shape tile.

The benefits of using a jigsaw are that it is portable, efficient at creating curvy lines, and can use a wide variety of interchangeable blades.

Jigsaw examples:

Also read: 10 Best Jigsaws for Cutting Curves

19. Chainsaw

A chainsaw is a motorized saw that is used to cut wood. It consists of a chain that moves around a guide bar and is used to cut through the wood.

Chainsaws are typically used to cut down trees, but they can also be used to cut lumber, trim hedges, and more.

The benefits of using a chainsaw are that they allow you to power through wood quickly and easily. They can be used for large projects as well as small ones.

Chainsaw examples:

20. Angle Grinder

An angle grinder is a power tool that consists of an electric motor inside the body and a round disc (wheel) at one end. It is used to grind down or remove material from a surface.

Angle grinders are commonly used to remove rust, weld seams, and shape metal. They can also be used to sand wood, plastic, and other materials.

Angle grinder examples:

Conclusion

When it comes to DIY projects, having the right power tools can make all the difference. In this article, we have listed 20 essential power tools that every homeowner should have in their toolbox.

We have also provided a brief description of each tool so that you can decide which ones are best for your needs. Whether you are looking to do some basic carpentry work or need a tool for more heavy-duty tasks, we have you covered.