Hand Tool Reviews & Buying Guides

Hand tools make up a large portion of the equipment we carry every day. Pro Tool reviews pays close attention to recent innovations. Our hand tool reviews include knives & cutting tools, wrenches, chisels, fastening tools, hammers, and more. These hand tools covers the gamut from one end of the industry to another. Possibly our favorite series is our best framing hammer review. In that head-to-head review we compared nine popular models. This type of comparison isn’t always possible, but we do test out these tools on the jobsite. Hand Tool Reviews for the Pro Tradesman This is also where you’ll find popular lighting products and even folding knives from Kershaw, CRKT, and Zero Tolerance. We try to review as many of these types of tools as possible. This helps us remain a leader in reporting industry trends. This is particularly important when manufacturers add new features or make tweaks to their products. Sometimes they revamp an entire line. Other times they include something that only slightly improves a hand tool over a previous model. It all adds up.

Irwin 15 inch Universal Handsaw Review

Irwin 15 inch Universal Handsaw Review

The new Irwin 15 inch Universal Handsaw is a departure from the standard hand saw since it can deliver faster cuts with less binding and works with many different kinds of materials. You can use it with PVC, vinyl, laminate flooring, as well as with both hard and soft woods. With a unique, patented tooth grind, this saw does a fine cut finish with a coarse saw cut speed.

Johnson Level 118000 Picture Perfect Level Review

Johnson Level 118000 Picture Perfect Level Review

So, you just hung something on the wall and you can’t get it quite straight. Chances are that you could probably use the Johnson Level 118000 Picture Perfect Level to get it just right. With this nifty little tool, you can quickly and easily get all your wall hangings perfectly level. This is the tool that, rather than keeping in a tool box out in the garage, should be in a drawer in the kitchen.

Johnson Level 1707-4800 level vials

Johnson Level 1707-4800 Glo-View Aluminum Box Level Review

The new Johnson Level 1707-4800 48-inch long Glo-View Heavy Duty Aluminum Box Level can definitely help you get things straight, even in a dimly lit room, thanks to its glow-in-the-dark level vial surrounds. The other feature of this level – one that is almost better than the glow-in-the-dark feature – is the domed level vial that offers 320 degree visibility. With a oversized aluminum box frame, precision machined edges and faces and large size hand holds, this level is a carpenter’s dream.

Benchmade 550HG Griptilian AXIS Locking Mechanism Knife Review

Benchmade 550HG Griptilian AXIS Locking Mechanism Knife Review

The Benchmade 550HG Griptilian Manual Lock Knife may come across as minimalist pocket knife to some but after spending some quality time with the tool, there are actually numerous features that make this knife a great choice for everyday carry. With an extremely gripable handle (hence its name), high quality hollow ground blade and a super safe, yet easy to use, locking mechanism, the Griptilian is a great performer.

Wolf Bench Paws kit

Wolf Bench Paws Non-Slip Friction Pad Review

I guess when you’re in Wyoming, big cats tend to be more on your forethoughts than the rest of the country. When Woodworker’s Supply set out to create a product that would hold products in place when being worked on, they used nature and came out with the Wolf Bench Paw. The product is literally made in the shape of a wolf’s paw and includes an elastomer pad that penetrates the polypropylene (plastic) shell to establish a grip that won’t peel off or pull away from the body.

Jointmaker Pro v2 Manual Table Saw Preview

Jointmaker Pro v2 Manual Table Saw Preview

This kind of product doesn’t come around all that often: a tool that makes it possible to do manually, something that we only thought really possible with electricity. Want to do some serious craftsmanship by hand for a special project? The new Jointmaker Pro v2 Manual Table Saw by Bridge City Tool Works is your solution. We immediately thought of third world country mission work, but the tool is actually a bit too refined and more suitable for detail and finish work than rough cuts and simply getting boards cut where there’s no power (for that the hand saw will still be your friend).

Johnson Level 40-6001 Laser Distance Measure Review

Johnson Level 40-6001 Laser Distance Measure Review

The Johnson Level 40-6001 Laser Distance Measure is a compact, feature rich hand held tool that will make it a breeze to accurately measure nearly anything indoors or outdoors by yourself. Estimators, painters, flooring companies, contractors, engineers and architects are just a few types of the folks that will find find a tool like this invaluable once they learn how to use it. No more stretching out 100 foot tapes and having someone hold the dumb end of the measure.

Ridgid micro IR-100 Infrared Thermometer Preview

Ridgid micro IR-100 Infrared Thermometer Preview

Have you ever tried to stick a thermometer into an A/C register? It’s easy when you can stand 20 feet away and just beam a laser where you want to measure. The Ridgid micro IR-100 Non-Contact Infrared Thermometer provides simple, quick and accurate surface temperature readings at the push of a button. You simply squeeze the trigger and point the ultra-sharp dual class II lasers at the surface being measured.