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Tool Reviews

You can access our tool reviews in many different ways. Here, we organize tool reviews by tool type. This includes power tool reviews and hand tool reviews as well as reviews of air tools and pneumatics. We also cover hardware, outdoor, and industry-specific products. All are organized by specific tool type. You can also check out our tool reviews by the tool brands or manufacturer, but if you’re looking for a circular saw, hammer drill, or other particular tool by tool type, then this section will get you to everything you need. Use the dropdown in the menu above to further refine your selection. With that you can get to a listing of exactly the right tools you’re interested in. Pro Tool Reviews covers and/or reviews over 400 tools each year, making this your one-stop shop for everything tool-related. If you want to know what the best tool in a particular category is, you’re in the right place.

Irwin 250 Series 9" Magnetic Torpedo Level Review
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Irwin 250 Series 9-inch Magnetic Torpedo Level Review

by Clint DeBoer

It’s easy to say that all torpedo levels are the same. It’s just as easy to think that if you have one you don’t need another, or that any 9″ level will do. For some that might even be the case. But as we’re introduced to more and more products, like the new 250 Series Magnetic Torpedo Level from Irwin, we are being made away of more and more handy features that will appeal to some trades over another. Let’s dive right into the 250 and talk about some of the stand-out features. A mirror on a level isn’t something you see every day, but Irwin put one on the 250. They dubbed it, sensibly, the “Plumb Site” and it’s there so you can check if you’re plumb without having to look around the level or move it to the side.

Craftsman Long Handle & D-Handle Digging Shovels Review
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Craftsman Long Handle Digging Shovels

by Clint DeBoer

Craftsman’s new Long Handle and the matching D-Handle Digging Shovels are made in the USA. The new shovels, branded by Craftsman (and available at Sears and Kmart), feature Powerstep plates which give you tons of room and lots of leverage for using your boots to really dig in deep, even in compacted soil. The round point blade also feature a nice serrated edge for when you want to rock it back and forth to really saw through tough material.

Festool TS 55 R Flush Cut Circular Saw Preview
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Festool TS 55 R Flush Cut Circular Saw Preview

by Clint DeBoer

Festool has had its popular TS 55 EQ Circular out for quite some time, but a recent scoop of the new tool on a German website told us they are releasing the next update soon. The company revealed a new version of the tool that is tweaked (and perfectly suited for) flush-cutting applications. The new model is the TS 55 R. Festool’s new circular saw has improved handling, and since the blade is now approximately 1/2″ from the edge of the now smooth and flat blade guard, it’s suitable for more applications than ever.

Kobalt 18V Li-ion Cordless Impact Wrench
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Kobalt 18V Li-ion Cordless Impact Wrench Review

by Clint DeBoer

For anyone who does any sort of automotive work, the impact wrench is a must-have tool. Even if you only occasionally remove a tire, there is a stark difference between using a breaker bar or tire iron and a pneumatic impact wrench. But with an impact wrench, you also have the obligatory air compressor, hose, and necessary room to make sure it all works. Not so, with Kobalt Tools’ new 18V 1/2″ Cordless Impact Wrench. Of course, the real issue is, now that they’ve severed the cord and gone to the 18V Lithium-ion battery, is the tool sufficiently powerful to truly take off lug nuts? Can it replace, for real, not just for “most purposes” the air powered impact wrench? That’s what we set out to prove or disprove. And like most experiments, we had a lot of fun, and learned more than we expected.

Milwaukee Diagonal Pliers 48-22-4106 Review
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Milwaukee Diagonal Pliers 48-22-4106 Review

by Ben Parker

As an electrician, diagonal pliers are definitely a tool I use a lot in the field. This is especially true with commercial work where you have to cut a lot of cable and wire. Milwaukee’s Diagonal Pliers (48-22-4106) made a clean cut every single time I went to use them. This week we’re working on a remodel job on a commercial building built in the 1930’s. While some walls have been torn down and rebuilt, there are still some that are the original concrete block. On these I have had to put conduit and electrical boxes. Normally, this would be easy, but the wall was literally riddled with nails and screws. I found that these pliers were able to cut through the nails and screws with little to no difficulty. It sort of became my go-to tool for getting through the nitty gritty of clearing my area.

Milwaukee 12'' Tongue & Groove Pliers 48-22-3212 Review
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Milwaukee 12-inch Tongue & Groove Pliers Review

by Ben Parker

Tongue and groove pliers are one of the many tools that are used by commercial electricians, especially when working with conduit. One of the main reasons is because of the compression couplings that are used to put conduit together, but also, they just plain come in handy. I would definitely recommend buying two of these if you work on putting up conduit. You will get your money’s worth if you find yourself frequently using compression couplings. I really like that Milwaukee angled the head of the tool at 45 degrees and not 80-90 degrees. It makes it easier to tighten the couplings in hard to reach places. Plus, the smooth transition grips are especially nice because it feels like the tool is a part of your hand. The grips also don’t feel as if they’re likely to slip, even when you’re applying significant pressure to the tool.

Milwaukee 6 IN 1 Long Nose Pliers 48-22-3068 Review
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Milwaukee 6 IN 1 Long Nose Pliers 48-22-3068 Review

by Ben Parker

Having just taken a look at Milwaukee’s 6 IN 1 Combination Pliers, we weren’t too thrown off guard by the 6 IN 1 Long Nose Pliers, which are a different tool, but similar in many ways. If anything, the 6 IN 1 Long Nose Pliers feel like they are meant for things that are a bit more heavy duty. These pliers are 1/4″ thicker than the combination pliers, which is good since they can be used to pull nails. We found that the design – particularly, the head of the tool which is squared off – does a pretty decent job at pulling nails out of wood. This really is a good tool if you are an electrician and need something heavy duty in the field. I really enjoy having it in my tool pouch at work and have recommended to other electricians to go buy one as well.

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