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.

Porsadrill diamond drilling system

365Drills Porsadrill Diamond Drilling System Review

Drilling holes into tile is often a time consuming, frustrating experience. While tile saws, diamond saw blades and careful planning can reduce much of the hassle, there are simply many scenarios where you have to break down and put one right through the middle of a placed tile. Instead of this being a harrowing experience, filled with hours of planning, frustration and scratched tiles, Porsadrill aims to simplify the process with their diamond hole saws and anti-slip guide plate.

Porter Cable PC15TCSMK 15A circular saw rip guide

Porter Cable PC15TCSMK 15A Circular Saw Review

The new Porter Cable PC15TCSMK 7-1/4″ 15 amp heavy-duty circular saw packs in plenty of quality features and performance at a pretty fair price that both DIY and pro users will appreciate. Things like a long 10 ft cord, hard molded carry case, and a powerful 15 amp motor are just some of the goodies that are included.

DeWALT DC515K 18V Cordless 1/2 Gallon Wet/Dry Portable Vac Review

DeWalt DC515K 18V Wet Dry Portable Vac Review

Take the idea of a Dirt Devil and let the engineers at DeWalt toy with the concept for a while. What you get is the DeWALT DC515K 18V Cordless 1/2 Gallon Wet/Dry Portable Vac. With cord-free vacuuming ability, you can now easily clean up almost anywhere. To make getting into tight spaces even easier, just pull out the attached 2.5 foot long hose.

Milwaukee M12 Right Angle Drilling

Milwaukee M12 Right Angle Drill Kit Review 2415-21

The 2415-21 Milwaukee M12 3/8″ Right Angle Drill Kit makes it easy to drill holes and install fasteners in tight spaces thanks to its compact head size, a 3/8″ ratcheting chuck and a locking spindle. Milwaukee is all about making certain tasks easier and this drill is ideally suited for cabinet installers, furniture builders and anyone else that has to work in confined spaces.

Stanley 55-099L FuBar Utility Bar Review

Stanley Fatmax FuBar Utility Bar Review

Every now and then you find a special tool. The kind of tool you wonder how you ever did without. The kind of tool that really, truly, makes you want to go break something. The Stanley FuBar is that tool. We all know what FuBar stands for: Functional Utility Bar. Right. The, um, “original” meaning is a bit closer to the truth as this tool will wreak havoc on any demo project, allowing you to disassemble walls faster, pull off drywall with more efficiency, and punch through lathe and plaster like it was paper mache.

Kobalt 46-piece SAE Tap, Die and Drill Set Review

Kobalt SAE Tap and Die Set Review

Everyone has experienced a stripped bolt or nut. It can leave you feeling helpless – unless you have a good tap and die set handy. Kobalt introduced its 46-piece Tap and Die Set to take away that dilemma and provide you with the tools necessary to fix that nut or bolt right up. Of course, you can also use a good tap and die set to take a bare piece of steel rod and turn it into a threaded one. For most, however, you’ll use this to fix a bad bolt, nut, or threaded socket – and those are the tasks for which this level of set is best suited.

Black & Decker 18V String Trimmer & Edger NST2018 Preview

Black and Decker 18V String Trimmer and Edger NST2018 Preview

For power tools, battery technology seems to be making inroads and moving an increasing number of products into the realm of emissions-free, cordless technology. Yard tools have been understandably delayed, since the bettery power and sustained use periods make it difficult to transition over to a reliable, rechargeable solution. Black & Decker is still at the forefront, however, and has released a new 18V String Trimmer & Edger (Model NST2018) that eliminates gas in favor of NiCd batteries. While clearly more convenient than a corded solution, the real question is whether or not the power and usability will cause anyone not paranoid about emissions to switch to the new technology. Our guess is that it may take a few more product iterations before mainstream users pick up these new cordless tools over their more traditional gas-powered counterparts.

Black & Decker 18V 22" Cordless Hedgehog Trimmer NHT518 Preview

Black and Decker Hedgehog Trimmer NHT518 Preview

Battery technology is creating a seemingly endless sea of new and innovative products that are quickly placing emissions-free, cordless technology into the hands of consumers, where previously gas was the only available option. Yard tools are tougher than your typical cordless power tool because they typically demand sustained power over longer periods of time than a drill gun or even a product like a finish nailer. Because of this, we look favorably on products such as the new 18V 22″ Cordless Hedgehog Hedge Trimmer that uses NiCd batteries in place of gas or dragging a cord. Those who are adamantly against adding emissions to the atmosphere will jump at any new cordless option, but the real test is whether a tool has mass market appeal. At this point, most products, including this one will likely take a few more years and product iterations before mainstream users dump their gas products for new cordless tools.