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.
Skil has upped the technology of their new 5-inch Random Orbit(al) Sander by adding a microfiltration dust collector and a pressure sensor that tells you when you’re bogging down the motor for too long. It’s a decent machine that seems to borrow a few things from its more expensive cousin, the Bosch ROS10 Palm-Grip Sander while providing most of those features at a much lower cost to the consumer.
There are many times you need to hang a product on a wall, but can’t necessarily locate a stud. Instead of banging your head against the wall (this never works, only makes big holes), we’ll usually reach for a Buildex Twist-N-Lock E-Z Anchor. These drywall anchors are extremely versatile and come in many different configurations – from light duty to heavy duty. This makes them applicable for almost any use and they can carry from 30 to 85 pounds per fastener. The Buildex Twist-N-Lock fasteners themselves are made from either nylon or zinc and have a unique feature.
Grip-Rite’s Collated Coil Roofing Fas’ners are held together with wire and are perfect for use with nearly all coil-style roofing nailers. They are available in sizes ranging from 3/4″ to 2″ in galvanized (both smooth and ring shank), and from 1″ to 1-1/2″ in stainless steel. Each nail has a 3/8″ broad head. We used a box of 1-1/4″ galvanized to, among other things, roofa 400 square foot addition. The nails loaded easily and the coils retained their shape, thanks to the double wire weld collation method. This made loading easy and jams were infrequent, though the last nail in a coil would often fall away loose within several of our nailers.
The Model 50M is a manual, single-blow nailer designed to use 18 gauge cleats. It is recommended for use on 3/8″, 1/2″ and 5/8″ tongue and groove flooring, as well as some 3/4″, exotic and solid wood flooring. The 50M uses a thinner 18 gauge cleat that is less likely to split the tongue on thinner woods and provides a reliable bond to the underlayment. This is a very robust nailer and it should do an incredible job at smaller jobs. We don’t recommend it for larger work over 300 sq. ft. as it will invariably produce lots of arm strain due to its reduced handle size and greater amount of required exertion over a pneumatic model.
The new Milwaukee M18 Cordless 4-Tool Combo Kit (2694-24) offers pro features and power typically associated with larger, bulkier corded tools. While Milwaukee sells multiple combo kits, this one includes two of their XC-series of batteries which are capable of powering the included 1/2″ hammer drill to 550 in-lbs of torque. Toss in a reciprocating Sawzall and a cordless 6.5″ M18 circular saw and you’ve got a set of tools that are made for professionals to use and abuse for years. They even include a handy work light that runs for hours and hours and will keep you going well into the night.
When you hear the name Porter Cable, thoughts of quality tools usually come to mind; so when we heard about the new PC418C-2 18V cordless 4-Tool Combo Kit we were pretty excited to check it out. This combo kit comes with most all the tools needed to dive into your own home remodel project including a 1/2″ Drill/Driver, 6-1/2″ Circular Saw, Reciprocating Saw and a Flashlight.
Iron Dog Tool Gear is a completely modular and customizable tool belt and pouch system
designed with the needs of modern day tradesmen and carpenters. With the Iron Dog Tool Gear
System, there is no more wasted space or never utilized pockets. The whole idea of being able to
customize your tool belt rig is fantastic! We think that most folks will be pleasantly surprised at the
quality and value offered with the Iron Dog Tool Gear System.
The new Black and Decker LPS7000 Compact Saw uses a built in 7V Lithium Ion battery, accepts standard T-shank blades and is ideal for quick cuts in many materials that are up to one inch in thickness. The battery is designed to hold a charge for up to 18 months, a feature that will help make this tool be always on the ready for when you need it.
The Metabo HPT C8FSESM 8-1/2″ sliding compound miter saw was originally released under the Hitachi brand to coincide with the […]
The new Porter Cable PC750AG 7.5 Amp Small Angle Grinder comes in at a low price point, but with many pro features like an all metal gear case, a tough 7.5 amp motor and a comfortable handle design. This angle grinder is part of a new line of tradesmen tools from Porter Cable that aim at bringing quality and features at a sensible price.
