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.

Ryobi HPL51K planer review

Ryobi HPL51K Review 3-1/4″ Electric Hand Planer

The Ryobi HPL51K electric hand planer is a budget tool that includes some very nice features such as a left/right dust ejection dial, adjustable depth knob and blade-protecting kick stand. This tool really enables easy planning of uneven surfaces – up to 3/32″ in a single cut – and even performs edge and rabbet cuts with the included edge guide.

Black & Decker JS515 jigsaw

Black and Decker JS515 Jig Saw Review

The Black & Decker JS515 4.5 amp Jigsaw can be found for a reasonable “street” price and offers reliable, if simplistic performance. The saw is your basic model and certainly doesn’t feature many frills besides tool-less changing of both universal and t-shank blades and a handy magnetic storage area for up to 3 blades. If you can find it on sale you may have a deal, but paying retail isn’t something we’d recommend for this model.

Milwaukee D Handle Drill Right Angle kit

Milwaukee D Handle Drill with Right Angle Drive Review 1107-6

We reviewed the Milwaukee 1107-6 7 amp D-handle drill with the optional right angle drive attachment and were blown away by its powerful torque and drilling capability, especially in tight corners. This is a tool that, bar none, any serious contractor should have in their arsenal. This tool is not for bargain hunters, however as it will set you back quite a bit to benefit from its stellar performance.

Hitachi C7SB2 Circular Saw cutting

Hitachi C7SB2 Circular Saw Review

The Hitachi C7SB2 7-1/4 inch 15 amp circular saw is a workhorse product which can be found for a very reasonable price if you look hard enough. Its clean lines, comfortable feel, and powerful motor make it a decent saw for cutting, but clumsy depth and bevel adjustments give it at least some areas of improvement. This tool will do well in any handyman’s kit and some professionals may even find its lightweight styling is worth a second look.

Hitachi G12SR3 Grinder in-use

Hitachi G12SR3 Grinder Review

We found the Hitachi G12SR3 4-1/2 inch 6 amp angle grinder to be an easy to use tool that should be at the top of any handyman’s short list. Price, performance and ease of use make this an easy pick for someone looking to grab a flexible tool that can be used in tile, metalwork or concrete applications.

Rigid Hole Saw Set 7040 13-piece kit

Rigid Hole Saw Set 7040 Bi-Metal Review

How would you make a 2-1/2″ hole in a piece of 3/4″ plywood? A great choice is to use the 2-1/2″ hole saw that is included in the Ridgid 7040 13 piece Bi-Metal Hole Saw Set. This is the one set you need for all your large diameter holes. Since these hole saws are not your standard steel, they are able to handle going though some pretty though materials thanks to the bi-metal construction. The whole set comes in a compact hard case that keeps everything organized.