Tool Reviews & Buying Guides by Trade

If you want to read articles and reviews that are trade-specific, try our Tool Reviews by Trade section. This organizes our site into topics suited particularly for a specific trade such as plumbing, electrical, framing, roofing & siding, concrete/masonry, and carpentry. Roofing and siding pros will find pneumatic roofing nailers as well as tools like cap staplers and hammer tackers. Tile & Flooring Pros will gain easy access to our tile saws, flooring staplers, and floor scrapers. As a painting professional, reviews of airless sprayers and cordless sprayers may interest you the most. You can count on one thing: whatever your craft, you need good tools. Our tool reviews by trade will help you drill down to quickly find the information you need. If you want to avoid anything that sits outside of your trade, this way helps you do it. If you can’t find a tool here, let us know.

Duo-Fast Jet-Tac Tack Strip Epoxy Preview

Duo-Fast Floor Fastening Systems is introducing Jet-Tac Tack Strip Epoxy. This new product is a quick-set epoxy that is ideal for tack strip installation on many materials including concrete or wood. With a specially designed nozzle, the two part epoxy is mixed automatically as it comes out of the caulk gun so it is ready to use.

Milwaukee M12 ProPEX Installation Tool 2432-22 Preview

Milwaukee M12 ProPEX Installation Tool 2432-22 Preview

We’re used to seeing lots of unique tools – and the cordless aspect just means that the possibilities are endless. But when Milwaukee pulled out the stops and introduced their M12 Lithium-Ion ProPEX installation tool with auto-rotating ProPEX Expansion Heads we knew they had gone somewhere new. Really new. Designed for easy one-handed use, the M12 ProPEX Expansion tool allows users to install Uponor ProPEX fittings up to four times faster, and are compatible with over 25 tools on their respective battery platforms for added utility and value. This much anticipated product launch follows the April 2010 announcement of a new partnership with Uponor to deliver increased productivity to plumbing and heating professionals by developing a comprehensive solution for installing ProPEX.

Makita LXFD01CW 18V Compact Li-Ion Driver-Drill Kit Preview

Makita LXFD01CW 18V Compact Li-Ion Driver-Drill Kit Preview

Makita released the new 18V Compact Lithium-Ion Cordless 1/2″ Driver-Drill (model LXFD01CW). The new LXFD01CW is the latest release in Makita’s 18V Compact Lithium-Ion platform and delivers more power with less weight and improved ergonomics for a range of drilling, driving and fastening tasks. In addition to a general weight reduction, the Makita LXFD01CW has one of the fastest charge-times on the market at just 15 minutes. If this bears out to be true, that is pretty fast.

Milwaukee 2426-22 M12 Multi-tool Kit Review

Milwaukee 2426-22 M12 Multi-tool Kit Review

Last year we did an oscillating multi-tool shootout, where we compared all of the various brands and measured them to see which performed in a way that set them apart from the pack. We were able to really determine the good values on the market and make recommendations based on intended use and user goals. That part of my life was done, or so I thought, until a couple companies, including Milwaukee Electric Tool, released new multi-tool products. But, like the famous line from the Godfather, “just when I thought I was out… they pull me back in.” And just like that, I’m back in the world of multi-tools. This time around, it’s the Milwaukee M12 Cordless Multi-tool Kit (2426-22). The kit comes with 2 RedLithium batteries, a charger, a few accessories, and – most importantly – an adapter that lets almost anyone’s accessories fit onto the tool.

Milwaukee 6519-31 Sawzall Reciprocating Saw Kit Review

Milwaukee 6519-31 Sawzall Reciprocating Saw Kit Review

There are a few select products that define entire market segments such as what Skillsaw is to circular saws, Xerox is to copiers and what the Milwaukee Sawzall is to reciprocating saws. Milwaukee’s new 6519-31 Reciprocating Sawzall stays true its original roots, yet boasts more power, longer stroke length, less vibration, and a bargain value price point.

Bosch 4310 10" Dual-Bevel Sliding Miter Saw Preview

Bosch 4310 10″ Dual-Bevel Sliding Miter Saw Preview

The new 4310 10″ dual-bevel sliding miter saw from Bosch builds off the success of its award-winning predecessor, the 4410 and has many of the same features and specifications. Ideal for woodworkers, finish carpenters, remodelers and others, Bosch’s 4310 packs big-saw performance into a more compact and affordable 10″ chassis. The make-or-break measures of any miter saw are the power and speed to get the job done, and the 4310 seems to deliver. Operating at 4,800 RPM (800 RPM faster than the nearest competitor) and powered by a gutsy 15-amp motor, the Bosch 4310 seems to want to sit at the top of its category in a big way.