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.

Paslode PF150S-PP Positive Placement Strap Nailer Review

Paslode PF150S-PP Positive Placement Strap Nailer Review

With joist hangers, hurricane ties, straps and other and other pieces of perforated metal connectors requiring 1-1/2″ nails in wide use across the country, Paslode has updated their Positive Placement Nailer. The new Paslode PF150S-PP Positive Placement Metal Connector Nailer is designed specifically for 1-1/2″ nails and is much more compact and lightweight than its predecessors. This nailer was designed for the job site, so you can be sure that you will get the durability you need to handle everyday use and, thanks to its many updated features, it should help boost your productivity.

Porter-Cable PCL120DDC-2 12V Compact Lithium Drill/Driver First Look

Porter-Cable PCL120DDC-2 12V Compact Lithium Drill/Driver First Look

The 12 Volt MAX Compact Lithium 3/8″ Drill/Driver (PCL120DDC-2) features a single sleeve check with spindle lock, variable speed trigger, two-speed gearbox, and a reported 1,200 rotations per minute. Add to that an included belt clip that can be relocated on either side of the tool, a magnetic bit holder, an LED worklight, and two included batteries, a 30-minute charger, and a soft-sided case and the $90 price tag looks pretty reasonable. Pair it with the forthcoming Impact Driver (PCL120IDC-2) for a considerable savings.

Rockwell JawStand clamp stand

Rockwell JawStand Clamp Stand Preview

Whether it’s hanging a door or setting drywall into place overhead, there are a number of instances where it would simply be nice to have a friend to help out… or maybe just have a more versatile clamping system – one that doesn’t take coffee breaks and never drops stuff. The “new” Rockwell JawStand seems to fit that bill nicely, and it does it in a lean and mean package. We put ‘new’ in quotes because this tool has been out before from a company called Triton (MSA200) and is now appearing under the Rockwell name – something that, if it increases availability and distribution, can only be a good thing for consumers. Rock on, Rockwell.

Milwaukee 8975-6 11.6 Amp Dual Temperature Heat Gun Review

Milwaukee Dual Temperature Heat Gun Review 8975-6

The Milwaukee 8975-6 11.6 Amp Dual Temperature Heat Gun might look a little like your wife’s hair dryer but it really is a serious hand-held high heat throwing machine. With two temperature settings of 570 and 1,000 degrees F, you can pretty much peel the paint off of almost anything without having to worry about the issues that come with open flames. With a continuous duty rating, you can also plan on being able to work this tool non-stop for as long as you need it.

Ryobi Miter Saw Stand Preview

Ryobi Miter Saw Stand Preview

A miter saw stand will greatly improve both the usability and the capability of your saw. The Ryobi Miter Saw stand, pithily dubbed the Quickstand (model #A18MS01), is one of the more inexpensive and yet functional products you’ll find on the market. The miter saw stand has 400 lbs. of holding capacity, so it’s equipped to not only hold a large miter saws, it can support the saw while also provided enough strength of nearly any type of material you’re likely to cut. The stand is made of steel, and it folds up and down so you can tuck it away when not in use, plus this makes taking it to the jobsite all the more easy.

Duo-Fast DF350S Round Head Angled Framing Nailer Review

Duo-Fast DF350S Round Head Angled Framing Nailer Review

The Duo-Fast DF350S Framing Nailer is a durable and lightweight framing nailer that packs a solid punch. The Duo-Fast comes with a bunch of great features like a switchable trigger to go from sequential to bump firing, a metal exhaust cap which is great for tapping framing members into place and a dry fire lockout feature that eliminates blank firing

Senco FN55AX 18 Gauge Finish Nailer First Look

Senco FN55AX 18 Gauge Finish Nailer First Look

Senco’s new Fusion tools combine the best of pneumatic and cordless technology. The Fusion cordless tools are available in 15 gauge angled and 18 gauge straight. What makes them impressive is that they eliminate the disadvantages associated with traditional gas and battery powered nailers. Fuel cell replacement costs, trigger response time, charge capability and excessive tool weight are virtually eliminated with these new models.

Bosch PS41-2A 12V Lithium-Ion Impact Driver Review

Bosch PS41-2A 12V Impact Driver Review

The first generation of Bosch’s 12V line of tools was impressive, but the fact that just about three years later they released a third generation impact driver means that they are coming after the market with a vengeance. The case in point would be the brand new PS41-2A Impact Driver. For this review I was able to solicit the second-gen PS40-2A from a friend and therefore face off the newer model against its predecessor. The results definitely proved that the new impact driver didn’t just get smaller, it got more powerful – as the revised specs indicate.

Bosch MRC23EVSK plunge fixed router

Bosch MRC23EVSK 2.3 HP Plunge and Fixed-Base Router

Bosch MRC23EVSK 2.3 HP offers 10000-25000 RPM, Trigger Control System for enhanced control, afterlock microfine depth adjustment for easy & precise adjustments at any plunge setting. Also, the tools includes fixed-base depth adjustment that features continuous microfine adjustment range & wrench for adjustments through top of optional router table, a bright LED Lighting for enhanced visibility in bit area while the 2-Stage Quick Clamp System is for fast tool-free conversion, plus soft-start that reduces start-up torque. In addition, Bosch variable speed dial for matching speed to workpiece and task while Constant-Response Circuitry which maintains constant speed under load, provides overload protection, also plunge base has contoured soft grip handles for enhanced control and comfort at all plunge depths while fixed base has threaded holes for mounting to router table positioned in Bosch 4-hole pattern and common 3-hole pattern. Also, Power Switch and Rugged carrying case.