A table leg wobbles. A faucet drips. When you own a house, things happen. That’s why every homeowner should have a properly equipped toolbox.
So says Lou Manfredini, who doubles as NBC’ s fix-it personality for the “Today” show and Ace’s Helpful Hardware Man. “For about $150 to $200, homeowners can put together the right tools in an organized box so they really can have a good chance to do just about every small repair around the home.”
Here’s what belongs in the basic handy homeowner’s toolbox:
Claw hammer: Select a straight-claw style, which provides more flexibility when pulling nails. It should have a smooth-finished head, a fiberglass handle and weigh between 16 and 20 ounces.
Screwdrivers: Go with a set that includes a mix of Phillips and slotted screwdrivers. Add a jeweler’s set for fixing small items like eyeglasses, toys and mini-electronic devices.
Wrenches: Box wrenches with ratcheting action – commonly called GearWrenches – come in both standard and metric sizes. Choose a set with wrenches that range in size up to 3/4 inch or, in metric measurement, 18 millimeters.
Pliers: Three- or four- piece sets usually contain standard pliers, channel locks, needle-nose and wire cutters.
Crescent wrenches: A set of two or three adjustable wrenches (6-, 8- and 10- inch sizes).
Saw: Stanley’s Shark line is small with razor-sharp teeth that can handle 2-by- 4s, dowel rods and even a tree branch.
Don’t forget smaller items for measuring and cutting – a utility knife, a 5-in-1 painter’s tool, a small level and a tape measure that goes to a minimum of 25 feet. Larger items to consider include a cordless drill with a set of bits or a cordless combination kit.
Prepackaged hand-tool kits that range from $29 to $69 is a good option.
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