Holiday Gift Guide for Tool Hounds: 20 Tools Under $50
The holiday shopping season is right around the corner and we have our top picks for the Best Tool Gifts for 2016!
From stocking stuffers to the products that will leave them speechless—and the kind of gear we love to use when we’re not on the job—you’re sure to find something for craftspeeps who have everything.
6 Tools under $25
Husky 12-Foot Ratchet Tie Down
Why we’d love to have it:
Everyone needs ratchet straps, and I used the plural for a reason. One ratchet strap is rarely enough and it seems like they seem to become gifts to friends who only ask to “borrow” them.
Not only that, but left in the back of your pickup, they’ll rot. The holiday season is a great excuse to reload; and for less than $15, Husky has one of the most functional stocking stuffers you’ll find.
Find out more from Husky.
Buy it from The Home Depot — $13.87
Hart 15″ Pry Bar
Why we’d love to have it:
When it comes to any kind of demolition work – pulling up decking, removing nails, beating the crap out of your computer that needed to be replaced 5 years ago – it’s hard to wrong with a pry bar.
Hart’s 15-Inch Pry Bar is a handy size that’s easy to carry around anywhere and can take a beating with the hammer or mallet you’re using to demo your chosen target.
Another great stocking stuffer, this is a 2016 Pro Tool Innovation Award Winner everyone can use from time to time.
Find out more from Hart.
Buy it from The Home Depot — $13.97
Husky 6-in-1 multi-function pliers
Why we’d love to have it:
Multi-function pliers have come a long way since their humble beginnings and are now a staple in almost everyone’s toolbox.
Electricians will get the most use out of the long nose design that also strips, cuts, and shears. Even weekend electricians need a 6-in-1 in their life. Also makes a great gift for fishermen that need the long nose for unhooking the lunker and working on those %$#* trailer lights.
Find out more from Husky.
Buy it from The Home Depot — $14.97
Empire Laser Etched Rafter Square
Why we’d love to have it:
Empire Level’s Laser Etched Rafter Square is a perennial Best Tool Gift on our list.
The all-metal construction, easy-to-read laser etched markings, and all around usefulness makes it a great gift at an affordable price for every tool enthusiast on your list this year!
Read the ProToolReviews review!
Find out more from Empire.
Buy it from Acme Tools — $15 .89
Klein Tools 2-Piece BBQ Set
Why we’d love to have it:
There are barbecue sets for the Professional Pitmaster and then there are barbecue set for the Professional Electrician.
This set from Klein is clearly the latter and the essential grilling tools you’ll need featuring Klein comfort grips. Great for anyone who loves Klein Tools, you’ll have your resident electrician headed out to fire up the grill even if the snow!
Find out more from Klein.
Buy it from The Home Depot — $16.46
Kobalt Personalized Ratchet Set
Why we’d love to have it:
Kobalt did all gearheads a favor with their Personalized Ratchet Set.
Available in blue or gold (our vote is for the blue!), this functional collector’s set makes a great gift as a basic socket set, but will more likely be displayed proudly on a desk or shop.
An excellent gift for gearheads and NASCAR fans, this is a winner.
Find out more from Kobalt.
Buy it from Lowe’s — $19.98
14 Tools between $25 and $50
Hart 42″ Wrecking Bar
Why we’d love to have it:
We wouldn’t normally advocate a home wrecker as a holiday gift, but Hart’s 42-Inch Wrecking Bar is an essential tool for anyone who has serious demolition work to do.
Nearly three times longer than the 15-inch pry bar, you can get real leverage behind this model and rip up material fast!
Find out more from Hart Tools.
Buy it from The Home Depot — $24.97
Klein 15-in-1 Multi-Bit Screwdriver
Why we’d love to have it:
Klein’s 15-in-1 Multi-Bit Screwdriver features most of the bits that you’ll need on a regular basis.
Spare double-ended bits are cleverly hidden inside the handle and keep them close at hand. Even though Klein is known as the premier tool brand for electricians, anyone will enjoy having Klein quality at their fingertips.
If the Pro you’re buying for is more specialized, they also have an HVAC set and a tamper-proof set.
Read the ProToolReviews review!
Find out more from Klein.
Buy it from Amazon — $26.95
Ryobi Whole Stud Detector
Why we’d love to have it:
How many times have you used the hammer method to locate a stud followed by a brief prayer that you’ll actually land your nail or screw in it? I’ve even come across issues using a traditional stud finder and missing the mark.
Ryobi has a solution in the form of their Whole Stud Detector allowing you to see where the full width of the stud lies and eliminate the guesswork.
While it won't save your thumb from an errant hammer strike, you can at least be sure you’re hammering in the right place.
Pick this up for anyone on your list from DIYer to Pro.
Find out more from Ryobi
Buy it from The Home Depot: $29.97
Klein Heavy-Duty Wire Strippers
Why we’d love to have it:
Wire strippers are great—thanks to the flattened design that makes them lighter weight than most of the pliers we carry.They come with a dirty little secret, however—they like to bend and twist out of alignment over time. This gets worse with heavy use.
Klein has gone after that issue and moved to a heat treated steel over the traditional stamped steel manufacturing method. With four times the strength of previous models, Klein’s Heavy-Duty Wire Stripper should last much, much longer.
The added strength makes it a great gift for the professional electrician or your own home electrical kit.
Find out more from Klein.
Buy it from The Home Depot — $29.97
Southwire 6-in-1 Multi-Purpose Side Cutting Pliers
Why we’d love to have it:
There’s a not-so-hidden trend toward multi-purpose hand tools that are functional and efficient across multiple applications.
Southwire heads down a different path by going with side cutting pliers for their foundation rather than the long nose that are pretty easy to find these days.
Able to strip and shear along with its cutting duties, this 2016 Pro Tool Innovation Award Winner makes a great addition to any Pro’s electrical tool bag.
Find out more from Southwire.
Buy it from Amazon — $29.98
Kershaw Spline Knife
Why we’d love to have it:
The Kershaw Spline is a curvy little everyday carry knife from Les George. The curves make it ergonomically comfortable and the blade design is excellent for a variety of duties.
Material selection is very good for this mid-level knife and the Blackwash finish has been a hit with our entire staff.
Pick this up for any Pro who needs a good knife without breaking the bank.
Find out more from Kershaw.
Buy it from Amazon — $30.51
Husky 12-Inch Tool Bar Bag
Why we’d love to have it:
The Husky 12-Inch Tool Bar Bag features a nice wide open design that makes seeing and accessing your tools easy.
Several innovative features make this a winner but a couple stand out to me more than others. I love the integrated clip that allows me to secure pockets on the back, but still remove them and clip them to my belt or tool rig.
I’m also a huge fan of the integrated bit holders in the side pocket.
Pick this up for anyone who needs a little extra help organizing their tools, especially peeps who plop everything into a bucket.
Find out more from Husky.
Buy it from The Home Depot — $39.00
Black Diamond IOTA Headlamp
Why we’d love to have it:
The Black Diamond Iota Headlamp is one of the lightest weight and most affordable rechargeable LED headlamps you will find.
It delivers 150 lumens on the high setting and runs up to 2 hours on a rechargeable lithium-ion battery.
Even better, it charges using a standard micro USB cord so you can recharge it just about anywhere you can charge a cell phone.
Originally designed for runners and hikers, Pros and Outdoorspeeps will also love the lightweight design.
The Iota comes in five colors; after a runoff, we recommend nickel.
Find out more from Black Diamond Equipment.
Buy it from Black Diamond Equipment — $39.95
LEDLenser T2QC Quad Color Flashlight
Why we’d love to have it:
We love our LEDLenser quad color lights and the T2QC is another great addition to that line. Running on 3 Triple-A batteries, the T2QC puts out 140 lumens for up to 4 hours.
In addition to the standard white LED, blue, green, and red lights are great for bringing out contrast that white light just doesn’t see.
An excellent choice for professional tradespeeps; hunters, anglers, and law enforcement agents will also appreciate the quad color functionality.
Find out more from LEDLenser.
Buy it from Amazon — $39.95
Kobalt 120-Volt Electric Air Inflator
Why we’d love to have it:
The Kobalt 120V tire inflator is one of the easiest inflators you’ll use. Connecting it checks the pressure, and setting the max pressure is all you need to do before hitting the Start button.
On top of that, it costs just $49.98 at Lowe’s. That’s impossibly cheap and affordable for just about anybody.
Pick one up and keep it handy—or even in the back of your SUV or truck.
Read our review!
Find out more from Kobalt.
Buy it from Lowe’s — $44.98
Empire e75 Series Box Level
Why we’d love to have it:
Accuracy and durability are the name of the game when it comes to having a good box level.
The Empire e75 Series Box Level finds Its niche in the sweet spot, creating an excellent level while keeping the price reasonable.
Pros will love the easy-to-read True Blue vials and lightweight construction.
Snag the e75 Series Level for anyone on your list who needs to ensure their work is perfectly level.
Read the ProToolReviews review!
Find out more from Empire.
Buy it from Acme Tools — $49 .89
Bosch Blaze GLM 20 Laser Distance Measure
Why we’d love to have it:
The Bosch GLM 15 Laser Distance Measure was a big hit with us here at Pro Tool Reviews thanks to the simple design, ⅛-inch accuracy, and value pricing at less than $50.
Bosch kept the simple design with the new Blaze GLM 20 while boosting the range up to 65 feet and adding a backlit screen. Even with the upgrades, the price is still under $50.
This is a great gift for someone who could use a tool for doing quick estimates and wants to eliminate having to use a second person to measure longer distances with a tape measure.
Read our preview!
Find out more from Bosch.
Buy it from Acme Tools — $49 .97
Ryobi One+ LED Workbench Light
Why we’d love to have it:
The Ryobi 18V One+ LED Workbench Light is really versatile thanks to the 270-degree swinging arm and wide variety of ways to hang it.
950 lumens is plenty of light to work with even if you don’t have any other lights on or available. If you turned your garage or shed into a shop, this is one of the most useful lights you’re going to be able to bring in to direct light where you need it, when you need it.
Just about anyone already on Ryobi’s 18V One+ battery system will be able to find several good uses for this one!
Read our review!
Find out more from Ryobi.
Buy it from The Home Depot — $49.97
DeWalt Folding Metal Sawhorse
Why we’d love to have it:
In the realm of tools that most people don’t feel need any innovation, DeWalt has emerged with their Metal Folding Sawhorses.
These sawhorses are lightweight, sturdy, mobile, easy to carry, store, and set up. There is really very little not to like about them.
These sawhorses will make a great gift for anyone who uses sawhorses, but professional users will particularly appreciate the innovative design.
Read our review!
Find out more from DeWalt.
Buy it from Acme Tools — $49 .99 ($99.98 per pair)
—Tim Johnson is a contributor to ProToolReviews.com, where this review first appeared. Next week, we'll look at tools between 50 and 100 bucks.