10 Tools Every New Homeowner Actually Needs

New homeowners underestimate how many small jobs appear in week one: hanging curtains, assembling furniture, shutting off a leaking valve. This is the 10-piece starter kit we would buy again, split into a $200 essentials tier and a $400 confident tier.

The 10 tools

1. Cordless drill/driver — the one tool you will use weekly (see our drill rankings).
2. Tape measure (25 ft) — a lockable, easy-read blade.
3. Claw hammer (16 oz) — balanced, not the $5 special.
4. Adjustable wrench + set of combination wrenches — for plumbing and furniture.
5. Utility knife — for boxes, weatherstripping, opening everything.
6. Level (24 in) — straight shelves and frames, every time.
7. Stud finder — before any wall screw or TV mount.
8. Plunger + wrench (for shutoff) — the unsexy pair that prevents disasters.
9. Hex key set — flat-pack furniture lives or dies by it.
10. Multi-bit screwdriver — one handle, every drive type.

Essentials tier (~$200)

Drill kit (Ryobi-class), tape, hammer, utility knife, multi-bit driver. Covers 80% of first-year tasks.

Confident tier (+~$200)

Add stud finder, 24-inch level, adjustable + combination wrenches, hex keys, and a plunger + shutoff wrench. You are now equipped for nearly any weekend job.

Take care of the tools and they take care of you

Tool longevity is mostly habits, not price. Wipe metal surfaces down after damp-day projects; a rag with a drop of light oil on the plane and chisel edges prevents the rust that ruins more tools than hard use does. Charge cordless batteries at room temperature and store them off the charger. Every few months, open the toolbox and check for blade dullness — a sharp blade is safer than a dull one because it needs less force. Ten minutes of maintenance per season keeps a $200 kit working like a $600 kit.

What not to buy yet

Skip the giant 200-piece mechanic's set: it duplicates what you own in hex keys and bits while padding the box with sizes you will never use. Skip the table saw for now — a quality circular saw with a straightedge guide handles 90% of beginner ripping safely, and the money belongs in a good drill and driver. Skip multi-bit "gift" sets with plastic cases; their bits round over fast. And be skeptical of cordless versions of rarely-used tools like heat guns or angle grinders — corded versions cost half as much, never need a battery, and sit unused the same amount of time.

Frequently asked questions