5 Underrated Tools You Can Find At Menards
If you consider yourself a handyman or just someone with a passion for tools, there's no better feeling than finding an underrated tool perfect for your next home project. And, if you can use it long-term for subsequent work, it makes that purchase all the sweeter. Enter Menards.
Despite playing second fiddle to the likes of Lowe's and The Home Depot, Menards is still one of the largest home improvement retailers in the United States. They offer a variety of products, including furniture, outdoor equipment, paint, and, most importantly, tools. Menards has everything from tools every homeowner should have to ones that will keep your lawn and garden looking great. As with most home improvement retailers, Mendards has plenty of underrated tools in stock, although their brick-and-mortar stores are primarily in the Midwest (with locations in Wyoming, Kentucky, and West Virginia).
Thankfully, most of what Menards offers is also included in its online storefront. But we get it; most people don't have the time to scrounge through hundreds, if not thousands, of cataloged tools online, deducing which are underrated gems and which aren't worth the price. However, we've done so for you, factoring in details like job versatility and uniqueness to find some of Menards's best and most underrated tools. So, let's get started.
Southwire 7-in-1 Multi-Tool
Now, if we're talking underrated in terms of versatility, they don't get much more versatile than a multi-tool. However, instead of choosing a standard one, we decided to go with Southwire's product, as most people may not have an electrical multi-tool in their tool kit.
As the name suggests, Southwire's 7-in-1 Multi-Tool offers plenty of versatility. It features shears for bolt cutting (sizes 6-32 and 8-32), wire cutters, pliers for a sturdy grip, wire strippers for sizes 10-14 AWG SOL and 12-16 AWG STR, a bolt spanner, a crimper, and a reamer. The multi-tool also has a comfortable thumb recess for added precision, a strong lock, ergonomic grips, and holes for wire looping and tethering. Its spring-loaded handles make it easy to use with little force, and Southwire made the tool from heavy-duty forged steel, ensuring it will withstand rugged work environments and last you long term.
Naturally, Southwire constructed the 7-in-1 Multi-Tool for electrical use, and you'll have difficulty finding a more versatile tool for those jobs. However, you can also use its durable grips for various other projects, making this multi-tool an expert in versatility. Best of all, you can get it at Menards for an industry-low price of $28.29 or even lower if you catch one of their many sales.
Masterforce Digital Inspection Camera
Next up is an underrated tool you may not have known exists: the Masterforce Digital Inspection Camera. This tool is built around helping you see live images of hard-to-reach areas, whether you're working on a plumbing or electrical job.
The handle boasts a 2.4-inch color LCD screen measuring 320 by 240 pixels and providing a clear picture. It only has three buttons, making it unbelievably easy to use. Two are for brightness control of the LED lights on the camera head, illuminating or darkening areas to further help you see. The other is for image rotation, providing an upright picture at a button's push. The camera is also rated for immersion up to three inches for those pesky backed-up drains. The shaft, which you'll be shoving into hard-to-reach areas, is three feet long and flexible, capable of maneuvering into almost any location and around corners. It also comes with hook, magnet, and mirror attachments, providing the necessary accessories for any job.
The Masterforce Digital Inspection Camera is a Menards exclusive, with each purchase coming with a three-year limited warranty. The retailer also offers a similar model with a 3.5-inch screen, but considering the product is well over $100, we decided to go with the 2.4-inch model. It's still a bit pricey compared to other items on this list, retailing for $79.99. However, you can likely find it on sale, and when paired with our next item, clogged drains will practically become a problem of the past.
Plumb Works Drill Style Drum Drain Auger
While the Inspection Camera lets you see the cause, the Plumb Works Drill Style Drum Auger will remove even the toughest clogs from your drains. The canister auger is made from rugged plastic, making it lightweight, long-lasting, and tough enough to resist day-to-day impacts. The wire extends up to 25 feet, giving it an incredibly long reach. And the wire is only a quarter-inch in diameter, so it's thin enough to fit in almost any hole without sacrificing any of its durability. All you need to do is extend the wire into a drain until it reaches a clog, tighten the thumb-style locking screw, and rotate the drum to release the clog. The pistol grip makes holding onto the Plumb Work Auger easy so that you can focus on the job at hand.
If you are worried about those really tough blockages, you can also attach a drill to this Plumb Work Auger, adding extra power and speed that comes in handy when unclogging extreme blockages. The drill compatibility adds a unique feature to this auger, which is why we chose it for this list over its hand-operated counterparts. In our opinion, that versatility is more than worth throwing a few extra dollars its way. The Plumb Work Drill Style Drum Drain Auger is also a Menards exclusive, available both in-store and online for $22.99.
Performax Reach Tool
How many times have you dropped a screw, tool, or something else into a hard-to-reach area just to spend an annoying amount of time trying to retrieve it? Enter the Performax Reach Tool. It may seem like a no-brainer, but this simple tool makes grabbing anything an ease, saving you the unnecessary headache in the process.
The Performax Reach Tool is 31 inches long (about 2.5 feet) and made from strong aluminum, ensuring it's lightweight without sacrificing long-term durability. The handle features a full-hand grip, allowing you to utilize all four fingers for greater grip strength. And, as if that wasn't enough, the claw has slip-resistant gripping tabs. Combine the two features, and the Reach Tool ensures you can grab and hold on to just about anything.
As the name suggests, the Performax Reach Tool is excellent for reaching objects, whether you need to fish something out from a hard-to-reach area or you can't bend over without risking injury. Best of all, it's only $9.99 at Menards, so this simple tool will help you tremendously without putting a dent in your wallet.
Tool Shop 10 Bastard Cut Mill File
Chances are you have plenty of cutting tools in your arsenal, and unless you take pristine care of them, chances are they're in need of a good sharpening. If that's the case, the Tool Shop 10-inch Bastard Cut Mill File would be an excellent addition to your collection. It may be an unexpected tool you can find at Menards, but it undoubtedly has its uses that many people may easily overlook.
Unfortunate name aside, this file offers two edges for sharpening. The bastard cut will quickly remove material (usually metal) while leaving behind a smooth finish. On the other hand, the single-cut file is the less aggressive option, producing a smooth finish or a thin edge for a blade. With the Tool Shop file's comfortable handle, you won't have an issue applying lots of pressure for a bastard cut or light pressure for a single cut. This file is ideal for sharpening saws, whether circular, hand, or chainsaws, as well as knives. However, you can also use it for finishing and other general workshop jobs, making it surprisingly versatile. And for only $4.49 at Menards, it's an overlooked and, in turn, underrated tool.
Why were these tools picked?
Depending on who you talk to, everyone may have different ways of labeling something "underrated." For this list, we looked at various tools offered online and in-store at Menards. We took into account many factors, including durability, effectiveness, and, most importantly, versatility. Unlike other home improvement retailers, Menards doesn't feature customer reviews on their website. So, instead of relying on reviews, we chose tools that are effective in more ways than one, highlighting their versatility to show they are underrated.
In keeping with the topic of this list and to differentiate it from others, we tried to choose tools that most people likely don't own. The simplest way to be "underrated" is if most people either don't know the tool exists or it isn't common to have one in your garage, like the Masterforce Digital Inspection Camera.