5 Underrated Tools You Can Find At Ace Hardware
How confident are you in your tool collection? You probably have everything you could possibly need, right? Well, if all you have are the staples suggested to you by big box hardware stores, chances are you're missing out on some underrated gems that can serve unexpected purposes.
Ace Hardware is a great spot for those must-have tools you didn't know you needed. But where do you start? You could wing it and spend hours in the store, strolling up every aisle and looking at every unconventional or otherwise unusual tool on the shelf. Or, you can do a little reading below as we lay out five underrated tools you'll find at Ace Hardware.
We found each of the following tools on Ace Hardware's online store and chose them for their versatility and ease of use. These aren't your standard screwdrivers and claw hammers. They're the instruments that will unexpectedly help you finish your projects more efficiently, but we'll touch more on our selection methodology below.
Ace 4-Inch Steel Scratch Awl
An awl may not look like much, almost like a screwdriver that had its head filed down to a point. Its appearance can make it difficult to determine its inherent purposes, but don't be fooled by the awl's simplicity. This is definitely one underrated hand tool you'll want in your chest.
The awl is a fairly versatile implement, capable of using its pointed edge to punch holes in leather. Sure, there's a device designed specifically for that, but why buy a dedicated tool you may use once or twice to lengthen a belt when you can have one tool that serves that purpose and so much more?
Ace Hardware's 4-Inch Steel Scratch Awl can also be used to mark a saw's starting point or — as an alternative to a pencil — scratching a guiding line into a softer surface. With just enough pressure, it can also leave a small hole that's perfect for a drill bit, screw, or to thread wire through. The durability of an awl's tip makes it a real multi-use tool, so don't be surprised if you come up with a dozen additional uses, like prying objects open or using it in place of a knife tip.
Klein Tools -40-1832 °F LCD Multimeter
A multimeter may seem like a tool for a particular profession, but don't write something like the Klein Tools -40-1832 °F LCD Multimeter off yet. Yes, they're commonly used by electricians. However, there are plenty of scenarios where you will be happy to have one at home.
Essentially, a standard multimeter measures an electrical circuit's current, voltage, and resistance. An electrician may use it to determine the voltage of a circuit breaker fuse, but there are a few casual uses that can make a homeowner's life just a little bit easier. For example, how tired are you of finding batteries lying in a drawer and not knowing which are dead? Using the device's DC voltage setting, you can just press the black (negative) and red (positive) probes to each end of the battery. If it registers a current, then the battery is still alive.
As a homeowner, you also may need to determine if an outlet is producing the proper voltage, specifically if you're trying to troubleshoot an electronic that's not working. Similarly to a battery, you'll insert the probes into the outlet's slots — the black going into the larger and the red into the smaller. If the outlet is working properly, the multimeter should show a reading of around 120 volts.
Knipex 10-Inch Chrome Vanadium Jaw Pliers Wrench
You really don't know what you're missing until you've actually used a pliers wrench. You may be thinking, "But I have my set of adjustable wrenches. Why do I need a pliers wrench?" Imagine not having to deal with the frustration of an adjustable wrench adjusting mid-turn so you lose your grip on the nut. Also, have you ever tried using an adjustable wrench to pry or pull something loose? It's a nightmare.
Enter the Knipex 10-Inch Chrome Vanadium Jaw Pliers Wrench, a virtual do-all tool that can replace at least most of your adjustable wrench set. This particular 10-inch variation can deal with gripping widths from 52 mm to 2 inches. Unlike an adjustable, it also promotes a stronger hold and is less likely to lose its grip.
Not only does a pliers wrench replace adjustable wrenches, but it also replicates the squeezing force of a pair of pliers. Granted, its thicker head means you should hold onto your needle nose pliers, but the Knipex has a strong and sturdy enough grip to outshine a standard set of joint pliers. There are so many home uses for a plier wrench, from dislodging objects to simply tightening the bolts on furniture to helping in hobby projects. They could easily become a go-to tool for their versatility and ease of use.
Magnet Source 2-Inch Blue Magnetizer
Have you ever been working with your screwdriver, growing increasingly frustrated that you can't keep a screw in place? It can be maddening, which is why some screwdrivers can come magnetized. If you don't want to replace your current set of drill bits and drivers, though, Ace Hardware sells a small device designed to magnetize your tools.
Magnet Source's 2-Inch Blue Magnetizer features a slot that you can use to magnetize virtually any metal tool. It may sound like a one-trick pony gizmo, with the trick being incredibly useful for both home and workshop applications, but the magnetizer also has a second slot that may be more useful. The demagnetizer slot lets you remove any magnetic properties from your tools, which is great for preventing a collection of metal shavings on the tip of your drill bit. However, it's even more useful if you're working with electronics. While a magnetized screwdriver may not damage most components of a PC you may be working on, there is more sensitive circuitry that can be affected by a magnetized tip.
Overall, the Blue Magnetizer ensures a clean application regardless of what you're working on. It may hold screws in place to keep them from falling on the floor, but it will also prevent any magnetization from damaging sensitive components or mechanisms.
General 11 1/2-Inch Digital Caliper
Don't be shocked if you don't have this one in your toolbox already. It's easy to want to skip over at the hardware store because it looks like a convoluted blend of different readings and tools. In reality, that's pretty much what it is, but once you get to know what a caliper can do, you'll want to head out to Ace and grab this 11 ½-inch model.
A caliper is essentially a measuring tool designed to help determine circumference, depth, and even object length. Of course, you won't use it to measure long distances, but it's a good tool for measuring the length of a screw to prevent drilling right through a wall. Though the caliper is used in a myriad of industries, from healthcare to gemology, you can break it out at home for repair projects. Specifically, it can be used to determine the diameter of pipes for repairs and the thickness of your walls.
You can even use the caliper on a hobby level if you're a wood or metalworker. Rather than struggle with a tape measure, the caliper can be used to measure the length of materials accurately. You may even see architects break them out to measure the scale of a room on a blueprint.
Our decision methodology
We looked at a few factors when deciding what tools to include on this list. First and foremost, we considered the likelihood that the average homeowner would own any of them. When you think of the staples of a toolbox, you likely picture screwdrivers, a claw hammer, maybe a few wrenches, and possibly a ratchet set. We knew we had to look beyond that and maybe even consider options that either replaced or supplemented how we use some of the usuals.
Then, we dug through Ace Hardware's inventory of hand and electronic tools to find a preliminary set of underrated options. The initial list was about 20 or so tools long, which we narrowed down to these five using personal experience and several online reviews while factoring in practicality in a home-use setting. For example, a multimeter helped me while upgrading wall outlets to the correct kind of smart plugs, and the Blue Magnetizer has kept me sane on many occasions. Of course, if you're looking for more options, we've also got you covered if you need some budget-friendly tools at Ace Hardware.