5 Flex Power Tools You'll Want For Your Next DIY Project
The field of DIY encompasses quite a few pursuits, from home repairs to workshop hobby crafting. Whichever particular angle of the DIY scene you're looking to get into, you can't start without a proper set of tools. This isn't really the kind of thing you can handle properly with a pair of kitchen shears and a random screwdriver from the junk drawer.
If you're looking for some quality DIY-ing implements, the Flex hardware brand has a variety of classic power tools on offer to cover all of your drilling, cutting, and grinding needs. Whether you're cutting up wood, driving screws into a newly-assembled birdhouse, or grinding the imperfections off your latest bit of metalwork, you can look to Flex tools to keep you flexible and capable.
We've got five Flex power tools to recommend to you, each available at a major hardware store chain and backed up by reviews from both users and professional workers. More information on our selection methodology is available at the end of the article.
24V 1/4-inch Quick Eject Hex Impact Driver
Whether you're making holes in something or driving in screws to hold everything in place, a good driver is one of the baseline requirements of a DIY toolbox. While a standard drill driver works fine for simple jobs, an impact driver gives you some extra muscle, pounding in fasteners as it drills to speed up the process and pierce tough materials.
If you'd like an impact driver, try the Flex Quick Eject Hex Impact Driver. This little wonder packs a mighty 2,500 in-lb of torque, guaranteed to drive the point home metaphorically and literally. The driver features three speed modes to get you your ideal power level, as well as self-tapping screw modes to prevent over-tightening and stripping. What's especially cool is the quick eject collet, which allows you to pop a bit out of the chuck and slap a new one in with one hand.
The Flex Quick Eject Hex Impact Driver is available at Acme Tools for $159, where it has a user rating of 4.7 out of 5. Kenny Koehler of Pro Tool Reviews gave this device a 9.7 out of 10 score in his review, praising the device's premium-level power and convenient quick eject. The only real downside he found was that it's a bit heavier than it looks.
5-inch 24-volt Paddle Switch Brushless Cordless Angle Grinder
While it may seem a little intense for the DIY scene, an angle grinder can actually be one of your best friends in the workshop. It has the expected application of grinding and polishing sturdy materials like metal and masonry, but you can also use one to sharpen cutting tools and strip off rust and burrs. If you're in the market for a new best friend, try Flex's Paddle Switch Angle Grinder.
This angle grinder outputs 10,000 RPM of rotational action to really stick it to uneven, marred surfaces, adjustable with simple touch controls. Don't worry about losing your grip on the situation, as this grinder is built with an ergonomic, vibration-suppressing grip to keep the lion's share of shaking away from your hands, as well as anti-kickback technology to prevent any sudden, violent hitches. If you ever need to adjust the handguard for different angles, you can do so with one quick adjustment and swiftly return to work.
The Flex Paddle Switch Angle Grinder is available at Lowe's for $179.00, where it has a user rating of 4.8 out of 5. In another recommendation from Kenny Koehler at Pro Tool Reviews, the grinder scored a 9.5 out of 10. While it's not quite as powerful as a 6-inch grinder, the safety features and speed control make it an excellent workhorse choice.
24-volt 6-1/2-inch Brushless Cordless Circular Saw
Woodwork is one of the classic DIY pursuits, whether you're putting up a shelf or building a birdhouse. But while wood may grow on trees, perfectly-shaped wood definitely doesn't, which is why you need a precision cutting implement to get your raw lumber down to a more manageable size. For all your slicing and dicing needs, try Flex's 6-1/2-in Circular Saw.
With a maximum RPM of 5,500, this saw's thick blade can slice right through 3x lumber in a single, clean pass. According to Flex, this is actually the world's first in-line circular saw, which provides greater balance and control while cutting, not to mention a clearer view on either side of the blade. It's also a good long-haul tool; with a single 5.0Ah battery pack, this saw can make 430 cuts into 2x4 lumber on a full charge.
The Flex 6-1/2-in Circular Saw is available at Lowe's for $199.99, where it has a user rating of 4.8 out of 5. This saw comes highly recommended by woodworking YouTuber Eric Rhoten, who called it an "amazing piece of machinery." He especially enjoyed some of the incidental features, like the thick and sturdy base plate and the convenient automatic work LED light. Even when pressed for cons, he genuinely couldn't think of any detractors for this tool.
24-volt Brushless Cordless Random Orbital Sander
Once you've finished chopping up and assembling your wooden DIY projects, it's time for the other half of the woodworking equation: polishing and finishing. You can't just sit on a chair made of freshly-cut wood — you'd get covered in splinters! You need a sander to file down the rough edges and get the entire thing smooth and silky. For your sanding needs, try Flex's Random Orbital Sander.
This sander utilizes a low-profile body design to reduce the vibration level, ensuring you can always keep your grip as you sand and polish. With one of Flex's 3.5Ah battery packs, you can run the sander consistently at its Speed 3 setting for up to 30 minutes. If you've got a really stubborn imperfection to deal with, you can activate turbo mode to crank the muscle up to 13,000 OPMs and absolutely decimate it. Don't worry about clogged components; the sander's switch is both dust and water-resistant to ensure a long shelf life.
The Flex Random Orbital Sander is available at Lowe's for $149, where it has a user rating of 4.9 out of 5. This sander is recommended by Josh McGaffigan of Pro Tool Reviews, who called it a "core tool" for both weekend woodworking projects and major home repairs, highlighting its excellent performance and stable design.
1.6-Gallon 1-HP Cordless Wet/Dry Shop Vacuum
So, you're all done with your work for the day, and your burgeoning DIY project is looking absolutely stellar. The only problem is that you've left a proverbial hurricane of dust, shavings, and, depending on the nature of your project, wet substances all over the place. Workshops may be inherently dirty, but it's best not to leave them like that for both health and safety purposes, so you'll want a good shop vac to clean it all up.
The Flex 1.6-Gallon Shop Vacuum combines power and portability into a single convenient package. Though it only weighs a little over 7 lbs, it's got 41 CFM of suction with a 42-in lift, ensuring no liquid or solid mess can escape its clutches. In the event something gets stuck in the intake, just activate the instant flow reversal to cough it back out of there. There are also eco and boost mode settings for increased work time and power, respectively, and it has convenient hose attachments conveniently hooked onto the tank for quick-swapping.
The Flex 1.6-Gallon Shop Vacuum is available at Lowe's for $129, where it has a user rating of 4.6 out of 5. Eric Jopp of Tools in Action praised the vacuum's surprising strength to its relative size, saying it's great for capturing all kinds of jobsite debris.
Selection methodology
The preceding products were selected from available Flex products at Lowe's and Acme Tools, with preference given to products with at least a 4 out of 5 star rating based on at least 90 user reviews. We also considered feedback from professional review sites and YouTubers.