These Are The Best Woodworking Starter Tool Kits, According To Users

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Woodworking can be an extremely satisfying hobby and way to pass the time. As the world becomes more and more ultramodern, what better way to ground yourself and find a productive place to put your energy than by crafting objects out of wood? One reason you might not have considered this is that, like many hobbies, woodworking has a learning curve — you won't be carving and building masterpieces on the first day. But even the greatest craftsmen and artists had to start somewhere.

When first starting out, you don't need all the different kinds of woodworking tools that are available, especially the more heavy-duty and advanced ones. You can get by with just the basics, honing simple skills before moving on to more complex ones. To make things easier for you, there are plenty of pre-packaged starter kits available that include some of the best woodworking tools under $100. Starter sets come in all shapes and sizes, including those that focus on carving, kid-friendly options, and pricier power tool combo kits. These starter kits are the best for beginning woodworkers, according to users.

A lot of first-time woodworkers are children, so it's important that there are tools available that are better suited for their smaller hands and have increased safety features. The Hi-Spec 18-piece 18pc Kids Tool Kit Set & Tool Bag may be designed with children in mind, but — as noted by the publication Woodsmith — it also makes for a great starter tool for adults.

Hi-Spec makes a variety of similar sets of different sizes that come in bright blue, pink, or orange. These aren't toys, though; the tools are made from high-quality materials, including metal, with extra-thick rubber handles for added safety. The set includes woodworking tools every beginner needs, such as a claw hammer, pliers, spring clamps, and a tape measure. Over 6,300 Amazon users have given the set an average customer rating of 4.7 out of 5, with many positive reviews highlighting the build quality of the hand tools and the set's relatively low cost.

Some of the outlier negative reviews for the product focus on the fact that the tools are a little too large and heavy for little kids — but this also means the tools won't be too small for adult beginners, who can use them as children can (though the included child-size apron probably won't fit). If you do get this kit for a child, make sure they still use it with adult supervision and make it clear that tools, like pliers and hammers, are not toys and should always be used very carefully.

Amazon sells the Hi-Spec 18-piece 18pc Kids Tool Kit Set & Tool Bag for $34.99.

The Lamptop 47-piece Woodworking Tools and Accessories Set is good for beginners because it provides a range of saw blades and drill bits that can be used for a variety of applications, while still being pretty cheap. If it turns out woodworking isn't for you, you won't be kicking yourself for investing in it since it's only about $30. The kit comes with countersink bits, wood plug cutter drill bits, step drill bits, long twist drill bits, drill stop bits, miniature circular saw blades, L-wrenches, and an automatic center punch.

Over 2,000 users have rated the kit a solid 4.2 out of 5 overall customer score on Amazon. Some reviews confirm that the tools, which consist of high carbon steel, are sturdy and well-made, though most focus on the usefulness and versatility of the set. Others specify that the included accessories make woodworking easier, making this a great option for anyone just dipping their toes into the craft.

While the accessories included in this set make for a perfect starter tool kit, it doesn't come with a power saw or power drill to use the blades and tips with. You won't be able to get much done without supplementing this product with those tools, but that also leaves you free to use the tools from any brand in any price range. A few other crucial tools are also missing from the set, such as a hammer or a combination square. 

The Lamptop 47-piece Woodworking Tools and Accessories Set sells for $30.99 on Amazon.

If you want to get straight into using power tools for woodworking, you'll have to deal with the fact that good, cordless equipment costs a lot more than hand tools. You can save money buying combo kits, but even these can get pretty expensive as you include more and more tools, and there are plenty of different woodworking tools you can use. The DeWalt 20V Max 3-Tool Woodworking Combo Kit is a good way to start with the basics, though.

This kit includes some of the best DeWalt tools for woodworking, including a random orbital sander, jigsaw, and oscillating multi-tool, as well as a 5Ah battery and charger that can be used with all three. Plus, the kit includes a durable storage bag to keep them in. Based on nearly 500 user reviews, the woodworking kit has an excellent 4.8 out of 5 overall customer score on Amazon.

Many of the positive reviews focus on the value of the kit and the high-quality construction of the tools, as well as their long battery life. Despite only including three tools, a lot of reviews also praise the versatility of the set. One 5-star review calls it a "great starter kit" that "comes with a versatile selection of tools ... the bag is heavy duty and will probably last a long time." For someone just starting out at woodworking, the set could be a bit pricey, but having good, solid tools will also help keep you from becoming frustrated and abandoning the craft without giving it a proper chance.

The DeWalt 20V Max 3-Tool Woodworking Combo Kit is currently discounted on Amazon for $329.

While shop class in school likely involved table saws and hacksaws, there's no reason you need to use the tools when first learning woodworking. An alternate way to build your skills and become familiar with different kinds of wood is by learning how to whittle and carve. There is no shortage of carving kits for beginners available, including the Poliwell Wood Carving Kit, which has a 4.5 out of 5 average user rating on Amazon based on at least 550 reviews.

Several of its positive reviews specifically mention how good the kit is for beginners, such as this one: "Great for beginners! Easy to use and even comes with starter projects for practice." Another 5-star review agrees: "My daughter wanted to give woodworking a try. This kit started her off with everything she needed. The tools seem to be a good quality and durable."

The set comes with 22 pieces, including a chip detail knife, hook knife, geometric carving knife, detail wood carving knives, wood carving spoon blank, blade protectors, leather strop, polishing compound, whetstone, no-cut tape, sandpaper, a canvas roll bag, and cut-resistant gloves for safety. If the idea of using screws and power saws and drilling holes is why you're interested in woodworking in the first place, then a kit with those tools would be a better choice — but Poliwell's product is a no-brainer for carvers and whittlers just starting out.

Amazon sells the Poliwell Wood Carving Kit for $37.99.

The best way to get exactly the kind of tools you want to learn first is by building your own starter tool kit from scratch, piece by piece. Of course, this is more inconvenient than buying a pre-packaged set. It can also be more expensive in the long run since you are buying tools individually and not as part of combo kits, but it can also save money if you're only focusing on products you strictly intend to use.

Users on r/woodworking have a wide range of opinions when it comes to what tools should be included in a DIY woodworking starter tool kit. There are some tools that are commonly mentioned in recommendations, such as tape measures, chisels, power drills, hammers, and clamps. Many users also recommend different saws, depending on your budget and how serious you intend to get with the hobby. Coping saws and jigsaws are useful for beginners, for instance, but you might need an expensive table saw right off the bat if you're starting with bigger projects.

If you look around the various subreddits dedicated to woodworking, such as r/BeginnerWoodWorking, you can find other suggested items to include in your starter kit, such as planers, random orbital sanders, mallets, impact drivers, and miter saws. Users also recommend non-tool items to acquire before you begin woodworking, like dust masks, first aid kits, and good how-to books to learn from.

The woodworking starter tool kits included on this list represent a variety of different ways you can begin learning the craft, including carving kits, power tool kits, and accessory kits. All of the sets included on this list have strong reviews from customers who have purchased and used them. These user reviews were sourced from Amazon, as the retailer has an immense customer base with plenty of feedback to comb through. The more users give their two cents on a given product, the more reliable the average customer score is likely to be, as any outlier reviews made in bad faith (whether positively or negatively) won't hold as much weight.

The starter tool kits on this list have an overall user rating of 4.2 out of 5 or higher, based on nearly 500 user reviews, if not several thousand more. Other sources of information that were used when assembling this list include the publication Woodworking and relevant subreddit forums, including r/woodworking and r/BeginnerWoodWorking.