4 Lowes Tools That Are Must-Haves For Any Home Garage

Few things are as satisfying for DIYers as coming to a personal workspace complete with all the tools they ever wanted. However, having a fully-operational home garage or workshop means finding tools that serve a strong functional purpose first and foremost. Whether you're looking to break in your new workspace or need to refresh your current inventory, a trip to your local Lowe's will get you everything you need and then some. 

The famous blue and white chain needs little introduction as one of the most well-known home improvement retailers alongside The Home Depot, Harbor Freight, and Ace Hardware — and even being the most cost-effective option in some instances. You'll find no shortage of top-tier brands, some of which are even exclusive to Lowe's, in a variety of categories ranging from simple hand tools to heavy-duty automotive accessories. At the end of the day, what populates your garage will depend entirely on your needs and personal preferences, so an item that works well for one person may not be as organic a fit for someone else. 

The four tools we'll be covering on this list are ones that possess enough versatility to prove useful in practically any work environment. Along with their functionality, the price, overall value, and user reviews attached to each item influenced our decision-making. More about our methodology can be read at the end of this article.

Stability is key to the success of countless projects. Bench vises are easy to use, versatile additions to any workshop, adept at firmly securing work pieces to a surface so your hands can carry out other tasks. Lowe's has no shortage of these powerful tools and one of the best offered by the retailer is the Pony 6-Inch Cast Iron Bench Vise. 

For most, this bench vise will be more than sufficient. Its jaws can open up a maximum of 5-inches and possess nearly 4-inches of throat depth. When those teeth come together, the tool can deliver upwards of 5,500 pounds of clamping force. This, combined with its set of serrated steel teeth, gives you the ultra security needed to keep practically any wood, plastic, or metal material in place. The vise's heft adds to its overall stability, weighing in at nearly 40 pounds and being fitted with a sturdy base that can pivot 180 degrees for extra versatility. 

On Lowe's website, the Pony Bench Vise holds a 4.3 out of five-star rating average from nearly 60 reviewers. Buyers have praised it as an economical and overall effective option, even if it's not the best pick for super heavy-duty work. It can currently be purchased for $129 from the retailer. 

You don't need to be a tool aficionado to know how important a screwdriver is to any work or living situation. Even in a world of high-tech drills and similarly heavy-duty solutions, the humble screwdriver remains as practical and versatile as ever. Investing in a collection of these, such as those found in the 25-Piece Screwdriver Set from Craftsman, means that you'll have a tool on hand for just about every occasion. 

Craftsman may be a name you're well-aware of, but you may not know that Lowe's is one of the few retailers that officially sells its products (and that it is owned by the same company as DeWalt). The Craftsman Screwdriver Set is emblematic of the manufacturer's commitment to delivering high-quality yet accessible products. The 25-piece set contains screwdrivers of varying lengths and tip types including Philips, flatheads, piece hooks, and offset screwdrivers. Each piece is well-suited for a unique function, allowing you to switch between them depending on the task. 

Their durable alloy steel construction gives each enhanced durability to take on tough work and be resistant to corrosion and similar damage. It sports a near perfect 4.8 out of five-star rating average on Lowe's website from nearly 280 buyers. Its variety, ease of handling, and durable nature have won the approval of customers, as has its $44 price range and the lifetime warranty that comes standard with Craftsman products.

Measuring is an important step of many projects to ensure the greatest level of accuracy. There are countless tools you can use to get the job done, some more advanced than others, but a tape measure is a standard tool shop staple for good reason. Their compact build, straightforward operation, and ability to extend great distances makes them the ideal measurement tool for many — and that's not even going into their numerous hidden features and capabilities. 

Staying in line with those perks is the Irwin Strait-Line 25-Foot Tape Measure from Lowe's. While it can be easily used by users of all experience levels, this tape measure is primarily built with professional work environments in mind. This becomes readily apparent when you examine its build quality and durability. The rubber casing itself is made to take quite the beating, with the ability to withstand falls from up to 80-feet. Likewise, the blade is built to remain rigid and is coated to make it resistant to tears. It possesses additional features that reflect its heavy-duty potential, including a two-sided blade and hook, a finger break to aid in safe retraction, and large clear numbers and markings for easier reading. 

The Irwin tape measure currently possesses a 4.5-star rating average from more than 200 customers. Users have been pleasantly surprised by the length of the blade and the level of control they've achieved with it, with only minor complaints pointed towards details such as its belt clip. The tape measure can be purchased for $30.

From grabbing and trimming to pulling and twisting, pliers can be the extra pair of fingers we didn't know we needed. They're strong enough to hang on to objects while possessing the ability to latch on to nimble, delicate items with ease. But not all pliers are built the same, so it pays to have a variety on hand ready for any and every occasion. The Kobalt 5-Piece Plier Set fulfills this need for most, with an assortment of tools that are equally functional. 

Included in this set are a pair of slip-joint pliers, groove joint pliers, long nose pliers, linesman pliers, and diagonal pliers, all ranging in size from 6 to 8 inches. Each is well-suited for different tasks, ranging from home repair to loosening bolts to cutting wire. No matter the job, each is crafted with a similar level of quality and precision. They are constructed out of nickel steel while possessing rubberized cushion grips, allowing for a great blend of durability and easy handling. 

They've managed to receive quite a bit of popularity among Lowe's customer base. Nearly 600 alone have rated this set a 4.7 out of five-star on average, indicating that the well-built design, sufficient performance, and variety offered is well worth the investment. The entire set can be purchased for $33 as of this writing.  

So what made us go with these tools over the countless other items on Lowe's shelves? As we mentioned at the beginning, the needs of every home garage differ depending on the kind of work involved, so we wanted to go with a selection that could prove useful in as many settings as possible. While you may specifically require something more heavy-duty or even of a simpler nature. these picks can at least act as a starting point for you to further explore and find what's right for you. 

Given our attempt to have everything here possess as wide an appeal as possible, we took the time to examine each tool's functionality. We favored items that were simplistic in their base design or operation but possessed the versatility to be used in a diverse array of scenarios. Sets that featured multiple tools were equally valued here, as users could potentially get better use out of the variety. We then balanced the features and functions of each item with its price to determine their overall value. While affordability was a major factor in determining our picks, what was equally crucial was judging if the cost accurately reflected the quality and versatility each item had to offer. 

Finally, we turned to user reviews to make our final decision. Lowe's descriptions are certainly helpful, but getting a feel of what actual buyers experienced was invaluable. We, of course, sought out products with high overall marks, but made sure to take note of any repeated criticisms we spotted in reviews.