5 Hand Tools Worth Buying At Lowe's For Less Than $25

Lowe's home improvement stores have long been recognized as ideal shopping locations for pro builders and DIYers to pick up quality gear for almost any project they might be undertaking. Moreover, the big box retailer has earned a reputation for offering that gear at competitive prices compared to some of the other retailers in the industry like The Home Depot and the family-owned midwest powerhouse Menards. Indeed, at this point in its history, the retail chain carries everything from lumber and larger lawn care equipment to appliances, plumbing supplies, and lighting for your home's interiors and exteriors. The retailer also carries a full line of high quality hand tools and power tools from most of the industry's major manufacturers, including the likes of Craftsman, DeWalt, Bosch, Skil and Kobalt. 

If you're in need of hand tools bearing the names of some of those factions, you'll be interested to learn that you can pick up a range of well-rated items from each of them at your local Lowe's without dropping too many Benjamins at checkout. In fact, you'll probably be able to scoop up a few for less than a quarter of even a single Benjamin. Here are a few hand tools priced at $25 or less that Lowe's customers have deemed worthy of the investment. 

As far as brand names go in the tool game, few have been around as long as Craftsman. While the tool maker is now a part of the vast Stanley Black & Decker family of tool brands, the ownership change has hardly diminished Craftsman's esteem in the marketplace. It also hasn't touched its hard-earned reputation for making affordable, high-quality tools.

A fair price is exactly what you can expect if you're eyeing Craftsman's 12-piece Screwdriver Set, which Lowe's is currently selling for just $24.98. For that low price, you get five flathead and five Phillips head screwdrivers in a range of sizes that are all manufactured using heat-treated alloy steel and fit with comfort optimized handles for high and low torque action. You also get one 2-inch x 4-inch off-set screwdriver, as well as a magnetizing and de-magnetizing tool to boot. On top of that, the tools are all backed by a lifetime warranty from Craftsman.

At present, the set is rated at 4.8-stars out of 5 by real-world customers, the bulk of whom rave about the comprehensive nature of the set as well as the durability of the tools themselves. Not surprisingly, many reviewers also praise the quality of the set at its sub $25 price point. However, a handful of users did take the set to task for being brittle and potentially prone to bending or breaking. 

Given the growth that Lowe's has undergone over the decades, it should hardly come as a surprise that the home improvement chain has added a handful of brand names to its exclusive in-house offerings. But you might be surprised to learn that Lowe's counts one of the better known brands, Kobalt Tools, among its in-house exclusives. You might be even more surprised to know that Lowe's helped launch the brand itself to compete in the mechanics tool sector back in 1998.

While the Kobalt name may not carry the weight of Snap-On or Milwaukee Tools, the brand is well-respected among savvy consumers looking for a mix of quality and savings. If the 4.8-star rating bestowed upon Kobalt's 50-Piece Mechanics Tool Set is any indication, that's exactly what Kobalt delivers here at a cost of just $24.98. The set includes one stubby handled ratchet, one stubby adjustable wrench, and one stubby magnetic bit driver. It also comes with 20 insert bits and their adapter; 26 sockets in both metric and SAE sizes; and a hard plastic carrying case.

That star rating is based on nearly 100 user reviews. While one or two reviewers note issues with the quality of one tool or another, they are overwhelmingly positive. Overall, happy customers note that the tools are tough, easy to use, and ideal for working in tight spaces.

Klein Tools is a brand that is perhaps better known to the noble electricians of the world than the general public. But that is starting to change as more and more consumers find the brand's wares in major retail environments like Lowe's. That's especially true for those who prefer patronizing companies like Klein, who mostly make their tools within the borders of the continental United States.

Over the years, Klein has come to be known as one of the more innovative hand tool makers out there, with fans of the brand pointing to products like the 7-in-1 Impact Flip Socket Set as proof. Yes, this cleverly designed attachment provides seven different sizes of socket — from 1/4-inch to 9/16-inch — that are stackable and easily swappable for those moments when you need to switch heads on the fly. They're even color-coded so they are easier to recognize.

Those features are a big part of why this set has earned a star rating of 4.6 stars from real-world users, even as some feel the set's magnetism is underwhelming and that the design is a little more gimmicky than it is useful. Naysayers aside, users are largely pleased with the set at the cost of $20.98. We should, however, tell you the socket does not come with the requisite handle, which could cost you an additional $19.99 depending on where you buy it.

If you're more of an average joe just looking to pick up a few essential tools to use around your home or apartment, rest assured that Lowe's has no shortage of options that suit those needs. That list includes a 9-piece Household Tool Set from Fleming Supply that would make an ideal starter kit for any new homeowner. Said set boasts a normal retail price of just $23.46, along with a 5-star rating from users. 

Now, we should be up front about the fact that the rating is based on just a handful of reviews. But it does say something that this kit is batting a thousand among those who have chimed in to comment, right? As for the reviews themselves, the word "perfect" is cited on a pair of occasions, with one user noting the set is ideal for what they needed in their small apartment, and another claiming it was a great gift for a young homeowner.

As a beginner's tool kit, it really does cover most of the bases, with Fleming Supply including two screwdrivers (flathead and Phillips head), a traditional set of pliers as well as needle nose, a boxcutter, an adjustable wrench, a 12-250V voltage tester, and even 8M PVC insulation tape. One everyday tool that's not included is a hammer. Admittedly, that does feel like a miss from team Fleming. 

For those who might be looking to upgrade their pliers from the standard ones found in your average homeowner's kit, Lowe's has a vast range of offerings in the $25 price range these days. If you regularly find yourself working with things like pipes, nuts, and bolts either around the house or on the job, you might be interested to know that Lowe's currently features a 2-Pack Craftsman Tongue and Groove Plier Set for the everyday retail price of $24.98.

That set comes with the Craftsman brand name emblazoned on it and has been rated at 4.8-stars out of 5 on the strength of some 215 reviews from real Lowe's customers. It includes 8-inch Groove Joint Pliers and a 10-inch model that are manufactured using durable drop-forged steel. Both pliers also feature precision machined jaws for increased grip and multi-zone bi-material grips for increased comfort and control during use. They're also backed by Craftsman's full lifetime warranty, ensuring the pliers can be replaced free of charge if they fail for any reason.

Of the 215 reviews logged on this item's Lowe's product page, some 96% are 4 or 5-star in nature. Most of those users heap praise on the pliers for their high quality build, ease of use, and overall versatility. However, one of the few negative reviews noted that their 10-inch plier was misaligned, and thus prone to jamming.   

The purpose of this article is to put a few budget-friendly but well-reviewed hand tools on the radar of Lowe's home improvement shoppers who might be looking for such an item. In assembling the list, we read through pages and pages of product listings on Lowe's website and highlighted five products that fit our criteria for user ratings (4.5-stars or higher) and price point ($25 or less). As such, we relied heavily on user ratings from real customers who've already purchased the items to help determine their overall quality at the price point.