15 Ace Hardware Home Improvement Products You Didn't Realize Existed

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With over 5,000 stores globally and most operated as independent franchises rather than within a singular corporate structure, Ace Hardware isn't your typical home improvement store. The outlet carries all manner of tools and accessories to help get the job done, from the mainstream to the fairly obscure. Whether you're a seasoned repairer and DIY installer or someone new to the game of home renovations, somewhere within the Ace catalog you're sure to run into something you've never seen before. Sometimes this is a tool, but it could just as well be a game-changing accessory.

These 15 products from Ace Hardware are all oddities to some extent, reaching beyond the standard boundaries of typical home improvement gear. Some users may have never encountered them before, while others might be familiar with them, but actually using one is a new experience. Each one is an interesting addition that can support new projects or improve the workflow of existing tasks on a typical home improver's to-do list.

Dremel is a vaunted name in the world of rotary tools, so much so that many users just call their tool a "Dremel" rather than its actual name (much like the commonality of calling circular saws "Skilsaws" or substituting "Kleenex" for tissue). But the brand makes many other pieces of equipment, too. One such example is the Dremel 7.5 Amp 4-Inch Corded 'Ultra Saw' Kit. It's a multi-material cutting tool that's laid out like a cross between an angle grinder and a small-bodied circular saw.

The tool features a corded power source, ensuring it remains in full effect throughout your use. It also comes with three cutting wheels, covering both wood and metal compatibility. It operates with a 4-inch diameter disc and can produce a maximum cutting depth at 90 degrees of ¾ inch. The tool produces 13,000 RPM blade speeds for fast slicing regardless of the task at hand.

Milwaukee makes numerous cordless power tools perfect for an on-the-go kit, and many users will be familiar with the brand's heat guns, in particular. But a tool that's fairly similar in visual style and utility is the Milwaukee M18 Compact Blower. This doesn't blast hot air at workpieces, but rather a steady stream of air that's essential to managing cleaning tasks and other maintenance requirements. It features a trigger lock-on switch that makes the tool easier to use for lengthy cleaning tasks and weighs just 2 pounds, minimizing fatigue.

The tool also includes three interchangeable nozzles including an inflator nozzle that allows it to perform various functions to match all kinds of user requirements. The brushless motor provides up to 39 CFM and 570 MPH blowing speeds. Finishing touches like an integrated LED light help make this tool a useful and unique addition to many toolkits.

The portable band saw is a tool purpose-built to handle metal cutting requirements. The DeWalt 20V Max Brushless Deep Cut Band Saw is an interesting option because of the deep throat this unit brings to the table. Throat depth limits the size of workpieces you're able to cut, and with expanded reach in this open segment of the tool, this model provides for up to 5-inch by 4¾-inch rectangular material and up to 4-inch round stock. It also features an LED work light with a 20 second delay to help improve cut accuracy and safety in all manner of working environments.

The tool also introduces an integrated hang hook and blade speed control settings to dial in the exact cutting requirements necessary for various tasks. The Saw features toolless blade change capability with a lever that loosens the blade's tension and it can be used with DeWalt's FlexVolt batteries as well as its standard lineups 20 volt power packs.

Craftsman tools have been a staple in home improvement collections for generations. Old Craftsman hand tools still act as a great find at garage sales, and tools across the board from this maker come with solid warranty coverage (although power tools feature far less duration than the lifetime policy still applied to its hand tools). One power tool that may not be as commonly noticed in the Craftsman catalog is its V20 6-Inch Battery Lopper Kit. The tool operates with a miniaturized chain sawing solution built into one part of the shears with a cutting capacity of up to 4 inches in diameter.

The tool utilizes a scissor action to cut away material, much like a standard hand tool option for (large) pruning shears. The lopper tool utilizes a single motion that makes cutting fast and efficient. The patented clamping jaws assist in creating a simplified shearing action that's easy to perform and won't leave you fighting branches as you clean up excess growth.

You may not expect it, but there is a different hammer specifically built to tackle just about every kind of striking or prying task you might encounter. The trusty claw hammer is but a drop in the bucket when exploring the depths of this tool. For starters, many home improvers would actually be better suited using a straight claw hammer rather than the rounded variant that's frequently first thought of when considering hammers. A straight claw allows for an improved nail pulling experience that leaves less damage behind in its wake.

An entirely different kind of hammer however is the Vaughan 22-ounce Carbon Steel Half-Hatchet Hammer. This roofing hammer is particularly well suited to mixing the cutting tasks and fixing tasks involved in laying roof tiles. But users of all varieties can get ample value out of half-hatchet hammer. Anytime you need to make basic cuts alongside your fastening tasks this tool can play a pivotal role in smoothing out the process of your workflow. This specimen features a flame treated hickory handle and a powder coated head finish. It's heavy enough most common nail driving tasks and features a carbon steel build for both longevity and strength.

In woodworking, the hand plane is as common as a screwdriver or utility knife, but in home improvement circles it's a little more niche, even as the tool remains an invaluable asset across many project types. Even though the standard hand plane isn't a particularly well-guarded secret, The surform plane is something of an unknown among most home improvers. The Stanley Surform Hand Plane is a low cost, high value option with an ergonomic handle and lengthy body that can tackling finish work a bit easier.

The surform plane is a finishing touch essential. It works with a blade that's essentially a rasp or file rather than the plane iron found in a typical hand plane. This allows it shape workpieces delicately while also tackling shaving requirements on material that might dull a standard bench plane. This tool features a 10-inch base with a die cast alloy body. It's compatible with various Stanley replacement blades including a half round option for even more nuanced finishing work.

Plenty of home improvers may have seen a tool like the DeWalt 20V Max Grabo Lifter, but this isn't something that's standard fare in a typical home renovator's collection. Often, tools like this are used to fit glasswork in custom made displays, but it can serve as a grabbing tool for numerous other material needs, including semi-porous workpieces like wood, concrete, or drywall. The tool features a built-in pressure sensor that controls the vacuum grip for a snug fit without over doing things.

An electric vacuum pump within the tool allows it to grip material, and the lifter can carry up to 265 pounds, making it capable of a vast number of tasks. However, it's most useful in setting tile, drywall boards, or glass paneling without having to grab the edges of a workpiece while fitting it into place, allowing for more precision. The tool also features a bright LED control screen with a digital pressure gauge that delivers up to the minute feedback on settings, battery life, and more.

An electric log splitter like the DR Power Equipment Pilot 6 Ton Electric Log Splitter isn't a tool that you might know you need, but if you have one at your disposal it can be hard to go back to manually cracking logs apart for your fireplace. Those who live in areas where the fireplace gets plenty of use can seriously speed along their preparation tasks and minimize the physical exertion required to get logs down to size. Home improvers can also benefit from a tool like this, especially if they frequently have to deal with landscaping tasks that involve large trees. Whether you plan on burning the resulting cuttings or not, an electric log splitter can be a potent force for chopping down waste material that can easily fit in your trash can or elsewhere.

This provides log splitting capacity of up to 10-inch thick branches and operates without gas or oil on a standard 110V outlet. This means it won't create a significant amount of noise or require additional maintenance tasks to keep operating year after year as you work through your landscaping checklist or winter preparation tasks.

A biscuit jointer allows you to cut specialized recesses in the sides of boards, creating additional surface area to support structural glue ups with a firmer hold. Those who are at least somewhat acquainted with this tool will undoubtedly recognize the Festool option. Festool is one of the best German tool brands around, and the equipment in its catalog is frequently of a very high quality. However, Festool gear is also significantly more expensive than the alternatives in virtually every scenario. The DeWalt 20V Max XR Biscuit Jointer is available at Ace Hardware for $299 and delivers high quality performance, too, making the prohibitively expensive variants in the Festool collection feel superfluous by comparison (a similar Festool product is $1,359 at Amazon, for reference).

This tool weighs 5.5 pounds, making it relatively easy to maneuver and delivers tool free adjustments. You can utilize #0, #10, and #20 biscuits with the jointer, and changes between the sizes are made with a simple adjustment lever on the tool. It also operates with an integrated fence that provides bevel adjustments between zero and 90 degrees. Integrated dust extraction hookups and a paddle switch design make this a solid choice for those looking to get into a new form of home improvement.

The contour gauge is a tool home improvers might be familiar with from scrolling through YouTube or other social media inspiration pages, but I don't own one, and I don't know anyone else who does. However, while it may be far better known than it is actually utilized, that's not a knock against its usefulness, but rather the buying habits of typical home improvers. The General 10-Inch Locking Contour Gauge features a 10-inch contoured side with thinner pins then standard in order to help match the precise changes running along a wall or other feature in your home. It also utilizes a locking mechanism with a simple knob flip to engage. The result is a tool that can easily replicate unique lines in the geometry of your property and then lock in those measurements for an easy and pain-free transfer to your workpiece.

The 10-inch length makes it suitable for a variety of uses and the pins are elongated, as well, helping to support as wide a range of measurement tasks as possible. This is a particularly interesting choice for those who live in custom-built homes or have introduced customized built-in units to make the space uniquely personal. Making future changes requires a precise measurement solution and this can be that answer.

Reaching into difficult working areas can become impossible without some added support in your toolkit. An accessory product like the Eazypower Isomax 7.5-Inch Flexible Screwdriver Extension Kit changes the nature of this sort of frustrating work, however. The extension features a 7.5-inch flexible hex shank bit. It locks into place on standard multibit screwdrivers or within the bit retaining elements of an impact driver or drill. The steel construction in the tool's outer layer gives it excellent durability without sacrificing flex. Turning a fastener that is located within a recessed area or behind other integrated parts that make direct access impossible becomes simple with a tool like this.

The kit also features nine additional bits, with heads in common sizes and styles to support all kinds of turning requirements. The bits have been machined with great precision in mind, helping to give the kit a professional level of service to the tasks you encounter while also delivering durability and excellent grabbing capabilities in a range of screw heads.

The Craftsman V20 Steel Cordless Pruner is a hand held power cutting tool that allows for easy pruning of woody material around the yard. The tool features a powerful jaw that is capable of cutting both wet and dry wood with a cut capacity of 1¼ inches in diameter. It operates with trigger action and can be utilized with a single hand allowing your other hand to grab branches or perform other tasks. It also weighs just 4.6 pounds, making it small enough to offer good mobility for precision cutting and shaping needs when handling ornamental bushes and shrubs.

The tool can deliver up to 900 cuts per charge and has a sequence speed that delivers one cut every second when operating at full capacity. The result is a fast cutting solution with enough longevity in its output to tackle most household landscaping jobs on a single charge. Craftsman notes that this tool delivers cutting power with 20 times less effort on average than a manual pruner.

Taking distance measurements isn't always as simple as you would hope. Measuring small workpieces or condensed areas for installation is simple with a tape measure, but extend this range out to the length of an entire wall and you'll often find yourself fighting with the measurement tool rather than guiding it along your path. This is where an alternative like the Milwaukee 150-Foot Laser Distance Meter can make a big difference. This tool features a 150-foot measurement capacity and includes a two position auto-detecting lever that enables you to accurately measure into corners.

The tool features a variety of internal calculation tools, including surface area, volume and linear distance. It can also store up to 30 readings, so you don't have to run back and forth to paper diagram between each measurement in order to take calculations for a room or elsewhere. The tool is also built with an impact resistance over-mold that gives it protection in demanding work environments and in the event of a drop or whack off the wall.

Nail sets are built to deliver sinking force, creating an extension that you can strike in order to seat a nail head below the surface of a workpiece. They're instrumental in installation tasks involving skirting board for instance, or in finish carpentry work on a customized built-in unit. Anytime you're using nails, a nail set can help you drive the fastener all the way into a board, allowing you to completely clean up the "entry wound" with spackle or wood filler for a seamless face.

The Stanley Cushion Grip Nail Set Kit takes this a step further, adding cushioned grips and featuring a three piece set with varying sizes. Each one features a long length that allows for more than enough grip area for safe use as well as extended reach into recessed areas for a variety of nail driving requirements. The nail sets are also crafted from fully hardened and precision milled steel with a long beveled tip for easier alignment and solid durability. Each one features a square head that eliminates the risk of rolling when the tool is set down and the bi-material grip features shock absorption properties and slip resistance.

If you are planning a new season of planting out in the yard, a tool like the Scotts 16-Inch Electric Tiller/Cultivator can be a major boost to your productivity. Churning up the soil ahead of new planting is a critical step that many home improvers simply overlook. Through the winter, cold temperatures, a lack of explosive growth, and plenty of rainfall or snow can result in condensed soil. This tool can turn hard packed soil with ease, featuring a 16-inch tilling width and an 8-inch depth for fast and efficient preparation of areas both large and small.

This tool features a corded operation, meaning you won't have to deal with the maintenance requirements of the gasoline powered tool or the charging demands of a cordless, battery-operated system. It also features adjustable tines, with the ability to set them at 11-inch widths for quality weed maintenance, as well. The large wheels make it easy to maneuver and a soft start motor helps deliver longevity for the landscaping tool.