GoKawiilSomething has shifted in the workshop. After years of DIY being sold as a weekend hobby for the mildly bored, home improvement has quietly become a serious cultural force. The global DIY market is forecast to hit nearly a trillion dollars this year. And while a third of you are apparently planning on starting a new DIY project in the next three months, the primary motivator for DIYers is, you guessed it, saving money. Not a bad thing right now, considering how the Iran war is spiking prices.
The tape measure and the drill you inherited from your folks will only take you so far. Fortunately, the tools driving this boom have never been smarter, and better hardware should mean, hopefully, better results. Whether you're building furniture, finishing a deck, or just finally hanging that TV straight, the tools available right now are genuinely more precise than anything a generation ago could have imagined. From a miniaturized soldering station to a kid-safe desktop cardboard router, these are WIRED’s 15 picks worth making room for in your toolbox this year.
And no matter how good your tools are, never forget: measure twice, cut once.
A Multifunction Power Tool
This intimidation-free power tool is perfect for people looking to conquer the multitude of household tasks that don’t require a massive hammer drill. Dremel’s neatly balanced 12-volt tool is made for fixing, tightening, and assembling. The detachable laser level and clever electronic stud finder hidden in the front of the handle make it ideal for hanging pictures, shelves, and 4K TVs. Comes with nine drivers and three drill bits, covering most household fixes without the need for a complete toolbox overhaul.
A Soldering Station
Courtesy of Soldr Save to wishlist Save to wishlist Soldr Deluxe Edition $319 $255 (20% off) Soldr
A compact, open-source soldering workstation that condenses a full electronics bench into a single portable unit. The battery-powered soldering iron offers precise temperature control from 212 to 842 degrees Fahrenheit (100 to 450 Celsius), making it suitable for delicate PCB work as well as more robust tasks. Integrated fume extraction pulls harmful vapors away at the source, while built-in magnification and adjustable LED lighting improve visibility. The clincher is that by being open-source, Soldr positively welcomes hardware tweaks and firmware upgrades, making it as appealing to hobbyists as it is to serious prototypers.
A Sander
Courtesy of Festool Save to wishlist Save to wishlist Festool DTSC 200 Basic Cordless Delta Sander $549 Festool
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