10 Tool Recommendations for 2022!
I made a list of my favorite tools I bought or used in 2020 so I thought, “why not update it with some tools I’ve bought since then?” I’m constantly buying and testing out tools (and I occasionally get some pro bono). I’m always discovering new *to me* tools that I think are awesome and that I want to share with you guys in case you’re looking for new tools to add to your arsenal. Continue reading below to see my 10 Tool Recommendations for 2022!
This list is always changing, but these tools have my vote for favorites I’ve used in the last year or so! I know some of these items might be a little spendy for the average person, which I totally understand. Some of these items took me years to pull the trigger on. I tend to come from the school of thought that if you’re saving money on the labor by DIYing a project, you can use that savings to invest in some tools that will help make your life easier.
Here’s the full list of tools via my Amazon Affiliate storefront if you’d like to purchase any of them. You don’t pay any extra and it helps support the Mrfixitdiy brand. You can learn more about the types of compensation I accept on my disclosures page.
Without further ado here’s the list in no particular order.
1.) DeWalt FlexVolt 60v Max 6-1/2″ Track Saw
DeWalt FlexVolt 60v Max 6-1/2″ Track Saw – $399
I’ll be honest. I never really used a track saw much before this year. I’ve always been pretty confident in my ability with a circular saw and when I needed it, I always just clamped down a level or straight edge to get a clean cut. That all changed this year when I bought the DeWalt Track saw. It has completely overhauled the way I cut sheet goods or just need to make a clean, straight cut. Having the flexibility of the 60v cordless power is amazing! It helped me so much when I tackled the massive kitchen remodel I tackled this year. HIGHLY recommend!
2.) Graco Magnum X7 Paint Sprayer
Graco Magnum X7 Paint Sprayer – $390
In the past I’ve always rented a Sprayer from Home Depot when I needed one for a larger job. That changed this year as I tackled a bunch of large home improvement projects and it didn’t make sense to rent a sprayer a bunch of times. I own the Graco TC Pro Handheld Cordless Sprayer also BUT when it came to painting the ceiling in my living room, and the cabinets and kitchen for my remodel, I needed something that could hold a lot more paint. The performance of the X7 was awesome, whether it was painting the exterior of the house, or the fine finish of the cabinets. I used the Graco FFLP208 for the fine finish tip for painting my cabinets. Swapping the tips gave me tremendous versatility and was worth it’s weight in gold!
3.) Festool 574930 CT 26 E HEPA Dust Extractor
Festool 574930 CT 26 Dust Extractor – $740
Look, I know spending $700+ on a shop vac seems insane! I told myself that FOR YEARS. I could never justify the expense of it and couldn’t see how it warranted that price. Well this past year I finally bit the bullet and bought my first Festool product and this was it. I bought it because I needed something for refinishing my kitchen cabinets in place. Since I reused many of the cabinet boxes and sanded them in place in the kitchen, I needed something that could keep the dust as manageable as possible. To be honest, I’ve never used a vacuum that even compares to keeping the dust down like this one does. Sanding the cabinets was virtually dustless. I paired this with my second Festool purchase, the Festool DTS 400 REQ-Plus Sander, and was not at all disappointed in my purchase. I was quoted over $5000 to refinish and paint the cabinets which wasn’t in my budget so this was the next best thing.
4.) True Position Cabinet Hardware Jig
True Position Cabinet Hardware Jig – $199
This was another upgrade for me this year. I previously had another cabinet hardware jig but it just wasn’t up to par. With this jig you can easily set repeatable positioning for perfect placement on doors and drawer pulls which was huge for me to get a consistent look across all my kitchen cabinets. I love this tool and will be using it in all my cabinet projects moving forward!
5.) Milwaukee M18 FUEL 18 Ga. Brad Nailer
Milwaukee M18 FUEL 18 G
a. Brad Nailer – $279
This was one of those tools I got from my friends over at Northern Tool & Equipment earlier this year. I’ve wanted a cordless brad nailer for a long time so I jumped at the chance to get my hands on this thing. Needless to say I was NOT disappointed. In fact, I love it so much I bought one for my brother for his birthday. This thing has been an absolute game changer for most of my woodworking projects as well as for trim and finish carpentry projects around the house. This is absolutely the first tool I reach for with glue-ups when I need something to hold while the glue sets up. It’s reliable, powerful, and versatile. Works perfect with the rest of my Fuel Lineup on the 18v battery lineup. If you’re in the market for a cordless brad nailer, this is easily my choice.
6.) Bora Tool Wood Storage Rack
Bora Tool Wood Storage Rack – $49.99
You can never have too much lumber storage! I spent WAY too much time tripping over lumber in my shop earlier this year (and every year quite frankly). I invested in a few more of these racks this year to help get materials up off the floor so that I could navigate around the shop safely. If you have any available wall space to put one (or a bunch) of these up, you’ll thank yourself for pulling the trigger on these. Super easy assembly and for under $50 on Amazon right now, it’s a no brainer!
7.) Kreg Tool Concealed Hinge Jig
Kreg Tool Concealed Hinge Jig – $54.99
Between rebuilding all my kitchen cabinets to my office and some shop cabinets, I did a buttload of cabinetry this year! This jig is a must if you’re using concealed hinges. I had another concealed hinge jig from a Rockler for a few years but I wasn’t crazy about it. This one is much simpler, intuitive, and versatile. Not to mention it’s $29 on Amazon which is a steal IMO. Adjusting it is super easy with a phillips head screwdriver and it fits the majority of concealed hinges you’ll find on the market. Cheap, easy, and effective! My 3 favorite things!
8.) Milwaukee Voltage Detector
Milwaukee Voltage Detector – $30
I’ve had this tool for a few years now but I got a TON of use out of it this year already. In fact, I used it so much that I broke my first one and had to buy a replacement. If you’re doing any electrical work around the house this is a must have. With my various remodeling projects this past year, I did a lot of electrical work. Moving to a new house, I also have done a ton of troubleshooting on the new place to figure out the electrical layout. This is my go-to tool for checking for live (hot) wires, line & load wires, and identifying circuits. It’s a super simple tool but it has paid for itself 100x over. It’s about the size of a sharpie so it’s super convenient to add to an electrical pouch or carry in your pocket. It has a loud beep and red light that flashes when voltage is present so it’s pretty fool proof (just make sure it’s on). It also has a little flashlight on the end that can be helpful in dark situations and to know that the pen is on. Highly worthwhile purchase for both convenience and personal safety.
9.) POPULO Electric Drain Auger
Populo Electric Drain Auger – $99
This was one of the more recent tools I bought at the end of last year. When we moved into the new house, a bunch of the bathroom drains were really slow moving. The kitchen also had some issues but I’ll save that story for another time. I purchased this electric drain auger after much frustration with my traditional drain auger and dealing with stubborn clogs I couldn’t remove with the shop vac. I can’t believe how impressed I’ve been with this tool. Anytime you buy a tool from an unknown (to me) brand, you always take a risk, but I am so happy with this purchase. It was pretty affordable and well worth the purchase price. It’s handled everything I’ve thrown at it thus far with incredible ease. Highly recommend.
10.) Bora Tool Centipede
This is one of the more recent tools I purchased and it has really come in handy after our move. I don’t have a dedicated shop space setup yet so the versatility of the centipede has been a space and time saver. I can use it as a portable workbench, or as a spot to hold sheet goods while I build other cabinets and benches. It collapses small and tucks away so it’s super convenient. Even after I have the new shop completed, this will get regular use in my shop because it’s so versatile and useful.
So that’s it for this list! I hope you guys enjoyed checking out some of my favorites and I hope it helps you if you’re considering some new tools throughout 2022. I’d highly recommend adding these to your wishlists for the future. As I mentioned, this is an every evolving list so I’ll do my best to share some more of my favorites as I come across them.
If you like this list, here is previous list of recommendations as well as some recent projects I’ve done utilizing some of the tools I mentioned above.
