8 Tools We’re Thankful For

About the time I hit middle school, I had a very particular reason to look forward to Christmas. My Grandpa John had taken it upon himself to use the occasion to build my collection of tools. I never knew what it would be, but after a couple of years, I eagerly anticipated some new and helpful addition to the toolbox he’d gotten me on the first go-round.

Most of us, myself included, aren’t fully decked out with a shop full of the greatest and most capable accoutrements. But as time goes by, projects give us excuses to buy new tools that build up the resources to get our jobs done. Over that time we build affection for certain implements, and every once in a while we discover something that we can’t believe we lived without. Here are just a few bits and bobs from our collections that we’re thankful for.

A Good Electric Impact

For me, it’s gotta be the battery-powered impact gun. That thing has cut literal hours off of jobs that I’ve done. When we rebuilt my Mitsubishi Montero’s front end, my DeWalt impact gun was probably the most-used tool when it came to knocking off all sorts of nuts and bolts. Are there instances where it’s a bit overkill? Sure. Is there something satisfying about using hand tools for certain jobs? Also yes.

But is there value in saving a little time when you’re doing more rudimentary projects on your vehicles? Always.—Nate Petroelje

A Power Ratchet

I am here for the battery-powered things, too. I love my M12 Milwaukee ratchet—it makes junkyard runs in 100-plus-degree heat far more bearable.—Sajeev Mehta

Wrenches That Go Way Back

These Craftsman ratcheting wrenches aren’t anything special, and 20-plus years of use means the action isn’t so great on some of them. I ought to buy a more precise set that gets more rotation out of every pull. But they were with me when I started wrenching on things in earnest and still get pulled out of the drawer for almost every project, and it’s out of gratitude for every nut and bolt they’ve turned that I can’t let them go. That 17-mm on the side gets to be in the group photo because just about every nut and bolt on the first two generations of Miata is either a 10, 12, 14, or 17 mm, so it’s gotten good use, too.—Eddy Eckart

Welders

The ability to join metal, especially at the price point that makes welders usable by home DIY folks, is a superpower. I don’t use mine often, but I brought it out last week to fabricate an exhaust for one of my motorcycles, and I continue to be amazed at how easy welding is considering what can be done with the process.—Kyle Smith

Modern Tech

The smartphone. Between the ability to FaceTime a knowledgeable friend or parent mid-project, look up a tutorial on YouTube before even starting, document a project for yourself, or find answers on a car forum mid-project, it’s the ultimate cheat code. Also, Bluetooth OBDII scanners, amirite?—Grace Houghton

Stubby Screwdrivers

Stubby screwdriver! Hard-to-reach places are sometimes only accessible with the trusty stubby. I like the thick handle that makes it unlikely to slip, even when you’re well into depths underhood. Plus, it’s adorable.—Eric Weiner

Sockets That Go Way Back

 This Craftsman socket set was gifted to me by my parents when I was still in high school. It was a big stretch at the time to afford something like this, even though it’s just a basic set. But I’m thankful for what it started.

I don’t come from a family of car people. Occasionally, I still believe that falling in love with these machines was a total accident. But when my parents saw that I was serious about enjoying cars, they decided to do what they could to help further that. So this socket set showed up.

I remember using it to change the oil for the first time on my 1987 Porsche 924 S, which I’d bought from an older gentleman who couldn’t get into the car anymore. I think the whole ordeal took me six hours, because I kept getting stumped on little problems such as “Well, how to do you get the car in the air?” or “OK, so that filter won’t come off by hand, what now?”

I’ve since built out a decent tool box, and this Christmas, I’ve asked for help making the leap to a larger, more capable socket system. I’ll be grateful to have more capacity, but I’m always going to have a soft spot for this scraped-up black box with the clanky ratchet that occasionally binds. It kicked the ball over the hill, and now we’re well and truly rolling.—Nate Petroelje

Mobile Compressed Air

On-board air compressors. Whether it’s a unit integrated into a vehicle or, even more conveniently, a portable unit you can easily hook up to the battery of any rig, these little machines make going off-road—and getting back on it—a much more pleasant experience. Being able to air down your tires for comfortable crawling with the knowledge that you can fill them back up when the trail ends—or fill the tires of a stranded motorist—is great peace of mind. Even better, there are compressors for every budget and build.—Stefan Lombard