Cool Power Tools That Aren't Worth the Money
Are you an enthusiast of power tool tech that makes your DIY projects a little easier? If so, you probably think every power tool is a necessity to have in your shed - but that’s not the case! Continue reading to uncover 35 power tools that seem useful but rarely pay off.
Chainsaw
Sure, you might feel cool owning one, but what use does a chainsaw really have other than cutting down trees? On this note, how often will you actually need to do that? This power tool will end up collecting dust, buried under a bunch of other never-used stuff in your garage.
Hedge Trimmer
Hedge trimmers are dangerous, expensive, and take up a little space. All of those cons combined certainly fail to make up for its singular pro: trimming bushes. It would be easier (and safer) to buy and use manual hand-operated hedge trimmers.
Circular Saw
Circular saws are common power tools for home tasks, but they are unfortunately susceptible to kickback, which can be extremely dangerous. So, unless you’re a professional, you should probably avoid this power tool altogether.
Pneumatic Nail Gun
Even though air-powered nail guns and other pneumatic tools have detailed safety features, misuse can result in a fastener being shot quickly and in the wrong direction. How about we stick to the old hammer and nail instead?
Cordless Drill
Random fact: cordless drills have won the title of ‘most likely to break’ among power tools. Along with its tendency to break, they also have a bank-breaking price tag. Each of these combined, and you get a chunk of metal that never pays off.
Table Saw
Feared by fingertips, adored by do-it-yourselfers. Although they promise neat cuts and workshop prestige, they will primarily collect dust - unless you regularly make custom cabinets, of course. They just end up being too big, noisy, and needy to be worth the room they occupy.
Power-Actuated Nail Gun
For casual do-it-yourselfers, a power-actuated nail gun is more overkill than overachiever, even though it sounds like a contractor's dream. It requires a lot of upkeep, is noisy, and has the potential to turn your weekend project into a medical drama. They aren't very useful, either, unless you're framing houses every day.
Mitre Saws
Although mitre saws are known for their accuracy, let's face it, they are a bit of a dramatic touch - unless you live your life around how perfectly orientated your picture frames are! They need mathematical commitment, hum like a jet engine, and occupy half the garage. So, unless geometry is your love language, this tool just doesn’t pay off.
Wood-Turning Lathe
A wood-turning lathe is the tool industry's siren, luring you in with visions of exquisite spindles and handcrafted bowls. However, you're left with a glorified spinning stick after the novelty wears off. Most wind up creating uneven candlesticks… or just noise!
Extension Cords
Sure, extension cords can be really useful - until they start to tangle and spread out all over the floor. Despite their useful ability to stretch into awkward spaces, they invariably wind up kinked, knotted, or mysteriously lost. They’re excellent for expanding your work area, but they don’t pay off in the end.
Hand Lawnmower
There is no denying that lawn mowers are useful, particularly when the garden has become overgrown and resembles a jungle. However, they are frequently underutilized for individuals with small patches or more patio than grass.
Angle Grinders
Angle grinders are wonderful for cutting through tile, metal, and anything else that dares to resist refurbishment. However, they’re also noisy, dirty, and a little scary to the majority of do-it-yourselfers.
Snowblowers
With their ability to blast through drifts, snowblowers make winter cleanup seem heroic. But they're frequently overly dramatic in areas with little snowfall or small roads. They can wind up feeling like an overstaying seasonal guest as they’re bulky to store and rarely used.
Riding Lawnmowers
For smaller gardens, riding lawnmowers are all show with little go. They take up loads of space, drink fuel like a thirsty SUV, and rarely justify their flashiness. Unless you’ve got acres upon acres of land, they’re more parade float than practical.
Backhoes
The applicability of this tool quickly declines outside of professional building sites. They are rarely required for the typical garden chore, are heavy, and are costly to maintain. The majority of their time will be spent parked in your garage, taking up all of your precious storage space.
Wood Routers
When used properly, wood routers are excellent tools for creating accurate edges, grooves, and ornamental finishes. However, they’re also noisy, clumsy, and full of settings that feel more like puzzles than tools to many do-it-yourselfers. They can also be more perplexing than helpful without practice.
Wood Chippers
With its ability to quickly transform tree limbs into mulch, wood chippers may appear to be the perfect cleaning tool. However, they're frequently more chaos than magic, unless you're undertaking significant garden renovations.
Radial Arm Saw
The radial arm saw gained popularity as a multipurpose instrument in the 1960s and 1970s, but its use has declined since the introduction of sliding compound miter saws and smaller table saws.
Chop Saw
The best instrument for swiftly cutting steel is a chop saw. With an abrasive disk, a chop saw can cut through any material, including rebar and square or round tubing. Imagine the operation of an angle grinder with a considerably larger disc. Always exercise caution when using one of these gadgets as they’re absolutely merciless.
Rotary Hammer Drill
Rotary hammer drills are excellent for tearing through concrete like butter. They're more brawn than necessity, though, unless you're remodeling bricks every week. They frequently retire early with a covering of dust, since they’re overqualified for most household duties.
Paint Sprayer
With paint sprayers, you may achieve the ideal of immaculate finishes that are quick, smooth, and polished. However, a tedious cleanup job quickly puts users off. Also, it's not as easy as it looks to actually use.
Electric Tile Cutter
With their clean edges, precise cuts, and ability to increase your confidence when doing DIY projects, electric tile cutters seem like a game-changer for renovations. However, they are more fuss than fix for one-off jobs. Noise, flying shards, wet saws - it's an entire show.
Oscillating Multi-Tool
Similar to a Swiss Army knife with a power cable, the oscillating multi-tool is small, multipurpose, and promises significant outcomes. In theory, it grinds, cuts, scrapes, and sands. However, in reality? It frequently consumes blades rapidly, is sluggish, and makes an awful sound.
Benchtop Planer
A benchtop planer promises flat, smooth boards and the gratifying buzz of competence in woodworking. They are frequently bigger storage hogs than staples, though, unless you're producing boards as a lumber mill could.
Cordless Impact Wrench
Sure, cordless impact wrenches are great at breaking through tough bolts since they are designed for brute torque. However, the typical do-it-yourselfer frequently feels like they're swatting a fly with a sledgehammer.
Power Caulking Gun
Particularly for large sealing operations, power caulking guns promise smoother lines and less hand fatigue. However, they tend to be more tool than necessary unless you're doing major restorations on a regular basis.
Drywall Screw Gun
Professionals can tackle large rooms with ease thanks to drywall screw guns, which are designed for speed and consistency. But on the downside, they're a tad excessive for casual projects. Only with repetition will the setup, depth correction, and accuracy become clear. With this, the same tasks that this tool does can be done with a standard screw kit.
Plasma Cutter
With electric arcs cutting metal with surgical accuracy, a plasma cutter sounds exciting. In the right hands, it's really cool and very helpful. However, it is costly, frightening, and more appropriate for fabrication shops than garden sheds for the majority of DIYers.
Power Shears
With power shears, cutting through thick fabric or metal sheets is quick, easy, and gratifying, much like cutting paper. Without a question, they are effective, but for many do-it-yourselfers, they see more shelf time than action. To sum up, they’re convenient, yet rarely necessary.
Portable Concrete Mixer
Batching flexibility is promised by portable concrete mixers; simply add water, stir, and pour. They are a builder's best friend on big projects, but they are too much for a few fence posts or weekend paving. They frequently mix ambition more than cement and are noisy, heavy, and an absolute headache to clean.
Digital Laser Level
Digital laser levels ensure that shelves, frames, and tiles are aligned with confidence, even on the most uneven walls. Even still, unless your projects require absolute perfection or cover several rooms, a simple bubble level works just as well.
Electric Pole Saw
With their impressive power and reach, electric pole saws promise effortless pruning, allowing you to trim overgrown branches without the hassle of a ladder. Nonetheless, they’re rarely taken out of the shed unless there’s significant yard upkeep. They’re more seasonal than staple, difficult to store, and a little top-heavy.
Hot Air Gun
Because they can melt frozen pipes, shrink tubing, and remove paint, hot air pistols are a mainstay in the "looks useful" section. However, most people's time in action is brief. Sure, it’s a flexible tool, but not one used on a regular basis.
Cordless Electric Stapler
Since cordless electric staplers eliminate the need for wires and hand strain, fastening feels like a thing of the future. But unless you're regularly constructing furniture or doing upholstery, they’re often overkill for basic jobs.
Cordless Inspection Camera
With a sci-fi touch, cordless inspection cameras allow you to see through engine bays, inside pipelines, and behind walls. Although they are unquestionably intelligent, they are rarely used outside of critical plumbing or vehicle diagnostics. The niche-appealing cool tech that spends more time in drawers than solving riddles. Sherlock would be disappointed.
