Do you need to find a gift for that DIY (do it yourself) person in your life who already seems to have every tool? Are you concerned with buying the wrong item, convinced that it would be unappreciated? We at TOOLSiD.com have compiled the perfect 2021 Holiday Gift Guide for you.
DIYers either want to replace an old tool or add one they don’t have. Our list below will guide you to the best selections. Everything we suggest is priced between $50 and $200. Just click on each link to see the items in more detail. Remember that your purchase can be shipped directly to the recipient if that’s easier. Read on to discover what’s on our Top Ten list for 2021.
1. Wet/Dry Shop Vac
An indispensable tool for the garage or workshop is the wet/dry vacuum. A ‘shop vac’ picks up project messes and tackles minor flooding. A complete assortment is found in our Wet/Dry Vacuum Category located within Power Tools.
Our gift guide pick is this Shop-Vac brand unit with a 12-gallon canister, built-in drain, and full set of attachments. Priced below $120, it’s a must for someone who doesn’t own one, or who needs to replace an older unit.
2. Cordless Drill Driver
Another “can’t live without it” tool is the cordless drill/driver. We have several hundred choices in our dedicated Drill/Driver category, also located within Power Tools. These are a game-changer: gobs of torque, easy-to-change bits, and battery power to take the tool to the job.
The choices here are limitless, but we like this Black & Decker AutoSense Cordless Drill/Driver Kit for these features: 20V battery, keyless chuck, light weight, and the AutoSense technology which drives screws home on the first try. It’s a winner, priced under $100 including battery and charger.
3. Work Gloves
Our Work Wear & Safety Equipment Category can supply you with everything you need for job safety. Within there, the Work Gloves & Hand Protection sub-category carries gloves for every kind of work. Think of gloves as consumables: they eventually wear out, so a new pair make a great gift.
Your giftee will appreciate these Fourney lined mechanics gloves, which can handle all kinds of jobs. They’re thick, warm, and strong, and pre-curved to your hand for a better fit. As gloves go, $58 may sound like a lot, but hand protection is super important for the DIYer in your life.
4. Respirator Mask
Those who work with toxic materials need to protect their lungs, and our Masks & Respirators category has some of the best protective equipment for your health.
Whether it’s paint, solvents, glass fibers, or asbestos, this High Efficiency Dual Cartridge Half Mask Respirator from Forney provides the needed protection. Features include a low profile design, large inhalation and exhalation valves, adjustable cartridges, and a textured face seal. The price of $102.80 is inexpensive insurance for guarding your health.
5. Shop Lighting
Our Job Site Lighting category, within the larger category of Work Lights, has everything the DIY guy or gal needs to provide bright light to work safely in otherwise dim areas.
Whether your giftee is in a poorly-lit garage or an unlit shed, this M12 Rocket LED Dual Power Tripod Work Light from Milwaukee is the answer. Its adjustable tripod, rotating and pivoting head, and dual power (battery or 120V) solves multiple issues. The $165 for this shop light brings them out of the dark.
6. Garage Furniture
Garages aren’t just for tools and cars; our dedicated Garage Furniture category within the Garage products category caters to those who want to add some comfort and style.
Hard-working DIYers deserve some time off their feet, and that makes this ATD Shop Stool ideal. Its checkered flag motif on the swiveling padded seat adds flair, the legs are chrome plated for good looks and longevity, and the seat holds up to 330 lb. At its low $55 price, you might consider buying a pair.
7. Tool Tote
Today’s toolboxes come in all shapes, sizes, and materials. Our Portable Toolboxes & Totes subcategory within our Garage category focuses on smaller and lighter units which can be carried.
Our gift choice is the Milwaukee 28-Pocket Tool Tote. Priced at $70, it weighs less than 5 lb. empty yet has 28 pockets to hold a wide selection of tools. If the DIYer in your life needs carrying capacity and portability, gifting them with this Tool Tote is a sure win.
8. Heat Gun
If the DIY person on your gift list needs to dry timber, shrink PVC wrapping, thaw pipes, bend plastic, remove paint, or solder plumbing joints, then they need a heat gun. Our Heat Gun category under Power Tools has an assortment of corded and cordless products.
We like this $102 DeWalt Heat Gun which puts out 1550 watts of power. It has an adjustable temperature range of 150-1100°F and a built-in kickstand to provide stability. Various nozzle attachments are also included.
9. Air Compressor
Compressed air does so much, from filling tires to running air tools and more. Portable Air Compressors have their own category within our larger Air Compressor section, and a portable one makes a great gift.
Our choice here is the Porter-Cable 120V 6-gallon pancake oil-free Air Compressor. It weighs only 34 lb., delivers 3.5 SCFM at 40 psi and 2.6 SCFM at 90 psi. The oil-free design minimizes maintenance concerns. The $149.98 price should clinch this as a smart gift choice.
10. Laser Distance Meter
Accurate measurements are critical in DIY work, whether it’s fractions of an inch in cabinetry or feet and yards in gardening. Our Measuring & Layout Tools category has you covered no matter what you’re measuring.
Our favorite gift choice in this category is a laser measuring meter like this one from Milwaukee. At under $65, it’s an accurate and compact time-saver. It weighs under 4 ounces, operates on two AAA batteries, and is small enough to fit in a pocket. It measures distances up to 65’, and its digital display shows units down to 1/16”.
11. Bonus Gift Idea: A TOOLSiD Gift Card
Still can’t decide? There is always the TOOLSiD gift card, the one present guaranteed to please the most indecisive family member or friend. Available in your choice of denomination, our gift card never expires, so let the recipient take their time and browse our entire site!
We trust that you found this holiday shopping guide helpful, and remember that you can always access TOOLSiD from the device of your choice, whether that is PC, tablet, or smart phone, and scroll through the thousands of brands and products we offer. You might even find something for yourself! We wish you a happy and healthy holiday season.