Hand Tools
When we moved into our first house a month before the holidays, we were overjoyed to later receive gracious amounts of basic (and not-so-basic) tools and accessories from our famliy to help with our renovation plans. And while those tools have been more than useful to have around, when we have small projects lying around the house we keep coming back to the simplest of tools -- the IKEA FIXA line.
These tools have become the standbys in our home -- perhaps it's the convenient packaging, the portability, or the fact that they were so darn inexpensive that we don't worry about ruining them too much, but whenever a small project pops up, you can be sure to see a FIXA kit nearby.
Last week, I had the great fortune of traveling to New York City for the debut of Lowe's expanded Kobalt Tools line. Although the home improvement giant has offered Kobalt tools for years (Kobalt started in 1998 as a brand of mechanics tools), the line has now been expanded to include a variety of professional-grade cordless tools, designed to give users a more efficient and effective work experience.
One of the coolest parts about the event (besides seeing the tools and catching up with old friends, of course!) was getting to test the tools during a building competition. We split into teams of 5 and were instructed to build what everyone at the event called a "cornhole" but I know as a "bean bag toss." (Anyone else out there call them bean bag tosses? Or is it just me?)
Each team had to build two sets, and I'm proud to say that our team came in second place! But I digress - back to the tools!
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Last week, I had the pleasure of traveling to Baltimore for DeWALT's new product launch. I had a basic familiarity of the brand, but it was fascinating to dive more into the company's history, methodology and what they're doing to produce functional, innovative tools that help people work better and faster. Plus, I got to indulge my inner DIY freak in the company's testing area (mitre saw, anyone?)
We saw lots of great new products during the two-day event, so I thought I'd pick out a few of my favorites. I'd say the biggest news from DeWALT is the launch of their new 20 volt MAX cordless line, which will be available later this summer. The new line was created from several trends, including a continued growth in the 10.8 and 12 volt categories, as well as the ongoing evolution of lithium ion technology.
DeWALT has made a sizable commitment to investing in the company's cordless line and, over the last three years, has doubled their engineering resources for cordless development.
Benefits of the 20 volt MAX line include unprecedented performance, ergonomic design and innovative features, according to a DeWALT presentation.
My personal favorite? The 20 volt MAX lithium ion compact drill/driver, which has been completely redesigned from the ground up. Features include an ergonomic handle, LED work light, compact size, high-speed transmission and a 1/2-inch ratcheting chuck. I love the compact size, but also think the line's impact driver is a must-have for your collection.
If you're a fan of the DeWALT brand of power tools, we've got big news for you. DeWALT hand tools are now available and they haven't just released a tape measure and wrench but they've identified more than 100 types of hand tools and dived into the R&D and come up with some welcome additions to the hand tool market.
The line includes utility knives, pliers, wrenches, tape measures, hammers, saws, toolboxes and more. These are professional grade hand tools that are meant to perform under the demands of the jobsite.
Among the more than 100 products offered in the line, five of the most innovative tools include a 15 Ounce Framing Hammer (DWHT51138), a 1.25 inch, 25 Foot Short Tape (DWHT33385), a Power Tool Case with Tote (DWST24070), a Folding Retractable Utility Knife (DWHT10035) and multiple Heavy-Duty Adjustable Wrenches.
