Your Go-To List of the Power Tools Every Grown Up Should Own

Power tools were super intimidating to me as an amateur DIYer (and sometimes even still are!). But, the right power tool makes your project so much quicker and easier to accomplish! If you’ve just bought your first home, or are starting to get into DIY projects, you’re probably overwhelmed with all the tools there are–I still am when I walk into the power tools section, and I own many of them! To help you out, I’ve compiled a list of my favorite power tools to make it easy for you to shop and grab them for yourself!

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What Power Tools to Buy ASAP

Ryobi Drill/Driver Set

Don’t feel like you have to run out and buy all these power tools on the list at once. If you’ve just bought your first home or are just getting into DIY, pick up the Drill and Driver Set now. Then, as you need the other tools for projects in the future, grab them then. I use the drill and driver on almost every project I tackle, and I use the sander pretty frequently too.

What Power Tools to Buy Next

Ryobi Random Orbit Sander

Once you have your drill and driver set, and you’re ready to step up your power tool game, pick up a random orbit sander. It’s a relatively inexpensive investment at $40ish. And, you’re going to use it for a lot of different projects. I’ve used mine to sand my cabinets when painting my kitchen cabinets, to sand and paint our barn door, and to seal our butcher block countertop, to name a few.

You can certainly sand everything by hand, so I don’t think it’s the first power tool you need to buy. But, sanding by hand gets old real fast (if you don’t need to for delicate work). So, if you have a few extra bucks, grab a random orbit sander.

What to Borrow, Rent, or Buy As Needed

After that, I’ve used the other power tools a handful of times. They’re definitely worth buying for particular projects, but these power tools aren’t things you need to have on hands at all times, or run out and buy as soon as you move into your new home.

Let’s run through some common projects you may use these tools for:

Circular Saw

A circular saw is a great starter saw. It’s designed to easily cut in straight lines, so it’s great for cutting 2x4s and plywood. You can get a smaller circular saw (the 6.5 inch one) if you think you’ll never cut anything thicker than 2-3 inches.

But, if you ever think you’ll want to try to make your own table or build a covering for your trash can, you’ll need the bigger saw to cut through bigger pieces of wood, like 4x4s.

So, if you’re going to invest in a circular saw, I say buy the bigger one and never have to buy another one again.

(I don’t have a picture of one yet. It’s on our purchase list for our next project though, so I’ll update the post when I do!)

Compound Miter Saw

man cutting shiplap with miter saw — Say Hi to my dad-he helped cut our shiplap for our breakfast bar with his miter

A miter saw is great for making more precise cuts. It’s also good to use for angle cuts, like you may need to make when cutting wall molding.

I used a miter saw when we installed our shiplap on our breakfast bar. And, I’ve used it to cut shelves to the perfect length.

I’m also using our miter saw to build our entryway bench and board and batten currently (can’t wait to share that with you soon!)

Reciprocating Saw

Reciprocating saws are great for demolition. You won’t do precise cuts with these, but you can cut things down fast.

Think taking something apart for scrap/trash. I used a reciprocating saw to cut the roots in the tree we removed.

Orbital Jig Saw

A jig saw is great for when you need to make small precision cuts in wood or need to make circular cuts. The smaller blade allows you to be more precise with your cuts.

A jig saw is helpful in woodworking projects and cutting outlet holes when installing shiplap. We recently used ours to cut down our banister adaptor for our baby gate mount.

Finish Nailer (or Nail Gun)

Last on my list is a finish nailer, or nail gun. Finish nailers are great for wood working projects. You don’t need it in your everyday life, but finish nailers make a huge difference in the right project.

I used a finish nailer to nail our shiplap up in our breakfast bar update. Sure, we could have used a hammer and nails, but it wouldn’t have been as easy, nor would it look as professional as it does.

My Favorite Power Tool List

My first power tools were hand me downs from my dad. He gave me his old Ryobi Drill and Driver set 4 years ago, and I’ve loved Ryobi products ever since. I love that the products are cordless, and the batteries are interchangeable throughout all their products–including their yard and garden tools!

So, it’s pretty clear my favorite power tools are Ryobi 18 Volt series. Ryobi is sold exclusively at Home Depot, so check out the links below. You can order for shipping to your home, or for in store pick up!

One Last Tip

If you choose a different power tool family, make sure the tools are cordless and that the batteries are interchangeable. The last thing you want during a DIY project is to be looking for a plug or not have a charged battery for that one specific tool.

That’s Your Power Tool List!

That’s it! That’s your list of the power tools you’ll need as an adult. Like I said, earlier, don’t feel like you need to run and grab a full suite of power tools when you buy your first place.

Grab a drill and driver set, and maybe a random orbit sander, and you should be set for most of your DIY needs. And, as you get more comfortable with DIY projects, look into grabbing a saw or 4 to round out your power tool collection 🙂

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Your Go-To List of the Power Tools Every Grown Up Should Own

What Power Tools to Buy ASAP

What Power Tools to Buy Next