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Outside Industrial · Starter guide
The First 10 Tools Every New Workshop Needs
Setting up a first workshop? Buy in this order. Each one earns the next — and the last three on this list can honestly wait until the work asks for them.
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The list, in buying order
- Tape measure. The tool you’ll touch a hundred times a day. A readable blade and a hook that moves like it should — that’s the whole checklist. Measuring guide →
- Hammer. Claw hammer, comfortable grip, balanced weight. You already know what a hammer does; the buying decision is just fit.
- Utility knife. Cheap to buy, used constantly, and a dull blade is a hazard — budget for replacement blades from day one.
- Cordless drill/driver. Your first power tool and the start of a battery platform decision. This one choice echoes for years. Platform guide →
- Level. A 2-foot level covers most workshop work. Check it against a known reference now and then — even good levels drift. Measuring guide →
- Combination square. Marking, checking square, setting depths — the quiet multitasker of the layout kit.
- Screwdriver set. Hardened tips that fit the fastener, in a case that keeps them found. One good organized set beats three half-empty bit boxes.
- Adjustable wrench and pliers. The adjustable wrench covers what you don’t yet own in fixed sizes; a solid pair of pliers covers the rest. Hand tools guide →
- A saw. A circular saw covers most cutting for a new shop. If the budget’s tight, a good handsaw and a steady hand get you surprisingly far.
- Work light. See number one through nine — none of them work in the dark. Shop setup guide →
What can wait
Specialty saws, routers, nailers, and the big stationary tools. They’re wonderful — when a project demands them. Until then, they’re expensive shelf decorations. Let the work write the shopping list.
Light the work first
If the budget only stretches to nine tools, make the tenth a light anyway. A well-lit bench makes every other tool on this list easier, safer, and more accurate to use — it’s the cheapest force multiplier in the shop.
Good to know
Should I buy a big starter kit instead?
Kits look like a bargain per tool, but they often bundle tools you won’t touch for a year. Buy the ten above as the work demands them and you’ll spend less overall — and everything you own will earn its place.
Hand tools or power tools first?
Hand tools first, always — the tape, hammer, knife, level, square, and drivers. Then the drill/driver, which opens the door to the cordless platform you’ll build on.
Why don’t you list prices?
Prices change constantly, and we’d rather not show you a number we can’t stand behind. Check the retailer for today’s price and availability.