We often hear how lucky we areโgetting to play with tools every day. That luck also comes with knowing a thing or two about which tools are quality, and which areโฆ well, not so great.
Manufacturers are constantly innovating, continually upgrading, and consistently amazing us with their new products. However, we do still spot the occasional misfire. These often include the top-sellers on Amazon, no-name brands, or market-riding, one-trick ponies.
In any case, our recommendation is NOT to buy these tools. These are the tools you should avoid regardless of whether you consider yourself a DIYer or a Pro. And frankly, some of them just baffle us.
Avoid: The 8 oz. Mr. Pen Hammer
Remarkably, this small hammer finds itself at the top of the Amazon best-selling list. While we understand the concept of a small hammer, an 8-ounce model seems ridiculously small, especially if youโre trying to drive a framing nail.
In fact, a hammer this small actually generates a good bit of injury since youโre just as likely to smash your knuckles on the material as hit your target. You get no leverage, no powerโฆseriously, whereโs the upside here besides the fact that it costs $7?
Even the description for this tool seems a bit ridiculous and reaching. โSmall Hammer for Womenโโฆreally? In 2025? That just seems off-putting.
Mr. Pen should probably stick to pens and highlighters (which theyโre pretty good at, actually).
Get This Instead
Instead, grab a small 16-ounce Craftsman hammer that can actually help you accomplish some work. Donโt buy these โstubbyโ hand tools. They have no place in a DIYerโs tool bag, let alone anyone who works professionally!
Avoid: No-Name Tools from No-Name Brands
With a variety of economical options from the likes of Hart, Ryobi, Skil, and others, it baffles us when consumers opt for no-name tool brands. Not only do these tools not pass the โsmell testโ with their bargain-basement pricing, but you also canโt expand the lineโtheir respective platforms donโt house any other type of tool.
You might find a chainsaw or a pair of clippers. You might also find gardening tools, back massagers, and a USB jumpstarter. What you likely wonโt find are any more power tools.
These no-name brands can pose a greater fire risk as well. Most name-brand manufacturers conduct extensive testing and development to ensure there are protections in place to prevent batteries from hitting thermal runaway and starting a fire. The other guys? They have to cut costs somehow.
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Nowadays, name brands offer legit value-minded options that you can build into as you expand your tool repertoire. Youโre much better off sticking with the popular playersโtheyโre the big dogs for a reasonโand youโll thank us later!
Avoid: Universal 48-in-1 Socket Wrench
While itโs not the worst offender on our list, this is another tool that seems to overreach. Originally made as the Black and Decker Ready Wrench, it falls on our list of tools you should avoid.
The โgimmickโ is that it has 8 different heads on one tool. This is supposed to allow you to leave your socket set at home and just tuck this in your tool belt.
While we get the concept, this tool seems more fitting for the Ikea crowd. We just donโt see how 16 sizes (a mix of metric and SAE) lets you keep your wrenches at home. Plus, we know itโs supposed to be convenient and all, but this thing just looks like youโll never find the right size. It also bulks up the tool, making it a bit unwieldy in the hand.
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Our call? Stick with a traditional set of 1/4-inch sockets and ratchets. There are plenty under $50 that contain everything you need for light- to medium-duty builds and repairs. We like the DeWalt 34-piece SAE/metric socket set for an entry-level option.
Avoid: Pink Tools
And finally, weโve all seen them. While pink tools arenโt inherently offensive, they almost always fall into the โno-name brandโ category we mentioned earlier.
These tools baffle us and insult almost everybody. We canโt understand why anyone makes or sells them. While I donโt necessarily hate the color pink, these tools condescend to a certain design goalโbut they do it in a demeaning and superficial way. For those looking to buy their tools based on color, there are some more reputable options available to you. If we saw anyone using these, we might assume there was a hidden camera somewhere scoping out our reaction!
Pink tools seem aimed at particular users in a way that screams โI made these overseas and have very stereotypical views of who should use themโฆโ Again, itโs 2025. If you like pink, there are other (better) ways to own itโlike safety and workwear accessories.
Get This Instead
You really canโt go wrong with any name-brand tool set. Like we touched on earlier, there are legitimate value-focused options from brands like Ryobi, Craftsman, Skil, and more. Whether youโre looking for a set of hand tools, a drill kit, or anything else, try to take color out of the equation when shopping.
