6 Best Tool Sets of 2024, Tested and Reviewed

Through years of tool testing at the Good Housekeeping Institute, Stanley has earned an excellent reputation for quality and reliability, and it shows again here with this 65-piece kit. An excellent combination of value and performance, our experts called it the "Goldilocks of tool sets" — it includes everything needed for most basic tasks, yet also not large enough to be overwhelming or take up tons of storage.

Testers particularly liked the quality of the 16-foot tape measure, which opens and retracts smoothly compared to the tape measures often found in cheaper sets, which have a tendency to stick. The kit's hard-shelled carrying case is compact and lightweight, making it easy to transport from room to room or to toss in the trunk of the car. The set also includes a level, a helpful tool for hanging shelves or installing appliances.

For bigger renovation projects, you may want to invest in a larger set or buy extra tools individually.

• Pieces: 65
• Weight: 7 lbs
• Dimensions: 16"L x 10"W x 3.3"H
• Case: Hard

For a great bang for your buck, this entry-level tool set from Amazon Basics is a solid, low-priced option for first-time homeowners looking to take on small projects, like hanging shelves or assembling furniture.

At under 6 pounds, the set is very lightweight and it includes all the essentials. However, once you get into larger repairs, you’ll want to upgrade to a more durable kit with heavy-duty tools, such as a 16-ounce hammer, rather than the 12-ounce plastic one Amazon includes in this kit.

"The carrying bag has interior side packets, but the tools are likely to turn into a jumbled mess in there," said Dan DiClerico, who runs the Home Improvement and Outdoor Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute.

• Pieces: 65
• Weight: 5.78 lbs
• Dimensions: 13"L x 5.3"W x 8"H
• Case: Soft

This Black+Decker set is a great option if you're starting from scratch. The 20-volt, variable-speed cordless drill “packs enough power to handle basic household drilling tasks like picture hanging and shelf mounting,” our testing partner at Popular Mechanics found, and it comes with 10 drill bits, allowing you to select the right sized bit for the task at hand.

The set, which weighs only eight pounds, includes a utility knife, pliers, an adjustable wrench, a ratcheting screwdriver, a tape measure, a level and other essentials. It also has a storage bag for portability. However, this set may be too basic for advanced DIYers.

• Pieces: 83
• Weight: 7.94 lbs
• Dimensions: 12.8"L x 10.04"W x 4.76"H
• Case: Soft

As a brand, Craftsman makes consistently high-quality tools and equipment based on our Lab tests, and this tool set is no different. The 102-piece package comes with low-profile 1/4-in. and 3/8-in. 72-tooth ratchets and an assortment of six-point sockets and drive tool accessories, on top of all the essentials, including screwdrivers, pliers, a hammer, a tape measure and a utility knife. Keep in mind that more tools means the set takes up more storage.

The fiberglass hammer offers an improved grip for increased comfort and its 16-ounce weight means it can take on harder tasks, like driving framing nails into thick lumber. We also like that the hard-sided plastic case has dedicated grooves for each tool. One downside: There’s no electric screwdriver or cordless drill.

• Pieces: 102
• Weight: 13.2 lbs
• Dimensions: 17"L x 15"W x 4.1"H
• Case: Hard

This low-priced Apollo 135-piece set has everything you need to tackle routine household maintenance and repairs and small DIY projects. It includes a compact 3.6-volt electric screwdriver with a dual-position design that allows you to convert the tool to a straight-line screwdriver — perfect for accessing hard-to-reach fasteners.

The set also comes with an assortment of picture-hanging hardware, including pins, hooks and nails. That said, this isn’t the best tool set for tackling heavy-duty projects.

• Pieces: 135
• Weight: 6.61 lbs
• Dimensions: 10.71"L x 4.02"W x 14.76"H
• Case: Hard

This 142-piece set, the largest on our list, is aimed more at auto mechanics, considering it’s missing some essential tools for homeowners — there’s no hammer or tape measure, for example. But to its credit, the drive tools are made from quality steel and finished in high-polish nickel chrome or black chrome.

The set includes a multi driver, 14 standard hex keys, 14 metric hex keys, 10 combination wrenches and two 72-tooth ratchets that only require 5 degrees of swing to operate. The kit comes with a full lifetime warranty.

• Pieces: 142
• Weight: 20.27 lbs
• Dimensions: 18.7"L x 13.99"W x 3.86"H
• Case: Hard