Top Tools of the Year: 15 Standout Picks Worth Your Money

Introduction

After hundreds of tools purchased and tested over the past year, a clear set of standouts emerged. Some won on raw performance, some on value, and a few simply surprised everyone. This ranked list counts down the picks that earned their place, from a sneaky-good micro impact wrench all the way to a budget high-torque tool that embarrassed far more expensive competition.

9th: Cobalt 24V Compact Impact Wrench

At just 4.27 inches long, the Cobalt 24V compact impact wrench is shorter than the latest Milwaukee M12 subcompact. It also makes 232 ft-lbs where that Milwaukee subcompact makes 225. The 24V platform means a longer battery, but at roughly $99, it costs less than half of the $229 Milwaukee bare tool, and it delivers slightly more measured torque. As a compact “hip shooter” style impact, it is one of the more overlooked tools of the year.

8th: Vise-Grip Locking Pliers

Vise-Grip locking pliers have made something of a return to form. While older US-made examples are still hard to top, among locking pliers you can actually find in stores today, Vise-Grip tested at the top. Notably pricier, well-known German brands missed the mark across multiple test arenas. If you need new locking pliers, these are worth a serious look.

7th: Tabless Battery Packs

The big battery story of the year is the arrival of tabless cell packs across brands. The standouts, based on real use, are compact 4Ah packs like the Ridgid version, and 8Ah packs in general. With 8Ah built from two rows of 4,000mAh cells, you get the best power-to-size ratio; stepping up to three rows for 12Ah mostly just adds runtime. The DeWalt 8Ah PowerPack, the Milwaukee M18 Forge 8Ah, and the 40V-class XGT packs all deliver the most bang per size and weight found so far.

6th: Swench Manual Impact Wrench

The Swench is a 2,000 ft-lb rated, arm-powered manual impact wrench with roots in 1940s and 1950s technology, and it still commands serious money today. On the dyno it made just shy of 2,000 ft-lbs, more than most full-size 1-inch air impacts tested, and more than any cordless impact has produced. It whacks away as you cycle it, like the rowboat of impact wrenches, and it is all the torque and all the cool.

5th: Milwaukee M12 Gen 2 Die Grinder

The original M12 die grinder fell well short of its claimed power with disc attachments, but the Gen 2 version delivers more than one and a half times the measured output, coming close to a 1/3-horsepower air die grinder. It is not quite at 18V levels, but it is far smaller, and it fixes the heat-cycling problems of the original. DeWalt has announced its own competitor with a pre-order already placed, so this category is heating up.

4th: PB Swiss Hex Bits and GripEdge Bit Sockets

Over 100 custom hex-bit tests showed PB Swiss bits are noticeably more resistant to rounding than the competition, and at the price of a bit set, they are a no-brainer. For higher-torque impact use, GripEdge (also sold as RBRT) bit sockets withstand noticeably more torque as a daily driver and can even add 20 to 30 ft-lbs of removal capability on already-rounded fasteners. They cost more, but this is the professional end of the spectrum.

3rd: Oil Filter Wrenches

Across 20 purchased and tested options, the US-made GearWrench strap wrench worked best for accessible filters, even beating the screwdriver-through-the-center method. But the most torque came from the WorkPro universal wrench and two Lisle cup-style wrenches sized small and large. The WorkPro costs only $16, works on both large and small filters, and averaged 77 ft-lbs even on filters that would never budge otherwise. The Lisle cups averaged 119 ft-lbs and cost just $13 to $16 each, making them the overall winners and among the cheapest options tested.

2nd: MF200 and M18 Handheld Blower Dusters

Cordless blower dusters keep gaining fans because nobody loves firing up a compressor. Using a custom-measured setup, the MF200 showed impressive wind speed and CFM, a strong update to the popular Wolbox, and its swappable battery is a plus at a mid-to-low-$20s price that would cost more to build yourself. If you already own a top-ranked duster, upgrading is probably unnecessary, but for a first purchase this is the pick. If you already run M18 batteries, the Milwaukee M18 blower duster measures 262 mph, head and shoulders above the rest in punchiness, ideal for wet sawdust, wet dirt, or clearing snow.

1st: HyperTough Brushless High Torque Impact Wrench

The top spot goes to HyperTough, specifically the new brushless high torque impact wrench. Available bare for $89.88, it ranks between a $250 Flex high torque and a $300 Milwaukee Gen 3 high torque, not because it matches their power, but because it makes torque comparable to an M18 Gen 2 without exaggerating it, at roughly a third of the price. You can even run it with a DeWalt adapter for even more output. After nearly a year of heavy use on vehicles, loosening very tight bolts hundreds of times, it remains as strong as day one with zero problems. The mid torque from the same line is very good as well.

Buying Advice

If value is your priority, the HyperTough high torque and the $99 Cobalt compact are the easiest recommendations here. For shop and pro use, PB Swiss bits, GripEdge sockets, and the Lisle cup filter wrenches solve real problems for modest money. Battery shoppers should favor 8Ah tabless packs for the best balance of power, size, and weight.

Conclusion

This year’s standouts prove you no longer need to spend premium money for premium performance. A $90 impact wrench, a $16 filter wrench, and cheap-but-tough hex bits all earned their rankings alongside heavyweight picks like the Swench and the latest tabless batteries. Match the tool to the job, and every pick on this list has a strong case.