Cool Tools- The best of anything that makes life easier.

I inherited a bunch of tools from my grandfather after he passed on. Among the assortment of hammers, pliers and other stuff I hauled home, I found a strange little shovel. Almost a toy, the shovel was ruggedly built with an oak handle and had a very curved blade- too much for generic use. I had never seen anything like it before until a few years later when I was watching some landscapers plant a tree and they were using an indentical shovel. Turns out, the shovel is meant solely for digging round holes for trees and bushes...and nothing else.

I would call that a pretty cool tool.

Others like me seek out these specialized gadgets for all manner of uses. The common thread that binds them together is the specificity of their design. And finding a quality choice from among the many choices that might be out there can be a challenge too. Luckily, there's a website that relies on the submission of the general public to help them find tools that are well-built and, most of all, useful for the required task.



What is this tool and why is it cool?
Click the link to find out!
(source: Cool Tools)

Cool Tools is a website that seeks out the input of users, professionals and hobbyists to submit their choices for the finest tools available for the job. Many of the users make their living using the posted tool and have gone through a long experience with lesser choices. Experience is the best teacher and you benefit from their encounters with the best.

Sometimes the tools really are tools or they could be books or websites or DVDs or just objects that make life a little easier all around. If any web visitor disagrees, they're welcome to submit their choice and to justify why it's best for the job.

The site is breezy, informative and cheery. Topics and tools can be as obscure as a great BBQ grill, an exciting electric scooter or the best guide to renting property in Bulgaria (!). If it's useful and well thought out, you'll find it here. Also, there's a link at the bottom of every article for you purchase, visit or otherwise experience the specific toll yourself.

To go to the Cool Tool site, click here.

And if you have any trees to plant, I have the shovel to do it right. Pretty cool.

Harbor Freight Tools- tools are gadgets, too...aren't they?

A few years ago, we bought an older home with a kitchen frozen in time. The stove, sink, plumbling, electrical and floor were all 1947 tech. It was long past time for a rehab and after careful planning and holding a funeral for our savings account, we tore into the room, demolishing everything to the bare walls.

Once that was finished, I went to the local home store to acquire the tools necessary to reconstruct the kitchen of our dreams. However, the price of some of the tools were shocking. $400 for a drill? Really? Plus, the price of a reciprocating saw equaled that of a large TV. There had to be somewhere tools were available at a cheaper price. I soon found it just a couple of miles from my home.

(source: HFT)

I went to my local Harbor Freight Tool store and found some of the tools I required to get the job done. For 30%- 70% less than the home store, I was able to get some of the tools (both powered and otherwise) that allowed me to complete the job with a high quality result.



Look- a Harbor Frieght reciprocating saw.
(Source: Harbor Freight Tools)



Few of the tools have name brands anyone would be familiar with- most tools are labled with Harbor Freight's own brand name. The stores aren't what anyone would call fancy, but like most HFT products, they get the job done. Also, the stores have other products for the garden, camping and hobbies.



The catch? The tools are made to a price and sometimes feel like it. I wouldn't buy any of these tools to earn a living, but for occasional use (I bought a reciprocating saw for $20 and have satisfactorily used it about 5 times in 10 years) they're great. There might also be fewer included accessories in the box and a good case may not come with the purchase price.

 My advice would be to invest in high-use, precision tools like table saws, jigsaws, levels, etc., but for occasional use tools like crowbars, impact drivers and the like, Harbor Freight Tools deserve a look. Go here to see what's available and to find out if a brick and mortar store is in your town.