Just like everybody should have a toolbox full of home essentials, every household should invest in a range of tools to keep in their garage. Mainly concerned with fixing cars but also useful for other applications, it’s important to keep some tools handy just in case anything goes wrong.
What’s more, with many people looking to save money amid a cost of living crisis, having tools at home can save you money on expensive repairs.
- Car jack
Firstly, you’ll need some sort of device for lifting heavy items or automotives – like a car or bottle jack.
Unlike trolley jacks which are small and portable, bottle or car jacks are used for lifting heavier items. Using a hydraulic ram, a bottle jack can lift items efficiently and safely, making them a must-have for your garage.
- Air compressor
A pneumatic impact wrench can easily loosen even the stiffest bolts. But for this to work, you’ll need an air compressor. By investing in an air compressor, you’ll unlock a whole host of pneumatic tools. You can also use an air compressor to blow away plumes of dust or even power a paint sprayer.
It’s a versatile tool you won’t want to be without.
- Torque wrench
A torque wrench is a key component which can be used to tighten your belts. If you can, it’s a good idea to have a few different-sized torque wrenches available for various jobs. They come in especially handy when replacing a wheel as the nuts and bolts need to be tightened effectively to ensure road safety.
- Spanners
Next up is the humble spanner. Alongside sockets, spanners are arguably the most important tool to have in your garage. When choosing your spanner, it’s critical to pick the right set for the bolts on your car. Most modern vehicles use metric fasteners.
For a cost-effective option, ring and open spanners are the best as they are easy to use and colour-coded.
- Power tools
Finally, you should invest in some power tools. As a minimum, you should purchase a cordless drill or impact wrench as they can help you save significant time compared to their manual counterparts.
An impact wrench can help loosen nuts and bolts in record time while a drill can be used for brushing, buffing and tightening.
Some power tools have interchangeable batteries and chargers which can make life much easier – and save space.
Final thoughts…
With many people looking to save money and carry out simple mechanical repairs at home, there are hordes of people rushing to fill their garages with the latest tools. While that’s great if you have room to store them, if you simply purchase the above five tools, you’ll have a selection of apparatuses that can tackle virtually any job with ease.
