Everyone has to start somewhere. For home improvers just cutting their teeth in the world of DIY, this often means investing in a drill, one or more saws, and a few other staples that constitute the backbone of the average toolkit. However, the costs can run up fast, and it can be hard to know which inexpensive tools cut the mustard and which ones fall flat when it counts. Finding the line between cheap garbage and an affordable tool that can actually perform its duties is a liberating feeling, even if your first instinct is to splurge on tools as a home mechanic, renovator, or repairer.

Regardless of the tasks you’ll likely be handling in the near future, some tools will be pretty much universally valuable. These include things like a drill, naturally, but also sanding tools, a miter saw, and more. For a buyer looking to blend starter-friendly performance and value, Harbor Freight is often a great resource. The outlet carries a wide range of in-house brands, and many of its products deliver plenty of quality and features while maintaining low price tags. These power tools are all must-have pieces of gear as you launch and grow your skills as a DIY mechanic or builder.

The Bauer 20V Two-Tool Drill and Impact Driver Kit is an ideal starting point. An impact driver allows you to generate high intensity driving force when installing fasteners, while a drill driver can perform the same functionality (albeit with less driving power), in addition to being able to drill holes in workpieces or even operate unique drill attachments for even more versatility.

This kit from Bauer offers everything you need to get started with these two foundational power tools. It comes with a charger and two 1.5Ah battery packs, giving you the ability to operate both tools at the same time for speedy pilot hole drilling and fastener installation without having to double dip with your battery. The kit is available for $100 at Harbor Freight and sports a near perfect 4.9 star average rating. Both tools offer quality functionality, as well. The driver produces up to 3,300 IPM and the drill delivers up to 1,700 RPM no-load speed through a two-speed gearbox. The two tools also produce 450 and 1,300 in-lb of torque for quality power production alongside their low cost.

If you already have an impact driver, or you need a second drill for alternative tasks like mixing plaster or concrete, the Warrior 18V ⅜-Inch Drill Kit is a great choice. It comes with a 1.3Ah battery and charger, giving you everything you need to use the tool right away, and it’s priced at just $30. Admittedly, this drill is not going to turn heads in the power production department. It features a variable speed control and 20 clutch settings, but the drill produces 199 in-lb of maximum torque and a 900 RPM max speed.

These aren’t particularly impressive figures, but they are plenty capable of handling basic home maintenance tasks or installation jobs. For an extremely inexpensive tool that weighs a little under 3 pounds, the drill is a great choice for someone seeking a stopgap solution or an inexpensive starting point to grow their tool collection. The kit is also highly rated by Harbor Freight buyers with nearly 4,000 giving their feedback on the unit.

A jig saw isn’t a tool you’ll need for every renovation project, but it can serve as your primary cutting implement across virtually any kind of task you might encounter as a DIYer. The Bauer 6.5 Amp Orbital Variable Speed Jig Saw is a corded model that’s available at Harbor Freight for just $40. This makes it highly approachable and over 1,300 buyers have given feedback on the tool with high praise coming from their aggregate experiences. The jig saw features three orbital settings and a straight cut setting with variable speed control. It features a tool-free quick change blade clamp that accepts T-shank blades.

Among its most eye catching features is a laser guide that helps users perform more accurate cuts as they line up the tool on a workpiece. This isn’t a typical inclusion on jig saws, so it’s a neat thing to see here and can make a big difference for a renovator with a little less experience holding a jigsaw in their hand. Specifically, jigsaws allow you to perform wavy, arcing cuts, something most other powered implements can’t do. This makes it a great option as a straight cutting tool and for more complex and demanding curves all in one unit.

There are many different types of sanding tools, and each one has strengths and weaknesses. The Bauer 2.2 Amp Orbital ¼-Sheet Sander is a tool built for large scale material removal and therefore isn’t the best choice for more detailed sanding requirements. However, in many cases substantial sanding is exactly what a renovator will require. Importantly, this tool is available at Harbor Freight for just $20 — extremely cost effective, given how often you’ll probably end up using it. The palm sander features a dust chute with an attached bag to capture a large portion of the byproduct of your efforts, and it delivers 15,000 OPM for fast removal of material and a swirl-free finish.

It operates with quarter sheets of sandpaper, making cutting a full sized piece down to the right dimension a low hassle task. It also operates with spring clamps to make changing sheets a simple endeavor. As is the case with the rest of the tools on this list, high praise is delivered by previous buyers, with nearly 1,200 giving feedback on the tool.

A number of Harbor Freight’s more notable brands offer great miter saw choices that are also highly rated by buyers, but the Chicago Electric Power Tools 10-Inch Sliding Compound Miter Saw could be uniquely appealing to the novice home improver. This miter saw is particularly cost effective, priced at $150. It has also been reviewed by over 5,000 previous Harbor Freight buyers with high ratings coming from their feedback.

The saw features a 10-inch blade and delivers a 5,000 RPM maximum blade speed. It offers five positive miter stops while also beveling 45 degrees to the left and features a sliding function to deliver 12-inch horizontal cut capacity. It also introduces slide rails on either side of the deck, adding workpiece stability into the mix for better safety, overall. This isn’t Harbor Freight’s most powerful or mosrt versatile miter saw, but it includes plenty of great features, and a very favorable price tag.

A circular saw rounds out your baseline set of powered cutting tools. This is a handheld straight cutting implement that allows you to make fast slices through workpieces in both cross cutting and rip cutting directions. Among Harbor Freight’s range, the Hercules 20V 6½-Inch Circular Saw is a standout performer. It’s been reviewed by over 450 previous buyers and is available as a bare tool for $80. The saw features a soft start as well as an electric brake to help keep the tool from jumping when you start a cut or finish one.

It includes an integrated rafter hook that allows you to set it down even when working up at height. There’s an LED light built into the tool to help improve visibility of your cut line and surrounding material and it features a dust port to attach a shop vac for better debris management. The tool weighs 6.3 pounds and features a bevel angle that runs up to 50 degrees. It produces 5,000 RPM max blade speeds and can deliver a cut depth of 2-3/16 inches at 90 degrees.

The Bauer 20V Jet Fan Blower Kit is listed at Harbor Freight for $100 as a kit, featuring a charger and 5Ah Battery in addition to the tool. The outdoor power tool runs with a quiet operation, making it more enjoyable to use in many circumstances than a gas-powered alternative. It produces 338 CFM airflow speeds to quickly and efficiently blow debris, dirt, and other material away from sidewalks or along a shop floor and into clearable piles.

The blower features two speeds with a 96 mph maximum output. It’s lightweight, just 53 pounds, and features a rear mounted air intake and an ambidextrous body construction that allows for easy use in either your right or left hand. The blower reaches its full throttle capability in under one second, making it fast and effective and clearing away whatever debris you may be looking to contain.

Historically, fast nailing tools have typically been part of a pneumatic system, but these days, plenty of cordless brad nailers and other nailing tools are available too. The Bauer 20V 18 Gauge Brad Nailer is an all-purpose nailing solution that delivers up to 60 nails per minute. It’s listed at Harbor Freight for $120 as a bare tool and has been reviewed by more than 1,800 buyers with great ratings coming as a result of their feedback. The tool operates with a tool-free depth of drive adjustment that allows you to quickly transition between different parts of a job and it utilizes a tool-free jam release to clear away stuck nails in a hurry.

The nailer is built with a narrow body to make it lightweight and improve visibility. It can handle brad nails ranging from ¾ up to 2 inches long, and the tool itself weighs 5.7 pounds. Brad nailers can support the installation or construction of cabinets, shelving, or things like baseboards and other trim work. This isn’t a tool that might be at the very top of your list as a new renovator looking to build out a toolkit, but it should be close behind some of the most important foundational elements.

A ratchet opens up many possibilities in your maintenance and renovation career. Plenty of fasteners you’ll secure with a screwdriver or drill, but countless others demand a socket to fully tighten or release. These bits attach to a ratchet handle rather than your drill, and naturally there is a powered alternative to the classic ratchet which can make this job a lot easier. Impact wrenches deliver immense torque, but in most renovation the tasks you’ll encounter, a tool like the Hercules 12V ¼-Inch Drive Extended Reach Ratchet is more than capable of handling the job.

This power tool features a 4-inch, extended head to improve your reach and it runs on a ¼-inch drive, operating in tandem with sockets from the smallest of the three standard drive sizes. This gives the tool maximum accessibility for jobs that don’t demand intense power to perform. Even so, the tool still delivers 35 lb-ft of maximum torque, more than enough to handle most routine ratcheting tasks. The tool runs on a 12 volt battery platform, offering a scaled down experience with the tool weighing just 2.4 pounds. It’s available as a bare tool from Harbor Freight for $60 and over 200 buyers have given it high praise.

The Bauer 4V ¼-Inch Screwdriver stands among tools that renters should prioritize investing in, as well as home improvers looking to amplify their maintenance capabilities. The cordless screwdriver is a great option for building flat pack furniture and performing routine repairs and installations around the house. It delivers a maximum torque rated at 42.7 in-lb and features a no-load speed of 180 RPM. It weighs under 1 pound and offers both forward and reverse driving directions. The tool includes both an integrated LED light to illuminate your workpiece as you drive a fastener and a flashlight at the bottom of the grip for dual purpose functionality.

The screwdriver is listed at Harbor Freight for $20 and features over 2,200 reviews from buyers. It’s a cost effective option that comes with four insert bits and a wall charger to get you started right away. Ultimately, the tool can be a solid replacement for much of the hand fastening tasks requiring a traditional screwdriver to complete.

The Hercules 20V Brushless Variable Speed Oscillating Multitool is a great addition to any renovator’s tool collection. This implement’s primary function is performing plunge cuts, unlike virtually any other power tool your collection, a multitool can also double as a sanding instrument, a surface scraper, and more when it’s paired up with the right accessory blades. This unit is available from Harbor Freight for $80 as a bare tool and it has been reviewed with high praise by over 350 buyers.

The multitool features a 3.1-degree oscillation angle for high quality cutting performance and it runs with a six-speed variable control dial to lock in your desired oscillation rate. It can deliver a speed range between 8,000 and 19,000 OPM and weighs just 2.6 pounds with a length of 11.5 inches for a lightweight and maneuverable tool to help support numerous specialized requirements.

One final cutting tool cracks this list, and it can be a unit that helps elevate your skill as a woodworker or burgeoning renovator once you’ve found your bearings. The Hercules 15 Amp 10-Inch Compact Jobsite Table Saw is a relatively lightweight table saw when compared to alternative models, weighing 53 pounds. It delivers a maximum blade speed of 4,800 RPM with a cut depth rated for 2¼ inches at a 45-degree angle. It’s a corded model, meaning you won’t have to rely on large batteries to operate the tool, and it utilizes a rack and pinion fence that runs the entire length of the saw’s cut deck for quality precision.

The table saw is available at Harbor Freight for $380, or as a member only deal for Inside Track Club members for $320 until July 2. It produces a 3⅛-inch maximum cut depth at 90 degrees and features an adjustable rip fence ranging up to 24½ inches, allowing it to cut full sheet material along the center line.

As you expand upon your capabilities, you may start to come across the need to add a right angle drill to your collection. The Bauer 20V ⅜-Inch Right Angle Drill is a solid choice in this regard, featuring over 600 buyer reviews at Harbor Freight alongside a price tag of $45 for the bare tool. The drill is lightweight, coming in at just under 3 pounds and produces speeds ranging up to 650 and 2,000 RPM via a variable speed trigger and the tool’s two speed settings.

The drill delivers 345 in-lb of maximum torque and features an LED light to support use in low lighting conditions. This is an ideal solution for drilling between studs and joists or for installing fasteners at strange angles with limited mobility in things like flat pack furniture. This is a niche tool, but it’s one that will serve you well in more situations than you might expect.

A shop vac is an underrated piece of equipment. Cleaning up after a job can be a hassle even at the best of times, and a vacuum purpose built for it can save you a lot of pain. Quality shop vacs feature both wet and dry capabilities, and the Bauer 9 Gallon 4.5 Peak Horsepower Wet/Dry Vacuum seems like a great example of that. It’s available at Harbor Freight for $80 and has been reviewed by over 1,300 previous buyers. The vacuum sits on four swiveling casters for easy mobility and operates with a 10-foot cord for extended reach. The vacuum includes a 7-foot hose alongside attachment nozzles that makes it easy to vacuum across the floor while standing or suction up specific piles with targeted precision.

The vacuum features a carrying handle on top of its build and includes a blower port for dual purpose functionality. It can handle both wet and dry material, allow you to clean up spills and standing liquid as well as dry debris like sawdust or spent fasteners. The vacuum weighs 15 pounds, making it fairly easy to carry around your workshop or the jobsite to support all of the cleanup needs you might have after finishing a job.

All of these tools were selected based on personal experience as a renovator and DIYer finding my own way in the past. Each type plays a crucial, fundamental role in the toolkit of someone just starting out, and will help with growing your abilities and confidence as you use them. The specific models highlighted here have all been reviewed by at least 100 Harbor Freight buyers, and the lowest average rating is a 4.4 out of 5 stars. Most have near-perfect marks and many have been reviewed by over 1,000 shoppers.