I remember back in 2015 the Balsamic vinegar from Scott's recommendations went over well.
Headlamps (Petzl Tikka Headlamp) and Marino wools socks (Smartwool Men's Classic Cushion Socks) have been my go to gifts for over a decade and never had anyone disappointed. Another one of either is always nice to have in my opinion.
The Leatherman Skeletool is a folding knife I've been giving out as gifts lately. It's not the ultimate pocket knife but it fills a niche (ultra-light) that I think a lot of people appreciate and would probably be hesitant to buy for themselves. I've seen a couple people carrying it 6 months after I gave it to them.
I've had a Stanley car jump starter air compressor combo for years and any time I need it I'm just so happy to have it.
If you like trick taking card game Crew is a collaborative spin and has been a lot of fun.
If you're looking for tools I find the YouTube channel Project Farm to have good tool reviews and he has 10 suggestion for the year.
Top 10 Tools 2022? Let’s find out! Gift Ideas!
GearWrench Ratchet: https://amzn.to/3OjrHS5
DeWalt String Trimmer: https://amzn.to/3AuwScm
Ryobi Stapler: https://amzn.to/3AQDyBV
Craftsman Tap & Die Set: https://amzn.to/3Elt6mK
S-K Ratcheting Combination Wrench: https://amzn.to/3Gtz8Eo
Cle-Line: homedepot.sjv.io/jW6ND6
Benchmade Knife: https://amzn.to/3EFOCD1
Snap On Torque Wrench: Available Online at the Snap On Store
Daytona Floor Jack: Available at Harbor Freight
Milwaukee Grinder: Available at Home Depot
Jump in the discussion.
No email address required.
Notes -
Snap-on itself is ridiculously overpriced, but there are some types of enthusiast work where the difference between the Harbor Freight brand and more reputable dealers is big, and the price is not. I'm hard enough on my tools that the smaller snap-on low-profile ratchets are still hard to justify, but they're a lot smaller price premium and it's been tempting on more than one occasion.
This is more extreme in other areas: the best thing that can be said about Harbor Freight-brand wood chisels, for example, is that they're easy to sharpen. Which is good, because you'll be doing it a lot. The only thing I've consistently found them useful for is getting rid of aluminum rivets. By comparison, while Narex has some very pricey options, the typical normal price-aware user set is a going to set you back 20-30 USD more than the Harbor Freight brand. And if you do even a small amount of hand woodworking, chisels are up there with a good crosscut saw in terms of things you're using constantly, even for small pieces.
That said, a torque wrench is not one of those. Quality matters a bit -- there's a reason bad box wrenches have a reputation as corner-rounders, and the various chitzy ratchet sets are notorious for losing their 'magnetic' grip the second they're near an oil pan. But unless you're building an aircraft in your garage, you don't care about 2 lbs over- or under-tight.
And, of course, it's very hard to know what tools someone needs, unless you're very close to them on those projects. I know guys who use torque wrenches on a daily basis, but I've needed one maybe three times? And I know people who have only used chisels to remove rivets, and have no idea how to use them for woodworking projects (that's what a router's for!). Which is a far bigger critique, and strikes both the more reasonably-priced ratchet and the pocket-knife. And it goes double for the battery-driven power tools: because of the awful one-battery-form-for-each-manufacturer thing, buying the wrong vendor is inviting people to go down a giant rabbit hole.
More options
Context Copy link