Tool Review: FineAuto Products 31 Piece Roadside Emergency Kit

It's always a good idea to be prepared. Keeping tools in your home helps you prepare for emergency repairs that might need to be made.  Similarly, keeping tools in your car or truck can help you be prepared for an auto emergency. When you're stranded on the side of the road and the closest tow truck can't get there for an hour or two, it's nice to know you have some tools on hand for small repairs.

You obviously can't keep every tool you'd like to have in your trunk, but a small, simple tool kit like the FineAuto Products 31 piece roadside emergency kit is much better to have than nothing at all when your car breaks down. This kit does not take up much space, and it only costs about $10 at BigLots (though it sells for $20 or more online).

The FineAuto Products kit includes a variety of tools that could be useful to have at various times. There are two screwdrivers (one slotted, one Phillips), a nut driver with nine different bits, a pair of slip joint pliers, some spare fuses and electrical terminals, a tire pressure gauge, and a pair of cloth gloves. Perhaps most useful of all, the kit includes a set of jumper cables.

These tools are not top-of-the-line, but they will get the job done. The slip joint pliers are made of very thin metal and the nut controlling the tension tends to loosen, but it can easily be tightened again. The nut driver bits don't fit perfectly on the nut driver, but they fit well enough for normal usage, and they won't fall off unless you really try to knock them off. The bits are standard quarter-inch bits and can be used with a quarter-inch socket wrench.

There are four common fuses in the kit, which are nice to have on hand, and some electrical tape along with the spare terminals, so if you're comfortable working with wires you should be able to fix most small wiring problems — at least temporarily, if not permanently.

This kit is certainly not comprehensive, but it contains a lot of useful tools and parts that you'll be happy to have when you need them. This kit gets 2.5 out of 5 stars.  For 10 bucks or so, it's a decent kit to throw in your trunk and forget about until you need it.  It's probably not worth the $20 or $25 it would cost online ($26.99 at Amazon.com right now).  For the same price, you should be able to find a better tool kit.

(Originally posted on Helium.com, February 2013)

Tool Review: Stanley T16 FatMax Multi Tool

The Stanley T16 FatMax Multi Tool (item #FMHT72414) is the same tool as the DeWalt MT16 Multi Tool.  The only real differences are exterior body style and coloring.  I've already written a full review of the DeWalt multi tool (which you can read here) so I'll focus on the differences between the two tools for this review.

The Stanley T16 is darker in color than the DeWalt MT16.  Where the MT16 is yellow with black accents and silver tools, the T16 is dark gray with black accents and black oxide tools.  The pliers on the DeWalt are black, and the pliers on the Stanley are silver.

Like the MT16, the Stanley T16 is a solid multi tool for its price.  It has strong, well-made pliers, a good locking knife, and functional screwdrivers.  The tools are all easily accessible, and the spring action on the pliers is very good.

The only non-aesthetic difference I've found is that the handles for the DeWalt's pliers are slightly more contoured, providing a little better grip.  The Stanley pliers have a decent grip, but the handles are less textured than those on the DeWalt, making it a little easier for your hands to slip.  Some of the interior finish on the Stanley tool was already starting to flake off upon removing the tool from its package, but that's a minor issue.

The Stanley T16 FatMax Multi Tool is a good multi tool for around $15 or so.  I bought mine at Lowe's for $17.98 (on sale from $19.98).  I've only seen it so far in-store at Lowe's and on the Lowe's website, so it may be a Lowe's exclusive, or it may just not be marketed widely yet.  I give the T16 4 out of 5 stars, a much better multi tool than the Sheffields and generic brands that you'll find for around the same price.

Tool Review: Sperry Instruments E132446 Outlet Circuit Tester

Sperry Instruments' outlet circuit tester (part #E132446) is just your basic, run of the mill outlet tester.  I bought mine for three or four bucks at Home Depot, and it has come in handy more than a few times.

The tester is designed to tell you whether or not your outlet has power, and whether it's wired correctly or not.  It couldn't be easier to use -- just plug it into an outlet.  The only limitations on this tester are that it won't work with non-grounded (two-wire) outlets, because it has three prongs on it, and it is only made for use with 120-volt circuits.

The tester has three lights, and depending on the condition of the outlet, some, all, or none of them will light up.  The legend that tells you what the different lights mean is printed right on the front of tester, and it is pretty specific.  For example, rather than simply telling you that the outlet is wired wrong, it will show you whether hot and ground are reversed, whether hot and neutral are reversed, or even if one of the lines is open.

It is small enough to fit in the palm of most people's hands, and it is lightweight and very portable.  The tester makes a great troubleshooting tool for copier and printer technicians -- as well as anyone who's working on a device that runs on 120-volt AC power -- to help determine if an electrical problem is internal or external to the device.  While it can't give you an exact reading like a voltmeter or multimeter can, or display a quick fluctuation in voltage, it will show you at a glance whether or not the outlet is providing the correct power.  And since it plugs right into the wall, it doesn't require batteries.  For very specific line problems, the tester is no substitute for a multimeter, but it is nice to have as an extra tool.  For what it's meant to do, I would give it 4.5 out of 5 stars.

This specific Sperry Instruments tester isn't currently available online, but you may be able to find it (or a similar one) at your local hardware store.  It looks like an electrical plug set into a squarish piece of yellow plastic, and it shouldn't be any more than five bucks.  You can also get a GFCI-compatible tester -- it performs just like the standard tester does, but it can also test (and reset) GFCI circuits.

(Originally published on Helium.com, April 2010)

Sperry Instruments tool reviews

Testers:

-  Sperry Instruments E132446 Outlet Circuit Tester

Tool Bench tool reviews

Screwdrivers:
- Tool Bench 12-in-1 Screwdriver Set

Tool Review: Tool Bench 12-in-1 Screwdriver Set

The saying "you get what you pay for" holds true sometimes more than others. With the Tool Bench 12-in-1 Screwdriver Set (SKU# 178179) that maxim definitely applies.

The Tool Bench 12-in-1 Screwdriver Set is sold at Dollar Tree discount stores for a dollar. Any time you see a screwdriver with 12 attachments for a buck, you're probably right to be wary.

In theory, this set is nice. It comes with a driver, seven bits, and five sockets. The bits include one slotted bit, one Phillips bit, two star/Torx bits, two hex bits, and one 1/4" drive adapter (for the sockets). The packaging is very nondescript, and doesn't specify what sizes any of the bits or sockets are. The Phillips bit looks like it's probably a #2.

The sockets look okay, and they work okay, but the bits look soft and poorly-made. The star bits, even before their first use, are rounded at the top edges, so they will probably slip during use. The sockets fit loosely onto the 1/4" drive bit, which makes taking them off easier, but doesn't inspire a lot of confidence for their use.

This screwdriver's main selling point is that it can store all of the bits and sockets in its plastic handle. Half of the handle swings open, revealing 12 holes for storage. All of the bits and sockets are easy to take out and reinsert. The handle is held shut by a flimsy piece of plastic that barely latches over a small plastic tab, and it looks as though the plastic latch piece will break off after a handful of uses.

The driver itself is not particularly well made. The hole where the bits fit in is extremely shallow, and doesn't provide a lot of support for the bits themselves. The bits also fit loosely into the hole, and there is a significant amount of wiggle room.

All you really need to know about this tool is that it's sold for $1. Unless you are experiencing an emergency where you absolutely need a screwdriver and you don't have more than a dollar in your pocket, this driver and bit set is a waste of money. An argument could be made that it's worth the price for the 1/4" drive adapter bit, if you happen to need one, but you'd probably be better served spending a little more on a quality adapter.  I give this screwdriver 1.5 out of 5 stars.

(Originally published on Bubblews.com, January 2014)

Tool Review: Stanley 69-189 FatMax Ratcheting Screwdriver

Key Features:
 +   Bits lock into place
 +   Easy to adjust ratchet
 +   Plenty of storage for bits
 -    Bit storage cover doesn't feel very durable


I'd been looking for a good all-in-one, everyday-carry screwdriver recently.  The two screwdrivers I mainly relied on -- the Craftsman Auto-Loading Screwdriver and the Kobalt Double Drive Screwdriver -- were both good drivers, but I had recently received an Amazon gift card and what better way to spend it than on a new screwdriver?

The Craftsman is still one of my favorite drivers, but it doesn't ratchet.  The Kobalt is highly functional, but a little too bulky to carry.  Enter the Stanley FatMax Ratcheting Screwdriver (model #69-189).

The FatMax ratcheting screwdriver is very affordable -- only $8.15 on Amazon.  It comes with six bits:

- two square bits: #1 and #2
- two slotted bits: 1/8" (3mm) and 1/4" (6mm)
- two Phillips bits: #1 and #2

There is storage for all six bits in the handle, as well as room to store two additional bits so you can add other bits that you use often.  The bits are all standard hex bits, so they are easily interchangeable with other bit sets.  The bits are strong, and may chip slightly during use but hold up well.

The FatMax driver is not a light driver, and it feels heavy in your hand.  Almost all of the weight is in the handle, so it gives you added power when turning the driver.  It has a three-position ratchet, for loosening and tightening as well as a locked position.  The ratchet direction is easy to change during use.  The ratchet isn't a precision ratchet -- by feel, it seems to have 16 teeth -- but it works well enough for most applications.

The bits lock into the tip of the driver, which is a neat feature I'd never seen before.  Push the textured lock ring up to remove or insert a bit, and let it slide back down to lock the bit into place.  It's easy to install and remove bits, but the lock holds them securely in place.

The handle is designed in the black and yellow Stanley colors, with alternating rubber and plastic panels.  The rubber gives you good grip when turning the driver, and the ratcheting function is very easy to adjust.

The Stanley FatMax Ratcheting Screwdriver is heavier than I expected it to be, but it is a very good driver that could be an everyday screwdriver.  The only improvement I could reasonably expect on this driver would be to add a strong magnet to the tip, so the bits would be able to attract and hold screws, but you could easily add that capability by attaching a magnetic bit holder.