How to read this starter pack
The tiers are cumulative. Tier one covers the first year of small jobs. Tier two adds the power tools that turn a repair into a build. Tier three assumes a garage you can dedicate to the work, with the power to run it. Each card below has an Amazon button and a Grizzly button, and one sentence on which to choose. If the first tier is all you need, stop there.
Our free Beginner DIY Tool Kit covers the hand tools, measuring tools and safety gear that sit underneath all three tiers. This page picks up where it stops: the power tools and the shop.
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Tier one: weekend fixes
A drill kit with two batteries, a vise to hold work still, and a light to see it by cover almost every small repair. This tier is the cheapest and the one every reader should buy, because everything above it depends on it.
Tier two: your first real build
A deck, a set of built-ins or a flooring and trim job is where a table saw, a miter saw, a bench and a compressor start earning their keep. Read the DEWALT DWE7491RS table saw review and the DEWALT DWS779 miter saw review before buying, and run your project through the deck building cost calculator to see whether the tools beat a contractor quote.
Tier three: the garage shop
When projects come back to back, the garage becomes a shop, and the shop needs power, a stable bench, storage and clean air. Price the wiring first with the garage workshop setup cost guide, then step up the saw using the best table saw and miter saw guide.
For the dust side of a new shop, WorkshopCalc's best dust collectors and best air filtration systems guides compare the options in more depth.
When the starter pack grows into a shop, GarageShopCalc's beginner garage woodshop setup lists the complete build line by line.
What this pack does not include
Hand tools, a tape measure, a level, safety glasses, gloves and a circular saw are in the free Beginner DIY Tool Kit. We also left out dust control and a 240V cabinet saw, which are covered in the garage workshop guide. Researched from manufacturer specs and owner reviews, not tested in person.
