15 Design-Forward DIY Tools Worth Upgrading to This Year

Something shifted in the workshop. After years of DIY as a weekend hobby for the slightly bored, home improvement has quietly become a serious cultural force. The global DIY market is predicted to hit almost a trillion dollars this year. And while a third of you seem to be planning a new DIY project in the next three monthsthe primary motivator for DIYers is, you guessed it, to save money. Not a bad thing at the moment, considering how the Iran war is rising prices.

The tape measure and the drill you inherited from your people will only get you so far. Fortunately, the tools driving this boom have never been smarter, and better hardware should hopefully mean better results. Whether you’re building furniture, finishing a deck, or just finally hanging that TV straight, the tools available today are truly more precise than anything imaginable a generation ago. From a miniaturized soldering station to a kid-safe desktop cardboard router, these are WIRED’s 15 picks worth making room for in your toolbox this year.

And no matter how good your tools are, never forget: measure twice, cut once.

A multifunctional power tool

Dremel

Blueprint 12V Multi-drill

This intimidation-free power tool is perfect for people who want to conquer the multitude of household tasks that don’t require a massive hammer drill. Dremel’s neatly balanced 12-volt tools are made to fasten, fasten and assemble. The detachable laser level and smart electronic stud finder hidden on the front of the handle make it ideal for hanging pictures, shelves and 4K TVs. Comes with nine drivers and three drill bits, covering most household fixes without the need for a complete toolbox overhaul.

A soldering station

A compact, open-source soldering workstation that condenses a complete electronics bank into a single portable unit. The battery-powered soldering iron offers precise temperature control from 212 to 842 degrees Fahrenheit (100 to 450 Celsius), making it suitable for delicate PCB work as well as more rugged tasks. Integrated vapor extraction pulls harmful fumes away at the source, while built-in magnification and adjustable LED lighting improve visibility. The point is that, being open source, Soldr positively welcomes hardware modifications and firmware upgrades, making it as attractive to hobbyists as it is to serious prototypers.

To Sander

Festool

DTSC 200 Basic Cordless Delta Sander

It’s well known in the trades that if someone’s workshop is full of Festool equipment, you can bet they take their craft seriously. And with its new 18V cordless sander, the brand has made it possible to achieve perfection just that little bit faster. The triangular pad reaches deep into corners and tight edges, while variable speed control allows for fine-tuning between aggressive stock removal and ultra-smooth finish. Weighing just over 2.4 pounds without the battery, the sander is designed for controlled, one-handed operation, while the integrated LED casts low-angle lighting across your work surface to highlight even the tiniest imperfections. Connect it to a vacuum hose to keep the workbench clean, or click on the included dust collection bag and go completely mobile.

A smarter level

Put down the winding wheel; This modular, stackable touchscreen measuring system combines laser range, level and roller scale modules into one, measuring up to 164 feet of distance with 1/16-inch accuracy. The system captures measurements in real time and instantly syncs with the app, allowing users to generate floor plans or mark measurements without manual annotation. Compact enough to fit in a pocket, yet precise enough for professional use, it’s a very smart upgrade for anyone still juggling tape measures and levels.

A Premium Sewing Machine

Husqvarna

Viking Designer Sapphire 85 Sewing and Embroidery Machine

While that might be overkill if you haven’t mastered the art of button re-stitching, this pro-grade smart sewing machine can do some seriously impressive things with a needle and thread. It offers over 680 stitch patterns through an 8-inch color touch screen for intuitive control, along with automatic thread tension and sensor-based foot adjustments. The extended sewing surface allows for large quilting projects, while the powerful motor ensures consistent stitch quality across thick fabrics. Built-in connectivity and access to the mySewnet library gives you access to an ever-growing collection of embroidery designs, plus the ability to make and implement your own.

Box cutter

Designed by renowned knife maker Richard Rogers, the Box Key applies his clean, minimalist approach to a small everyday cutter. The 1.24-inch drop-point blade is made from Sandvik 12C27 steel with a stonewash finish, which helps disguise scratches from daily use while improving corrosion resistance. The stainless steel handle with a hole keeps the profile slim enough to attach to a key ring, and at 1 ounce, it barely adds weight to your daily carry. A smart, indispensable tool for opening boxes, trimming and other light tasks.

To Toolbox

Japanese-inspired, UK-based Niwaki (translated as “garden tree”) produces seriously desirable and practical tools for home and garden. However, with the ST-Type Toolbox, the brand has created a vintage design that would not look out of place on a beam in the famous “Lunch on top of a skyscraper” photo. Built from powder-coated steel with a traditional cantilever design, it measures 14.2 inches wide and opens to reveal tiered compartments that keep hand tools organized and visible. The metal dividers in the top trays can be rearranged to hold screws, nails and bits, or removed entirely to fit even more tools.

Safety glasses

Pit Viper

Rev-Loc Z87+ Safety Glasses

Pit Viper may be familiar to her right ace anarchist approach to glassesbut we bet you didn’t know it also does a fantastic range of equally irreverent but highly practical safety glasses. (This model will launch on April 13.) Certified to ANSI Z87+ standards, they have impact-resistant lenses, 100 percent UV protection, anti-fog coatings, plus adjustable arms and nosepieces for a super-secure fit. Available with standard or high-contrast polarized lenses, the side shields can be removed when not needed.

Handy Saw

A good value, highly practical camping saw that folds small but still cuts the mustard. The 12-inch blade is mounted on a four-spindle frame that maximizes usable cutting length and keeps tension consistent throughout each stroke. Then, when you’re done, it folds flat without disassembling, completely enclosing the blade for safe transport. Weighing in at 15.3 ounces, it’s light enough for any expedition, but still feels reassuringly robust in use. That rubber-textured handle works well in wet conditions, while the design happily accepts standard 12-inch replacement blades.

3D Printer

Built for rapid prototyping, this high-speed 3D printer is aimed at designers tired of overnight prints for simple parts. It spits out building material at speeds of up to 1,200 millimeters per second, powered by a lightweight and accurate delta motion system. The enclosed cylindrical build chamber (12.6 x 16.9 inches) improves temperature stability for materials such as ABS and PETG, while auto-leveling and smart calibration should reduce set-up time. A direct-drive extruder with an all-metal nozzle capable of reaching 350 Celsius supports a wide range of filaments. Wi-Fi, an on-board camera and AI-assisted monitoring all help keep prints on track.

A DIY tribal project

CircuitMess

NASA Mars Perseverance Rover

The 1972 NASA Moon Buggy is one of only a handful of “products” that WIRED has ever awarded a coveted 10/10 score. It’s a shame you’ll never be able to get your hands on one, but you can always scratch that interstellar itch with this awesome build-it-yourself Mars Perseverance Rover electronics kit. Designed for STEM learning, it combines over 200 parts with coding, robotics and mechanical assembly into a single project. Users can program motion, sensors and basic autonomy through an included microcontroller, gaining hands-on experience with real-world engineering concepts. As intricate and detailed as it is, the entire model is remarkably smaller than the family cat.

Leaf blower

hoto

20V Cordless Leaf Blower

Bring some much-needed sci-fi chic to yard work with this cordless 20-volt blower that pushes 720 cubic feet of air per minute at 120 mph from a lightweight body. The compact 3.7-pound design (without battery) makes it easy to use with one hand, even when handling trees after leaf-peeping season. A brushless motor improves efficiency and extends the blower’s life, while stepless speed control allows precise adjustment to give you just enough wind to clear light debris up to a full-power cleanup. The lithium-ion battery lasts up to 30 minutes, and it’s removable, so you can buy extra batteries to quickly swap in and keep blowing.

A charger and radio

Milwaukee

M18 Packout Radio Charger

Stackable with Milwaukee storage systems, this sound system features a classic rock-ready 10-speaker array capable of blasting The Boss to every corner of a construction site. It is robustly built and powered by plugging it in or using the standard M18 battery, it has Bluetooth connectivity and an AM-FM radio. It also doubles as a battery and USB charger for smartphones and power tools. A reinforced housing protects it from drops, dust and moisture.

An electric cutter

A compact, battery-powered cutter designed to take the hassle out of and improve the accuracy of a host of cutting tasks. The motorized blade uses SK5 high-carbon steel cutters, which deliver clean, controlled cuts through everything from cardboard and fabric to leather and even some plastics. Weighing in at 10.5 ounces, it’s easy to guide with one hand, while the 4V rechargeable lithium battery can keep you cutting for hours on a single charge. A guarded tip and trigger activation further improves control, as well as keeping your fingers safe.

For the Children

This kid-safe router-style cutter is a perfect antidote to regular screen time. Using a digitally controlled blunt cutting head rather than exposed blades, it lets kids (big and small) cut cardboard, cardboard, foam, felt, thin materials and light plastics at either 1,500 rpm for faster cuts or 800 rpm for more controlled work. The standard head can handle material up to 3mm thick, but an optional upgrade to a 5mm “ProCut” head lets you go thicker. The compact 11.8 x 11.8-inch desktop unit comes in pink or green (go pink!) and connects via USB or Wi-Fi to bundled software that can generate cutting templates from simple project designs you upload. The Cutter 2 offers fun and engaging activities for little ones as young as four.