Where to spend and where to save on your first kit
You can't afford the best of everything on an apprentice wage, and you don't need it. The trick is knowing which tools pay you back and which ones don't.
The rule
Ask two questions about any tool. How often will I use it? And what happens if it fails? Spend on the things you use every day and the things that keep you safe. Save on everything else.
Spend: the tools in your hand all day
Screwdrivers and pliers do thousands of jobs a year. Good ones are more comfortable, keep their edges and tips, and often last a whole career. Spread over that time, the extra cost is pennies a week.
Spend: anything that keeps you safe
Voltage testers, insulated tools and your boots. If one of these lets you down, the cost isn't a spoiled job. Buy from a known brand and a proper retailer, and be wary of prices that look too good on marketplace listings.
Save: things you'll lose or break
Tape measures get dropped off ladders. Pencils and junior hacksaws vanish. Hi-vis vests get covered in paint. Buy cheap, buy two.
Save for now: tools you'll only use sometimes
A budget socket set is fine while you find out which sizes you actually reach for. Upgrade the pieces you wear out, and by then you'll know what's worth it.
Three ways to make the money go further
- Wait for the price drop. Tool prices move around a lot. Our deals page shows what's reduced right now.
- Ask about a tool allowance. Some employers give apprentices money towards tools or pay for a starter kit. It costs nothing to ask.
- Buy in stages. Get the day-one essentials, then add a tool each payday rather than putting a full kit on credit.
See them side by side
We've lined up the cheap option against the buy-once option for the core tools, with our pick for each. Have a look at budget or buy once.