Which Tools for your first own apartment?

For many young people, the first dream of their own apartment is the great dream of independence from their parents. At the latest, when you can no longer fully rely on the domestic tool fund the desire disappears. While visiting your family for every hammer and screwdriver, you start to think about purchasing your own tools.

Since the financial scope is usually limited, you should already think in advance, which tool is absolutely necessary and which you don’t need right now. One thing is mentioned beforehand: Save the purchase of so‐called household tool sets! These are usually provided in bright colors or with floral patterns and in the furniture store already for a few euros to have. It is usually easier to hit a nail into the wall with a shoe than with a hammer enclosed in this set.

In the following section, we distinguish between classic hand tools and power tools.

Hammer

Without a reasonable hammer nearly every attempt fails to repair something in the household or to build new furniture, which often finds its way to the new apartment after a move. As a rule, a simple hammer is enough for you to master these tasks. A useful addition to furniture construction can be a rubber mallet.

Water Pump Pliers

The water pump pliers are used wherever it comes to screwing water pipes tightly. This is the case when connecting the washing machine, the dishwasher and when replacing the fittings in the kitchen and bathroom. But even in situations where a screw or a nut can’t be gripped with a wrench or the key is not available in the appropriate size, the water pump pliers will show their advantages. Pay attention to the purchase of such pliers, but please be sure that you acquire a version with a clamp fuse. Pinching injuries on the fingers are extremely painful and heal bad!

Screwdriver

The number of times you need a screwdriver is only noticeable when nobody is within reach. Therefore, a small set of screwdrivers in the most common sizes is a must in every household. It doesn’t have to be a complete professional kit in all sizes. As a rule, you should be able to do just about anything with three screwdrivers each, in slot and in cross‐slot design and in different sizes. No matter if you build furniture or disassemble the old cornices of the previous tenant.

Wrench

Similar to the screwdrivers, only a small set of wrenches is necessary. A set of spanner sizes 6–17 is sufficient for initial use in the home.

Cordless Drill

Whether a hole drilled in the wall to screw the shelf to the wall or just a piece of furniture from the furniture store – a good cordless drill is in any case a very useful helper. When you buy the device, make sure you have two batteries or purchase a spare battery. It is hardly anything more annoying than having to interrupt during work due to an empty battery.

Jigsaw

The jigsaw can confidently be called an all‐purpose saw in the household. It does not take up much space and is able to saw all kinds of materials with the right saw blade. When purchasing a cordless jigsaw, it is recommended to make sure that the batteries are compatible with those of the cordless drill. Einhell has for this purpose the Power X‐Change range in the offer, in which with the same 18 V battery a variety of devices can be operated – including the cordless jigsaw TE‐JS 18 Li – Solo.

Impact Drillers / Rotary Hammers

Whether an Impact Driller or even a Rotary Hammer is necessary you have to decide yourself. However, if your walls are made of concrete or bricks, you will not get very far with the above‐mentioned cordless drill alone. If you want shelves, pictures or other things, such as wardrobes and curtain rods anchored in the concrete wall, you’ll need definitely a Rotary Hammer.

Multitool

The multitool is a universal tool and helps you with a wide variety of tasks. In places where you don’t progress with the jigsaw, you can complete a cut with the multitool. Smaller grinding work is also no problem with this tool. Even assembled door frames can be shortened with the multitool to make room for the new laminate!