An electrician is only as good as their tools. If you’re just starting out in the electrical trade, it can be tricky deciding what’s essential and what isn’t.
While some electrical tools are essential, others are specialty electrical tools that you won’t need until you’ve got some more experience under your belt.
An important tip for any starting electrical contractor is to buy high-quality tools. Yes, you can get tool kits that are dirt cheap, but you’ll find yourself spending more time struggling with your tools than actually doing any work.
As you delve into more detailed work, the problem will become even more apparent. So instead of buying the cheapest electrician’s tools you can find, make an effort to buy the best tools you can afford. The difference is well worth the up-front cost.
Starting out
The sheer range of electrical tools available can be intimidating, especially when you first start out.
There are four main categories of electrical tools that handle four different jobs common to all electrical work. These are:
Pliers: The most important tool in any electrician’s arsenal is their pliers. Pliers can manipulate, cut, and grip wires, depending on the type. Linesman pliers have a squared-off end that can twist wires together, while the centre-cutting blade can trim wires with ease. Long-nose pliers are very useful to bend wires when creating screw-terminal connections, while diagonal and side-cutting pliers are the default tool for cutting electrical wires with their specialised cutting jaws.
There are also specialty tools like tongue-and-groove pliers mainly used in plumbing. They’re useful for tightening cable clamps, detaching knockouts from metal electrical boxes, and many other niche cases. While tongue-and-groove pliers aren’t part of regular plier sets, they may be a worthwhile addition to a growing toolset.
Screwdrivers: Screwdrivers are basic hand tools that are indispensable for electrical work. There are very few projects where you won’t use a screwdriver at least once. They’re great for removing cover plates, detaching or installing switches, and many other tasks. Electrician screwdrivers often have insulated handles for better safety. Electricians will often have multiple screwdrivers, as different screws will often have a different tip.
Wire strippers: Wire strippers remove the insulation from electrical wires, exposing the copper beneath. These allow electricians to connect wires with other electrical components. Many wire strippers also have a cutting edge or cutting jaws to trim exposed wire ends. A wire stripper has various gauged holes to strip different wire widths. Like most hand tools, they come with an insulated grip area for extra safety.
Cutting/crimping tools: Crimping is a method to create a connection between wires without the need for soldering. Wire crimpers connect a wire to a connector, terminal, lug, or two wires to each other. Many crimping tools have various bits to ensure compatibility between the crimp and the terminal in question.
Other tools
These four types of tools form the basis of any electrical work and are essential for any beginner or experienced electrician. It’s a good idea to have a variety of pliers, screwdrivers, wire cutters, and wire strippers available to handle different types of cable or wiring. While you may end up relying on one or two pieces of hardware most of the time, sometimes you’ll come across a cable or wire where having a different tool comes in handy.
Basic electrical tool set: A great tip for new electricians is to buy a pre-assembled tool kit and then add a new tool when you feel you need it.
A typical kit should include:
- Four types of pliers: side-cutting pliers, diagonal-cutting pliers, needle nose pliers, and pump pliers.
- Screwdrivers with a cushion-grip that offers greater torque and comfort. The set includes a wire-bending screwdriver, conduit fitting and reaming screwdriver, one Rapid Drive screwdriver for tight areas, and the typical keystone tip and cabinet tip screwdrivers electricians use daily.
- Nut drivers.
- An adjustable wrench.
- A power-return tape measure with magnetised head.
- A torpedo level.
- A crimping/cutting tool that crimps 10-22 AWG insulated and non-insulated terminals and connectors and features a tapered nose with a hardened wire cutter.
- Wire stripper/cutter to strip a variety of cables.
- Utility knife so you don’t need to use a box cutter.
- Protective eyewear.
- Canvas zipper bag and canvas tool bag.
Digital multimeters: A digital multimeter is an essential tool for most electrical contractors. It can measure various electrical properties, including current, voltage, and resistance. Modern multimeters can measure AC and DC voltage and current, making them incredibly useful for electricians working on large, complex electrical projects. The multimeter you choose will depend largely on the sensitivity of your circuits and the accuracy you need. In general, the more accurate, the better. If you work with sensitive circuits, then a multimeter with a higher impedance is the better option.
Clamp meter: A clamp meter is very similar to a multimeter or circuit tester (aka voltage tester) but may contain several more advanced features. In general, it can measure ac current, dc and ac voltage, resistance, continuity, temperature, frequency, and dc current.
Cordless drill: You’ll need a cordless drill when you want to drill holes in metal sheets or whenever you need to mount something. While you can get away with using your electrician’s screwdriver, the electric drill will save you lots of time and effort.
Tool belt: While it’s possible to carry all of your electrical tools in a canvas bag or tool pouch, a belt helps you keep everything organised. It’s an essential piece of equipment when working in dark or tight spaces or when you need quick access to a particular tool. High-quality tool belts will have enough space for all your hand tools as well as some extras like a utility knife, tape measure, and even a circuit tester.
High-tension hacksaw: If you regularly cut through conduit, then you’ll need a hacksaw to make your life much easier. Be sure to insert the blade correctly so that the teeth cut as you push, not when you pull back. The blades are relatively cheap to replace and last surprisingly long, despite a lot of abuse. It’s an excellent tool for quickly cutting through conduits or anything else that stands in your way.
Electrician straight claw hammer: Electricians often use hammers to secure equipment like transformers or to demolish old electrical components. It’s vital to choose the right tool for the job since not all hammers work the same.
Electricians’ gloves: Electricians need to protect themselves when working with live power. Many professional electricians will use insulated electricians’ gloves to protect themselves from the dangers of live wires and connections. These gloves are strong enough to handle a large amount of voltage while also being thin enough to allow delicate work.
Labelling machine: A labelling machine can make your life much easier. It’s easy to lose track of wires or connections during a job, which can spell disaster for complicated wiring. A dedicated labeller will have various electrical symbols available for easy printing on electrical tape, ensuring that electricians stay organised on the job.
Consumables
Markers: Regular markers often wear off or don’t write well on particular surfaces. Since marking surfaces can make your job much easier, it’s a good idea to buy specialist markers that can write on anything.
Cable ties: Cable ties will hold wire or cables together, ensuring that everything stays organised and neat. They’re easy to use, affordable, and you should always have a few on hand.
Cable/wire lugs: Lugs are important electrical tools that attach wires to cables or to other components that need power. Electricians will use a lot of these, so it’s worthwhile to always have a couple available.
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