<http://schema.org/articleBody>
"   Since buying our house almost 8 years ago, my husband and I have accumulated a vast supply of tools including everything from simple hammers (we probably have way too many of these) to a 10-gallon air compressor to power all of our air tools. But I have 3 favorites that I turn to over and over again. 1. 24-volt drill: This is a must have for any homeowner, or any renter for that matter. Many people will say that you don&amp;#039;t need a 24V drill and that an 18V will do the job but I disagree. Having the additional power is never a bad thing, and when you need it, you&amp;#039;ll be happy you spent a couple of extra dollars. What I use this for: almost everything. I use it to put together any ready-to-assemble (RTA) furniture I buy (like bookshelves from IKEA) or to put supports in the walls if I&amp;#039;m hanging a mirror or heavy piece of art. I also use it for more hard core home improvement tasks like hanging sheetrock or framing a wall. My drill is always close by with a spare battery on the charger. 2. Tape Measure: Either a traditional carpenter&amp;#039;s rigid ruler or a retractable tape measure will work for measuring almost anything. A rigid ruler is a little easier to use if you&amp;#039;re measuring a long distance by yourself (recently I used one to measure the opening of an 8 foot window for drapes) because it doesn&amp;#039;t flop around the way a tape measure does; and a tape measure is better for measuring smaller spots because it&amp;#039;s flexible (for example, the space between a wall and a bookcase to see if a shelf would fit). What I use it for: measuring everything, twice! It helps me when I&amp;#039;m hanging pictures, installing shelves or even doing sewing projects. To set up my sewing machine correctly, I use it to measure the distance between the button holes. 3. Hammer: There are many types of hammers for all different types of tasks ranging from framing a house to shaping metal. But the type you want is a claw hammer. But even within this category there are lots of choices: a wood, fiberglass, or metal handle; with or without a rubber grip; 16 or 24 ounces. I recommend a wood handled hammer that feels comfortable in your grip. Choose a rip hammer as opposed to a framing hammer. When it comes to the weight, you have to try it out in the store. You&amp;#039;ll probably find yourself selecting a relatively light one (about 16 ounces) which will be fine for projects around the house. Hammers with heavier heads are good for framing or driving nails into hard woods where you need to use significant force but they can be heavy to hold and wear out your arm. What I use it for: hanging pictures of the walls, hanging shelving, putting together RTA furniture. Be sure to check out Good Housekeeping&amp;#039;s other articles on home improvement: Free Helpful Home Improvement Websites, Garages and Sheds: Power Tools. If you&amp;#039;re planning to come to the NYC area, arrange to come by Good Housekeeping Research Institute (GHRI) and take a tour of our labs. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/institute/a23173/best-household-tools/>