10 HVAC Tools Under $30 worth Owning Available on Amazon
Looking for a Holiday gift guide for an HVAC Tech? Check out my post 10 Best Gifts for an HVAC Tech.
Today we are talking about 10 Tools under $30 bucks that are actually worth having, available from Amazon. I’m sure we all got a couple of Amazon gift cards for Christmas, and if you are reading this, you are probably a tool addict like myself, so what better way to spend those gift cards than on new tools?
Inspection Mirror and Magnetic pickup tool combo kit
Every tech needs to have these lifesaver tools in their bag. You know It’s always a Friday afternoon when you are trying to get your work buttoned up so that you can get out on time for once, and you drop that last screw, nut, bolt, you name it, down into the smallest crevice. Great, now you can either run down to the truck and hopefully have a replacement in your random hardware kit accumulated over the years, or it’s a trip to the parts store. Either way, it’s time wasted. If only you had a telescoping magnetic pickup tool. Seriously, if you don’t have one, grab one today. The inspection mirror has an added bonus for checking out those hard-to-see weld joints. No more wasting all that nitrogen pressure testing only to find you have a small leak on one of your welds you missed. Now you have to release all that nitro, weld that joint again, run down to the truck to get more nitrogen and verify you are good to go this time. This tool has a permanent home in my tool bag and was well worth the few dollars I spent.
2. Precision 4 in 1 screwdriver
We all carry some multi-bit ordinary screwdriver, but why not have a single-precision screwdriver with the same features? How frustrating is it when you come across those control cards with terminals that are just small enough to prevent your regular control screwdriver? ( you know, the free ones they hand out at parts houses ) from fitting deep enough to loosen the terminal connection? Or worse, when you come across the tiny uncommon Phillips head? That’s why I now carry the 4-in-1 precision electronics screwdriver. This handy little tool features a rotating tail cap, 1/8” and 3/32” flat head bits #0 and #00 Phillips to cover all your bases. Be Mindful that the bits are a little loose on this one and can be lost if you are not careful. I typically keep this one in a front shirt pocket, next to a pen, so that if it does happen to fall out, it’s easily retrieved.
3. 1/4” SAE/Metric Drive socket Set
This is one of my favorite purchases that I have added to my service bag. I picked out a small 1/4” drive kit that includes metric and SAE sockets because nothing tests my patience more than coming running into an oddball over-tightened nut that someone else had slightly rounded out the corners on. Sometimes a crescent wrench just doesn’t cut it, or the situation dictates that you have no other option than a socket, need a backing wrench, etc. Did I mention that I hate making an extra trip back down to the truck? keeping this small kit in my service bag helps keep the weight down while performing maintenance and provides the versatility I need. If I were only going to choose one tool from this list to purchase, this would be this and number 4 on my list.
4. Cordura Ballistic Nylon Zipper Tool Bag
Yes, numbers 3 and 4 go hand in hand with each other. As a Technician, you know that space is valuable in your tool bag, and no one wants to carry around that large plastic case for the 1/4 socket set listed above, which is precisely what has led me to purchase the Cordura nylon tool bag. Simply remove all the sockets, ratchet wrench, and extension and toss them into this small tool pouch. That 1/4” drive kit can now fit almost anywhere in your small Maintenance bag and weighs next to nothing. As a bonus, you could pick up a few spares to keep a small stock of electrical fittings such as wire nuts, spade connectors, wire ties, etc., and the other one to keep a small supply of replacement commonly used sheet metal screws, nuts, and bolts. Whatever works for you, but I know for me, these little bags help to keep my tool bags clean and organized.
5. Kneeling Pad
Take care of those Knees! You only have one set, and you must ensure that you care for them. I wish I had had this mentality when I first entered the trade. Kneeling on concrete, catwalks, grates, you name it. All are going to take their toll on your body. Make sure you are doing the little things to take care of yourself. If you are out on an injury, you are not making any money or providing for your family. I hate using/ wearing knee pads, but I now love using this foam knee pad. It’s a cheap tool that weighs nothing and is easily stuffed into a pack, tied on, or secured onto your tool bag. Pick one up; you will thank me later.
6. Pocket Thermometer
Every HVAC technician should have a pocket thermometer. Are you looking for a new durable thermometer? It seems everyone makes a pocket thermometer these days at a wide variety of price points. For me, the essential features are accuracy, durability, and price, which is why I recommend the Cooper Atkins. They are waterproof, high vis yellow, so you don’t lose them, and very affordable. I use these things to take ambient readings of the outside air temp, air coil deltas, and room temp readings at a thermostat or sensor, and sometimes you can even get it to fit into the pete’s plug port to take water temp readings. I love these things.
7. Basin Wrench
You might be wondering why does an HVAC tech need a basin wrench? Well, that’s because it seems like we do a little bit of everything and are much more skilled at life than all other trades. I’m just kidding…. a basin wrench is a tool I don’t use all that often, but when you need it, you are thankful that you have one. Many large equipment manufacturers such as Climatemaster, Trane, and Whalen, have been coming out with these removable chassis-style hydronic heat pumps. These units can be a pain to work on with the minimal access commonly provided. A basin wrench can be a lifesaver when disconnecting and reconnecting the hydronic braided water lines. Condensate drain lines, hard-to-reach unions, you name it, a basin wrench is a cheap tool worth having on standby.
8. Hub Puller
This little guy can save your and your customers’ money and time. It makes swapping out those stubborn blower motors a breeze, whether a residential furnace or a vav blower in a large commercial building. I’ve come across blower assemblies that had previously been “cleaned” and reassembled. Unfortunately, they were reassembled wet, which caused the motor shaft and hub to get some rust build up. If you have been in this trade for any time, you know how much of a nightmare that can be. (think rusted together combustion blowers and wheels) Replacement of centrifugal wheels and housings can get really costly quickly. Just soak the motor shaft and hub with the best penetrating oil ever made - Kano AeroKroil, The oil that creeps for a few minutes while you grab the hub puller. This inexpensive little tool can save your day. If you don’t have one, get one.
9. Burn Cloth
Welding in tight places is a big part of our work. You must always pay attention to where your flame is and all of your surroundings. If you are not careful, you may leave burn marks on a wall, burn stickers off of components, ruin insulation, or burn and melt wiring. It’s best practice to remove as much as possible to prevent mistakes like these from occurring, but sometimes it is just not feasible, and you will be required to braze close to wiring, safeties, etc. A burn cloth or welding blanket can help mitigate many of these potential problems you may run into. Most of these blankets or shields are made of woven carbon fiber or fiberglass, which do a fantastic job of blocking the heat generated by your torches. You need one of these with your welding kit.
10. HVAC / Refrigeration Service Wrench
Don’t use channel locks, needle nose, crescent wrenches, or whatever else guys like to use on the service valves. Seriously, get the right tool for the job. Nothing is worse than some significantly rounded-out service stubs that you can’t open or get close to because someone destroyed them using the wrong tool. Pick yourself up a ratcheting service wrench with multiple sizes (1/4”, 3/16”, 5/16”, and 3/8” ) so that you don’t need to carry various wrenches in your bag. You can’t go wrong with a Yellow Jacket.
Bonus - Supco FPRO100 Furnace Pro Switch Clip
If you work on a lot of furnaces with the door switch pick one of these up! Much better than trying to hold the door switch down with one hand while troubleshooting with the other. You might be saying, well I just throw a piece of tape on there ha! A piece of tape is easy to forget to take off, and if you leave it that way, you may be receiving an angry call from your customer. No way to put the panel back on with this on there, and its bright orange so you won’t forget to take it with you.
Let me know in a comment! I’m always looking to buy more tools, and I love hearing what other techs are using. What tools do you love that you think should be on this list?
If you are just trying to get the tools required to get into the trade or are looking for tips on how to become an HVAC technician check out my posts What tools do I need for HVAC and How to get into HVAC
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