What to buy first: the ten-tool starter kit

Learn what ten tools to buy first, why each one matters, and how to check you are using them properly.

TK-01Get a tape measure and spirit levelA tape measure (5m is plenty for most jobs) lets you measure lengths accurately; always read the line closest to the mark, not where you think the middle is. A spirit level has a bubble in a glass tube - when the bubble sits dead centre between the two lines, whatever you're checking is level or plumb (vertical). Beginners often hook the tape's metal end on wrong, or trust a level that's been dropped and knocked out of true. Check your level against a known flat surface, like a worktop edge, before you rely on it.

TK-02Add a claw hammer and screwdriver setA claw hammer drives nails with the flat face and pulls them out with the curved claw on the back. A screwdriver set should include both flathead (flat blade) and Pozidriv (star-shaped cross) types in a few sizes, since UK screws use both. The common mistake is forcing the wrong size or type into a screw head - it slips and rounds the screw off, making it much harder to remove. If the screwdriver wobbles in the slot, try a bigger size.

TK-03Get an adjustable spanner and pliersAn adjustable spanner has a jaw you wind open or shut with a small wheel, so it fits different sizes of nut - useful for tap connectors and furniture fittings. Combination pliers grip, bend and cut thin wire. Beginners often leave the spanner jaw slightly too loose, which rounds off the nut's corners; wind it snug before you turn. Turn slowly and stop if it feels stuck rather than forcing it.

TK-04Buy a retractable utility knife and spare bladesA retractable utility knife (sometimes called a Stanley knife) has a blade that slides back into the handle when not in use - always retract it fully after every cut. It's for cutting things like cardboard, carpet, wallpaper and plasterboard skim, not thick timber. The blade dulls faster than people expect; a blunt blade needs more force and is more likely to slip, so snap off or swap the tip regularly rather than pushing on with a blunt one.

1 pack · Spare utility knife blades (pack of 10)

Buy:ScrewfixB&QToolstationAmazon

TK-05Choose a cordless drill/driver as your first power toolA drill/driver spins bits to drill holes or drive screws; look for one around 18V with two batteries, so one charges while you use the other. It should have an adjustable clutch (a dial near the chuck that sets how hard it drives a screw before slipping) - use a low number for small screws so you don't strip them. Beginners often buy a cheap single-battery kit and get caught out mid-job when it dies with no backup charged.

TK-06Add a cable, pipe and stud detectorThis handheld device scans a wall and beeps or lights up when it senses a cable, pipe, or the timber upright (stud) behind plasterboard. Before you ever drill or cut into a wall, floor or ceiling, sweep the area first. But treat the detector as a warning system, not a guarantee: it can miss cables that run deep, sit inside metal conduit, hide behind metal-backed plasterboard, or simply don't follow the expected safe zones - especially in older or amateur wiring. Always work on the assumption that something is there until you've proven otherwise, and if there's any doubt at all, isolate the circuit at the consumer unit (fuse box) before drilling, and turn the water off at the stopcock before cutting into anything that might carry water.

TK-07Test every tool on scrap material before you need itBefore your first real job, practise on an offcut of wood or cardboard: drill a hole, drive a screw, make a straight knife cut, check something with the level. You'll know each tool is working properly when the drill bit goes in smoothly without wandering, the screw sits flush without stripping, and the level's bubble settles cleanly in the middle. If a tool feels wrong on scrap - slipping, wobbling, cutting unevenly - fix or replace it now, not halfway through a real task.

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