Klein Tools 32500 11-in-1 Screwdriver/Nut Driver vs RIDGID 31010 Model 10 Heavy-Duty Straight Pipe Wrench (10 inch)

The Klein 32500 is the tool to buy first because it removes the most guesswork. The shaft holds four double-ended bits: Phillips #1 and #2, slotted 3/16 and 1/4 inch, Torx T10 and T15, and square #1 and #2. Pull the bits and the shaft and bit holder become 1/4, 5/16 and 3/8 inch nut drivers. Between them they fit the screws on hinges, switch plates, appliance panels and most flat-pack furniture.

The bits have a blasted finish meant to grip the screw head and resist cam-out, the slipping that rounds Phillips screws. The cushion grip is thick enough to put real torque into a tight screw without blistering a palm. Weight is under half a pound. Klein sells each bit pair as a separate spare, catalog numbers 32482 to 32485, so a worn Phillips tip costs a few dollars rather than a new driver.

What it gives up is speed and reach. Changing a bit means pulling it out and flipping or swapping it, and the shaft is too fat for a screw sunk deep in a recess. It is also not magnetic, so screws drop in tight spots. Price has moved between $11.98 and $15.97 since June. Retailer rating: 4.8 from 28,568 reviews.

The RIDGID Model 10 is the third tool, and the one that matters the day a plumbing joint will not move. A pipe wrench grips round stock that an adjustable wrench slides off, and its jaw tightens as you pull, so the harder you lean the harder it bites. The 10-inch size suits household work: RIDGID rates it for 1/4 to 1 inch pipe with a 1 1/2 inch maximum, which covers supply lines, drain fittings and the fittings on most water heaters.

The build is why it costs more than generic wrenches. The housing is ductile iron with an I-beam handle, the hook jaw is forged and floats so it grips and releases quickly, and the threads on the adjusting nut are designed to clear grime. The hook jaw, heel jaw and spring are all replaceable, and the wrench meets federal specification GGG-W-651E. At about 1.75 pounds it is the heaviest tool here.

It is also the most specialized. The teeth that hold pipe also chew up chrome and brass finishes, so wrap decorative fittings in a rag or use a strap wrench. Nothing else in a first toolkit needs it, which is why it sits last. Retailer rating: 4.8 from 1,014 reviews.