The 14 Tools Every Electrician Needs!

1. Screwdrivers and nut drivers
Screwdrivers and nut drivers should always be within easy reach. Electricians need a wide variety of screwdrivers for any type of fastener head, including, of course, one-slot, phillips and plum. But you also need to be prepared for less common heads, such as square heads.

2. Pliers
Perhaps the most important tool is a simple pair of pliers. Of course, no single pair of pliers can cover all situations, so you will need to purchase a variety of pliers in a variety of sizes. Make sure to bring along sharp-nosed pliers for holding small fasteners and retrieving dropped items in tight spaces. And since you use pliers a lot, look for models with padded handles - they're worth it.

3. Side-cutting pliers
Side-cutting pliers are used to cut wires to specific lengths as well as for crimping connectors, tearing off staples and performing other miscellaneous tasks.

4. Tongue and groove pliers
These pliers, also known as channel lock pliers after the brand name Channellock, are essential for handling pipes and conduits. And one is not enough. When working alone, you need two to handle pipes and tighten fittings.

5. Pipe Reamer
Electricians rely on reamers to smoothly cut the edges of conduit. This keeps wires from getting tangled in them.

6. wire strippers
There was a time when every electrician carried a standard configuration of manual wire strippers with a number of slots for various wire gauges. Today, automatic wire stripping pliers automatically adapt to any gauge you enter and are ideal for use with toolkits.

7. Fish Tape
Wiring through walls and electrical conduits is a common task, and fish tape (sometimes called pull tape) can make it happen. Fish tape is usually made from narrow band spring steel or, when non-conductive pull tape is required, from fiberglass. Either way, fish tape is ideal for attaching and pulling through guide ropes, which in turn can be used for wiring.

8. Fishing Rods
Fishing rods are usually light but strong fiberglass rods used to pull wires through suspended ceilings and cable bridges and under movable floors.

9. tape measure
Without measuring tools, electricians wouldn't be stuck on the job. For starters, this means that working in a dynamic environment requires having a 6-foot wooden ruler. You should also have a traditional metal tape measure, but today, laser measuring tools are increasingly popular because they are fast, accurate, have a memory to store multiple measurements and can also perform measurement calculations.

10. labeling machine
A labeled and clearly marked site is a safe and efficient site. That's why labeling machines are an electrician's best friend. In addition to plain text, labelers that can print simple graphics and bar codes are essential for many tasks. Labeling machines can be used to mark wires, cables, panels, switches, etc.

11. Drill
No matter what kind of electrical work an electrician does, he or she will eventually need an electric drill. In fact, some electricians require multiple electric drills. Low-voltage cordless models are suitable for fastening work, and you'll need a hammer drill to drill through concrete.

12. Sawing
One thing you can say about saws is that electricians need a variety of saws. Because of its versatility, many electricians invest in handheld reciprocating saws, although spiral saws (which rely on an auger rather than a blade) are also common. And don't forget to include a thin board knife with a stiff blade that won't bend when cutting.

13. Digital multimeter
Yes, you can choose a small, inexpensive voltmeter, which can easily measure the potential difference between two nodes in a circuit. But, in addition to telling you if power is present, a multimeter will tell you a great deal about the circuit, including ohms and amps, resistance, and (depending on the model) possibly even factors such as inductance, capacitance, and temperature. Keep in mind that the device needs to be properly rated for the voltage and environment in which it is used.

14. Non-contact voltage testers
Yes, you probably have a multimeter in your bag. But a non-contact voltage tester is a quick and easy way to determine if a line is charged. Pen shape and pen size, no contact is required to sense the electric field.
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