4 Electrical Tools At Home Depot Anyone Can Easily Use

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Simple electrical tasks are among the many home improvement projects you can try doing yourself without professional help. While just about any DIYer can change out electrical sockets and light switches, and many can install a new ceiling fan or replace a garbage disposal, it’s important to have the right tools for the job.

There are easy-to-use electrical tools that can test for the presence of voltage, ensure wiring is connected to new outlets correctly, and measure temperatures without contact to check components for overheating. In addition, using good-quality hand tools makes the work easier and helps deliver professional-level results.

A word to the wise, however: Licensed electricians undergo extensive training to ensure their safety while they’re working on energized lines. That is, of course, because of the inherent risks involved working with electricity; it’s important to recognize and avoid the worst mistakes you can make when doing electrical work. However, as long as you keep safety in mind, anyone can easily use some of the electrical tools Home Depot has on offer to perform basic DIY electrical tasks.

While a multimeter is handy to have around the home and garage for general use and testing purposes, a non-contact voltage tester can identify energized circuits without getting too close. One highly-rated example from Home Depot is the Klein Tools NCVT3P priced at $29.97, although the big-box retailer carries several versions from Klein and other brands.

The Klein NCVT3P is a digital dual-range non-contact voltage tester with an integrated LED flashlight that detects the presence of alternating current (AC) ranging from either 12 to 1,000 volts or 70 to 1,000 volts. It also comes with a pocket clip to keep it readily available either on your person or in tool bag, automatically powers off when inactive to save its battery, features drop protection from up to 6.6 feet, and has an IP67 intrusion rating against dust and water.

The NCVT3P’s user-selectable dual ranges allow it to detect power in standard-voltage electrical wiring found in homes and buildings as well as low-voltage applications such as landscape lighting and irrigation systems. Positively detecting voltage in a circuit provides for a safer work environment, making this device an absolute must for anyone doing electrical work themselves.

Users have the option to use the NCVT3P with the flashlight and audible alarm on or off while testing for voltage. They can also choose to use the lower-range voltage setting to provide more sensitivity when testing for higher voltages. The unit is simple to use and understand; a green light indicates no voltage detection, while a red light means the circuit is energized. Home Depot customers give it a 4.6-star rating across 592 reviews.

Once you’ve installed a new outlet in our home or shop, it’s often a good idea to test it before plugging in something expensive. One way to ensure you’ve gotten all the right wires on the right connections is to use a receptacle tester. Home Depot carries a wide variety of brands and styles, but it’s hard to beat the Milwaukee digital GFCI receptacle tester priced at $26.97, especially with its 4.7-star rating across 70 reviews.

This Milwaukee tester comes with the two AAA batteries required to use it, and has the added feature of testing ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) receptacles, those outlets with a reset button on them. These types of outlets are designed to protect against dangerous electrical shocks, and a GFCI tester is a safe way to ensure they are working correctly before trusting them with your life or your appliances.

The Milwaukee digital GFCI receptacle tester is easy to use; simply press the power button and plug it in to any standard household 120V outlet, and the incorporated green and red LED lights will indicate if the outlet is working correctly or has a fault. At the same time, the backlit LCD screen displays pertinent information, such as the amount of voltage detected and any electrical issues like reversed wires. The screen’s hold function retains the information until it’s cleared, a handy feature when you’re using the tester behind a refrigerator or furniture and can’t see clearly until you pull it back out. Pushing the test button with the unit inserted into a GFCI outlet will show if the interrupter is working correctly.

A proper set of hand tools is a must for any DIY electrical work, although they’re often among the most underrated tools you’ll need for wiring jobs. An electrician’s hand tool set, like the 4-piece Milwaukee electrician’s hand tool kit priced at $55.88 from Home Depot, is a good example; it includes a multibit screwdriver, wire cutters, wire strippers, and a utility knife. It’s also a good choice based on its 4.7-star rating stemming from 1014 reviews.

The wire stripper/cutter included with the Milwaukee electrician’s tool kit features a simple locking mechanism for one-handed operation, spring-loaded jaws, a curved wire cutting blade, and the capability to strip solid wire sizes from 18 to 10-gauge and stranded wire from 20 to 12-gauge. In addition, the tool has a tapered nose with pliers and provisions to cut #6-32 and #8-32 bolts and straighten the threads after for easy installation. 

The other tools in the kit are likewise useful. The 11-in-1 screwdriver contains eight hex screwdriver bits, including square bits, and three common nut driver sizes. The screwdriver handle is three-lobed for increased leverage and comfort. The mini flush cutter is spring loaded for simple one-handed operation. The tool produces precise cuts on thin wire strands and cleanly cuts cable tie ends to reduce snag hazards, leaving a professional appearance to your DIY job, and Milwaukee’s Fastback folding utility knife has an easy to open “press-and-flip mechanism” that allows users to deploy the blade with one hand. The knife’s design also allow changing blades without requiring the use of tools.

While these high-tech tools are admittedly relatively high priced your average DIYer, infrared thermal imaging cameras come in handy around the home and garage. They’re especially handy for electrical work. You can use them to inspect outlets, junction boxes, breakers, and sub-panels for hot spots, which can indicate wiring issues like undersized wires, excessive amperage draw, and loose connections.

Home Depot sells infrared thermal imaging cameras produced by a variety of top brands. The rechargeable pro thermal imaging camera from Klein Tools, for example, lists for $649.99. A less expensive infrared thermal imaging camera is the Mileseey TR10, which sells for $159.99 at the retailer. Additionally, it features a better overall rating — 4.8 stars to Klein’s 4.5 — but both devices have fewer than 30 reviews each, likely due to their high cost. 

The TR10 thermal camera features a high-resolution 240×240-pixel screen with a 25hz refresh rate for clearer, smoother imaging. The unit senses temperatures between -4 degrees up to 1,022 degrees Fahrenheit, displaying temperatures as a range of colors and identifying the high, low, and center-point temperatures on the screen with an accuracy of +/-2 degrees Celsius. A simple trigger pull captures the display image, and the TR10 IR thermal camera’s built in 8GB memory allows storage of 30,000 screen images. Users can transfer the stored images to a laptop, PC, or tablet by using an applicable USB-C cord.

It’s clear that an electrician’s tool kit likely contains much more than these four Home Depot tools. However, many of these may be more technical in nature or too complicated for use by beginner DIYers without the necessary training and acquired skills.

That’s why we focused on the electrical tool categories highlighted here. They’re all easily attainable and simple to use, ensuring immediate competence and supporting electrical safety when used by anyone. The specific examples are also highly rated by users and come from reputable companies like Klein Tools and Milwaukee. Only the Mileseey TR10 infrared thermal imaging camera strays from the ranks of established brands. It was included here due to its budget price compared to alternative products, its strong initial user reviews, and the company’s history of quality electronics, namely in the form of range finders used for golfing.