Toolnerd — honest, independent tool reviews for Aussie DIYers
Latest reviews
The Foundation Guide
Makita vs Ryobi vs Milwaukee: which 18V battery platform should run your shed?
The one call that sets what every cordless tool costs you for a decade — Makita LXT, Ryobi One+ and Milwaukee M18, ranked on cost, range and warranty.
Ratcheting Screwdrivers
The best ratcheting screwdrivers for home DIY in Australia
Three ratcheting screwdrivers that store their bits in the handle and drive screws faster by hand — a 26-bit Milwaukee, a premium Wera and a stubby Bosch.
Tile Drill Bits
The best tile drill bits for bathroom and kitchen tiles
Three tile drill bit sets ranked for porcelain and ceramic — a branded set for screw holes, a budget kit with more sizes, and diamond hole saws for big clearance holes.
Drill Bit Sets
The best all-round drill bit sets for Australian homes
We rank three sets that can cover a whole house: a 70-piece Bosch box, DeWalt's 100-piece kit, and seven multi-material bits for brick, tile and metal.
Socket Sets
The best socket sets for home DIY and car jobs in Australia
Three socket sets ranked for home DIY and the odd car job — an all-round pick, a broad-coverage bulk kit and a compact grab-and-go.
Wood Drill Bits
The best wood drill bits for Aussie DIY: brad point, spade and auger
Three wood drill bit sets ranked for the shed — brad-point bits for clean holes, a spade set for fast wide bores, and an auger set for going deep in timber.
Forstner Bit Sets
The best Forstner bit sets for woodworking in Australia
Sinking hinge cups, dowels or screw plugs means drilling flat-bottomed holes — the job a Forstner bit is built for. We weigh three sets on value, sharpness and sizing.
Woodworking Clamps
The best woodworking clamps for DIY glue-ups and holding
A six-pack of bar and spring clamps, one-handed Irwin quick clamps and a twenty-pack of spring clamps — three ways to hold a woodworking glue-up steady.
Reciprocating Saw Blades
The best reciprocating saw blades for Australian DIY
Three reciprocating saw blades ranked for reno work — a Milwaukee demolition blade, a fine-tooth blade for rod, bolts and angle, and a coarse blade for pruning the garden.
Hole Saw Sets
The best bi-metal hole saw sets for Australian DIYers
Three bi-metal hole saw sets ranked best buy first — a trade-grade Milwaukee Hole Dozer, a quick-changing Bosch and a budget M42 set for occasional holes.
Step Drill Bits
The best step drill bits for sheet metal in Australia
A cone-shaped bit that drills a range of hole sizes in sheet metal from one tool — three ranked best buy first, from a value set to a trade-tough single.
Jigsaw Blades
The best jigsaw blades for wood, metal and fibre cement
Three T-shank jigsaw blade options ranked best buy first — a versatile Bosch set, a 50-piece budget kit, and a carbide blade for cutting fibre cement sheet.
Ear Muffs
The best ear muffs for power tools, grinders and shed work
Two sets of ear muffs rated Class 5 to the Australian standard, ranked for grinding and sawing — plus why most of what's on sale isn't rated here at all.
Masonry Drill Bits
The best masonry drill bit sets for a DIY hammer drill
Three carbide masonry sets ranked for a hammer drill — a cheap everyday set for brick and block, a tough percussion set for concrete, and one bit that drills mixed materials.
The workshop manual
Blades & Abrasives
Sanding grits explained: matching the grit to the job
Coarse to fine, what the P on the label changes, and how to climb the grades without leaving scratches the first coat shows off.
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Safety Gear
Dust masks and respirators: which one for which job
Which mask stops which dust — P1, P2 and P3 ratings, disposable versus reusable respirators, and the fine haze that quietly does the damage.
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Drills & Drivers
How to choose the right impact driver in Australia
How to pick an impact driver — how much torque you really need, drive modes, skin versus kit, and the head length for tight spots.
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Drill or impact driver — which one do you need?
Drill or impact driver? What each one is built for, how they drive a screw differently, and which to buy first if you get only one.
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Sanding & Grinding
How to choose an angle grinder
How to pick an angle grinder — disc size, corded versus cordless, and the safety features that keep the tool out of your hands.
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Batteries & Platforms
Brushless motors: what you're paying for
What a brushless motor actually buys you — more runtime, power and life — and which tools are worth paying the premium to get one on.
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