Let’s take a quick look at the top 10 tools at Amazon that have been most popular with ToolGuyd readers throughout the 2025 holiday season.
For simplicity, I looked at the anonymous affiliate log for the period spanning October 1st thru December 16th.
I tend to consider October as part of the holiday season since that’s when the deals and discounts start, especially with the Prime Day Big Deals event.
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If we narrow the period, that’s when things get surprising and tools like the Civivi pocket tweezers break into the top 10.
The dark green color was slightly more popular than black, but that could have been due to availability as both sold out a couple of times throughout the holiday season.
#2: Klein Tools 16-in-1 Knect Screwdriver
This one surprised me, but apparently it was a must-have readers felt they needed.
#3: WorkPro Long Nose Slip Joint Pliers
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I bought one too – it’s decent and very good for the money ($11 right now). The WorkPro pliers are nearly tied with the Klein 16-in-1 nutdriver.
#4: Milspin Rhink Bar Mini Pry Bar
I bought one at regular price and then another one when it was on sale for Black Friday.
#5: Nicpro Carpenter Pencils with Refills Set
What do you guys think of these marking pencils so far?
Fantastic value, and a good tool box even if you don’t need a modular system. Tool box and organizational products can be whatever you need them to be – within reason.
This was fun: the prop masters in the Expanse sci-fi show featured the Milwaukee Packout organizer as a futuristic lunch tray.
They also featured different Milwaukee worklights. I wonder how often Prop Masters pop in to their local Home Depot stores for inspiration.
#7: Engineer Compact EDC Scissors
I love these scissors! Just be sure to look at the product images to get a sense for the handle loop size – they’re small.
#8: Canary Box Opener Mini Cutter
This one has serrations.
#9: WorkPro Mini Adjutable Pliers
I like the Knipex Cobra XS better. These are still very good (so far), especially considering they’re half the price.
#10: Dewalt ToughCase Organizer
Sure, it can be part of a system, like the Tstak tool box above, but sometimes you just need a catch-all for small power tool accessories, parts, or what-not.
Jim
I love those Medium Tough Case organizers.
However I do wish it was easier to find empty bit boxes that fit this case without buying a crap ton of 1/4” bits I have no need for.
Stuart
Unfortunately, that’s the only way.
If you need the dividers, you can get one or two of the $10 sets at HD.
If you don’t, start with the MaxFit set at HD and toss the bits into a spares bin.
Ben
There was also a scene in the Expanse where someone (Holden? Amos, perhaps?) was mag-walking on the exterior hull of a spaceship and using some sort of flamethrower / torch that was very clearly a painted/modified drywall sander. Will see if I can track down a screenshot.
Also, IMO the Expanse novels are better than the show, but the show was pretty good too.
Ben
Found it. Put it up on Imgur here. https://imgur.com/a/dVy9bMz
I believe they also had what was clearly a ~20V cordless angle grinder somewhere else in that episode.
Robert
They also had Wera screwdrivers, with the green coloring on black.
Brad
Wera: our screwdrivers will last hundreds of years, even in space
Nathan
I was curious about the pencils looked good
kent_skinner
I have the Pica, and really like it.
The only thing that makes me hesitate getting one of the these is the lack of a cap. The Pica cap/sheath clips to your apron/shirt/whatever, and the lead is always ready. I wonder how often it would break in this configuration.
Jerry
I bought them, and really like them. If you are afraid of breaking the tip, the lead can be retracted into the barrel so you don’t have to worry about it. Just press the top cap to advance it out again.
At first I was wondering why they have a sharpener built into the cap, but after using them a while, I can see the benefit of it. The point will round off with use, and if you need to make a sharp, precise line, just touch it up with the sharpener. Using the sharpener instead of a knife keeps the point exactly centered on the lead, making precision marks easier. Overall, they seem well made for the price.
Kilroy
Between Engineer, Canary, and other brands, I have never been disappointed with the Japanese made scissors and pliers that I have purchased based on the recommendations from this site (including the ones referenced above).
Jared
Purely out of curiosity, I really wanted to try those mini Workpro pliers. I have Cobra XSs, so it’s not anything I needed, but still. However, they never turned up in Canada.
This post reminded me to check – and they’re still “unavailable” on Amazon.ca… but a black pair popped up in the comparables list. I’m going to try it!
Analyst
I have 5 of these items… Umm, technically 6 because I own two of the engineering scissors. They are so good I bought a second pair!
Do I read this blog too often? Joking aside, I love this blog and the community that often makes useful comments/links.
AP
I love TSTAK anything for garage, basement or any dedicated workshop environment. Not too big and not too small. Not built for stairs so if you can keep it stationary it’s perfect for most things.
Wayne R.
In looking at those slip-joint pliers, I got to thinking about why I spent so much time hating on the usual stub nosed versions.
When I was a kid, I thought I could cut a bicycle brake cable with the slip joint pliers I had. Spent good kid money on that cable just for the pliers to mangle it into a big mess.
Anyway, I think I’m finally over it. And I’ve always used far better cutters as a result.
GM
Am I losing my marbles or is that Klein 16-in-1 not a ratcheting screwdriver?
Stuart
Sorry! I thought I fixed that. Pulled the wrong image, swapped the right one in, fixed the link – or at least I thought I did – and then it looked right to me and I missed the ratcheting part.
Samuel V.
“…popular with ToolGuyd readers throughout the 2205 holiday season.”
It’s fun to be time travelers. Perhaps we are all time lords?
S
And under the workpro pliers, “decent and vary good for the price.”
Though I did have to Google ‘vary vs very’ to verify. So at least I learned something from it too!
https://www.grammarly.com/commonly-confused-words/vary-vs-very
David
I’m glad you googled to varyfy that!
Stuart
Thanks, *fixed!*
MKY
Stuart –
“ Let’s take a quick look at the top 10 tools at Amazon that have been most popular with ToolGuyd readers throughout the ***2205*** holiday season.”
“ I bought one too – it’s decent and ***vary*** good for the money ($11 right now). ”
Stuart
*fixed* that one too – thank you!
MfSergio
Former prop master here; sometimes is not for inspiration that in futuristic shows appears random objects.
It could be lack of time, and very often it the real reason is money.
Is cheaper to modify or just paint stuff, that creating thing from scratch.
Now I own a 3d printer and is fairly easy to add gribbles and make parts that dos not exist, but is more work..
Stuart
Thanks for sharing that!
It makes sense, and I love seeing everyday tools and objects turned into props that perfectly blend into the scene.
MM
Those corrugated bellows- or accordion-looking plungers have been repurposed as various sci-fi ray guns in countless films. Something else that got a chuckle out of me, I recall seeing a plumber’s basin wrench and a small ball repurposed to make a futuristic looking scepter in a sci-fi show.
Jerry
I have 6 of those items, and multiples of a couple. I know I bought some of them off the ToolGuyd recommendation/review, and bought through the links provided. Keep up the good work, Stuart. I thank you for making me aware of so many useful tools, although there are times when my wife rolls her eyes at yet another tool delivery.