There are many places where you can buy new tools and supplies. Here are my favorite places to shop for tools and related workshop supplies, with a brief discussion about each.
- Online Distributors (e.g. Amazon.com, Acme Tools)
- Big Box Retailers (e.g. Home Depot, Lowe’s)
- Industrial Suppliers (e.g. McMaster Carr, Zoro)
- Woodworking Shops (e.g. Lee Valley, Rockler)
- Specialty Supply Shops (e.g. Little Machine Shop, TEquipment)
- Knives, Multi-Tools, EDC Tools
- Marketplaces
The following tool store recommendations were last updated in March 2021.
Online Tool Retailers
Acme Tools: Great selection of power tools, hand tools, and tool storage, usually at competitive pricing (or better).
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Amazon: Wide selection, great prices, excellent customer service, many items eligible for free shipping. Our favorite place to shop for tools and supplies.
CPO: Wide selection of reconditioned tools, great promos on occasion, lower free shipping threshold than other independent sellers.
Ohio Power Tool: A great source for power tools, plumbing equipment, and Milwaukee Tool products.
Tool Nut: A favorite retailer with good selection, fair prices, lower free shipping threshold, compelling promos. As a customer, it seems that they strive to prioritize the customer; you’re not just a dollar sign on a piece of paper.
If you’re looking for information about where to buy cordless power tools, we have a separate post on that here:
Big-Box Retailers
Home Depot: Growing selection, decent prices, many items are eligible for free shipping and time-saving free in-store pickup.
Lowe’s: Good sales, and different tool options than other home improvement retailers.
I shop at both major big-box retailers, and typically pick one over the others depending on what I’m looking to buy. Sears used to receive a lot more of my business, but that changed a few years ago, even before they sold the Craftsman brand to Stanley Black & Decker.
Industrial Suppliers
McMaster Carr: Vast selection, ambiguous branding, quick shipping.
MSC Supply Co: Great selection, great prices if you shop from the monthly sales flyers, quick shipping.
Zoro Tools: Occasionally frustrating navigation, but good prices and free shipping on $50+.
Woodworking Tools
Festool Products: A good place to order Festool tools, accessories, and consumables.
Lee Valley: Home of Veritas tools, great customer service.
Rockler: Reasonably good selection, but wait for a sale or coupon if you can.
Woodpeckers: Great layout tools, their “One Time Tools” can be addictive.
Knives, Multi-Tools, EDC Tools
BladeHQ: One of my favorite places to shop for multi-tools and pocket knives.
Knives Ship Free: Another much-liked source for EDC knives with fair pricing and great customer service.
Specialty Tools and Supplies
Harry Epstein Co: a friendly mom & pop shop with focus on USA-made tools.
Little Machine Shop: A great place for benchtop machining tools and accessories.
TEquipment: a favored source for benchtop test equipment products with friendly customer service.
Marketplaces
This includes Ebay, Craigslist, community forums, shows, yard sales, and swap meets.
I don’t shop for second-hand tools often, but have scored some nice deals via enthusiast forum alerts. I also tend to visit the traveling Woodworking Show with a healthy budget as I never know what goodies I’ll find and feel compelled to buy on impulse.
Reader Recommendations
Which vendors would you add to this list? It’s not an exhaustive list of where I purchase new tools from – these are just where I shop at and spend the most.
Disclosure
Aside from our affiliate/referral relationships with many of these retailers, we have been buying our own personal tools from them for many years, and strongly recommend them without hesitation.
How does a retailer get on this list? The answer is simple – by winning over my business.
fred
For Zoro – I’d ad that they seem to offer 10%, 15% and 20% off deals (usually with lots of fine print) if you have bought from them in the past and have an account. I’m never quite sure what triggers their sending you a promo code.
Other suppliers that I’ve used include those that Stuart mentions plus:
Burns Power Tools (for Lamello)
Carbide Processors
Coastal Tools
Great Lakes Power Tools (full line Milwaukee supplier)
Hartville Tools
HNS Tools ( mostly for Klein Tools)
International Tool
KCTool (German hand tools – 10% off with code TOOLGUYD4LIFE)
MaxTool (good holiday sales)
Router Bit World (saw blades too)
Toolbarn
ToolsPlus
ToolUp (mostly for Ridgid plumbing tools)
Stuart
Zoro’s promotions have become more strategic.
I’ve been waiting to order some pricey casters for a few months now. They’re for a project I’m not quite up to, and so I was able to wait. There were no applicable deals since October or so when I started looking for a matching promo.
I bought some electrical supplies, and then the targeted me with some electrical promos.
I just got a 10% general code a few days ago, and used it to get my casters.
The days of 10%, 15%, 20% on broad categories are over. This could also be COVID-related, where business could be so good they can be more stringent about promotions.
Matt R
As an extremely avid Zoro shopper, I can attest to this as well. I used to get a 20% off code for anything except the obvious excluded brands (Sawstop, Honda, Fluke etc.) at least twice a month. About mid March of 2020 this all of the sudden dried up. As Stuart said I’m not sure if they initially cut them off because of Covid, but now I’m lucky to get a 20% off once a month that’s only good on a few select categories. A bit of a bummer to say the least, as it was an excellent honey hole for quite a few brands, but I understand business is business; it was a good run while it lasted.
Randy S
Grizzly International is great for bigger shop tools, like cabinet saws, planers, and dust collection. A bit more commercial though.
Tom D
Does Sears even exist anymore?
Shout out to Ace Hardware – they sometimes have really good sales but more importantly they’re everywhere.
Stuart
Technically, yes.
I updated this post from a 2013 post, and felt it deserved a brief nostalgic mention.
A W
That makes sense.
The part about all three big box stores confused me.
X lu
It really defies belief that Sears paint, hardware and appliance businesses-all Crown Jewels have all but disappeared from America.
Wayne R.
They sure wiffed on the whole cyber era.
“It could be that the purpose of your life is only to serve as a warning to others.”
https://despair.com/collections/posters/products/mistakes?variant=2457302467
Plain grainy
Reminds me of the old tv show “Lost in space”. The Robot was always blasting out “Warning, Warning”.
Raycr
Only 1 left in New Jersey- Jersey City.
TonyT
What about hand-tool centric places like KC Tool?
Also, the major electronic distributors (Digikey, Mouser, Newark) carry a surprising number of hand tools. Pricing generally is around list, but I’ve got some absolute steals from Newark’s closeout deals (Wera and Wiha hand tools , along with network cables and such)
Tom D
My experience has often been that the places with above average NORMAL prices have some of the most amazing CLEARANCE sales – 90% off or more after awhile.
Corey Moore
My shipment including a $98 stabilla torpedo level got jacked en route, and after 5 minutes on the phone asking if I could get some credit or anything in the reorder, and they just shipped me a second order free of charge. I’ll be a KC customer for a long time.
Raycr
BF Acme and the Depot.
My experience at Harry Epstein has been wonderful for old new Craftsman tools.
They have a Craftsman professional grip driver Made in Germany!
Harry must have bought 4,000 of them He has 3,400 left and they are better than any ratcheting screwdriver for $12.50 and they come with a few bits and work in two positions.
I give them out as gifts and they are very robust. I wonder if the gears inside are metal?
Since Harry wants to get rid of them they are 7.50 each for 12 drivers.
Raycr
Made by Schroeder Screwdriver company which makes all its tools in Germany
TonyT
I have one that’s very similar, Craftsman made in Germany, except it doesn’t have the red knurling.
TMedina
Tekton for a lot of my work tools – free shipping with an account, plus 10% back in reward points.
Zoro is worth signing up for an account, just for the occasional 15 ~ 20% discount coupon; between that and free shipping at $50+, it adds up quickly.
Anything else varies based on what I’m looking for – I’ll bounce between Lowes and Home Depot, occasionally Harbor Freight, depending on what I’m looking for and how quickly I need it.
Wayne R.
I’ve come to regard Tekton as the modern equivalent (in wrenches) to the old Sears model: Simple to select, simple to receive, etc., in such a way that they’ve become a no-brainer (as Sears was) when wrenches are needed.
But I’m not a hard-core mechanic…
Tom D
If you want local warranty replacement on the spot harbor freight actually does well for hand tools.
Andy
I recently started ordering from Tekton and I have to say, I am VERY impressed. Amazing customer service and an amazing warranty! I will buy an occasional tool (usually with the mindset of it being sacrificial) but I can not stand their inconsistent “need a receipt” to replace a tool. I mean come on, where else can I buy an Icon tool! It is literally a different response depending on who you talk to…..needed to replace an Icon tool and on the third trip there, got an employee who just let me swap it out.
Koko The Talking Ape
For woodworking, there’s also
Garret Wade, though they seem to be becoming a new Smith and Hawken, with lots of gardening tools, desk accessories, etc.
Highland Hardware. I’ve used them in the past, though not lately. Some unique finishing products, I recall.
Woodcraft. A bit like Rocklers, but with deeper inventory in certain areas, like veneering, but no house brand, IIRC.
fred
For woodworking specifics – one might add:
MLCS and their sub Eagle America
Infinity Cutting Tools
Taylor Tools
Tools for Working Wood
Woodworkers Supply
fred
A couple of links:
https://toolsforworkingwood.com/
https://www.infinitytools.com/
Michael
I believe Wood River is Woodcraft’s in-house brand. Both Bench Dog (Rockler) and Wood River seem to be mid quality, mid priced brands. In my limited experience (some planes), Wood River a notch better and a bit more expensive.
Mike
Like several others have said KC Tool should be on the list for general hand tools.
For woodworking I’d add Lie-Neilson to that list. They have a smaller selection than some other places but you can’t beat their quality.
Also I hate to be that guy but you can’t have a list of where to buy without mentioning Harbor Freight. For me they’ve filled in the void left by Sears for DIY automotive tools.
Chris
I got a 3/8 Milwaukee m12 impact and 3/8 fuel m12 ratchet for a decent price at mechanixgear
Jammer
How about Travers tools?
I just found out about them when I saw someone post a picture that had Lixie hammers in it. I did a search and realized that Lixie is a modern brand, not a defunct brand of yesteryear. Travers tools seems to be geared toward industrial and machine shops.
fred
Actually Tiger Supplies (the folks we bought our total station from) has good prices (often better than KC Tool) on Halder Hammers:
https://www.tigersupplies.com/
Wayne R.
One of the few aspects of living in Chicagoland that I miss is Berland’s House of Tools. A great place to get hands-on.
https://www.berlandstools.com/
One of the things that sticks with me is their level-checker-stand gizmo, probably 350 pounds of calibrated horizontal & vertical steel to check levels. The only place I’ve ever seen that.
fred
Early in my working life many cities had go-to large hardware and/or tool “stores”. Even in Manhattan NY there once were major tools suppliers (Canal St. had several). In our plumbing and remodeling/GC businesses – before there Home Depot became so ubiquitous – we often frequented smaller establishments. Many of these now have an online presence;
Ones the Come to minds are:
Ace Tool Co.
A.W. Meyer
Coastal Tool
Dynamite Tool
ToolsPlus
Wayne R.
Oh, and again, don’t forget about flea markets, estate sales and garage/yard sales for the hand tools of the 50s-80s. All the “modern” designs but pre-China (“BC”). The guys who own that stuff are starting to “phase out”, and where else should that all that go but to people who absolutely appreciate good hand tools?
Broken-in but far from worn out.
Peter Antonvich
Highland Hardware here in atlanta is great https://www.highlandwoodworking.com/
They also do different classes from sharping tools to lathe turning – wife and I have taken a few classes on turning and it was fun.
I’ve always had a great experience buying from them or taking a class staff is very knowledgeable unlike the big box stores.
Never needed to buy anything online from them as it only a few miles away- but my understanding is that they also do a lot of online sales.
Tool Junkie
As a woodworker, I’ve used Highland Hardware for years. Hartville tools is great. Woodcraft has the largest selection locally if I want to see something in hand. I’ve been to Grizzly several times, as it’s an hour north to Bellingham.
Tom D
I just realized that the buyingguyd logo should be a fist full of dollars
Leonard
I’ve gotten some great deals from Crawford Tools.
https://crawfordtool.com/
I like Zoro. I bought a lot of MItee Bite fixtures from them with 20% coupons. They sent a survey and I received a $15 dollar credit to use on any purchase.
You didn’t mention Graingers. Items usually arrive the next day. I bought up fasteners they were closing out. All stainless.
fred
For fasteners – you might also try:
Albany Fasteners
McFeeely’s
Tanner Bolt
TonyT
At work, we normally use Olander for our nuts, bolts, and such (typically stainless steel, hex head, metric and standard); they have offices in SoCal, NorCal (Sunnyvale), and WA.
They are industrial-oriented (in their words, they serve “semiconductor, medical device, aerospace, telecommunications, alternative energy, and robotics industries”), not construction.
Stuart
Grainger’s pricing is greatly inflated since they mainly serve business-to-business with contract discounts. Zoro carries most of what Grainger does, but at lower pricing and slightly slower shipping.
fred
We had a Grainger account for our fabrication business. It was always a bit frustrating to try to calculate up-front what items would cost. Back then – with us – they would rebate some of our spending based on yearly volume. On the other side of the coin – I was told that sometimes a order in the morning would arrive at our dock that afternoon. I think that the fellow who ran our tool room would shake his head about both.
There were other MRO suppliers that also seemed to offer pricing based on volume.
BTW – for some supplies we also used:
Fastenal and Omega Technologies
Leonard
I wasn’t aware of that. I am able to use the corporate account so my pricing is based on that.
chip hershberger
For tools it’s buy 95% online to get the best tool at the cheapest price.
5% I buy locally due to “need it now”,or its on clearance .
I buy all normal tool consumables (bits, blades,batteries etc), and packout for the entire year……all over BF sales from October-Jan.
I typically buy cordless tools in mid summer when the deals are the best,like buy 1 get a free tool ,then return the free tool for a refund,2 extra free batteries, etc.
I stock my pantry with canned goods when they’re on sale,same with paper products .
I ordered 1 years supply of toilet paper 2 months before the shortage last year.
I know it helps the local stores out when you buy from them.
I have a butcher,grocery store,ace hardware that I buy all lumber/food/meat from usually about once per month at each.
I like to plan ahead and not pay a “convenience ” cost ,plus full price on anything.
Obviously you cannot plan for everything.
Don Julio
How do you get a refund on a free tool?
Jim Felt
Good question. As HD and I presume others as well are now using an outside vendor software company to authenticate all returns of power tools. AKA whether they’ve ever been a part of a kit or other multiple item sales event before actually cash refunding or crediting your account.
chip hershberger
The “free tool” refund value will be on your receipt.
For example the m12 hammer drill/impact kit comes with,either a battery, ratchet,light etc.
The ratchet is $84 in a return.
So the kit is normally $230 at HD.
During the summer sales it will dip to $200,and the “free” tool is worth $84.
So from $ 230 to 200 -84 = about 125 after taxes.
Scott K
The Do It Best hardware store near me is great when I want advice that I doubt I will get from HD or when I need a specific fastener that isn’t very common.
I’ve needed an odd fastener that was missing or damaged from a kit a few times and found HD’s stock to be frustrating to deal with. A lot of their fastener bins are managed by third party reps who aren’t always diligent in checking that bins are full/correctly stocked.
Mike (the other one)
Ace Hardware, True Value, and autoparts stores, such as Advanced Auto, O-Reilly, etc often have a good selection of hand tools at various price points.
True Value’s Master Mechanic screwdrivers are USA-made by Pratt-Read, who also made Craftsman screwdrivers at one point. The Master Mechanic versions are better, in my opinion, and the price is excellent.
I have occasionally found good deals at discount stores like Big Lots, Ollies, etc.
Harbor Freight does have some high quality (made in Taiwan) items among the disposable Chinesium junk, and even few USA-made products, like penetrating oil.
JPT
We’re fortunate to still have contractor oriented tool stores and lumber yards in Portland, so I dedicate my purchases there. Barbo Machinery, Chas H Day, and Woodcrafters get 90% of my tool business. The other 10% goes to Amazon when I’m in a hurry for something specialized.
Jim Felt
Hall Tool Company too.
Josh
Im not much for online sales but if i cant find it local then it’s amazon ore the home depot. Local is hf, menards, Home Depot, napa or oriley auto parts
Chris
I would add Woodcraft for woodworking tools and supplies and Murdoch’s has good deals on Dewalt tools every so often.
DC
Local here on Oahu, Hawaii: my Snap-on driver, City Mill, Home Depot, Lowes, Ace Hardware, Slim’s. Online Order: Harry J. Epstein’s, Amazon, McMaster-Carr with reasonable or free (Amazon) shipping. Places like Zoro, CPO, etc., astronomical shipping of no shipping to Hawaii.
Mike
Local ACE has a group of experienced go-to-guys for help figuring things out. Big Box, the local HD.
Amazon warehouse – half price on tools that look very lightly used
DirectTools Factory Outlet has had some very good prices on Ridgid factory blemished tools with $7 shipping. Haven’t bought from them yet.
BigSky Tool has had some very good sales on reconditioned nail guns
Jared
RE: Amazon Warehouse
I’ve purchased tools this way – there can be good deals, but you have to inspect them upon receipt and be ready to send them back.
Example: I bought an 8-piece SK extension set that was “Used Very Good”, but turned out to be a set from “US Pro”. My guess is someone bought the SK set, returned the US Pro set pretending it was the SK set and received a full refund.
Another time I bought a kerosene heater that didn’t want to light. It looked brand new and indeed was “Like New” per Amazon. It was silly cheap, but I bought it in the summer and didn’t check it right away so I could not return it.
After spending an hour tweaking and disassembling it trying to diagnose the issue, I found that it was missing the rotor from inside motor. Considering the visual condition of the heater, I can only assume someone bought it, removed the rotor for parts and then sent it back to Amazon. I bought the replacement parts myself, but it wasn’t so much of a deal anymore.
Vards Uzvards
I’d echo what Jared said about Amazon Warehouse. I order occasionally, when schedule allows, and have to send some items back once for every few successful deliveries.
Henry Rodner
I will add Misterworker for European brands like Stahlwille and USAG, etc.
Great prices.
https://www.misterworker.com/
Dave P
Anywhere I can walk in and touch it/feel it/look at it.
Tj
Harry Epstein
https://www.harryepstein.com
Amazing Place. I live in Kansas City. Walking in is like stepping back in time when tools where overbuilt to last forever. Worth the trip is your ever near KC.
fred
https://www.hnstools.com/
HNS has 10% off Jameson tools (for St Patrick’s day week) – using code JAMESON
Jared
For Canadian Reference we have:
Internet/Industrial Suppliers:
Amazon
BC Fasteners
Atlas Tools and Machinery
KMS Tools
JC Cayer
IHL
Princess Auto
Elite Tools
Grainger
McMaster Carr
Gregg Distributors
Tegs Tools
Canuck Tools
The Tool Store
Wurth
Vallen
Lee Valley
More Traditional Retailers:
Busy Bee Tools
Rona
Home Depot
Lowes
Peavey Mart (aka “Tractor Supply Centers” in the east)
Canadian Tire
Home Hardware
More will probably come to me, but that’s what I can recall right now.
My favorites are Lee Valley, Wurth, Princess Auto, KMS tools and Grainger. I would shop at Vallen more if there was one near me – or if their shipping was more reasonable (good source for affordable Williams tools).
fred
I’ve actually ordered from these guys (outside Toronto:
https://www.mississaugahardware.com/
Jared
Good addition! I’ve perused that site before but never actually made an order.
JoeM
I love that list. Yeah, most of them I don’t use, but I have very few to add. To the point that I can really only say that my own, personal, preferences are:
Physical Stores
Atlas Tools & Machinery*
Canadian Tire
Home Hardware
Guillevin (https://www.guillevin.com/) Marvellous for Electrical Supplies, and Wiha Tools.
Squares Hardware (https://www.squareshardware.ca/)*
Lee Valley
*=On this list used to be Blackrock Tools, but they were secretly bought by Grainger, their customer service dropped off the face of the Earth, and then they were merged into a completely different industrial supply company. When I went looking for a replacement, I found Squares first, who seemed to be nearly identical to Blackrock, except being Milwaukee-centric rather than DeWALT-centric like Blackrock was. I have since moved on to Atlas, because… well… They’re Everything-Centric, have better shipping and customer service, and have been in business for much longer. Not too fond of their slight favouritism toward Festool and Systainers, but they heavily promote in-store Martinez Hammer customization and personalisation events and dedicated floor space to testing your choices out. They also are one of only a handful of places one can buy Ansel/Microflex Midknight/Midknight+ gloves. The Pandemic has made them extremely scarce, and they go extremely fast, but they do carry them as much as Ansel will ship to them. They, too, have pay-and-pickup and easy Delivery options. They even had Drive-Up service for months during the Canadian Lockdown measures. They refuse to close or give up on their customers. Plus they have their own Swag you can buy, and it’s so dang comfy I’m basically in love with the place now.
Online*
Amazon
Lee Valley
Canadian Tire
Atlas Tools & Machinery
Squares Hardware
*=Both the physical stores, and the warehouses those stores have, sell direct to the customer with full web-based shipping options. They have all adapted slightly to Covid as well, offering curb-side-pickup, full customer service assisted buying, and either ship-to-store, or ship-from-store options. Amazon, as we are well aware, is purely Online only. But the overlap between having the Physical locations, and the Online parts of those stores is a major feature worth mentioning.
Bobby
ToolUp
KnifeCenter
BF
Someone else mentioned this in an earlier comment chain, but I’d add Taylor Tools (http://www.taytools.com) to the list for hand tools. I can’t afford Starret, and they strike a great balance between quality and value for me.
Jared
Nice. Reasonable shipping to Canada too! I just ordered a few things.
Big Richard
If you are in the Midwest:
Farm and Fleet (DeWalt, Milwaukee, FESTOOL, Klein, Stihl)
Fleet Farm (Dewalt, Milwaukee, Husqvarna, Felo, Klein)
Menards (Bosch, Knipex, Metabo HPT, cheap consumables/hardware)
Probably get 90% of my stuff from those three. Home Depot/Lowes/online vendors when there is a deal, i.e. Black Friday.
Corey Moore
Living in BFE but working in mining, our only brick and mortar is a home Depot that I try to keep my consumables business at. Tools generally come from acme and KC for me, with some cross shopping among Amazon, CPO, toolnut, Chad’s toolbox, and I think I’ve used Zoro once or twice. Online is pretty much the only reason I’ve got the serviceable mountain of tools that I have.
Joe H
I like Cripe Distributing. Great for discounts on tools.
MFC
Local liquidators for me for all basic cordless tools. Online for everything else.
David G
I don’t think I’ve seen a mention of Northern Tool. I’ve been buying a lot of equipment from them recently that ranged from a concrete mixer and tools, scaffolding, welding supplies and trailer parts. They just about carry the full Milwaukee power tool line in my local store and have a large selection of their house brand tools. I get a flyer every couple of months with $ off coupons that are typically about 20% and can be used on sale items.
Robin
I’ve been browsing OfferUp lately and what I’ve seen is there are small businesses that are buying up pallets of HD returns then selling the tools at a discount. From what I’ve seen in pictures most of the tools are open box items that for whatever reason got returned to Home Depot.
The tools look brand new. I believe they also still have a warranty. In addition there are some deals on new in the original packaging tools.
Flotsam
Lee Valley , great place and i like to give them my business.
I have gotten lots of stuff at Direct Tools Outlet (Ryobi & Ridgid), always been happy even with the refurb stuff i have gotten