It is time to stop messing around. Get out there and get gift-buying!
So far in the Holiday Tool Guide Extravaganza (powered by ProToolReviews), we've covered tools under fifty bucks, tools between $50 and $250. Today we round out the list of holiday gift options with tools between 250 and a thousand clams: serious tools for serious trade contractors.
And, of course, a bike.
Southwire MaintenancePro Smart 1000A Clamp Meter
Why we’d love to have it:
Southwire’s premium MaintenancePro Smart Clamp Meter looks to bring smart technology to the most serious electricians.
It has the features Pros demand like a precision TrueRMS function, hi-res backlit display, CAT IV 600V/CAT III 1000V certification, and motor inrush current detection among many others.
From there, it connects via Bluetooth and Southwire’s free M-App to view readings, setup recording sessions, and prepare full reports from your smartphone.
Find out more from Southwire.
Buy it from Amazon — $299.99
Ridgid 18V Brushless Dual Bevel Sliding Miter Saw
Why we’d love to have it:
The Ridgid 18V 7-1/4 Inch Brushless Miter Saw is a well-designed, compact, fast, light, and easily-portable saw for trim and punch list work.
It will save you a bunch of time, hassle, and money as long as you’re not trying to build the world with it. That the saw takes an easy-to-find 7-1/4 inch saw blade is a big plus.
A $349 price tag makes it an excellent value for this cordless class.
Trim carpenters and general contractors will find plenty of uses for this as a way to keep from hauling their big 10- and 12-inch saws around to finish up last minute projects.
Read the ProToolReview
Find out more from Ridgid.
Buy it from The Home Depot — $349.00
Yeti Hopper 30
Why we’d love to have it:
I love my Yeti Tundra 45 cooler. The only problem? It’s kind of tough to carry around when I don’t have a vehicle at my disposal. Even getting it from the truck to my favorite river bank can be a chore.
That’s why Yeti developed the Hopper.
It’s capable of keeping ice for days on end and is 100% leak proof. The soft-sided design along with a shoulder strap makes it easier to carry than its legendary Tundra cousin.
Despite its portable nature, the Hopper 30 can carry 24 cans of your favorite beverage, six foot-long sandwiches, four tubs of ice cream, or any combination.
Look for our review of the Hopper coming soon – it’s going to be a grand adventure!
Find out more from Yeti.
Buy it from Acme Tools — $349 .99
Milwaukee M18 Fuel 15 Gauge Finish Nailer
Why we’d love to have it:
Milwaukee wasn’t satisfied to just create a red version of the cordless nailers on the market currently. They needed to do something special, even beyond the outstanding performance they get from their Red Lithium batteries.
They took one of the biggest complaints about cordless nailers and solved it – delayed firing due to motor cycling.
With that issue solved, Milwaukee wrapped an ergonomic and well-balanced housing around the brushless motor and bundled it with compact batteries to keep the weight down.
This makes a great gift for carpenters and remodelers across the board.
Read the ProToolReview of the 18-gauge model
Find out more from Milwaukee
Buy it from Acme Tools— $379 .00
Festool Syslite Duo with Tripod
Why we’d love to have it:
Festool’s new Syslite Duo does more than just put out 8000 lumens – it uses a unique LED configuration to evenly spread it out over 180 degrees to fill your entire workspace.
Festool has dialed in the color temperature to match daytime levels at 5000K.
Taking advantage of the tripod makes this an outstanding portable light for jobsite use or you can use the integrated hanging hook to set it up at the perfect height for the job at hand.
We’ve been using a pair of these in tandem to virtually eliminate shadows around our workspace and video set.
As one of the best work lights in the industry, Pros familiar with Festool’s reputation for quality will really appreciate the extra length they have gone this year.
Find out more from Festool.
Buy it from Acme Tools — $435 .00
Festool DWC 18-4500 Drywall Screwgun
Why we’d love to have it:
Festool did several things really well in the design of their new 18V Drywall Screwgun.
They kept the back housing design easy to wrap your hand around for starters.
They included a magazine to control and advance collated drywall screws.
One of the most exciting features is the auto drive. Most screw guns leave the motor running and engage when the bit tip enters the screw head. Festool’s system detects the forward pressure and activates as you press in, saving battery power by not running when it’s not needed.
We’ve been using this model for several weeks now, so be on the lookout for our review soon!
Find out more from Festool.
Buy it from Acme Tools — $495 .00
Milwaukee M18 Fuel One-Key Sawzall
Why we’d love to have it:
Customizing speed and torque settings in your drivers is a no-brainer, but what benefit does smart technology have in Milwaukee’s One-Key Sawzall?
Plenty as it turns out.
The big deal is that Milwaukee’s app can communicate with the saw to dial in the optimal speed for cutting in your chosen material. That means you’ll not only be able to cut the material efficiently, but also make efficient use of your blades where another saw running full blast can turn them to slag.
If the Pros on your list are looking for smart tech and killer performance in their next reciprocating saw, Milwaukee’s M18 Fuel One-Key will be tough to beat!
Check out our Quick Take!
Find out more from Milwaukee.
Buy it from Acme Tools — $549 .00
Festool HKC 55 EB Circular Saw Set with Guide Rail
Why we’d love to have it:
Festool is challenging the miter saw with their new HKC 55 EB Circular Saw Set.
The idea is simple – create a rail system that can precisely measure and set angles to cut with a circular saw.
The implementation took much longer to perfect.
The reality is that many of your miter saw cuts can now be made using this cordless circular saw, bringing portability to a whole new level.
For professionals who want to make the majority of cuts that normally require trips back to a saw station, this saw comes to them. It can even be used in applications where they want to cut material that’s already installed.
Find out more from Festool.
Buy it from Acme Tools — $690 .00
Husky Tool Chest and Cabinet
Why we’d love to have it:
Husky has recently vaulted to the top of the storage cabinet discussion, drawing comparisons to Milwaukee’s 46-Inch solution.
The soft close drawers are smooth as silk, there’s a ton of storage space available, and the matt black finish looks great no matter what setting it’s in.
Intelligent additions like 8 power outlets and 4 USB ports keep up with the demands of today’s cordless tools and tech connectivity.
One thing is for sure – Husky designed a storage solution that we’re genuinely excited to have in the shop and they did it with an eye on value.
Find out more from Husky.
Buy it from The Home Depot — $698.00
DeWalt FlexVolt Sliding Miter Saw
Why we’d love to have it:
DeWalt built their flagship of the new FlexVolt line on their DWS780 miter saw to keep it at a full 12-inch size and fully featured.
There’s no compromise in what you expect from a premium miter saw and you have the option of going cordless when there’s no power available or corded via the AC adapter.
We all knew we’d eventually get a full size cordless miter saw, we just didn’t know it would be this soon or that DeWalt would deliver the first on their FlexVolt platform.
Pick this up for the Pro that’s been very good this year and could use a cordless option without losing capacity.
Read our review!
Find out more from DeWalt.
Buy it from The Home Depot — $699.00
Jamis Dakota Sport Hardtail XC Mountain Bike
Why we’d love to have it:
What would holiday be without having a bike on the list?
The Jamis Dakota Sport is an entry level into performance mountain biking with an aluminum frame and solid groupset components for whoever is serious about getting started into mountain biking without dropping the kind of money a carbon fiber racing machine requires.
29-inch wheels and RockShox front suspension give the Dakota Sport a more comfortable ride for longer days in the saddle.
Better yet, Jamis offers a solid frame platform to build on if you decide to upgrade components down the road and get more serious about your off road adventures.
Just be warned – you may find yourself wanting to leave work to spend more time on the trails.
Find out more from Jamis.
Buy it from Jamis — $999.00
—Tim Johnson is a contributor to ProToolReviews.com, where this review first appeared. We have been breaking it into pieces and posting it to build the suspense. In previous installments, we looked at tools under fifty bucks, tools between $50 and $250.
