11 Ryobi Hand Tools Every Home Mechanic Will Want

The Ryobi brand is a well-known brand with decades of experience underpinning its power tool offerings. From a metal die casting operation in the '40s to breaking into the power tool market in 1968, Ryobi (operating under various iterations of the Ryobi corporate name) has remained a quality Japanese outfit. New tools are constantly coming into the fold for the brand, and it often takes accolades, awards, and recognition for the power tools that have remained market favorites.

However, what about the brand's hand tools? Plenty of power tool makers fall short when it comes to their other offerings. Fortunately for DIY enthusiasts, landscapers, and home mechanics, Ryobi doesn't appear to be one of them. Ryobi's lineup includes a wealth of great hand tools that cover the usual suspects (hammers, levels, blades, etc.), as well as a variety of others. Found primarily at Home Depot, Ryobi's range is easily accessible and consistently delivers a quality performance. These tools are perfect for tackling just about any job you might face as a home mechanic.

Working in tandem with other solid performers in the Ryobi power tool lineup that can make an impact in your garage, these hand tools will fit in right at home where they can do the greatest good in your work system.

Bringing the ability to cut metal components into your workshop opens up plenty of great new possibilities. For one thing, mechanics often find themselves cutting sheet metal to fit custom repair sections on car bodies. It can sometimes be done without welding, but plenty of project cars will need a more roundly experienced hand. Portable welding solutions matched with a set of Ryobi 3-Piece Heavy Duty Aviation Snips introduce major versatility to the auto shop.

Aviation snips allow you to shear quickly and accurately through metal stock products. The Ryobi set includes a straight cut, right cut and left cut snip, for angular movement across a workpiece that helps create seamless lines and perfect turns. All three snips feature a serrated cutting edge that can handle up to 18-gauge, cold-rolled steel and an ergonomic, one-handed operation.

A multi-tool is a must-have in any mechanic's toolbox. These combination hand tools offer a range of functions in a single device, offering a quick fix for any kind of issue you might face. Multi-tools tend to include at least a screwdriver, cutting blade, and plier that can handle the most common needs without reaching for more than one feature in the toolbox.

The Ryobi 14-in-1 Multi-Tool combines a huge volume of integrated features into a single tool that slips easily into your toolbelt or pocket. Constructed with lightweight aluminum handles to bring the whole production together, the tool is small enough to use daily while offering enough stability to provide the kind of reliable function a mechanic needs. The tool includes wire cutters, a saw, a can opener, a file, screwdrivers, and pliers, among other features like pipe grips. The multi-tool comes with a pouch, as well, for convenient carrying and protection when you aren't using one of its many functions.

Precision screwdrivers are a core component (and yet often still considered a specialty tool) in any mechanic, electrician, DIY enthusiast, or renovator's toolbox. These small screwdrivers allow for the manipulation of tiny components — often found in delicate trim pieces, electrical systems, and even small toys. Precision screwdrivers come in a few different varieties. There's the set of individual screwdrivers featuring their own distinct blades and bits, and there's the combination set that includes interchangeable bits and a single driver shaft. These are often well-received by people seeking a new precision screwdriver set because they offer increased versatility across a much wider range of applications.

The Ryobi 38-Piece Precision Screwdriver Set is a bit and stalk option that provides for every little detail a mechanic might be looking for. The driver shaft is delicate and slim, but that doesn't mean it sacrifices a measure of substantiality and stability. The shaft also introduces an anti-roll design that will keep your screwdriver sitting still, no matter where you set it down. Plenty of bits come with the set, (37 of them), including star and security screw bits.

A few different varieties of plier tools are crucial in the shop. Reaching into recessed spaces, gripping small objects, and bending material all demand specialized pliers. One key resource that should always be in your toolbox is a pair of long-nose pliers. The Ryobi 8-Inch High Leverage Long Nose Plier is a great choice for a first or replacement set of grippers in this region. Both the handles and head are built with a slimmed-down profile, and the dipped handles add a small bit of cushioning while creating a high visibility feature that can be located quickly, even in the recesses of a tool bag.

Perhaps the most important function of this plier set is the high-leverage feature. The plier requires 30% less gripping force to close the head and snag a tiny component. A cutting edge and grooved dripping surfaces within the lower jaw pairs with the elongated nose to provide multipurpose gripping and material manipulation capabilities in a single, CrV steel plier that's been through induction hardening for great durability.

A tape measure is an important part of any toolbox. The ability to accurately measure distances in a workspace or lengths of work materials is yet another core competency in any workplace that deals with fabrication, repair work, or even demolition and deconstruction. Mechanics may be put off by their current tape measure, however, due to its unwieldy size. For many applications, a tape measure should be substantial. Longer measurement distances and a hefty tape make for great standing lengths and solid performance across various needs. However, these needs differ from the specific measurement demands found in the shop.

A compact tape measure — a sole lengthy measurement tool or a supplement — is an outstanding addition to a mechanic's workspace. The Ryobi 25-Foot Compact Tape Measure offers a great crossover between the two worlds here. It features a 13-inch standing reach for solid measurements across lengthy distances on your workpieces. The impact-resistant body is small, though, making it an ideal choice for mechanics who might need to measure components but demand a slim profile that can be utilized within tight recesses and elsewhere. The tape is bright yellow and provides good print and fractional markings for routine accuracy as well.

A pair of scissors is an overlooked commodity in the workshop. No matter your area of expertise, you will always need to cut things occasionally. A Stanley knife is a key tool for a reason, and so too is a set of precision-cutting scissors. Ryobi's Non-Stick Precision Scissors include a comfortable grip handle that makes tough turns and lengthy use less physically demanding. Moreover, the blades are coated in a non-stick outer layer that keeps them from jamming up while slicing through sticky materials. This is a must-have for mechanics because many automotive detailers and repair enthusiasts will work with decals, window coatings, and other materials that include adhesive backing or other sticky components.

This is an admittedly simple tool, but it really pulls its weight. A quality pair of scissors can't be overlooked by a mechanic seeking to cover all their bases. A simple solution is often the best one, and in the case of cutting tools, this is never more apparent. A set of scissors that gets the job done without any fuss is the best choice, and this non-stick option from Ryobi offers an admirable option.

Mechanics can never have enough screwdrivers. These hand tools are constantly being misplaced, finding themselves not long enough or too substantial for a particular application, or just getting old and ending up as a makeshift awl instead. Mechanics rely on their screwdrivers in a great many areas of need. This makes screwdriver sets both a somewhat replaceable part of the toolbox, and yet a feature that requires consistency and high quality.

The 7-Piece Screwdriver Set with Cushion Grip Handles from Ryobi might complement your revolving lineup of handheld screwdrivers. They cover Phillips, flathead and T-heads (for those star-shaped screw heads) for solid range across applications and size requirements. The blades feature chrome plating for a classic clean look that resists corrosion, and they introduce magnetic precision fittings for better retention while driving or unscrewing fasteners. The handles bring a comfort grip to bear with quality cushioning, and they are built with an anti-roll body shape to help prevent tool loss or breakage as a result of a drop. The back end caps also feature hand holes and identification markings to help quickly tell each piece apart.

The socket set is yet another piece of equipment that no mechanic would be caught dead without. The Ryobi 26-Piece ¼-Inch Drive Ratchet and Socket Set includes everything you'll need to perform routine nut turning, and therefore makes for an excellent starter kit, road addition, or backup set. The compact carrying case positions this set as a great choice for a mechanic pack used in mobile repairs, but the ¼-inch drive ratchet would also be equally at home when deployed as a primary turning tool.  There's no reason why the chrome-plated set couldn't serve as your go-to ratchet and socket set, especially given the traditional aesthetics of the set, including clean lines and gradual curvature that doesn't introduce any unnecessary flourishes or attention grabbers.

The set includes 25 sockets that cover both SAE and metric measurements, and feature a six point construction for solid torque and efficient turning that doesn't threaten to round over fasteners. The ratchet is a 90-tooth ordeal that offers a four-degree arc swing that makes for a 20% efficiency gain when working in tight spaces. Large markings and a convenient carrying case finish out the set for a truly excellent looking, feeling, and performing socket and ratchet bundle for less than $20.

If a socket set is the bread, then wrenches must be the butter of a mechanic's workshop. No mechanic can perform their duties to the best of their ability without a combination wrench set — and likely a few loose wrenches floating around for specialty tool demands, too. Wrenches come in a range of formats, and so a mechanic might well possess a variety of different sets that can accommodate numerous job demands. Angled turning heads can open up unique fastening possibilities, while elongated bodies offer improvements in torque production for stubborn applications.

The Ryobi 8-Piece SAE Ratcheting Combination Wrench Set is one such tool that provides a versatile back-end turning head. This wrench set features a ratcheting turner head on the reverse side that provides the same turning power that a socket set offers. Without the added length of a socket head, the wrench's ratcheting teeth make for a low-profile nut turner that can be used in tight spaces and on flat work pieces. A ratcheting combination wrench is a great thing to have on hand, and this Ryobi set features superb, classic chrome looks and a LINK wall storage compatible case for easy organization in the workshop.

Pliers are wildly valuable tools that feature in a mechanic's repertoire. Different plier types offer subtle yet crucial variations on jaw configuration (like the long nose option mentioned above), and of course, every mechanic will demand a few different sizes for their collection. This is an effort in compromise, with larger plier tools offering greater grip strength and torque as a result of the longer handle lengths while sacrificing the ability to grab more delicate parts or work their way into tight spaces efficiently, if at all.

The 12-Inch Quick Adjust Tongue and Groove Plier from Ryobi sits right in a solid sweet spot here. A 12-inch plier is just big enough to offer versatile grip strength that's more than capable of grabbing hefty workpieces, while still maintaining a more or less slight build stature that enables decent maneuverability around the workshop. The adjustable nature of this plier is where it really shines, however. Sometimes referred to as cobra or alligator grips, depending on the specific jaw design, these pliers feature a hardened V-shaped jaw for ample surface contact and excellent gripping versatility. The adjustable handles make for quick maneuverability between wide opening teeth and a small gripping surface for smaller parts. CrV steel with a blacked out powder aesthetic, bright grip handles that soften the pressure, and a 2 ½-inch grip capacity make this a solid choice for a range of plier applications.

A tool that should be in every mechanic's toolbox, the Ryobi Application Squeegee is a humble and perhaps even diminutive addition to the work space. A flexible yet firm surface press tool, the squeegee allows for the application of decals, installation of vinyl features and even wallpaper, and it arrives with an additional felt strip that softens the pressure for use on delicate surfaces.

Anyone who has worked in a garage before — or made alterations to their own car in the moment — may inherently understand the value that these tools bring to bear, even without owning one already. For anyone seeking improved versatility in their automotive workspace, an application squeegee is a quick upgrade that will provide miles of added functionality. They can be used to flatten or apply all manner of stylistic elements, making for a much broader palate of customization options when working on cars or other work pieces.