Valuable Tools To Look For At Garage Sales In 2025 (That Are Not Rare)

The humble garage sale is an underrated place for bargain hunters across the country to find all kinds of unique treasures. They often feature plenty of oddities, and more than a few broken or mistreated tools, appliances, and gear. However, lots of wonderful treasures that end up buried in the shed, garage, or attic also eventually make their way out into the light of day at a garage sale. 

Homeowners seeking to clear out space may not be thinking of restoring a vintage hand plane, or have any desire to keep an old refrigerator that's been collecting dust in the corner for years, but their loss is your gain. Personally, some of the most important tools in my own collection came from garage and car boot sales, as well as through online marketplaces like eBay. There's just something special about an old, forged mattocks head going on its hundredth birthday or a battle-tested Stanley No. 4 hand plane that new models just can't capture. These and other tools are reliable warhorses that will continue to get the job done long after their original owners have forgotten about. These valuable tools can round out your collection admirably, or perhaps even act as a means to add a little extra money to your pocket with a restoration and resale.

A phenomenal place to begin when exploring garage sale finds is the world of Stanley hand planes. The earliest Stanley numbered hand planes were released in 1867. They include the No. 1, 2, 3, and 5 planes, as well as a No. 9 example known as the "Cabinetmaker's Block Plane." Most residential garage sale offerings won't include hand planes this old (although if you find one that was made before 1900 you should almost certainly buy it, no questions asked). Stanley's metal planes are quintessential examples of this category of hand woodworking tool. They were mass produced in the early 1900s, and most of the ones you'll find today will have been passed down through at least one generation of prior users.

Hand planes are essential tools for woodworkers, but they're actually handy for tackling all manner of home improvement projects and jobs around the house. My own personal No. 5 appears to have been manufactured sometime in the 1930s, and it's a stunning piece of craftsmanship (used most recently when hanging a new door). The best part about these hand planes is that with so many examples made throughout the years, vintage, battle tested Stanley planes are frequently both cheaper than new models and objectively better tools. If you're looking for sheer resale potential, target a rusty plane that you can restore with just a bit of knowhow for the best value, or seek out the elusive No. 1 model.

Snap-On is expensive. The brand has built an enormous reputation for itself and the price of its gear has gone through the roof. You can expect to pay a serious premium for new Snap-On gear of any sort (a seven-piece ratcheting combination wrench set at Amazon is priced at $615, for example). However, because of the brand's prolific following through the years among professionals in the mechanic world and elsewhere, its excellent hand tools have flooded the marketplace for generations. Older Americans everywhere are often great sources for used Snap-On equipment that's frequently still in good shape. Garage sales are a fantastic opportunity to scour the tool bucket and come up with some true gems within the Snap-On range (and across other brands, too).

It's worth noting that Snap-On ratchets, wrenches, and other hand tools have lifetime warranties, meaning even if you find a busted tool, it's still worth considering because it can often be traded in for a brand new example. In recent years the company has reworked its warranty policy to cover only tools still in the possession of their original owner, but it's unclear whether tool truck operators are sticking to this new change or still honoring the well-worn coverage terms that have stuck by Snap-On equipment for decades. Either way, a discounted Snap-On wrench or socket set is a piece of history and a treasured tool for serious value.

Back in the heyday of Craftsman tools, the brand was synonymous with quality. Branched into three levels of "craftsmanship," the Craftsman name alone stood as the mid-tier option (and Craftsman Professional and Industrial were the premium options). "Sears" and "Dunlap" branded tools were the lowest quality, and bargain hunters looking for old gear that retains its value should disregard these makes unless looking for a beater tool at a dirt cheap price point. All "Craftsman" gear was made in the United States in its early days, and this commitment to home-forged equipment remained in effect until 2010, when Sears introduced imported hand tools. Shortly after, nearly all of the Made in USA gear started vanishing from shelves.

Some users report that Craftsman's quality standards began slipping much earlier than this, though. Pre-1980s Craftsman equipment is thought to be far superior to anything produced by the brand in modern times. As is the case with any effort to revitalize vintage tools, the older the better. Logo changes can help you sift through the masses if you're really set on an old Craftsman ratchet or screwdriver. The square, red logo was introduced in the 1970s, with various takes on round shapes and other roughly rectangular emblems adorning earlier iterations of the brand's tools. As is the case with Snap-On, Craftsman hand tools were birthed with a lifetime warranty, so you may have some luck in picking out a broken example and getting a new replacement for it at a huge discount over the going rate today.

Leatherman multitools are tremendously useful. They're a great asset for campers and people working in the trades. The gear features a huge arsenal of integrated tools from bladed instruments to pliers and files. New Leatherman multitools are quite expensive, with a modern Wave+ model fetching $120 on Amazon, but you just don't need to spend that much on these multifunctional hand tools. Many people who carry Leatherman gear with them at jobsites or in an everyday carry kit note that they are likely a tool for life. The durability of a Leatherman has remained incredibly well preserved throughout its time in the market, and both new and old tools from the maker sport the same attention to detail and pride in their construction.

As a result, old Leatherman examples are just as useful as newer options, and can be found for bargain pricing if you know what to look for. One Reddit user posted in late 2024 that they had found a near-pristine 1999 Leatherman Wave multitool for just $5. The tool came with its original holster, too, adding to the value and special nature of the find. There are numerous other examples of posters finding Leatherman gear at serious rate cuts across the internet, so this is certainly one to keep an eye out for.

A true warrior of a power tool, the Skil Model 77 Worm Drive Circular Saw is the granddaddy of them all. Skil was such a pioneering force in the circular saw arena that many people still call their circular cutting implement a "Skilsaw," even if it's not a Skil branded tool. The pinnacle of Skil's saw design comes in the form of this worm drive variant. Circular saws are found in two primary formats, with the blade on either the right or left, and the handle generally over top or behind the cutting disc. A worm drive model places the blade to the left of the handle, and pushes that handhold back away from the tool's main contact point. The result is a tool you can stand over and better see your work with. These are favored over more traditional circular saw builds by carpenters, framers, and professionals across other industries.

It's not always a great idea to target power tools at garage sales. They're frequently far past their prime, and often won't work at all. But a Model 77 Skilsaw is different. With a bit of restoration and care, an old Skil model can provide many more years of precision cutting, even if it's long past the point of experiencing better days. These saws are notoriously easy to upgrade and improve (including replacing the power cord). This makes them a solid find when you discover one at a garage sale

Old Disston & Sons hand saws are some of the finest ever made. There's a major divergence of quality that must be understood, however. Henry Disston started selling saws in 1840 out of a basement in Philadelphia, according to Disstonian Institute (an online repository of information about the Disston saw company and its creations). His saws were of the highest quality, and that standard remained through three generations of Disston sawmakers who came after him. In the 1950s, the company was sold to HK Porter, and just about any Disston saw made after that is sadly a different contraption altogether.

Disston was at one time the largest saw manufacturer in the world. As a result of his prolific creative efforts and the quality of the product itself, plenty of antique examples remain in decent shape and are frequently found in flea markets and garage sales all across the country. The Disston No. 12 is known as the company's flagship design, and a range of sub-versions of the design were produced, including stubby variants that could fit in a mobile toolbox with greater ease. Finding an old Disston is a kind of rite of passage for tool hunters scouring resale marketplaces. They aren't rare by any means, but they are definitely special.

The tried and true leader in toolbelt design, Occidental Leather has been in the game since 1980 and notes that its premium products are "handcrafted" by artisans in Sonoma County. An Occidental Leather toolbelt is certainly a luxury, and it's one that users expect to last for essentially their entire lifetime in the trades. That's saying a lot, considering the demanding cauldron of testing conditions that builders, carpenters, electricians, and others put their gear through on a daily basis. Occidental Leather toolbelts and bags have been on the hips of pros across trade industries for a generation, and they are truly an investment worth making. However, this makes them a sizeable financial commitment.

Instead of opting for a new Pro Framer Comfort Set, for instance ($442 direct from Occidental Leather), consider seeking out used examples among the tool treasures at a garage sale. Many people who have retired from the building trades will have toolbelts and bags laying around. Framers, carpenters, and every other tradesperson rely on numerous daily setups to work through the tasks that every new day in the field will bring their way. This means that plenty of people now looking to clear out space will have a variety of tools and tool organization accessories to consider clearing out. A pre-loved Occidental Leather tool bag or toolbelt set will serve you just as well as a new example and can be found for a fraction of the cost.

Stiletto is part of the same conglomerate brand ownership (TTI) as Milwaukee, Hoover, and Ryobi. The company makes hammers, as well as a few additional supporting tools (like cat's paws and speed squares). Hammers from the brand are instantly recognizable due to the head's iconic shape, and walking onto a jobsite or pulling one out of your toolbelt while standing amongst pros in the industry is sure to cause some quick and noticeable head turns. The brand's legendary status is just one part of this reaction, though: A 15 oz. titanium Stiletto goes for $300 on Amazon and even the more 10 ouncer with a traditional hickory handle remains over the $100 mark ($110, also at Amazon). Some of the cheapest options around cost one-tenth the price of even the "cheapest" selection, leaving many to retain a relationship with Stiletto hammers as mere spectators rather than users.

This is where the garage sale marketplace comes into play. Purchasing a used Stiletto offers plenty of remaining life in the tool. This is especially true if you've been lucky enough to find a titanium hammer head that blends immense durability with a unique lightness that provides tremendous striking force in a tiny package. There's a reason why titanium fabrication was used to build the incredible SR-71 Blackbird, after all! Stiletto hammers are thought of as the preeminent striking tools among pros and casual users alike, and finding one for a bargain at a garage sale will have you feeling like a million bucks the next time you wield your hammer during a renovation or repair project.

Vintage toolboxes have a certain charm that newer models simply can't replicate. Perhaps it's the frequency with which all metal construction factored into play, or it's simply a product of nostalgic longing for tools and accessories bearing old-school logo designs. No matter the case, vintage toolboxes are just superior to modern alternatives. Construction certainly plays a role in this discrepancy, with plenty of modern toolboxes offering molded plastic builds rather than sturdy metal. As well, contemporary toolboxes that are large and mobile — like the ones that support the arsenal of a home mechanic — are often quite expensive.

Saving a bit of cash doesn't have to come at the expense of quality. Looking for an antique toolbox build is a great way to bring huge vintage cache into your garage or shed, while also helping you retain some of your tool budget for the things that will populate the new addition's drawers. As is always the case, looking for old tools and accessories that are branded in some of the premium badges available is always going to bring you better durability and protect your investment with greater resale value down the line, if that's important to you. Brands like SK Tools, Snap-On, and vintage Craftsman are all excellent. During the Sears years Craftsman was American-made through and through, and the quality showed.

Gas-powered outdoor power tools can be great finds at garage sales, but they come with some additional considerations. First of all, the best bargains you'll find anywhere in the used marketplace for these kinds of purchases will come in the form of a non-operational model. Outdoor power equipment that isn't working exists as junk in most people's garages. When clearing things away at a garage sale, many homeowners may be incentivized to potentially even give away a broken down lawnmower or chainsaw. Savvy shoppers can also find other equipment like ATVs, dirt bikes, or perhaps even old cars in the same atmosphere of steep discounts when willing to take a broken model off someone's hands.

This naturally means that you'll need to be confident and comfortable working on these kinds of equipment acquisitions, though. If you're in the market for a new lawnmower, for instance, buying a broken one and fixing it will give you a tremendous bargain in comparison to a working used option or a new model. If you're looking to sell the rehabilitated piece of equipment, opting for a Honda build (the best among major lawnmower brands) or a Stihl chainsaw (the best chainsaw brand of the bunch) provide excellent potential value swings. To take advantage of the resale value, you'll want to have your own mechanics tool set and understand the inner workings of a standard combustion engine, the power plant and beating heart of these kinds of tools.