Mike wrote in with a tough question. He’s shopping for general contractors that he’s working with, and is in need of some great ideas. It seemed like an easy question at first, but I quickly found myself scratching my head.
I’m planning on making a gift to a bunch of General Contractors I know to say thank you for working with us. I’d like to come up with a tool of great quality that will be useful in their everyday work life and I’m coming up short.
Can you recommend a tool that pretty much any GC would love to have on his belt? I have a bunch of guys to buy for so my budget has to be around $20-$30 per person. Any ideas you have would be really appreciated. Thanks!
Advertisement
The Monteverde Tool Pen I recently posted about comes to mind, and there are a couple of options in the $20-30 price range. The ballpoint version is about $22 via Amazon. But… those not in the know might think it’s a cheap promotional item and toss it aside.
Streamlight’s Stylus Pro LED flashlight remains one of my favorite gift ideas, and it too is priced at around $22 via Amazon.
If there aren’t too many people you’re giving gifts to, you could also buy them each a Leatherman Style CS ($19 via Amazon) and make them each a paracord keychain. Paracord is priced at $7-10 for 100 feet, and you typically cannot go wrong with blue camo or American Flag color scheme. Victorinox Classic Swiss Army Knives are iconic keychain tools that are a little less expensive than that Leatherman.
Channellock’s ratcheting screwdriver is also under $30, but it doesn’t seem like a strong gift item.
What would you recommend as a tool-related gift in the $20-30 price range? Or… what would you want to receive as a tool gift in this price range?
Advertisement
Pete
I might suggest the milwaukee inkzall stylus. I think it’s $7-8 a peice? I would be happy to get it!
Joe
You can never go wrong with bit sets. They have the new milwaukee sets for under 30$
Joe
Dewalt titanium drill bit sets are $20/ea.
fred
How about a non-contact voltage tester – some come in sets with a receptacle tester too.
fred
Here is one choice – nice for a GC to know that the outlet that they are plugging in to is working properly
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008E07HM2/
BikerDad
Nite Ize Inka Mobile Pen is one good option.
The Leatherman Z-Rex Glass Breaker Multi-Tool is another. Every tradesman could/should have one on the driver’s seatbelt, “just in case”.
A third option would be the Nite Ize QuikStand.
Benjamen
Leatherman Micra:
I’ve been carrying this everyday for more than 15 years. It’s amazing how many uses for a pair of scissors you find in a day, plus the screwdrivers are handy, and the file and pick are useful.
Downsides: the tweezers are hard to use and the knife blade doesn’t lock. I’ve thought about purposely snapping off the knife blade so I don’t slice my finger yet one more time.
http://www.amazon.com/Leatherman-64010101K-Micra-Multi-tool/dp/B000JCN0FG/
Michael
The scissors are strong enough to trim finger nails and if you close the handles, the knife blade can’t close enough to cut your fingers
Bruce
Klein 11 in 1. Being able to reach for one screwdriver instead of sorting through 11 of them? Priceless.
Benjamen
Second this one!
Michael
I keep one in my electrical box. One in my plumbing box. One in my carpentry pouch. And one in a kitchen drawer.
Julian. Tracy
A good mobile firstaid kit would be the perfect gift for contractors and one that most will not already have.
Jt
joe
I’m a handy man, but every time a “professional” comes to fix something, they have cheap flashlights. Good quality ones from any good brand cost $20-30 that are bright.
This one is a good one to make their work easier for those cheap GC lol…
http://www.amazon.com/Nebo-Larry-Lucy-Flashlight-light/dp/B007M0KCW2
Jerry
They use cheap ones, because the tend to be the thing that falls down a duct, behind a wall, or in a crawl space. They will open up a duct for a set of Klein pliers, but will leave a $3 flashlight there.
joe
I get tired of them asking me for my dewalt flashlight! Then I try to explain to my boss that they are not “professional” since they are not even using the right flashlight for the job = leaving them behind. Good quality tools = good quality job. At least that’s my motto.
Jim
Is this inquiry is to satisfy this Christmas? Assuming it is not, I would skip the tool idea. Unless you have several canned ideas and tailor it to each individual, you won’t get your intended effect. You are buying them a work item. A tool. It is like buying a woman a kitchen gadget for Christmas.
Instead, I suggest going to Costco and package up a large bag of beef jerky ($10), a large jar of salted mixed nuts ($15) and a bag of Zebra milk and dark chocolate drizzle popcorn ($5.69). It will be half gone the day you give it to them and they will thank you for it. As my mother told my wife, “the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach’
firefly
A lot of great ideas but I am going to side with Jim on this one.
Bill K
How about a iPhone or Android phone super-doper construction related app. I haven’t researched them, but there have to be some great ones out there.
Jon
I would recommend a clip on tool holster by occidental. I have a similar version made by texasholdums. Mine can be clipped on to a belt or has a belt loop also. I actually have 3, 2 are looped in my framing tool bags between the main pouches and the rear hammer loop. I use them for phone and auxiliary storage. The third, I keep in the door of my truck, it holds a tape, pencils/pen, and a few business cards. It’s perfect for light trim work, and when looking at jobs with customers.
Jon
http://www.lowes.com/pd_247024-1492-LTH-474-BL_0__?productId=1238655
This is what I have, $15, Occidentals are nicer, may be more specialized, and around $30
Stuart
Although some of these are great ideas, I think gifts should be items that the GCs could or would use outside of their work. Something fun, personal, or as Jim suggested – maybe something yummy.
jason. W
Can’t go wrong with food!
Mike
These are all great ideas! Thank you!
John
This:
http://www.amazon.com/Starrett-818-Automatic-Adjustable-Diameter/dp/B0006J4OWU/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1419873370&sr=8-8&keywords=spring+center+punch
And not one of the cheap ones… I have had a $30+ one that I have had for over 10 years and it never misses a punch… the cheaper ones malfunction
John
I couldn’t find the one I have but this starrett seems to have good reviews