Must Have Tools for Electricians

by Joost Nusselder | Updated on:  August 19, 2021
I love creating free content full of tips for my readers, you. I don't accept paid sponsorships, my opinion is my own, but if you find my recommendations helpful and you end up buying something you like through one of my links, I could earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Learn more

There are only so many tools that you can fit in the pouch. You have to settle your mind on a list of must have tools. Ones that you’ll need in almost all the jobs and projects. Since these are the tools that you’ll be carrying to all your jobs,

Since you’ll be carrying it on pouches attached to your belt. You’ve gotta be sure that they’re an absolute necessity. We’ve made sure that these on the list are those, not something that you’d be needing rarely. Let’s get on with it.

Must-Have-Tools-for-Electricians

Must have tools for electricians

Side Cutting Pliers

Side cutting pliers(lineman’s pliers) are used for bending, splicing or cutting wires. The square tip of the side cutting pliers can make it possible to create a right angle. When searching for side-cutting pliers, you need to find one with sharpened cutting edges to cut wires seamlessly and with insulated grips to make sure you don’t get an electric shock while working.

Side-Cutting-Pliers

Needle-nose Pliers

Needle-nose pliers can come in handy while reaching into tight spaces where regular pliers can’t reach. They are usually long and narrow and have a pointy tip which makes it useful for working on small objects with precision. It is used for holding and bending wires or metal fittings.

Needle-nose-Pliers

Wire Strippers/Wire Crimpers

Wire strippers are used to strip the insulation from electrical wires while keeping the actual wire intact to repair wires or connect them to other wires. Though the size depends on cables or wires you crimp, make sure you get one that works with a spring. Often you need to use a flaring tool before the application of a crimper.

Also read – best wire crimpers

Wire-StrippersWire-Crimpers

Screwdrivers

Generally, two types of screwdrivers are used; flathead and crosshead or Philips head screwdrivers. Insulated screwdrivers are recommended for electricians. Screwdriver bits can also be installed in a power drill and used as automatic.

Screwdrivers

Tape Measure

Electricians use tape measures for marking surfaces for cutouts or switches or setting heights for outlets. There are two types of tape measure that you can choose from.

The fatter type tape measures are long and sturdy. They don’t buckle over long distances. There are tape measures with rare earth magnets that stick to the surface that is often a plus point.

Tape-Measure

Electric Drill

How to strip wire fast
How to strip wire fast

Besides creating holes, drill bits can be installed on it to do screw driving. Drills can be corded or cordless. Corded drills are more powerful than the corded ones. On the other hand, cordless drills are mobile and can be carried anywhere, having a tool backpack will make the whole thing easier.

Electric-Drill

Voltage Tester/Test Lights

A voltage tester is used to determine the presence of electricity in a wire or a piece of equipment. There are three types of voltage testers: two contact, one contact, and non-contact voltage testers.

Some important content on voltage tasters are –

best voltage tester
Best none contact voltage tester

Voltage-TesterTest-Lights

Non-Contact

Non-contact voltage testers are probably the easiest to use. It allows you to check the voltage in a wire without having you to touch them. One and two contact voltage testers often take the form of a screwdriver.

Two Contact

Two contact voltage testers have insulated wire leads that come out from the back of a screwdriver. You have to connect that to the ground and touch the outlet with the tip of the screwdriver to detect the voltage.

One Contact

One contact voltage testers are inexpensive, but it comes with a downside. If the shaft is exposed, a shock hazard to the user exists.

Claw Hammer

Claw hammers are used for putting or pulling nails out from a surface. Hammer shafts made from fiberglass are more durable and keeps the head tight. When it comes to the hammerhead, you can choose one made from forged steel over cast metal.

Boro-Mishty-Lage

Battery Tester

Battery testers are used to test the state of an electronic battery. Before you test a battery you need to ensure that the tester’s compatibility with the specific battery type. Multi testers can test a larger variety of batteries from a button cell to car batteries.

Battery-Tester

Multimeter

A multimeter is a widely used test equipment for electricians. It measures current, voltage, and resistance. There are mainly two kinds of multimeters: analog and digital multimeters. Electricians use mostly digital multimeters because it performs all functions from AC to DC and is more accurate than the analog ones.

Our some of contents on multimeter are –

best fluke multimeter
the best multimeter under 50
the best multimeter for electricians
Best HVAC multimeter

Multimeter

Circuit Breaker Finder

Circuit breaker finders are used to find the correct circuit breaker in a corresponding circuit panel. Such a finder has two pieces; the receiver and the transmitter. The transmitter is plugged into an outlet and the transmitter is moved over the circuit breakers to locate the preferred breaker.

Circuit-Breaker-Finder

FAQ

10 Tools Professional Electricians Should Always Have

  • Kleins/Pliers. Very few tool manufacturers are so trusted by electricians that they just call the tool itself by the brand name, and Klein Tools is one of them. …
  • Voltage Tester. …
  • Multimeter. …
  • Pipe Bender. …
  • Wire Strippers. …
  • Screwdrivers and Nut Drivers. …
  • Fish Tape. …
  • Tape Measure.

What is the most essential tool in electrical installation and maintenance?

Pliers
Answer: ers. Pliers—often referred to as cutting pliers or lineman pliers—are a staple on any electrical tools list.

How important are electrical tools and equipment?

Safety Procedures When Using Electrical Tools and Equipment. Tools are valuable items that make work become quicker, simpler, and more convenient. They have made tasks like repairing and building much easier, turning some of the most tedious projects into something that only takes a short while to accomplish.

What are the basic maintenance of electrical tools and equipment?

BASIC MAINTENANCE OF ELECTRICAL TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT • CLEAN OUT THE DUST. TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR ELECTRIC TOOLS ARE READY TO GO WHEN YOU ARE, KEEP THEM CLEAN AND FREE OF DUST. SPEND SOME TIME TO CLEAN OUT THE DUST EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE ON YOUR TOOLS WHILE THEY ARE INACTIVE IN STORAGE.

How do I insulate my tools?

Why is it important to prepare the electrical tools for the task?

To do the task, electrical tools or equipment are needed to perform the job. Each tool is precisely designed for a specific purpose, so choosing the correct tool will also decrease the amount of effort required to get a job done right without causing damage to either the equipment or the surface being worked on.

What technology do electricians use?

Electricians use hand and power tools to complete their work. To test wiring and connections for functionality and safety, they use oscilloscopes, voltmeters, ohmmeters, and ammeters.

Is knipex better than Klein?

Both have a set of crimping options, however the Klein has more of them, but the Knipex do a better job with the wider surface area crimper. They both have the shape of a needle-nose pleirs mixed with a lineman’s pliers, but the larger surface area of the Knipex proves to be far more useful.

Do electricians use hammers?

Electrician hammers may look like common carpentry hammers, but they have distinct differences that allow them to be used for electrical applications.

Do electricians use wrenches?

Just carry the wrench and the most common sizes of socket heads and you should be fine. (Tip: Personally, I find 1/4″, 1/2″, 7/16″ and 9/16″ to be most common as an industrial electrician.) Adjustable/Crescent Wrench – You will need one of these quite often, but usually only for light work.

Why is snap-on so expensive?

The extra cost is due to much more R+D and MUCH better engineering of the Tools and other stuff. That makes it cost a little more. Then they use better steel’s to make a stronger tool. Take a Craftman Cast tool vs Forged steel.

Is Milwaukee tools better than DeWalt?

If you want to get onto a 12V platform, Milwaukee makes the most sense. For compact tools, we also feel Milwaukee edges out DeWalt. The new DeWalt Atomic line of tools promises compactness and affordability, but it doesn’t seem to go far enough in saving weight.

Where do we use electrical tools?

Electrical tools are tools used to work on an electrical system. These can include a wide range of tools such as wire and cable cutters, wire strippers, coaxial compression tools, telephony tools, wire cutter/strippers, cable tie tools, accessories and even more.

Why is it important to use correct tools and equipment?

Each tool is precisely designed for a specific purpose, so choosing the correct tool will also decrease the amount of effort required to get a job done right without causing damage to either the equipment or the surface being worked on. Many construction accidents can be prevented by taking the time to plan ahead.

Final Words

As basic tools have been improved over the years, the tool choice has become longer. But the tools mentioned above are the most basic ones. Any beginner will have a great headstart with these.

Every electrical work demands protection. Make sure you use insulated tools to prevent electric shock. And wear gloves to protect yourself.

I'm Joost Nusselder, the founder of Tools Doctor, content marketer, and dad. I love trying out new equipment, and together with my team I've been creating in-depth blog articles since 2016 to help loyal readers with tools & crafting tips.