How to buy tools

When you need - or think that you need - a tool there is always temptation to either buy the cheapest possible or the most expensive possible one. I've found out that neither of these strategies are really good, so for reference here is my rules of tool purchases - be they for work or hobbies.

1. Be absolutely sure that you need the tool.

There usually is a lot of temptation to buy some handy-looking tool when browsing through the catalog or shop shelves, but as with everything you really should be sure you'll need it before investing to it. Tool that is never used is just waste of money. Generally these days I don't buy any tools until I really need it.

2. When unsure, limit your spending.

So now you are in a situation where need a tool. A wrench set, a soldering iron, an oscilloscope, a screwdriver, a spectrum analyzer, whatever. If this is the first time needing that type/kind of tool you should not spend much, unless you have an expert at hand (not some random internet person!) who can recommend you a specific tool based on your situation.

That being said, never ever buy the cheapest one you can get, no matter how little you have available. Even tools at approximately same price range as the cheapest should be avoided. Go one price class up and pick one from there. That way you avoid the absolute worst kind of junk products (the kind that are horribly unreliable and/or unsafe) and at same time you avoid spending too much to a tool you end up using only once or twice.

3. When that breaks, go for the best.

Most of the tools you buy with rule 2 above will last you for life. Excellent!

Then there are some tools you use often enough that they break, prove unwieldy to use or just are otherwise insufficient for your needs. These are the tools that you use most and should be replaced with best quality tools you can afford without overspending. Now you also have enough experience with the tool to know what you need and what you don't, allowing you to prioritize features for your own usage.

Although I mentioned buying the best, it doesn't mean the most expensive - this means that you don't need to waste money on features you will not be needing. For example a shiny 1 GHz oscilloscope might be very tempting, but if your signals never go past 100 MHz that 1 GHz spec is just waste of money - get 200 MHz one instead.


There you have it. Three simple rules that ought to save you some hard-earned money and frustration.