Gift Guide: DIY


Whether you’re a weekend warrior or in the midst of a renovation, the right DIY gear is a gift that keeps on giving. Charge up and drill into our guide.

Picture by Nick Yapp/Fox Photos/Getty Images

BEST CHOICES

Husqvarna Automower 305


Cost: $2000
Where to get it: Husqvarna
Why it’s a good choice: Because the notion of a robot lawn mower is awesome, but at $2000 it’s going to be hard to buy one for yourself. [imgclear]

Electric planer


Cost: $100-$200
Where to get it: Hardware stores, online and offline
Why it’s a good choice: A planer is one of those DIY tools you won’t necessarily buy first (the drill always comes first) but which proves very useful once you’ve got it. Mine proved its worth purely through shaving stuck doors so they could close again. [imgclear]

LEGO Robie House


Cost: $279.99
Where to get it: LEGO Store
Why it’s a good choice: We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: DIY projects don’t always have to be practical. [imgclear]

BUDGET CHOICES

Fixa Toolkit


Cost: $12.99
Where to get it: IKEA
Why it’s a good choice: It wouldn’t be a Lifehacker gift guide without an IKEA option. Ultimately, I’d want to replace all these tools with more expensive versions, but if you want a set for starting out, or as a backup for the holiday home, this gives you the basics. [imgclear]

Paint stirrer


Cost: $5-$10
Where to get it: Local hardware store
Why it’s a good choice: All too often, people mix paint by shaking the can around and then use a stick (or brush handle). If you use a proper paint stirring stick, you’ll get much better results. [imgclear]


Cost: From £11.50
Where to get it: Sugru
Why it’s a good choice: Sugru is awesome mouldable silicone that is useful for dozens of projects — but the product is made in and sold from the UK, so your recipient probably hasn’t run into it down at the local hardware store. [imgclear]


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At Lifehacker, we independently select and write about stuff we love and think you'll like too. We have affiliate and advertising partnerships, which means we may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. BTW – prices are accurate and items in stock at the time of posting.

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