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Over the last 20 years working as an electrician, I’ve spent over $10,000 on tools.
Some of the tools I’ve worked with felt like they were hand-crafted by Zeus himself, while others weren’t worth the box they came in.
A good set of tools saves you a huge amount of time, money, and frustration (oh, so much frustration).
After reading a bunch of terrible electrician tools lists online (by people who have clearly never worked a day outside in their life) – I finally decided to make my own list.
So here is the Top 50 Best Electrician’s Tools List of 2026 (written by someone who has actually worked as an electrician). Let’s jump right into the fun stuff.
The Fluke 117 multimeter screams excellence. Its True RMS precision. The LED backlight. The clear display. The AutoVolt function (which autodetects AC/DC voltage for you). Its CAT III safety rating. Its intuitive and user-friendly interface.
Fluke has outdone themselves on this one. There was definitely a lot of talk between engineers and electricians at Fluke to produce this outstanding multimeter. That said if you’re looking for a more in-depth discussion you can check out our review of the best electricians multimeter available.
This tool backpack from DeWalt features a huge number of pockets for storage, with 48 internal pockets and 9 on the exterior – making for a total of 57 places to store your tools. This is our favorite electrician’s backpack, but if you’re looking for more variety you can check out our review of the best tool backpacks on the market.
This Occidental Leather Electrician’s Tool Belt is a comfortable addition to any electrician tools list wear. Its super heavy-duty design is made to last a lifetime and is proudly made in the USA. If you’re looking for a more in-depth discussion you can check out our review of the top electrician tool belts available.
Irwin Lineman’s Pliers delivers up to 3x more gripping power than the traditional locking pliers. They also feature a 10QR curved jaw for torquing and gripping multiple surface shapes and for creating pressure points on four points on any bolt head or style nut. I primarily use these to cut my wires to specific lengths when I am terminating on devices. The built-in fish tape puller and connector crimper let you complete more tasks with one tool. If you’re looking for a more in-depth discussion you can check out our review of the top lineman pliers on the market.
A tone generator and probe kit is key to tracing wires and identify unlabelled cables. It places a tone on the wire which allows you to detect it on the other end. Fluke’s tone generator is a masterpiece to work with, and I highly recommend it. If you’re looking for a more in-depth review though, check out my complete guide on the best tone generator and probe kit.
This is a great tool to locate a specific circuit in a panel you need to turn off. Before I had this I would tell my helper just turn each one on and off until I found the right one. The only problem is you can not do that in a commercial setting where there are lots of computers. This tool eliminates the guesswork! If you’re looking for more variety, you can check out our review of the best circuit breaker finders on the market.
Featuring dual-layered insulation, these screwdrivers offer unrivaled protection from electric shocks, and they’re rated to withstand up to 1000 volts. These babies meet or exceed IEC 60900: 2012, ASTM F1505-10 standards for insulated tools.
It comes packed with a highly durable, black nylon case with a zipper closure, custom-fitted pockets, and even an additional extra pocket for added storage.
These insulated screwdrivers are also made in the USA, which means Klein is helping to support local jobs. But you don’t have to buy these tools out of the kindness of your heart – they scream quality with their premium chrome-finish and comfortable and stylish hand grips.
This is a great addition to any toolset. It comes with 3 separate wire stripping accessories. It truly is 3 tools in one. It’s heavy-duty and comes with a limited lifetime warranty.
For a review on every type of electrician knife on the market, see our article on top electricians knives to find the best knife for you.
Carhartt is a veteran shoemaker that is known for its rugged and durable workplace products. It has been a popular brand for over two centuries and is a brand of choice for many electricians. Their work boots take our top spot for the best electricians’ work boots on the market. That said if you’re looking for a more in-depth discussion you can check out our review of the best electricians works boots available. We also have an in-depth guide on the best insoles for work boots if you’re in need of some added comfort.
If you’re looking for the top electricians’ hard hat on the market, then look no further than the MSA 475407 Natural Tan Skullgard Hard Hat. Made in the USA and clocking in at only 0.65 pounds, this hardhat has been masterfully designed with comfort and durability in mind.
From a safety perspective, this hard hat provides dielectric protection up to 2,200 volts (ANSI/ISEA Z89.1-2014 [Class G] Compliant) – which is exactly what you want in an electrician’s hard hat. It is also ANSI/CSA Type I compliant, meaning that it protects against vertical impacts and penetrations. If you’re looking to explore other options, check out our full review on the best electricians hard hats available.
And to go with your hard hat – an LED hard hat light. The Energizer High-Powered LED Headlamp Flashlight is outstanding, able to light up to 85 meters ahead with a 360-lumen beam of the LED light. It provides 7 light modes: high, low, wide, wide low, red, flashing red, and green. This gives you a huge amount of versatility to find the perfect light for any situation. That said if you’re looking to explore other options, check out our full review on the best LED hard hat lights on the market.
Make your electrical related tasks even easier by this high-quality electrician tool vest by Bucketboss. It’s made to be super durable, so it will last a long day on the job. This vest has 16 pockets in total with 13 pockets on waist and 3 pockets on the bib. So, this lets you keep all of your tools with you conveniently anywhere you go. If you’re looking for more variety, check out our full review of the best tool vests for electricians available.
This tester kit from Klein Tools includes many features and gets the cable testing done in less time. It has a unique and beautiful design, with a plastic body that gives it a long life. The kit with the product is also equipped with features such as 1 Scout Pro 2 Tester, location remotes, five coax map, one coax, and a remote to identify cable runs. While we consider this the best network cable tester, you can see our full review of the top cable testers on the market.
The Jonard cable splicing tool is a great option to cut any type of insulation on wires, since it has a sharp steel blade made to cut through all types of insulation that are various thicknesses. The handle of this splicing knife is made for a greater non-slippery easy grip of TRP (thermoplastic rubber) that is made to ensure that the user can be safe with the usage of the cable splicer knife. If you’re looking for more variety, check out our full review of the best cable splicing knives on the market.
These are the most comfortable strippers I have ever used. They form to your hand well and the spring is not too tight allowing for easy usage. These also have the 10-32 and 6-32 hole slots so you can cut them down and not damage the thread. I also use the hole above the side cutters to make loops my wires for terminations on receptacles and switches.
I use these to tighten fittings when installing EMT conduit and Rigid conduit. It can also be used to tighten lock nuts on various connectors. Mainly used for 2-inch conduit and smaller.
This is a must-have for any electrician. This tool has so many features rolled into one. It has both screwdrivers and nut drivers built-in. This is super convenient because it reduces the number of tools you need to carry on your tool belt.
I have one piece of important advice when using this tool. NEVER, and I mean NEVER, use this in a live electrical panel. Some times the detachable pieces become loose and fall. This could cause a short or arch between the live buss and the panel enclosure. If you must work in a live panel, always use a good set of fully insulated screwdrivers.
This tool is a must if you work MC cable. You will find MC cable in commercial or industrial settings most likely. This makes the job of cutting the flex so easy. Before I was introduced to this tool, I used my side cutters to strip the flex off and I found that the roto split is much faster and cleaner. Another benefit is it never cuts or damages the wire. I sometimes did that with my side cutters.
If you work with EMT conduit then this tool is a must. When you cut conduit with a saw it leaves sharp pieces on the pipe. The reamer removes all the sharp pieces and leaves the ends smoothed. It also has a handy flat head screwdriver at the end so you do not have to change tools when tightening fittings.
I use this particular electrician level because it utilizes rare earth magnets. This thing will stick to anything! It is so useful when installing EMT conduit and installing electrical cabinets, and you never have to worry about it dropping and breaking. If you’re looking for more variety, you can check out our review of the best torpedo level for electricians.
This is by far my favorite tape measure out there. The magnetic tip is super handy when making a measurement. If you’re looking for a more in-depth discussion on tape measures, you can check out our review of the best tape measures for electricians on the market.
I use this to quickly determine if a circuit is on or off. If you’re looking for a more in-depth discussion you can check out our review of the top non contact voltage tester on the market.
I like this Stanley saw. It’s the Fatmax line of the Stanley tools. Plan on using this to cut in new remodel metal or plastic boxes into finished walls. This can also be used to easily slice through drywall.
These are great knee saver when having to trim out receptacles. During the trim out phase of a project, most plugs are mounted at 18-24 inches off the ground. If you are on a large project like an apartment complex or a large commercial structure you can expect to be crouched for an extended period of time. Also, these are great when working in attics on rafters. If you’re looking for more variety, you can check out our review of the best knee pads for construction.
I keep these in my bag for special applications. I use these when I need to install breakers in an electrical panel. The magnetic tip is helpful because it allows me to not worry if I am going to drop a screw.
This TRENDnet TC-CT68 tool can perform crimping, cutting, and stripping, as well. The body of this crimping tool is made up of steel to make it sturdy. It can be used while working with telephone or Ethernet cables. The most prominent feature of this crimping tool is its ratchet mechanism that keeps the tool closed when not in use. If you’re looking for something different, you can check out our review of the best RJ45 crimper tools on the market.
I have used them all and by far this is the BEST one on the market. It’s double-sided and cuts super fast. This is the most convenient and quickest way to create holes in junction boxes and panels. This is a must-have item. If you’re looking for more variety, you can check out our review of the best step drill bits available.
This set goes from 1/2 inch to 2 inches. I typically use my step bit to first drill the hole large enough to insert the knock out set screw. Then I use the ratchet to finish the hole. If you’re looking for more variety, you can check out our review of the best electrical knockout sets on the market.
Here is the hydraulic version of the manual KO set. This one is great to use when making larger holes in electrical cabinets. The hydraulic punch allows for super-fast operation. The best part about this set is that its a fraction of the cost of the Greenlee hydraulic set and it comes with a 5 year warranty!
I use this mostly for PVC boxes. The knock out kit does not work with PVC. Also if the metal in panel or box is really thick, this seems to work better than the knock out kit.
The Fluke 323 clamp meter can measure AC current of up to 400 Amps, and it can measure both AC and DC voltages up to 600V. This model can also test resistance levels up to 4 kilohms. To ensure that you have stable and accurate results, the Fluke clamp meter takes True RMS AC voltage and current readings. This is our number one pick for clamp meters. If you’re looking for more variety, you can check out our reviews of the best clamp meters for electricians.
Not all label makers are created equal! This one is the best for electrical applications. Super easy to label cables. If you’re looking for an in-depth review, you can check out our full review of the best label makers for electricians.
This is vital for safety. I have this kit and it comes with breaker locks and locks for panels. When working in an environment that people have access to panels this is a must for your safety!
Neiko has yet again created another marvel with this powerful and durable tool. Not only does it offer a 55-degree angle which allows the drill to reach in those hard to reach places, it also boasts a powerful and sturdy chuck system which is 3/8 keyed. The Neiko Close Quarter Power Drill boasts a convenient gun trigger as well; to ensure the maximum grip and reliability at all times. If you’re looking for more variety, you can check out our review of the best right angle drills on the market.
I personally like my hands free when I am working. There are going to be times in service when you are working in a dark attic or maybe a crawl space. Headlamps are a great way to keep your hands free and they proved the light in the exact place you are happening to be looking. If you’re looking for more variety, you can check out our review of the best headlamps for work.
These are an important part of being safe on the job. I like these full shielded safety goggles because of the protection from dust. Most of the time you are going to use these when you are cutting conduit or hammer drilling and setting concrete anchors. If you’re looking for more variety, you can check out our full review of the best electrical safety glasses.
These gloves help protect you by removing the hazard of cuts. They are great to use when cutting conduit with a saw, or when using a band saw. Also, they’re great to use when pulling wire. Some times during a pull your hand gets nicked or cut by the sharp edges of junctions boxes. If you’re looking for more variety, you can check out our full review of the best electrical gloves.
This is the black Chrome and Laser Etched Socket Set. It’s one of my favorites because of the ton of value for the price. It also has everything you need to build a variety of trapezes for electrical equipment. It also comes with a lifetime warranty. If you’re looking for more variety, you can check out our review of the best socket sets on the market.
Overall if you’re looking for an affordable high-quality electric impact drill – then the Dewalt DW292 Cordless Impact Wrench is the right product for you. It is highly durable, has great performance, and comfortable operating features. If you’re looking for more variety, you can check out our review of the best electric impact wrench on the market.
There are a couple of ways to cut through large copper cables, but nothing is more fast and effective as using a pair of ratcheting cable cutters. I have found Klein Tools offer the best premium set of ratchet cable cutters, but Greenlee is also a viable option. If you’re looking for more variety, you can check out our review of the best ratcheting cable cutters.
This type of fish tape is nonconductive and is used when additional wiring needs to be installed in a conduit that has live conductors. Steel style fish tape is not recommended when fishing new wires with live wires because of the possibility of the fish tape to nick the live conductors resulting in a fault on the fish tape.
Another safety feature of the fiberglass fish tape is that if it enters into a live cabinet there is no risk of coming in contact with live equipment. That said if you’re looking for more variety, you can check out our review of the best electrical fish tape.
These guys are great for pulling cable and MC along the top of ceiling grids. They are also great for fishing down walls stuffed full of insulation. They are sturdy enough to pierce through insulation.
When you become a service electrician, you will thank me for this one! Use this tool to remove a conduit that still has conductors inside. This allows you to cut and remove a conduit without damaging the wires on the inside.
The Bosch Laser Distance Measure is the best laser distance measure on the market. The product is economical and fully loaded with features. That said if you’re looking for more variety, you can check out our review of the best laser distance measure available.
These are great for installing concrete anchors. The hammer function is a must for an electrician. You will use small anchors to mount light fixtures, gear, supports, and other miscellaneous equipment. If you’re looking for more variety, you can check out our review of the best drills for electricians on the market.
Pretty much exclusively used to cut conduit and strut.
About David Walter
David qualified as a Master Electrician in 2009, after working as a Journeyman for 3 years. David has over 20 years experience working as an electrician. He loves troubleshooting complex electrical issues, and coaching the next generation of apprentice electricians. In his spare time David enjoys playing golf and spending time with his family.
