When it’s time to tackle that long-overdue roster of home improvement projects and lawn care chores, these useful tools will help you get ’er done.
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Cutting edge
The Craftsman V60 16-inch electric chainsaw is the perfect tool for thinning brush and cutting through the logs you’ll encounter in a typical residential setting. It’s powered by a rechargeable battery pack, so there’s no cord to worry about, it’s quiet compared to your old gas-powered saw and it’s virtually maintenance-free. $270. (888) 331-4569: craftsman.com.
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Mini mighty 3-in-1
Smaller lawns need to be kept neatly mowed, edged and trimmed, just like the big ones. You can do all three jobs with one tool if you own the Black and Decker 20V MAX 3-in-1 Compact Lawn Mower. It comes with two lithium-ion battery packs, and each one can run up to 4 hours on a full charge. In mower mode, a Powerdrive transmission prevents the unit from choking on wet grass or weeds. $150. (800) 231-9786; blackanddecker.com.
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One-stop shopping
A DIYers dream, the DeWalt 4-tool 20V Cordless Combo Kit will make you the envy of the neighborhood. Inside the included 22-inch toolbox, you’ll find a 2-speed drill, an impact driver, an oscillating multi-tool and a versatile LED work light that all run on DeWalt’s 20V MAX rechargeable batteries. Two of the lithium-ion power packs are included and you can charge them completely in about 35 minutes to make quick work of any job. $250. (800) 433-9258; dewalt.com.
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Laser-focused
“Measure twice, cut once” is still good advice but you’ll probably nail the precise measurements on the first try with the Stanley TLM30 Pocket Laser Distance Measurer. This mini marvel fits easily in your pocket and is accurate to ¼-inch on distances up to 30 feet. It arrives ready to use right out of the box and comes with a USB cord for convenient recharging. $20. (800) 262-2161; stanleytools.com.
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Thermal powers
When professionals do a home energy audit, they use infrared cameras like the FLIR C3 to find and isolate weak insulation points, leaky ductwork and cold or hot points. You can do the same with this Wi-Fi-enabled tool that also uploads images to an app. The device itself holds 4,800 individual images that you can analyze and edit using the companion software. $550. (800) 254-0630; flir.com.
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Human-free lawncare
It’s a little on the pricey side, but how much would you pay to cross “cut the grass” off your to-do list—forever? When you leave the mowing duties to the Husqvarna Automower 315X, this nifty little robot uses GPS technology to mow autonomously, keeping up to .4 acres or grass neatly manicured before redocking and recharging until it’s needed again. A companion app lets you monitor the little mower’s progress and, if needed, take control and tell it where it missed a spot. $2,500. (800) 849-1297; husqvarna.com.
Tech journalist David Novak is editor of GadgetGram.com. Prices and availability are subject to change. Inclusion in this column is not an endorsement by South Carolina Living or any S.C. electric cooperative.