I didn’t buy a tool combo kit until the day came when the poor batteries to my beloved Black & Decker hammer drill keeled over like a well-trained dog playing dead.

Unfortunately, despite obtaining some rather nifty tools such as the cutoff (reciprocating saw) and circular saw (the stud finder never actually worked, but I guess I know where I am most of the time, eh? Ha ha), the batteries I got weren’t really any better than the ones I was trying to replace so my first experience loading up on a combo kit went further south that I already was in Louisiana.

Still, I can’t knock it too much because it was a USED set from a pawn shop and I had no way of knowing what the condition was before I picked it up. Nevertheless, I was able to benefit from some of the other combo sets my colleagues nabbed at our cabinet shop and I was quite impressed with some of them.

Their combo sets were generally small and nobody ever opted for the larger sets–I usually only saw only 3-tool sets which included the newer lithium-ion batteries (my old set had Nickel-Cadmium) and they not only seemed to pack good power, but also charged quickly and lasted for a while. When my 24V batteries were in their hay-day they were pretty darn good but when they die…man, they die dead.

Anyway, between my work area at the shop and my own personal space at home, things had become quite messy and littered with a Frankenstein-style assortment of random tools. I had a mismatch of this and that, with no proper way of storing anything and often unclear methods of how I would begin, much less tackle large jobs such as building a set of cabinets at home.

So, is your garage a lot like mine used to be–cluttered with large, unwieldy tools that occupy a lot of space? Maybe you’re already considering it, but is it really a good idea to consolidate and hope to up your efficiency with a 5- tool combo?

It could also be that you’re simply lacking in the tool department and are tired of relying on your junk drawer to provide you with tools that fall somewhere between laughable and perpetual aggravation (you wouldn’t believe what my ex-father-in-law’s junk drawer of “tools” looked like–unbelievable, really).

Time to buy a five-tool combo set, my friend? Maybe, maybe not.

With these sets, you get 5 tools so you can perform a wide range of tasks for home and business. Of course, you’ll need a good combo to get good results, which is why we have picked three of the best sets here.

DEWALT DCK590L2 Combo Kit

Features

• Comes with a 20V MAX hammer drill designed for maximum bit retention and speed
• The combo includes a reciprocating saw for reliable cuts and touch-blade change
• A 6 ½” circular saw is included which allows you to work with precision
• A 110-lumen LED light is included so your workplace gets illuminated

Pros

• Tools come with a 3-year warranty
• All have ergonomic handles
• Its driver and drill are faster than most other tool combos
• The tools hold a longer charge than other tool kits

Cons

• Needs extra effort to cut very hard wood

• Saw doesn’t have a rip fence

Summary

The DeWalt 5 combo kit is well-assembled, and each tool complements the other. The instructions explain each function and they’re also intuitively designed. The hammer drill and impact driver make short work of most fastening and drilling, and the saws are able to cut through a lot of materials without trouble.

Makita XT505 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless Combo Kit

Features

• 2 speed ½” hammer driver drill goes up to 1900 RPM

• Impact and hammer driver drill offer plenty of torque even at less than 3 lbs.

• Its flashlight has enough power to last for 7.5 hours and can be set in four positions

• The reciprocal saw weighs only 8 lbs. while still offering lots of power and accuracy when cutting different types of materials

Pros

• Long battery life

• Each tool is lightweight

• Impact driver provides plenty of torque

• Circular saw easily goes through wood

Cons

• Too much power for casual users

• Flashlight casing could be better

Summary

Makita has released a number of combo tool sets before, and the XT505 is one that is suitable for home and professional use. The reciprocating saw, the hammer driver and impact driver all have variable speed and simplify a lot of tedious work. Some of these tools may be overkill if you’re a casual user, but for serious DIYers, it’s an essential package.

Milwaukee M18 18-Volt Lithium-Ion Cordless Combo Kit

Features

• Set includes a ½” driver/drill, a reciprocating saw, the M18 6 ½” circular saw and a ¼” hex impact driver

• The set also comes with the Quik-Lok blade clamp for quick blade changing

• Comes with red lithium battery for longer life and durability

• The tools have Redlink Intelligence for optimum performance

Pros

• Durable tools

• 5-year warranty

• Ergonomic design

• Easy to use

Cons

• Maybe too powerful for casual users

• Instructions could be more detailed

Summary

The Milwaukee 5-tool combo has the tools you need to handle driving, cutting, and drilling projects. The utilities complement one another and each is ergonomically designed. With its unique set of technologies and electronics, you get lots of power, accuracy and consistent results.

Head-to-head comparison

Each of these combo tool sets offer something good, but if we had to choose one set it would be the Makita XT505. However, that’s just us; it really depends on what kind of work you do.

If you’re after a solid set that uses the latest technologies, the Milwaukee M18 set is the ideal choice. It’s got all the latest innovations from Milwaukee without compromising ease of use. They’re also easy to use and designed for tasks at home and jobsites. They’ve also got a good warranty.

If you want to get the best 5-combo set for home and business use, we recommend the Makita XT505. Each tool in this collection is durable and built to last. The long battery life and variable speed on the saw provide you with a lot of flexibility and versatility. Add its long lifespan and you’ve got a quality 5-tool combo here.

Now if you’re after a 5-tool kit which offers a fast performance and is suitable for home and DIY use, you may want to check out the DeWalt DCK590L Combo Kit. Each of the tools in this collection has been precision engineered and offers better performance compared to standard 5 tool combos.

The WrenchGuru Verdict

Having the right set of tools is essential if you want anything done properly on your home improvement projects. Having one of these 5-combo tools is going to help you get your work done, we believe that with any of these three combo sets here you now have a better grasp of what tools you ought to have.