Readers Respond: We Want Your Opinion about World's Worst Tools

• Yankee Driver - Ineffectual precursor to the cordless drill.
• Magnetic Stud Finder - Weak magnet barely senses screws or nails embedded in drywall.
• Foam Painting Edgers - Smears the paint instead of brushes it on.
• Crescent Wrench - Loosens too easily.
• Channel Lock Wrench - Difficult to hold tight when turning.
• Off-Brand Vise Grip - Tends to spring apart at key moments.

I use most of those, so here's MY list

Top 5 stupid tools that take up room in my shop: drill bit sharpening jigs pipe clamps sub $500 mig welder el cheepo router table Picture frame clamps

—Guest daryl

Yankee Driver et.al.

I have a Yankee Driver in my tool box. I also have a larger similar tool that is NOT spring loaded. This ia a much older tool and probably the pre-cursor of the Yankee. The non-Yankee driver is from an 86 year old former cabinet maker who worked in the NY Furniture District making custom funiture. Both tools function well and have their own purpose. Both allow drilling of pilot holes for subsequent screw driver use. The fact that the bits are contained in the handle of the Yankee is a time saver and eliminates the need for several other hand tools.... You definitely GOT IT WRONG about this tool. Perhaps an "old timer" can show you how to effectively use it.

—JustMy02Cents

Paint Edger

I am currently paint my WHOLE house, top to bottom... I am on my LAST room now, and I must say I have used this exact Paint Edger for my job. It has saved my TONS of time. I have used this edger on the ceiling, baseboard trim, window trim, pretty much every edge where it fits. The pads are not foam, they are like a hair type surface. Everyone who walks into my house asks me if I got my house painted by a pro. I love this thing. Mind you, there is this upgraded version of this edger, with the swivel handle, and a closing gate type thing on the wheels....IT SUCKS. This simple edger tool though is GREAT!!

—Guest S K

Yankee Driver Comment

This was designed for a very specific purpose - for screwing down the lids of coffins after open casket funerals - it was meant to be more dignified than hammering in nails! so you could drill the holes and have the optimum conditions - so I think this is a case where it is not a bad tool - as long as it is used for the correct purpose. If it is used for things other than that for which it was designed of course it will not work as well1

—Guest Dontsign

Certain tools are worse than no tool.

I agree that it is, seriously, a matter of the quality of the implement. And I have learned to live by my own words: Certain tools are worse than no tool at all. Let's face it. Cheap locking pliers are a hazard like cheap box knives. As for me, I find locking pliers a real challenge. Their best at what they do (once set) if they can be used easily with one hand. But I haven't bought any that really fit a lady's grip despite my trying them out first. Actually, it's been a good year for new tools. I just remodeled my bathroom which involved buying lots of lovely new tools (love that wet saw!) Did everything myself, except for setting the tub. It looks and works great!

—Guest Dusty

yankee drill

Sorry about You. Try again. This tool was perfect long time ago. Try to look at it by another angle.

—Guest Talisman

Foam edger

I work with tools every day and know that you must learn what a tool can and can not do. I have used the foam edger with great success. Mine has guide wheels and a "hair" surface on top of the foam. The foam holds the paint, the "hair" moves the paint like a brush. The hair extends out to the edge of the guide wheels and cuts a very nice line from wall to trim, wall to ceiling, or wall to crown molding. Of course the pad will drip if you press too hard, just as a brush will drip if you overload it. With minimum practice the foam edger is very fast and efficient. I use a brush for edging when the edge is very ragged or when I just feel like doing it the old fashioned way. I am a great fan of cordless drills for driving screws. I worked in a shop thirty years ago before we had cordless but we did have and used Yankee drivers. Ours were quite large and well built. I've driven thousands of screws with a Yankee. Pilot holes are essential but it's a great tool.

—Guest C

yankee drill

I like the yankee driver with a drill bit, quick and dirty

—Guest danno

Worst tools or Worst users?

Use the proper tool for the job......The channellock wrench is NOT designed for nuts & bolts. That job is for the adjustable wrench. This wrench is best used on pipe or irregular shapes items. The Crescent Wrench (adjustable) is to be used in the correct direction. Turning the wrench "backwards" will cause the lower jaw to move and therefore become loose. The Yankee Driver is best used to start a screw, then changing to the proper size screwdriver to complete the job. Remember, each tool is designed with a particular task in mind. Mis-use of any tool will unsatisfactory results. When was the last time you drove a nail with a circular saw???

—Flyrod09

You're nuts!!!

Crescent and channel lock wrenches are a staple of the American toolbox

—Guest Dave Gale

one of my favs

The crescent wrench would probably make it on my top 5 useful. I also like channel locks too! To each their own.

—Guest Ryan

hey wait - i love those edgers!

i repainted my house (previous owners always have lousy taste) and used an edger that looks like the one you pictured - but it had a brush surface. it worked fine, saved time, and didn't drip on the wall or floor. it's a fine tool. how did it make the worst tool list? i like it. maybe i have bad taste. but i still like it.

—breastcancer

The World's Most useless tools.

The foam painter is the only really bad tool of he five. And no do it your selfer can do without a cresent wrence or channel lock pliers (like the kleenex). Even the Yankee driver and stud finder work well for me.

—llalford

A poor workman quarrels with his tools."

OK, I'll give you magnetic stud finder and foam edger. But, crescent wrench and channel locks? Those are the most often used tools on my work bench. The channel lock is really a specialty type of pliers. If you are using it to tighten a nut, you should be using your crescent wrench.

—Guest Lance - Erie

poor comments

all the tools you disparage are good tools if used properly "a poor workman blames his tools" as with all things know what the tool can do. the yankee driver was never meant to drive a screw into a none drilled hole there are special drills that fit in the the driver that cuts on push and pull and then you can drive the screw quickly i have used all of the tools you can't use sucessfully

—Guest troy kokura