Power Tools

If you've ever sawed molding or flooring by hand, you know how hard it can be to eyeball angles and keep a firm grip on the project. Portable miter and table saws are trimming away more of that guesswork and elbow grease as they move down the ladder from contractors to homeowners.

Ordinary blackouts--let alone hurricanes, tornadoes, and ice storms--can easily leave you without lights, heat, and refrigeration for hours if not days. A generator can help keep you comfortable and safe during a power failure, and power yard tools and camping gear the rest of the year.

After drills, circular saws are the most common power tool in a home workshop. Versatility and portability are their strengths: A circular saw can quickly crosscut the two-by-fours and rip the sheets of plywood used in many home-improvement projects. And you can carry it to the job.

Months of drilling holes, driving screws, and rip-sawing lengths of pine beams confirm that even high-priced, heavy-duty cordless tools can be light on performance. We also found that you don't have to pay extra for lithium ion batteries, though their lighter weight and longer run time helps.

Chain saws are handy for homeowners who maintain a number of large trees or cut fire wood. And they can be a lifesaver in areas where severe storms cause fallen trees and branches.