<p>Most of the tools at the discount chains are very cheaply made bottom-end tools that are competing strictly on price. They may work okay for occasional dorm use but real men (i.e. your S) should have quality tools. The cost difference isn’t that great - especially for the limited number of tools needed. I’d stick with Craftsman, Stanley, Crescent, and some other top-end tools. Home-Depot’s brand (Husky) is okay also. Other hardware stores will usually have a quality line but may also have a cheap, low-end line. </p>
<p>A side note - my D was one of the few people (including boys) in her dorm to actually have some tools. They were borrowed and appreciated by others a number of times.</p>
<p>kathie, it was over my way… i’m not sure where an ace hardware is in your area. my aunt works at an ace hardware store and i saw it in one of their advertisements.</p>
<p>my grandmom got me a tool kit from somewhere - i have no clue where but it was the crappiest thing ever. sometimes its just easier to buy a few things and put them in a shoe box. like a hammer and a few screw drivers and a tape measure and pliers. that should be good. or just get a tiny little tool box and put them in it. i have two tool boxes that i keep under my desk - one big one that i keep all my art supplies in, and one tiny little one with my tools :)</p>
<p>and let me just add, the screw drivers with the magnetic ends are awesome. I don’t know how many screws i would have lost if they werent sticking to my screw driver. i would also get regular ones because i wouldn’t reccomend using the magnetic ones on computers (kathiep’s son likes computers)</p>
<p>one thing i like about sears craftsman is that they are guaranteed for life… so when your hammer decides to break in half you can take it back for a new hammer. :)</p>
<p>I’m torn because I very much agree with getting quality tools. I have good kitchen tools because it makes cooking enjoyable when things work correctly. Otoh, Son is a fairly careless guy and I don’t know how much I want to invest in something if he loses it the first year. I did get him a swiss army knife that’s made to work on computers. Oh, and he does have his regular swiss army knife from scouts. I had forgotten about that. On the third hand, I have a hunch that without his handyman Dad around to fix everything for him, he will find that he can do it all himself and it would be nice to have tools that work well…</p>
<p>emeraldkity, will check out that link. I had kind of forgotten that he might need some tools for the car. Bike is staying here for now. Duct tape and a couple of wrenches?</p>
<p>Real women should have real tools also:) My older D knows exactly what to do with just about any tool and I think my younger D is getting there. My S, on the other hand, heaven help us. He is already planning to live near us when he graduates so that Dad can “drop by” to fix things. I will say that Dad loved going to Home Depot and Sears to put together a useful set of tools for all three right before each left for college. Now, I haven’t any idea what he purchased because I made sure to marry someone who knew how to use tools so I wouldn’t be bothered:) Now that I think of it, S’s girlfriend is pretty handy with a toolbox herself. Smart boy.</p>
The cost difference isn’t that great - especially for the limited number of tools needed. I’d stick with Craftsman, Stanley, Crescent, and some other top-end tools. Home-Depot’s brand (Husky) is okay also. Other hardware stores will usually have a quality line but may also have a cheap, low-end line. </p>