Pro & Prosumer Tools
Guides for serious DIYers and working tradespeople on the heavier end of the tool list: press tools and press fittings, drain cleaning machines and jetters, sewer inspection cameras, threading machines, PEX expansion and crimp tooling, and torches and solder. You will find system comparisons — ProPress against soldering, MegaPress against ProPress, NIBCO against Viega, M12 against M18 — and technique articles that answer the questions that come up mid-job: insertion depth, pressing a wet line, why solder will not flow, how to remove a press fitting or a crimp ring, and what each O-ring seal is rated for.
Picks come from hands-on trade experience with tools used on real jobs, read against manufacturer documentation and the standards each system is built to. Nobody pays for a place on these lists. Some links are affiliate links, mostly to Amazon, and the site may earn a commission if you buy through one, at no extra cost to you.
Best Water Softener Cleaner (2026): Resin and Iron
The best water softener cleaners: Res Care, Rust Out, Morton and EcoPure compared, with how to dose each one and which ones extend a softener warranty.
Read more: Best Water Softener Cleaner (2026): Resin and Iron
Best UV Water Filter for Well Water (2026): Lamp vs LED
The best UV water filters for well water: iSpring lamp and LED whole-house units and an APEC RO add-on compared, with what must come before UV on a well.
Read more: Best UV Water Filter for Well Water (2026): Lamp vs LED
Best Water Test Kit (2026): Lab vs DIY for Well and Tap
The best water test kits for well and city water: Tap Score lab test, Safe Home and Watersafe DIY kits compared, with what the EPA says to test a well for.
Read more: Best Water Test Kit (2026): Lab vs DIY for Well and Tap
Best Gas Pressure Test Gauge and Manometer (2026)
Gas pressure test gauges for the line test and manometers for appliance pressure: Winters, Klein and testo compared, with the code’s 5x gauge-range rule.
Read more: Best Gas Pressure Test Gauge and Manometer (2026)
Best Thermal Imaging Camera for Leak Detection (2026)
The best thermal imaging cameras for finding water leaks: Klein and Fluke handheld and phone cameras compared, with how to scan a wet wall or ceiling.
Read more: Best Thermal Imaging Camera for Leak Detection (2026)
Best Inspection Cameras for Plumbers (2026): 3 Picks
Compare three inspection cameras for plumbers by opening, reach, screen, recording and exact kit contents. Check manual limits before buying.
Read more: Best Inspection Cameras for Plumbers (2026): 3 Picks
Best Backflow Test Kit (2026): Digital and Analog Picks
The best backflow test kit for certified testers: Arbiter Mako MK5 and MK3 digital kits and the Watts TK-9A compared on accuracy, USC approval and calibration.
Read more: Best Backflow Test Kit (2026): Digital and Analog Picks
Best Moisture Meter for Water Leaks (2026): Pin vs Pinless
The best moisture meter for water leaks: pin and pinless meters from General Tools and Klein compared, with how to map a wet wall, floor or ceiling.
Read more: Best Moisture Meter for Water Leaks (2026): Pin vs Pinless
Makita Black Friday Combo Kits: What Is in Each Box
Shopping a Makita Black Friday combo kit? A licensed plumber decodes each box: 18V LXT or 12V CXT, batteries, charger and drill capacity. No prices.
Read more: Makita Black Friday Combo Kits: What Is in Each Box
Best Angle Grinder for Plumbers (2026): Cut Pipe Safely
The best angle grinder for plumbing: Makita and DeWalt picks for cutting pipe, rod and bolts, a light Bosch for grinding, and guard rules from the manuals.
Read more: Best Angle Grinder for Plumbers (2026): Cut Pipe Safely
Best Oscillating Multi-Tool for Plumbing (2026)
The best oscillating multi-tool for plumbing: DeWalt and Bosch picks for flush cuts on pipe and drywall access holes, blade fit and safe cuts.
Best Shop Vac for Plumbing: Water, Clogs, Drains (2026)
The best shop vac for plumbing: DeWalt, RIDGID, Shop-Vac and Craftsman wet/dry picks for water cleanup, pulling clogs and emptying toilets, from maker docs.
Read more: Best Shop Vac for Plumbing: Water, Clogs, Drains (2026)
Best Tool Backpack for Plumbers (2026)
The best tool backpack for plumbers: Klein and DeWalt picks with maker pocket counts, sizes and weights, waterproof bases, and rolling vs standard packs.
Best Rotary Hammer for Plumbers: SDS Plus vs Max (2026)
The best rotary hammer for plumbing: DeWalt and Makita SDS Plus and SDS Max picks, anchors and hanger rod, core holes for pipe, and breaking slab safely.
Read more: Best Rotary Hammer for Plumbers: SDS Plus vs Max (2026)
Best Reciprocating Saw for Plumbing Work (2026)
The best reciprocating saw for plumbing: DeWalt and Makita cordless and corded picks, pipe capacity, blades for cast iron and PVC, and safe cuts in walls.
DeWalt Black Friday Combo Kits: What Is in Each Box
Shopping a DeWalt Black Friday combo kit? A licensed plumber decodes what is in each box: batteries, charger, motors and hole capacity. No prices.
Read more: DeWalt Black Friday Combo Kits: What Is in Each Box
Best Water Transfer Pump (2026): Cordless and Corded
Water transfer pumps for draining water heaters, tanks and boilers: DeWalt cordless and WAYNE corded picks, lift limits, hot-water limits and hoses.
Read more: Best Water Transfer Pump (2026): Cordless and Corded
Best Right Angle Drill for Plumbing Rough-In (2026)
The best right angle drill for plumbing rough-in: DeWalt, Bosch and Makita stud and joist picks, hole saw and self-feed sizes, and code limits for holes.
Read more: Best Right Angle Drill for Plumbing Rough-In (2026)
Best Sewer Machine (2026): Sectional and Drum Picks
A licensed plumber’s sewer machine picks for 3- to 8-inch main lines: RIDGID sectional and drum kits, cable size by pipe, 50 vs 100 ft reach, root cutters.
Read more: Best Sewer Machine (2026): Sectional and Drum Picks
RIDGID RP 115 vs RP 251: Which Press Tool to Buy
RIDGID RP 115 vs RP 251 from RIDGID’s own documents: 3/4 vs 1-1/4 inch capacity, 15 vs 24 kN, Mini vs Compact jaws, weight and service.
RIDGID PowerClear vs K-30: Which Sink Machine?
RIDGID PowerClear vs K-30 from RIDGID’s manuals: line sizes, cable, controls, weight and which small drain machine fits sinks, tubs and showers.
RIDGID K60 Guide: K-60SP vs K-60SP-SE, Cables and Kits
RIDGID K60 guide from RIDGID’s manual and catalog: K-60SP vs K-60SP-SE kits, C-8 vs C-10 cable, line sizes, setup, and when a K-400 drum fits better.
Read more: RIDGID K60 Guide: K-60SP vs K-60SP-SE, Cables and Kits
Best Cast Iron Pipe Cutter (2026): Soil Pipe Snap Cutters
Cast iron pipe cutter picks from RIDGID and Reed manuals: the 226, 246 and 238-P soil pipe cutters, Reed SC49, capacities, clearance and safe cutting.
Read more: Best Cast Iron Pipe Cutter (2026): Soil Pipe Snap Cutters
Best Acetylene Torch Kit (2026): TurboTorch Picks
Acetylene torch kit picks from TurboTorch catalogs: X-4B, self-lighting PL-8A kits for B and MC tanks, a tote outfit, oxy-acetylene, and safety rules.
Read more: Best Acetylene Torch Kit (2026): TurboTorch Picks
Best Pipe Locator (2026): RIDGID Receivers and Transmitters
Pipe locator picks from RIDGID manuals: SR-20 and Scout receivers, the SR-24LE with GPS, the ST-305 transmitter, and sonde locating vs line tracing.
Read more: Best Pipe Locator (2026): RIDGID Receivers and Transmitters
RIDGID K-400 vs K-45: Drum or Sink Machine?
RIDGID K-400 vs K-45 from RIDGID’s manuals: line sizes, cable sizes, weight, AUTOFEED and which drain machine fits sinks, tubs and 3 to 4 inch lines.
Best Pipe Vise and Stand (2026): RIDGID and Milwaukee
Pipe vise picks from RIDGID catalogs and manuals: 460-6, 425 and 460-12 tripod chain vises, a bench chain vise, Milwaukee, and safe stand setup.
Read more: Best Pipe Vise and Stand (2026): RIDGID and Milwaukee
RIDGID RP 351 vs RP 251: Which Press Tool to Buy
RIDGID RP 351 vs RP 251 from RIDGID’s own spec sheets: pipe sizes, 32 vs 24 kN, weight, presses per charge and which jaw series you are buying into.
Best Sewer Camera With a Locator (2026)
Sewer cameras with a locator compared by sonde frequency, receiver, depth reading and cable length: VEVOR 512 Hz kit, RIDGID Scout, SR-20 and microREEL.
Best Gifts for Plumbers (2026): 10 Christmas Tool Ideas From a Plumber
Gift ideas for plumbers from a licensed plumber: KNIPEX Cobra pliers, M12 cordless cutters, a RIDGID reamer and more, all from our own tool guides.
Read more: Best Gifts for Plumbers (2026): 10 Christmas Tool Ideas From a Plumber
Milwaukee vs RIDGID Sewer Camera: Which to Buy
Milwaukee’s M18 pipeline inspection system against the RIDGID SeeSnake Compact C40 and M40: cable size, line capacity, locating and what each kit includes.
Milwaukee Pipe Threader vs RIDGID 700: Which to Buy
The Milwaukee M18 FUEL pipe threader and the corded RIDGID 700 both take 12-R die heads and thread to 2 inch. A licensed plumber on which to buy.
Read more: Milwaukee Pipe Threader vs RIDGID 700: Which to Buy
DeWalt vs Milwaukee PEX Expander: Which Should You Buy
DeWalt and Milwaukee both build cordless PEX-A expanders. A licensed plumber on heads, battery platforms, sizes and which one to buy.
Read more: DeWalt vs Milwaukee PEX Expander: Which Should You Buy
Milwaukee Retires Its M12 Press Tool for a ONE-KEY Model
Milwaukee lists the M12 FORCE LOGIC press tool as discontinued and replaced by a ONE-KEY model. What changed, what carries over, and what to do.
Read more: Milwaukee Retires Its M12 Press Tool for a ONE-KEY Model
Milwaukee M12 vs M18 Drain Snake: Which One Do You Need
Milwaukee’s M12 Drain Snake, M12 TRAPSNAKE and M18 FUEL Drain Snake compared on line size, cable capacity and powered feed, using Milwaukee’s own figures.
Read more: Milwaukee M12 vs M18 Drain Snake: Which One Do You Need
ProPress vs Brazing: Which Belongs on a Refrigeration Line?
Brazing is still the specified method on refrigeration and medical gas — and press has reached HVACR, but not with the jaws already in your van.
Read more: ProPress vs Brazing: Which Belongs on a Refrigeration Line?
MegaPress vs ProPress: Which System Does Your Job Need?
ProPress is for copper tube, MegaPress is for steel pipe — and that one distinction settles gas, potable water, sealing elements and which jaws you need to buy.
Read more: MegaPress vs ProPress: Which System Does Your Job Need?
Cable Machine vs Jetter: Which to Buy First
A cable machine cuts hard blockages, a jetter scours the pipe wall. Which a small plumbing shop should buy first, and why GPM beats PSI on a jetter.
Press Fitting Insertion Depth: Mark the Pipe First
A press joint that was never fully seated holds a pressure test and fails later. Viega puts the mark on the tube in the procedure — here is the habit.
Read more: Press Fitting Insertion Depth: Mark the Pipe First
PEX Crimp Ring vs Cinch Clamp: Which System Should You Buy?
Copper crimp rings and stainless cinch clamps do the same job with completely different tools. A licensed plumber on how to tell them apart, which wins where, and why the gauge is not optional.
Read more: PEX Crimp Ring vs Cinch Clamp: Which System Should You Buy?
Solder a Ball Valve Open or Closed? What Manufacturers Say
Apollo says fully open or fully closed and prefers open. Milwaukee Valve says closed on one line and partially open on another. Boshart says partially open. What each manufacturer actually prints, why they differ, and the heat rules they all agree on.
Read more: Solder a Ball Valve Open or Closed? What Manufacturers Say
Tubing Cutter Cutting Crooked? Why It Spirals and How to Fix It
A spiral cut is feed pressure, a dull wheel, or gummed rollers – not a bad tool. The five causes in order, the quarter-turn feed rate that fixes most of them, and why an out-of-round end matters far more on a press fitting than on a soldered joint.
Read more: Tubing Cutter Cutting Crooked? Why It Spirals and How to Fix It
Will Channel Locks Scratch Chrome? Gripping Finished Trap Nuts
Hardened plier teeth dent the brass under chrome plating and the plating cracks over the dent. How to grip chrome and plastic trap nuts without wrecking them, and when to reach for a smooth-jaw wrench instead.
Read more: Will Channel Locks Scratch Chrome? Gripping Finished Trap Nuts
How to Remove a PEX Crimp Ring or Cinch Clamp Without Wrecking the Fitting
Crimped the wrong fitting? A copper ring can come off with a decrimping tool and the fitting reused. A cinch clamp cannot. Here is how a plumber decides.
Read more: How to Remove a PEX Crimp Ring or Cinch Clamp Without Wrecking the Fitting
Press Fitting Starter Kit: What to Actually Stock
A press system only saves time if the fitting you need is already on the van. A licensed plumber on the ratio to carry, the coupling that saves repairs, and what else belongs in the case.
Read more: Press Fitting Starter Kit: What to Actually Stock
Can You Press a Wet Line? Yes, With One Limit
A press joint has no heating step, so damp pipe is fine – but running water is not. A licensed plumber on the difference and what still has to be right.
Press Fitting O-Rings: What Each Seal Is Rated For
The fittings look identical; the seal inside decides what they may carry. A licensed plumber on EPDM, HNBR and specialist elastomers, and why a wrong seal passes the test then fails.
Read more: Press Fitting O-Rings: What Each Seal Is Rated For
Solder Will Not Flow? The Five Causes, In Order
A licensed plumber on why solder beads up instead of drawing into the joint – water in the line, dirty copper, burned flux – and how to test the joint is ready.
Torch Keeps Going Out Mid-Joint? Here Is Why
A licensed plumber on the real causes – a chilling cylinder, a tipped bottle, a sooted orifice – and how to tell which one you have before you buy a new torch.
How to Remove a Press Fitting (You Cut It Out)
A press joint is permanent – the copper under the crimp is deformed for good. A licensed plumber on cutting one out cleanly and what you need to make the repair.
PEX Expansion Tool: Best Manual and Cordless PEX-A Expanders
A PEX expansion tool stretches PEX-A pipe for F1960 and ProPEX fittings. A licensed plumber’s manual and cordless picks, heads, rings and cold tips.
Read more: PEX Expansion Tool: Best Manual and Cordless PEX-A Expanders
Best Deburring Tool for Copper Pipe (and Why the Burr Matters)
A licensed plumber on deburring copper: what the burr does to flow and O-rings, the inner/outer reamers worth owning, and how to use one without thinning the wall.
Read more: Best Deburring Tool for Copper Pipe (and Why the Burr Matters)
Best PEX Cutters: Why a Square Cut Decides the Joint
A licensed plumber on PEX cutters — scissor vs ratcheting, why an angled cut causes leaks later, and how to tell when the blade is done.
Read more: Best PEX Cutters: Why a Square Cut Decides the Joint
Best Solder and Flux for Copper Pipe (What Actually Holds)
A licensed plumber on lead-free solder and water-soluble tinning flux for copper water lines — what to buy, why prep decides the joint, and the sequence that works.
Read more: Best Solder and Flux for Copper Pipe (What Actually Holds)
M12 vs M18 Press Tool: Which Milwaukee Should You Buy?
The decision is pipe size and almost nothing else. What Milwaukee actually publishes for each tool — and what they don’t.
Read more: M12 vs M18 Press Tool: Which Milwaukee Should You Buy?
SharkBite vs ProPress: Which No-Torch System Should You Use?
Push-to-connect or press? A licensed plumber on cost per joint, what each system actually does, and the behind-the-wall question settled with the IAPMO listing number.
Read more: SharkBite vs ProPress: Which No-Torch System Should You Use?
Channel Locks vs Pipe Wrench: Which One, and When (Plumber’s Answer)
A pipe wrench bites into round steel and marks everything it touches. Channel locks grip nuts and traps without wrecking them. A licensed plumber on which to reach for, and the mistakes that cost you a fitting.
Read more: Channel Locks vs Pipe Wrench: Which One, and When (Plumber’s Answer)
NIBCO vs Viega Press Fittings: Are They Interchangeable?
Are NIBCO and Viega press fittings interchangeable? A licensed plumber compares the jaws each maker approves, pressure ratings, seals and warranties.
Read more: NIBCO vs Viega Press Fittings: Are They Interchangeable?
RIDGID RP 251 vs Milwaukee M12 & M18 Press Tools: Which to Buy
Real prices and specs compared. The M12 kit stops at 1 inch — reaching 1-1/4 inch costs another $189. A licensed plumber on which press tool actually fits your work.
Read more: RIDGID RP 251 vs Milwaukee M12 & M18 Press Tools: Which to Buy
Best Pipe Threading Machine 2026: RIDGID 300 & More
A pipe threading machine grips the pipe, turns it against cutting dies and cuts a tapered pipe thread (NPT in the US) on steel pipe. If you thread regularly, buy a bench power machine: the top pick here is the RIDGID 300, which RIDGID’s manual lists at 1/8 to 2 inch pipe, a 1/2 HP…
Read more: Best Pipe Threading Machine 2026: RIDGID 300 & More