I’m in love with retractable extension cords that work like the retractable cord in a vacuum cleaner. You pull it out to use it and then yank it to slurp up the cord when done. So fast and tidy. The awkward alternative is to try to untangle long extension cords and wrestle them back again. I’ve put a retractable cord reel in my studio, one in my workshop, and one in my garage that extends to the driveway and street — anywhere I find myself needing power temporarily. You can mount it on a ceiling or wall. I like this Dewenwils reel, which is 30 foot long, and inexpensive ($44). I also use a longer and heavy duty (12 guage) for my shop offered by Amazon’s own generic brand. — KK

I bought this $20 Cartman 39-Piece Tool Set for a young relative moving out on their own. It has everything you would need to handle 99% of the simple repair jobs around an apartment. — MF

The best course I’ve ever taken in workshop skills is a series of YouTube episodes by the British inventor Tim Hunkin. In his Secret Life of Components he goes through all he knows about the “components” you’d use to build something: glues, fasteners, hinges, bearings, switches, springs, etc., and he knows an awful lot. Every minute is crammed with the practical advice of a master craftsman gained over decades of experience. I’m wowed by how much I learned. — KK

I’ve always liked Craftsman screwdrivers because they’re indestructible and have a classic look, so when I saw this set of six small Craftsman screwdrivers for the price of a fancy coffee drink, I couldn’t resist buying them. It includes three slotted and three Phillips head drivers. I used the smallest Phillips driver to repair some eyeglasses. — MF

On my short list of under-appreciated items that every homestead should have is a lightweight movers’ hand truck. I use my hand truck far more than I ever guessed. I use it to haul appliances, bulk beverages or bottled water, boxes of books, 5-gallon tubs of paint, bags of soil — anything remotely heavy that I prefer to roll. If you have a garage of stuff, you’ll use it. And it’s the savior when you help friends move. It’s cheap, too ($40), considering it will outlive me. Taller, slightly heftier ones are slightly more expensive ($63). — KK

If you’re getting started in 3D printing, Billie Ruben’s infographic posters will save you time, money, and frustration. One poster shows how to design shapes that won’t collapse or slide off the plate mid-print. Another helps you select the right design software for your needs, and the third one is a simple (and essential) guide to bed leveling. I’ve been 3D printing stuff for 10 years and learned a lot from these guides. You can buy paper posters here. — MF

The inexpensive Streamlight LED flashlight is so tiny you have to see it to believe it. But it’s much brighter than my smartphone flashlight so I keep it with me in my pocket. It uses 4 button cell batteries (included). — MF

I’ve become a convert to the well-worn workshop practice of covering your worktop with a wide sheet of heavy kraft paper torn from a roll. Especially useful if you are using a multi-use table. Paper on top, I am less concerned with spills, paint, markers. I can jot notes, dimensions, diagrams right onto the sheet. Tiny things don’t disappear into cracks. When done, the paper is ripped up, recycled. There is no feeling like starting a new project with a pristine new cover sheet. 200-foot rolls of kraft paper come in widths of 30 or 36 inches for $20. (I made a short video describing how I made a kraft paper roll dispenser for my studio.) — KK

Thingiverse is a free library of files for printing in 3D. Search or browse for a thing you want and there’s a good chance someone has already designed a model and posted a free version for downloading. Thingiverse has been around a while but I just got my first 3D printer so now I am singing its praises. Some models are easier to print than others, but the files are standard 3D format so you can easily edit, modify, or improve it any way you want. It’s like having a public library of e-things instead of e-books. Its existence is one of the reasons I got a 3D printer. — KK

My friend Bob sent me this video about using super glue and baking soda to fix broken plastic parts. When it cures it is rock hard. I used this material to repair a broken dimmer switch knob and it didn’t break when I intentionally tried to snap it between my hands. — MF

I’ve been making my own coiled cables thanks to a tip I learned from Gareth Branwyn’s Tips newsletter (which we co-publish). Gareth pointed me to a John Park’s YouTube tutorial on heat treating ordinary USB cables into expandable coiled cables, like the ones on old telephone handsets, or headphones. (Jump to the 23-minute mark.) The hack really works and results in much more manageable cables for audio, photography, and desktop gear. — KK

Like magic, my 12-foot ladder will telescope down to less than 3 feet. I can throw this Telescoping Aluminum Ladder in the trunk of my car, but more importantly, I can effortlessly move it through our house under my arm when I need to reach high ceiling bulbs or skylights, etc. It collapses instantly when done and stores in a closet. It’s what a home ladder should be. There are a bunch of no-brand models, almost identical, for about $100. — KK

Sugru is a moldable rubber material you can use to repair things. When you open a pouch, it has the consistency of Silly Putty. You have about 5-10 minutes to work with it, then it begins to cure. After 24 hours it’s like hard rubber. It sticks to almost anything, including plastic and glass. I’ve used Sugru over the years to fix and modify dozens of things, from worn cables to a broken icemaker. An 8-pack is currently on sale for $12. — MF

I feel kinda dumb I had not figured this out earlier. We’ve managed to replace all the batteries in our household with rechargeable batteries, except for those 9-volt batteries. The ones with the two nipples on top that are in things like smoke alarms. But you can get rechargeable 9 volt batteries! Duh. As the current 9-volts die off, I’m swapping them out with these AmazonBasics 9-volt Rechargeables. I use this HTRC all-battery charger to charge them. — KK

Plywood is an underrated material. But the really good stuff can be hard to find. Baltic Birch plywood is a super-duper version of plywood with many thin layers without voids that is as sturdy as metal, but lighter and much easier to use. You can fabricate things from it that you otherwise might use metal or plastic. But real Baltic plywood is hard to find. Big box stores like HomeDepot and Lowes often carry Birch plywood that is hard wood only on the outside layers; inside is softwood, which is okay but not great. I found I could get real, dense, all hardwood Baltic Birch plywood online in smaller sheets. For the kind of projects you’d want to use super plywood for (jigs, boxes, toys, prototypes), you don’t need, or want, large sheets. These 20x30 inch ¾ inch thick sheets ($16) from Woodworker Source are perfect for me. — KK

Don’t toss a can of spray paint out — or any spray can — because it’s clogged. I keep a bunch of inexpensive replacement caps (mostly sold to graffiti artists) on hand to fix this problem. Swap a new cap in and the can is like new. I’ve mentioned this hack before but this sample bag from The Yard Art Supply ($14) has a better variety of 50 male and female caps to fit any can. — KK

Because the batteries of cordless power tools cost almost as much as the tools themselves, I, like everyone else, tended to lock into one tool brand to make the most of shared batteries. But new inexpensive adapters allow me to use my existing set of batteries for any brand of tool. I can now get the best bargain tool no matter the brand of battery. This guy (Sixtyfiveford) on YouTube has compiled a fantastic list of cordless battery adapters for any of the 60 different possible tool/battery brand combinations. Check his shownotes for the purchase links. — KK

Setting up a charger in your garage to charge an electric car is currently more complicated than it should be. This primer in Forbes by Brad Templeton is a good rundown on what to expect and how to do it the cheapest. — KK

If you do soldering work, I recommend getting a pair of these Hakko micro cutters. They’ll cut copper wires flush with the blob of solder, making your work look tidy. And they cost just $7.60 on Amazon. — MF

I’ve recently discovered magswitches. These are magnets you can turn off and on. I use them in my workshop to hold down fences, stops, and featherboards. When they are turned on, you can’t move them. When off, they lift off instantly. They are non-electronic; the switch is an ingenious mechanical contraption hidden inside a very tiny case. You can buy fixtures with magswitches built in, or you can buy the switches to make your own devices. I found that even a single magswitch alone, such as the small MagJig 95 ($26), is a useful stop in the workshop because you can position it anywhere quickly on a metal surface and have it instantly hold. — KK