The Essential Plumbing Tools Every Professional Needs in 2024

Best plumbing tools
keyKey Takeaways:
  • Plumbers need the best tools to complete their minor or huge repairs.
  • The effectiveness and productivity of a plumber can be increased by making investments in high-quality tools and machinery, such as power tools and drain cleaning machines.
  • Plumbing professionals may maintain their competitiveness and stay updated about new technologies and techniques by keeping up with industry news and trends.
  • Building a solid reputation and obtaining recurring business requires great customer service, such as being on time and keeping the workspace clean.

“Get some knee pads or a rectangular kneeling pad. Save your life.” This blunt piece of advice from a seasoned plumber on Reddit highlights a crucial aspect of the trade often overlooked by aspiring apprentices – your health. 

Starting a plumbing apprenticeship is an exciting step towards a rewarding career. While mastering the skills is essential, having the right plumbing tools can make or break your experience – and your body. 

This guide provides a comprehensive plumbing tools list curated specifically for first-year apprentices, ensuring you’re equipped for success from day one. 

We’ll cover must-have tools, delve into insights from a recent Reddit discussion on apprentice tool kits, and offer expert advice on maximizing efficiency and protecting your long-term health.

Without further ado, let’s take a look at the best plumbing tools list.

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Table of Contents

Understanding the Role of Plumbers and Their Essential Tools

Plumbers install and maintain piping systems for water, gas, and other materials in homeowners, workplaces, and factories. They install plumbing fixtures such as toilets and bathtubs, as well as appliances such as water heaters and dishwashers. They unclog drains, repair or replace damaged fixtures and pipes, and clean drains.

Plumbers require the best tools in order to carry out their small or large repair works. When purchasing the best plumbing tools for the business, remember that purchasing everything at once is unnecessary. Generally, starting with a few key services you excel at and become well-known for is best. Then, as you can afford more tools, gradually add more services to meet the specific needs of plumbing businesses.

While you will need to select tools based on the plumbing services you choose to provide, here is a list of the best tools for plumbers required for your business:

Wrenches and Pipework Tools: The Backbone of Your Toolkit

Tool Purpose Characteristics
Basin Wrench Repairing faucets T-shaped, clamp mechanism for tight spaces
Pipe Wrench Loosen/tighten pipework nuts/fittings Adjustable jaw, often used in pairs
Adjustable Wrench Tighten/loosen hexagonal nuts/pipe fittings Adjustable jaw, versatile for various tasks
Tube/Plastic Pipe Cutter Cutting pipes Designed for specific pipe materials, often with a rotating blade
Plumber’s Torch Sealing copper piping Creates heat for soldering, essential for new installations
Thread Sealing Tape Preventing leaks Used to seal threaded pipe joints, various types available

You’ll need a variety of wrenches when removing or tightening bolts and nuts in the plumbing. To complete your task properly, you’ll need about four different wrenches. You can get by with just standard-sized wrenches if you’re on a tight budget. However, if you have the means, we recommend buying plumbing hardware sets.

Wrenches - best plumbing tools

1. Basin wrenches

The purpose of the basin wrench is to repair faucets and it is T-shaped. They have a clamp mechanism that allows them to reach into tight spaces and tighten nuts and bolts found on faucet plumbing that are difficult to access.

Price range: $15 – $25

Available on:

2. Faucet key

This isn’t a wrench, but it’s an important tool in any plumber’s arsenal. These are used to open and close sillcocks and spigots. You’ll have to work on fixtures at some point if you want to be a serious plumber.

Price Range: $5 – $20

Available on: 

3. Pipe wrenches

This is the most common wrench majority of plumbers use. The pipe wrench is essential for loosening and tightening pipework nuts and fittings. They typically use two of these wrenches at once, one to hold the pipe in place as they rotate the nut or fitting into the correct position. The majority of plumbers employ a full set of pipe wrenches in various lengths.

Price range: $10 – $30

Available on: 

4. Adjustable wrenches

An adjustable wrench can be used for a variety of tasks. It works best with hexagonal nuts, commonly found on various pipes. The adjustable wrench tightens and loses hexagonal nuts and pipe fittings. 

As a plumber, a major part of your time will be spent working on pipes. To complete this task successfully, a variety of tools will be required. Knowing how to use these tools to cut pipes and create seals is necessary in order to work with pipes.

Price range: $10 – $40

Available on:

Tube and plastic pipe cutters

As a plumber, a major part of your time will be spent working on pipes. To complete this task successfully, a variety of plumbing tools will be required. Knowing how to use these tools to cut pipes and create seals is necessary to work with pipes.

Price range: $10–$40

Available on:  

Pipework - best plumbing tools

7. Plumber’s torch

Many plumbers use solder to seal copper piping. Heat is required for soldering. Plumber’s torches will allow you to apply intense heat to specific areas while soldering and sealing new piping for installs and replacements. They should be on your tool list.

Price Range: $15 – $40

Available on: 

8. Hacksaw

Plumbers use hacksaws to cut through various hardware such as pipes, nuts, bolts, and screws. This is difficult work, and you must keep their blades tightly secured and spare blades in the truck. A hole saw is another useful tool to have in your toolbox.

Price range: $10 – $49

Available on:

9. Thread sealing tape

The tape is used to carefully stop small leaks or, in the beginning, prevent potential leaks from happening. They can also be used to strengthen and prevent potential leaks at threaded joint connections, ensuring that they seal pipe threads effectively. Although there are numerous types of sealing tape, only high-quality tape should be used.

Price range: $7 – $12

Available on: 

10. Pliers

You need pliers to work on pipes. You will use them frequently, just like with a wrench. Slammer pliers are a good choice because you’ll probably work in small spaces. These are great for getting to bolts and nuts that wrenches can’t reach.

Get the smallest size you can since you’ll primarily use these pliers for cramming into tight spaces.

Price range: $15 – $100

Available on: 

11. Press fitting systems

You’re only a plumber if you can connect pipes. These fitting systems will help you make a watertight seal that stops water from leaking by physically pressing two pipes together. They enable plumbers to connect to them more quickly than they can weld or solder the pipes, saving them both money and time.

Price range: $80 – $150

Available on: 

12. Tube benders

A tube or pipe bender is used to bend pipes into various shapes in order for them to fit into the space where they will be installed. It can be used to shape a pipe to match an existing pipe that needs to be replaced or bend pipes around corners.

Pricing: $30 – $100

Available on: 

13. Reaming tools

This is a plumbing tool that enlarges pipe openings and holes. Even though most projects won’t need it, at some point, it will be necessary. It’s a good idea to keep this tool close by at all times. You can put off purchasing this tool if you have a tight budget. They aren’t cheap, so you won’t be saving much cash.

Price range: $20 – $40

Available on:

14. Acid flux brush

This brush is necessary to apply the proper paste to copper pipes before soldering. Even though it’s a basic plumbing tool, it’s essential whenever copper pipes need to be soldered. You don’t need to make a sizable investment to use this tool.

Price range: $5 – $10

Available on: 

15. Metal file

When cutting pipes, metal files are an excellent tool to have on hand. After the pipe is cut, a metal file is used to smooth the rough edges. This can be used on all types of pipes, including plastic and metal.

Price range: $10 – $80

Available on:

Clearing clogs and blockages

Tool Purpose Characteristics
Drain Inspection Camera Visualizing clogs Small camera on a flexible cable, often connected to a smartphone
Hand Auger Unclogging drain lines Circular, handheld device with a corkscrew auger
Drain Snake Machine Unclogging drain lines Powered version of a hand auger, more powerful for tough clogs
Plunger Clearing clogs Rubber cup used to create suction and dislodge blockages

Sometimes the issue isn’t with the pipe but with what’s inside, and drain cleaning is essential to any plumber’s job. A good plumber knows how to work around a stubborn clog and which plumbing power tools are required to keep a homeowner’s plumbing clear and running smoothly.

Clearing clogs and blockages plumbing tools

16. Drain inspection cameras (Borescopes)

These small cameras are attached to a long, flexible cable and inserted into drains and sewer lines to provide a better view of the piping and whatever obstructs it. These cameras can be directly connected to your smartphones, making them convenient.

Price range: $30–$200

Available on: 

17. Hand augers

These circular, handheld devices can drive a cable through a pipe. It comprises a flexible metal wire with a corkscrew auger on end, which is used to unclog drain lines. In recent years, these tools have become a standard on a plumbing tools’ list.

There are numerous models available, each with its own set of capabilities. Choose the one that best meets your requirements.

Price range: $20 – $40

Available on:

18. Drain snake machine

They are more powerful and larger versions of the hand auger. They’re easier to use than a hand auger and can handle tough clogs. They have significantly more power than a hand auger.

Price range: $50 – $300

Available on: 

19. Plungers

Plungers are an important tool for clearing clogs. Most clogs can be removed quickly with a plunger. This should be your first step in removing any clogs. If a plunger is ineffective, you must advance to more powerful plumbing hand tools.

Price range: $15 – $30

Available on: 

Plumbing safety tools

Tool Purpose Characteristics
Heat Shield Protecting from soldering heat Barrier between plumber and hot torch
Goggles Protecting eyes Shields from debris, sparks, and contaminated water
Gloves Protecting hands Provides protection from chemicals and sharp objects

Plumbing is not typically considered a dangerous occupation. However, you will need some proper safety equipment. After all, you frequently use hot tools such as blowtorches. The following plumbing tools list contains essential safety equipment for even the most basic plumbing jobs.

Plumbing safety tools

20. Heat shields

To keep yourself safe while soldering, use a heat shield. You’ll need them to shield yourself and the surrounding area from the torch’s heat. It prevents unnecessary fires from starting when flammable materials become too hot near the soldering torch. You should invest in dependable heat shields to ensure that the heat does not harm the surrounding environment.

Price range: $30 – $60

Available on: 

21. Goggles

As a plumber, your eyes can be harmed by various factors. While inspecting pipes and leaks, contaminated water, metal shavings, and sparks can cause eye damage. Always wear goggles when performing plumbing work.

Price range: $15 – $20

Available on: 

22. Gloves

You should also have a nice pair of gloves on hand at all times. You’ll most likely be touching things with your bare hands that you shouldn’t. So, we suggest that you buy heavy-duty gloves.

Price range: $10 – $15

Available on:

Beyond the Basics: Tools That Experienced Plumbers Swear By

Tool Purpose Characteristics
Putty Knife Applying/removing caulk/toilet wax Used for sealing joints and fixtures
Stubby Screwdriver Tightening/loosening screws in tight spaces Shorter handle for better access in confined areas
PEX Pipe Expander and Fittings Connecting PEX pipes Expands pipe to fit fittings, creating a secure seal
Propane Torch Heating for soldering Portable torch using propane as fuel
Crimpers Securing pipe connections Deforms crimp ring or pipe to create a seal
Tube Benders Bending pipes Specialized tool for shaping pipes into various angles
Pipe Volume and Flow Rate Calculator Estimating pipe volume and flow Calculates water volume and flow rate in pipes

Consider adding some additional plumbing tools to your toolbox. Many of these are superfluous. You could get by without them for the majority of basic plumbing tasks. They can make your job much easier if you have the extra money and space. However, some smaller plumbing businesses might find them less essential because of financial and space constraints.

Other essential plumbing tools

23. Putty knife

This is an easy-to-use tool. It is used for applying and removing caulk and toilet wax residue. While this is a low-cost tool, it is also required when working with putty.

Price range: $5 – $15

Available on: 

24. Stubby screwdriver

Despite its simplicity in comparison to other tools, plumbers should consider the stubby screwdriver to be a must-have on any plumbing tools list. It could be a lifesaver for a plumber who needs to loosen or tighten a screw in a hard-to-reach area that a standard or electric screwdriver cannot reach.

Price range: $20 – $60

Available on: 

25. PEX pipe expander and fittings

This one-of-a-kind pipe system is far more user-friendly than traditional pipes. It is malleable and can be expanded to widen the pipe’s mouth. The metal fitting can then be inserted. Because the pipe retains its shape after stretching, it quickly closes around the metal fitting, forming a seal that prevents water from passing through.

Price range: $30 – $200

Available on: 

26. Propane torch

Plumber’s propane torches are the most common type of torch in a plumber’s toolbox because they are one of the inexpensive types of torches, and the propane used for fuel is easy to store. Look for a torch that you can easily operate to meld metals together using a process known as “sweating.” 

To sum up, this diverse list of plumbing tools for apprentices, from wrenches to plungers, is your guide to success in any plumbing project.

Price range: $20 – $50

Available on: 

27. Crimpers

A crimper helps secure connections between pipes and fittings. It has unique jaws to help you deform the crimp ring or the pipe and ring to seal the gaps so there are no leakages.

Price range: $10 – $60

Available on: 

28. Tube benders

A tube bender is a specialized tool that plumbers use to bend pipe and tube at various angles while making sure that they don’t crimp or collapse them.

Price range: $100 – $300

Available on:

29. Pipe volume and flow rate calculator

A pipe volume calculator helps estimate the volume of a pipe and the amount of liquid that flows through it. It helps to know the exact volume of water in a pipe that helps design an irrigation system keeping that measure in mind.

Streamlining Plumbing Operations with Upper Route Planner

Businesses associated with deliveries, daily visits, or field service often spend more time on route planning. So, if you can switch to an automated route planning process for managing plumbing operations, you don’t have to spend time planning routes. Just use your resources to the fullest, get the job done promptly, and win customers’ satisfaction.

Finding the best routes can be a tough task for any business since this is a tiring job that requires hours of manual work and is prone to errors. But we have job routing software that takes all of your stress out of planning and helps you boost your business productivity.

Here’s how Upper can be your best bet in terms of route planning. 

Route planning and optimization

Upper comes equipped with an intelligent and powerful algorithm that quickly finds an optimal route for your daily visits. This route will consider locations and will come up with a route that will help you reduce time and up to 40% of your fuel costs.  

If your plumbing business has more than one plumber, it will get tough to assign jobs to different plumbers. Upper’s algorithm can help you create different routes for different plumbers. This will reduce your stress and will help you accommodate more jobs. 

Proof of job completion

Upper comes equipped with a feature to get the clients’ signatures digitally. You can also add pictures. This reduces the need for any manual work regarding the job’s status and helps you keep proofs saved in the cloud-based storage.

One-click dispatch

If you are running a plumbing business and have multiple plumbers working with you,  it may get a little tricky to keep track of all the plumbers and assign jobs to them. The dispatch option will let you send the routes to your plumbers with just a single click, thus reducing the task of manually addressing them.

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Its main function is to provide a watertight seal for pipe connections without a rubber seal, such as when a metal nut is needed to tighten the threaded end of a metal pipe. Specifically, it’s incredibly valuable for guaranteeing secure and leak-free threaded pipe joints.

SmartDraw, renowned as the best plumbing software, is a quick and easy tool for designing piping and equipment. The program includes many industrial templates and mechanical engineering symbols for HVAC, ducts, instrumentation, and piping.

Faucet keys are a necessary tool for opening and closing spigots and sillcocks. They are tiny, X-shaped instruments with different-sized stem fittings.

Conclusion

Like any other business, plumbing also relies on customer experience. This is one of the businesses where word of mouth will increase the customer base. To achieve this, ensure you keep upgrading your skills and are equipped with the essential plumbing tools for apprentices and software that will help you stand out from the crowd.

If you are handling a large team and want to get rid of frequent call-ups, Upper is all you need. Upper aims for providing a better customer experience with its unique features and ensures your team completes the tasks in the given time window.

Author Bio
Rakesh Patel
Rakesh Patel

Rakesh Patel, author of two defining books on reverse geotagging, is a trusted authority in routing and logistics. His innovative solutions at Upper Route Planner have simplified logistics for businesses across the board. A thought leader in the field, Rakesh's insights are shaping the future of modern-day logistics, making him your go-to expert for all things route optimization. Read more.

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