Gear Guides

Just moved in? Start with the new homeowner shopping list, which puts everything below in the order you'll need it.

The right gear makes home maintenance dramatically easier — and the wrong gear wastes money in a drawer. These guides compare the categories first (what you actually need from a tool kit or a leak detector), then name specific products worth considering. Product links will earn us a commission if you buy through them — at no extra cost to you — and are always marked “(paid link)”.

Start here

• The New Homeowner Shopping List: What to Buy First, and What Can Wait (2026)Safety gear first, then the starter toolkit, storm and freeze prep, and the upgrades that can wait.Read the guide
• Practical Gifts for New Homeowners: Housewarming and Holiday Ideas (2026)Housewarming and holiday gifts a first-time homeowner will actually use, from safety basics to everyday tools and outdoor gear.Read the guide

Storms and power outages

• Best Generators for Home Backup: Portable Generators and Power Stations (2026)Sizing, CO shutoff, and safe hookups, plus Champion, Westinghouse, Honda, and a battery power station.Read the guide
• Best Portable Power Stations for Home Backup (2026)Watt-hours decoded, what a battery can really run, and Anker and EcoFlow stations that are safe to use indoors.Read the guide
• Best NOAA Weather Radios for Power Outages and Winter Storms (2026)Alert radios that wake you for warnings in your county, crank radios for the outage kit, and how to set your SAME code.Read the guide
• Best Sump Pumps and Battery Backups for First-Time Homeowners (2026)Zoeller and Wayne primaries, a battery backup, and the emergency pump to keep on a shelf.Read the guide

Winter: snow, ice, and cold

• Best Snow Blowers for Every Driveway: Battery, Gas, Corded, and Lightweight Picks (2026)Five picks matched to your driveway, from a light cordless power shovel to a 26-inch gas two-stage snow blower.Read the guide
• Best Snow Shovels and Ice Melt for First-Time Homeowners (2026)Pusher vs. scoop, how cold each ice melt works, safe shoveling, and Suncast, True Temper, Snow Joe, and Safe Paw picks.Read the guide
• Best Roof Rakes for Clearing Snow and Preventing Ice Dams (2026)Non-metallic rakes, reach, slide vs. pull, power line safety, and Avalanche! picks for clearing the eaves.Read the guide
• Best Roof De-Icing Cables for Ice Dams and Gutters (2026)What heat cables can and can't do about ice dams, which roofs they fit, how to size a kit, and the makers' safety rules.Read the guide
• Best Heat Tape and Heat Cable for Freeze-Prone Pipes (2026)Self-regulating vs. thermostat cable, the CPSC's fire rules, and Raychem, Frost King, and EasyHeat picks.Read the guide
• Best Space Heaters (2026): Durable, Safe Picks for Drafty Rooms and Family HomesSix 1,500-watt heaters with tip-over shutoff: cool-touch picks for kids and pets, warranties compared, and a pick for each room.Read the guide
• Best Weatherstripping, Door Sweeps, and Draft Stoppers for Older Homes (2026)How to find drafts, which seal fits which gap, and Frost King and Duck picks for doors and windows.Read the guide
• Best Window Insulation Kits: Shrink Film for Drafty Windows (2026)Shrink-film kits for drafty windows, how to put them up so they seal, and which windows to leave free for a fire escape.Read the guide

Safety, alarms, and leaks

• Best Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms for First-Time Homeowners (2026)10-year sealed, hardwired, and smart picks from Kidde and First Alert, plus where each one goes.Read the guide
• Best Home Fire Extinguishers for First-Time Homeowners (2026)Kitchen, every-level, and garage picks from First Alert and Kidde, plus PASS and when to get out instead.Read the guide
• Best Water Leak Detectors (2026): Smart Sensors and Simple AlarmsSmart Wi-Fi and hub sensors vs. simple battery alarms, plus where to put them: water heater, washer, sinks, sump.Read the guide
• Best Radon Test Kits and Monitors for Homeowners (2026)Lab kits vs digital monitors, how to test the EPA way, and what your radon number actually means.Read the guide

Air, comfort, and smart home

• Best Smart Thermostats for First-Time Homeowners (2026)ecobee, Google Nest, and Amazon compared — C-wire requirements and savings.Read the guide
• Best HVAC Furnace Filters — and How Often to Actually Change Them (2026)MERV ratings explained, change schedules, and three filters compared.Read the guide
• Best Humidifiers for Dry Winter Air in a New Home (2026)Evaporative, ultrasonic, and warm mist compared, the EPA's cleaning rules, and four picks for dry winter rooms.Read the guide
• Best Dehumidifiers for Basements and Damp Homes (2026)ENERGY STAR sizing, pint ratings decoded, and certified Frigidaire and Midea picks, plus when you need 50 pints.Read the guide
• Best Smart Locks and Keypad Deadbolts for First-Time Homeowners (2026)Why a new smart deadbolt fixes the old-keys problem, plus Schlage, Kwikset, August, and Yale picks.Read the guide
• Best Wired and Battery Video Doorbells for First-Time Homeowners (2026)Wired vs battery, transformer checks, and which Ring, Nest, and eufy doorbells save clips without a paid plan.Read the guide

Tools, yard, and outside

• Starter Tool Kits and Cordless Drills for First-Time Homeowners (2026)A hand-tool kit plus a cordless drill/driver: five picks, drill vs impact, battery platforms, and which bits to buy.Read the guide
• Best Ladders and Step Stools for First-Time Homeowners (2026)A step stool, a 6-foot stepladder, and a multi-position ladder, plus the duty ratings and rules that matter.Read the guide
• Best Wet/Dry Shop Vacs for Leaks, Basements, and Cleanup (2026)Tank size, filters, and the safety rules for water, plus Craftsman, Shop-Vac, and Milwaukee picks.Read the guide
• Best Pressure Washers for First-Time Homeowners (2026)Electric vs gas, PSI vs GPM, the nozzle that ruins siding, and four picks from light-duty to driveway-grade.Read the guide
• Best Leaf Blowers for a First Yard: Battery, Corded, and Gas (2026)CFM vs MPH, battery vs corded vs gas, hearing and fuel safety, and EGO, DeWalt, Toro, and Husqvarna picks.Read the guide
• Best Gutter Cleaning Tools — No Ladder Required (2026)Telescoping wands, pole scoops, and hand scoops — clean gutters from the ground.Read the guide
• The Starter Yard Tool Set Every New Homeowner Needs (2026)Pruners, loppers, a real shovel, rakes, and a hose that does not kink, plus what can wait until next year.Read the guide

New to DIY? Read our DIY vs. hire-a-pro guide before buying anything — it tells you which jobs are actually worth doing yourself.