It’s easy to run into issues where you wish you had the right tools for an appliance repair job. There will be instances where a repair that should have been done within an hour ends up being delayed for a day or two just because you didn’t have the correct hand tool or screw. Some tenured appliance technicians have experienced nightmare scenarios before they learned which essential tools they should carry in their bags. To help you avoid being caught in those kinds of situations, here’s a list of must-have appliance repair tools:
Digital Multimeter
Every appliance tech needs a multimeter. Multimeters are used for testing electrical components and are a must for the job, especially when dealing with electrical parts of appliances. Since you will be using them a lot, it’s important to invest time finding a good multimeter. It’s ideal to get a digital unit that has an amp clamp. Some of the most recommended multimeter brands are Fieldpiece, Fluke, and Klein. You can also learn more about multimeters here.
Hand Tools
Some of the items in this list might already be in your own toolbox. These tools can help you get into tight spaces and more or less cover what you need to quickly get to parts that frequently need cleaning and maintenance.
- A set of magnetic screwdrivers (Philips and Standard)
- Cordless Drill (Recommended brand: Milwaukee)
- Nut Driver set (¼ – ½)
- Needle nose pliers
- Diagonal Cutters
- Wire Cutters
- Putty Knife (Used a lot in laundry appliances, good for accessing panels, lids, & unlatching consoles)
- Set of Sockets (Metric and Standard)
- Torx bits
- Crescent wrench
- Channel locks
- Vise grips
- Pick Set
- Flashlight
- Mini ¼ ratchets
Special Tools
Make sure that you know which OEMs and appliances you will be working on most of the time. If you’re going to work on a lot of washers, a Whirlpool/Maytag bearing tool is going to be very useful in removing and setting bearings for top load washers. Samsung/Kenmore spanner nut wrenches would also be helpful in taking out the basket of a top load washer. A steamer would be very handy if you deal with a lot of refrigerators since most of the time, it’s going to be a defrost problem. It’s also important to note that special tools, such as the ones mentioned above, may require additional training to use them properly.
*Note: Specialty tools may require additional training.
Miscellaneous Tools
They may be called “miscellaneous” but there would be times that they can be a lifesaver. Missing some hard to find screws? Oh, you already have one aside. You may not always need them, but you never know unless it happens. They could easily save you unnecessary trips to the hardware store. Here’s a list of things you might want to bring along:
- Electrical tape, duct, foil vent tape
- Hammer and mallet
- Wire nuts and spade connectors
- Assortment screws – you can never have enough and will never know when you need
- Electric Drill
- PB blaster penetrating spray for cleaning washers
- Extension cord
- Soldering iron
- Extra wires for splicing
- Flashlights
- Moving blanket
- Moving Slide
- Microwave foam blocks
- 2×4 for propping machines
- Work gloves
- Pens and a notepad
- Step ladder
- Collapsible Bucket
Getting the job done in an efficient manner builds trust and credibility from clients so you want to make sure that your tool bag is up to date and ready for any job. To learn more about how to use appliance repair tools, visit Nana Academy for free basic training on the most commonly used tools of the trade.