Your best electrician purchase that improved your daily workflow?

[Alan]

Let's make this a useful thread for new electricians who want to spend money wisely the first time. What tool really helped you get more done, saved you time, or helped you avoid making silly mistakes? What job made you realize you had to have it?

Also interested in the other side. What tool did you think would change the game, but it ended up staying in the bag because it wasn't worth the trouble?

Put down the tool and give a quick example from real life. That's a lot more helpful than a brand war.

 

[Loto_Arusu]

A circuit tracer changed my workflow the most. It saves time and it keeps me from guessing on unlabeled panels. The tool I thought would be a game changer but lives in the bag is a fancy multi bit system that is always the wrong bit when I need it.

 

[ZekeVonGenbu]

Best purchase for me was a non contact voltage tester plus a basic plug in outlet tester. It stopped me from trusting labels and guessing. Worst buy was a cheap no name multitool set, it felt handy but the bits stripped fast and I stopped reaching for it.