25 Best Gifts That Will Last a Lifetime: Home Goods, Tools, and DIY Gifts

Estwing gives you everything you want out of this essential workshop hand tool at an affordable price. Its 16-ounce weight finds the sweet spot between hammering power and ease of use. With its one-piece steel construction, it’s incredibly durable while offering comfort with a cushioned rubber grip. 

What our tester says: “A true joy to use, it’s well-balanced, absorbs shock well, and is incredibly durable. It drove nails without issue and removed them with similar ease.” –Tom Scalisi, Product Reviews tester and writer. 

Milwaukee’s power tools may come with a premium price tag, but they also offer superior performance and, with the exception of the batteries, will last forever. We recommend going with one of the most used tools in a DIYers workshop with this drill/driver kit, which comes with two batteries and a charger. 

DeWalt’s socket sets are a great choice for home mechanics. This particular set offers a great selection of SAE and metric sizes in both standard and deep socket options. It also has some nice extras, including bit drivers, and socket adapters for an impact driver. With features like Direct Torque technology and offset corners that prevent rounding off fasteners, it’s a quality socket set for home mechanics. 

This double-sided acacia cutting board is at home in the back of the house for food prep and in front of the house for entertaining with its double-sided design. On one side is a flat cutting board for cutting, complete with a groove for catching meat juices. Flip it over, and the board is ideal for serving hors d’oeuvres with a carved out well designed to hold crackers.  

Stanley’s Fat Max retractable utility knife has an ergonomic handle with a rubberized grip that prevents it from slipping out of the hand. A pop-up blade dispenser makes blade changes easier and there’s a built-in wiper that removes dirt from the blade when you retract it. It’s everything you’ll ever need out of this essential workshop tool. 

These aren’t your average loppers. Corona Tools’ take on this essential yard management tool features a dual link system that compounds its cutting force, allowing it to cut branches up to 1-3/4 inches in diameter. The gel grips add cushioning that makes it easy on the hands, and there’s also a bumper system that reduces shock on your arms when it cuts through branches. With its aluminum construction, you won’t need to buy another set of loppers. 

This old school nozzle is durable and easy to operate with a twist barrel that allows you to adjust the spray pattern and flow volume on the fly whether you’re washing a car, cleaning off a deck, or watering the yard. It’s a little pricier than other nozzle attachments, but it’s also made entirely from solid brass, so it will last far longer than nozzles with plastic parts. 

This unique looking shovel is just one of the ergonomic garden tools that Radius produces. Its O-shaped handle quadruples the gripping surface of a traditional garden shovel, so you can produce more leverage with less stress on your hands and wrist. The overmolded elastomer handle is also more comfortable to grip than a standard wooden handle. The blade is also slightly cupped, so it can dig more easily in rocky and clay soil. 

Not much has changed with the Stanley PowerLock tape measure, which has been a staple in many home workshops for decades. And that’s perfectly fine. The classic design of this 25 foot tape measure, which is the top pick in our Best Tape Measures guide, features a Tru-Zero end for accuracy and a Mylar coated blade that can hold up to years of abuse. It also has a rock solid locking mechanism that won’t wear out. 

What our tester says: “This tape is highly accurate and durable, and since it has a clip for easy carrying on a pocket or belt, it’s a tape measure we find ourselves relying on time and time again.”—Glenda Taylor, Product Reviews tester and writer

With its rock-solid cast-iron construction, this is the only bench vise you’ll ever need to buy, which is why it’s the top pick in or best bench vises guide. As our tester found, its jaws operate smoothly and securely hold all manner of materials, from pipe fittings to wood to iron bars with no slipping. The jaws open smoothly with no play or hanging, and the base swivels, making it easier to position materials, so you can work on them.

Lodge cast-iron skillets don’t just last a lifetime; they’re often passed down from one generation to the next. Create a new heirloom in your family by gifting this classic cast-iron skillet. It’s a commonly used 10.25-inch size and features a teardrop handle. You can put it right to use as it’s pre-seasoned. Since it’s virtually indestructible, you can use Lodge cast iron skillets on a range, in the oven, on a grill, or even over an open campfire. 

Little Giant’s multi-position ladder comes with a steeper price tag than most, but it’s worth it for its durability and versatility. It can function as an A-frame ladder, extension ladder, stair ladder, and as a 90-degree wall position ladder. With its ability to take so many shapes and durable aluminum construction, it’s the only ladder you’ll need.