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Everything you need before day one: what to buy, and what to skip for now. Most of these are affordable hand tools you will use daily.
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Essential tools for day one
Most employers provide larger equipment. This list covers the personal hand tools you bring yourself.
Pipe wrench set
The signature plumbing tool; grips and turns threaded pipe.
Get a couple of sizes; quality matters here.
Adjustable wrenches
For fittings, supply lines, and compression nuts.
Tongue-and-groove pliers
Grips pipes and fittings across many sizes.
Basin wrench
Reaches the tight nuts behind sinks and faucets.
Tubing cutter
Makes clean, square cuts in copper and PEX.
Deburring tool / reamer
Cleans the inside edge of every cut pipe for a proper joint.
Hacksaw
Cuts pipe, bolts, and metal where a tubing cutter will not fit.
Plunger and hand auger
Clears clogged drains and toilets on most service calls.
Screwdrivers and nut drivers
Everyday fixture and fastener work.
Level and tape measure
Sets correct pipe slope and layout.
Tool bag and headlamp
Keeps tools on you; under-sink and crawlspace work is dark.
You can add these later as you progress.
Torch kit for soldering
Sweats copper joints.
Many companies provide this for safety and liability reasons.
Power drain auger
Clears deep main-line clogs.
Often a shop machine; employers usually provide one.
Press tool
Makes crimped joints without an open flame.
Expensive; usually employer-provided early on.
Pipe threading machine
Cuts threads on larger pipe.
A shop tool, not something you buy first.
Inspection camera
Sends a camera down drains to locate blockages.
Usually company-owned.
Wet/dry shop vacuum
Cleans up water and debris on the job.
Buy used where you can. Quality wrenches and hand tools from a marketplace can cost a fraction of new.
Employers usually provide the big machines like drain augers and press tools, so ask before buying your own.
Invest in a good pipe wrench set. It is the tool you will reach for most, and cheap ones round off fittings.
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