5. Stud Finder - When they first came out many years ago, I was not a big fan of this tool. It always seemed that I could find the stud better than the "stud finder." But nowadays they make stud finders that are easy to operate and, more important, they're pretty accurate. Keep in mind my golden rule with studs: You'll never find a stud when you're looking for one, but you'll always find a stud whenever you're trying to avoid one!

4. Chalk Line - A really fun tool! When you need a long straight line to mark things like sheets of plywood, just give the canister that holds the line a shake, stretch out the line like a fishing reel, give it a snap, and magically a perfect straight line appears. This tool is very old-school and very easy to use. No batteries needed!

3. Torpedo Level - This is a very accurate nine-inch long, impact-resistant level that will fit in most toolboxes. Its bigger brothers, the two-foot and four-foot levels, can be inconvenient to carry around and hold when you work alone. Most torpedo levels also have magnetic strips that attach to metal surfaces for "hands free" operation. This is one of those tools you'll find yourself using a lot!

2. Grabbing Tool or Mechanical Grip - It's called a few different names in different areas of the country, but there's no mistaking what this tool does: It grabs objects in very narrow tight spaces such as a drain line or a garbage disposer. It's a small flexible auger with a button that can be depressed on one end. When the button is pushed, four tiny metal fingers come out of the opposite end, and once the fingers wrap around the object, releasing the button will "grip" or "grab" hold of the object. Hence the name.

1. Toilet Auger - This is my number one choice because it will save you the most money on service calls. This is the granddaddy of all toilet tools! When a plunger just won't cut it and it's time to send in the big guns, grab your trusty auger. This is a short, stocky, flexible steel snake about four feet long, with a crank handle on top. Use care because it can easily scratch the bowl, but in my book, (Also a nice present.) a toilet auger is the gift that keeps on giving!