Toolbox
The tools and parts our guides reach for, grouped by job, each with how hard it is to use. Start with the guide, then come back for the kit.
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Picked from specifications and published reviews, not tested by us. Badges: Easy needs no experience, Medium needs care and the right size, Pro is usually fitted by a plumber.
Toilets and cisterns
Parts for a toilet that runs, refills slowly or rocks on its seals.
- Easy
Universal 2-inch toilet flapper
A replacement rubber flapper for the most common 2-inch flush valve opening, the usual cure for a toilet that keeps running.
Buy on Amazon - Easy
Universal 3-inch toilet flapper
The larger flapper for toilets with a 3-inch flush valve; check the opening size before you order.
Buy on Amazon - Easy
Adjustable universal toilet fill valve
A height-adjustable fill valve that replaces a worn ballcock or noisy valve in most two-piece toilets.
Buy on Amazon - Easy
Quiet-fill universal toilet fill valve
An adjustable fill valve designed to refill the tank quietly; a good swap when the old one hisses or hammers.
Buy on Amazon - Easy
Rubber and silicone washer assortment
An assortment of flat washers for shower heads, hoses and tap connectors.
Buy on Amazon
Guides that use these: How to Do a Water Meter Leak Test in Under an Hour · How to Fix a Leaking Tap: Washers, Cartridges and O-Rings
Blocked drains
From the plunger to a powered auger, in the order you would reach for them.
- Easy
Beehive-shaped toilet plunger
A plunger with a stepped cup that seals in round, elongated and low-flow bowls, the first thing to try on a blocked toilet.
Buy on Amazon - Easy
Bellows sink and shower plunger
A small bellows plunger for basins, kitchen sinks, baths and shower wastes, where a toilet plunger won't seal.
Buy on Amazon - Easy
Plastic barbed drain snake
A cheap barbed strip that pulls hair out of sink and shower drains without taking anything apart.
Buy on Amazon - Medium
6-foot toilet auger
A closet auger with a protective boot that reaches past the toilet trap without scratching the bowl.
Buy on Amazon - Medium
Cordless 25-foot drain auger
A battery-powered drum auger for clogs further down a sink or tub line.
Buy on Amazon - Easy
Garbage disposal jam wrench
A hex wrench that turns the disposal motor shaft from underneath to free a jam.
Buy on Amazon - Medium
1/2 HP continuous-feed garbage disposal with cord
A common half-horsepower disposal that comes with a power cord already fitted.
Buy on Amazon
Guides that use these: How to unblock a toilet without making things worse · What Blocks a Kitchen Drain (and the Fixes That Actually Work) · How to unblock a bathroom sink: hair, pop-up wastes and traps
Taps, sinks and traps
Tools for working in the cramped space under a basin, plus the seals that stop the drips.
- Medium
Faucet and sink installation wrench
A multi-socket tool for faucet mounting nuts and supply connections in tight spaces under a sink.
Buy on Amazon - Medium
11-inch basin wrench
A long-reach wrench with a pivoting jaw for tap nuts hidden behind a sink basin.
Buy on Amazon - Easy
1-1/2 inch plastic P-trap kit
A complete plastic trap with slip nuts and a reducing washer for kitchen or bathroom sinks.
Buy on Amazon - Easy
Stainless plumber's putty
Non-hardening putty for sealing sink strainers and drain flanges where a gasket is not used.
Buy on Amazon - Easy
PTFE thread seal tape, 1/2 inch (4 rolls)
White plumber's tape for sealing threaded joints such as shower arms and hose connections.
Buy on Amazon
Guides that use these: How to Fix a Leaking Tap: Washers, Cartridges and O-Rings · Bathroom renovation plumbing checklist, phase by phase
Showers and baths
Heads, filters, descaler and the sealant kit for a tired bath edge.
- Easy
8-mode handheld shower head with hose
A handheld shower head with several spray settings and a hose, fitted with thread tape and a wrench.
Buy on Amazon - Easy
Inline shower filter
A screw-on shower filter aimed at chlorine and odour; it does not remove the minerals that make water hard.
Buy on Amazon - Easy
Calcium, lime and rust remover (1 gallon)
A descaling liquid for soaking scaled shower heads and aerators; read the label for surfaces to avoid.
Buy on Amazon - Easy
Kitchen and bath silicone sealant (squeeze tube)
Waterproof 100% silicone in a small tube that needs no gun, enough to reseal a bath or shower tray.
Buy on Amazon - Easy
Silicone removal and finishing tool
A scraper for lifting old sealant plus shaped pads for smoothing a fresh bead to a neat, even profile.
Buy on Amazon
Guides that use these: Hard water and limescale: testing, descaling and softening options · Low Water Pressure at Home: Causes, Tests and Fixes · Bathroom renovation plumbing checklist, phase by phase
Radiators and boilers
Small tools for venting radiators and reading temperatures; boiler and gas work stays with a registered engineer.
- Easy
Radiator bleed keys (5-pack)
Small chrome-plated keys that fit the square spindle on most radiator bleed valves, so a cold-topped radiator can be vented in a minute.
Buy on Amazon - Easy
Infrared surface thermometer
Point-and-read surface temperatures, handy for finding the cold patch on a radiator, checking flow and return pipes or an underfloor loop.
Buy on Amazon
Guides that use these: A Home Plumbing Maintenance Calendar, Season by Season · Underfloor Heating vs Radiators: Comfort, Costs and Retrofits · Why your combi boiler keeps losing pressure, and what to do · What Is Radiator Flushing and When Does a System Need It?
Water heaters
Descaling and replacement kit for tank and tankless heaters.
- Medium
Tankless water heater descaling pump kit
A small pump with hoses for circulating descaler through a tankless heater's service valves.
Buy on Amazon - Pro
24 kW electric tankless water heater
A whole-home electric tankless unit; it needs a heavy electrical supply and a qualified installer.
Buy on Amazon
Hard water
Test first, then decide between descaling, a filter and a whole-house system.
- Easy
Water hardness test strips
Dip strips that show your water hardness so you can size a softener or set its controls.
Buy on Amazon - Pro
32,000-grain whole-house water softener
A smaller salt-based softener for one or two bathrooms and moderate hardness.
Buy on Amazon - Pro
48,000-grain whole-house water softener
A salt-based whole-house softener for larger households or harder water; usually professionally installed.
Buy on Amazon - Pro
Whole-house salt-free scale control system
A salt-free conditioner that reduces scale build-up without removing hardness minerals.
Buy on Amazon
Guides that use these: Hard water and limescale: testing, descaling and softening options
Pressure and valves
Measure the pressure before changing anything, then tame it at the source.
- Easy
Water pressure test gauge (hose thread)
A 0 to 200 psi gauge that screws onto an outside tap or washer connection to read your water pressure.
Buy on Amazon - Pro
3/4 inch water pressure reducing valve
A lead-free adjustable pressure reducing valve for the main supply; fitting it is a plumber's job.
Buy on Amazon - Easy
Hose-thread water hammer arrestor
Screws on between the washing machine valve and its hose to absorb the bang when the machine's valve snaps shut.
Buy on Amazon
Guides that use these: Low Water Pressure at Home: Causes, Tests and Fixes
Leaks and damp
Alarms and meters for finding water early, and a patch for a pinhole until the repair.
- Easy
Battery water leak alarm
A small battery alarm that sounds when water reaches it; place one by the water heater or sump.
Buy on Amazon - Easy
Pin-type moisture meter
A two-pin meter for checking damp spots in drywall and timber around a suspected leak.
Buy on Amazon - Easy
Pinless moisture meter
A scanning meter that reads moisture under the surface without leaving pin holes.
Buy on Amazon - Easy
Digital indoor humidity monitor
Shows room temperature and relative humidity, the first number to look at when deciding between condensation and a leak.
Buy on Amazon - Easy
Water-safe epoxy repair putty (2 sticks)
Knead-and-press epoxy that cures even on a damp pipe; a temporary patch for a pinhole until the section is replaced.
Buy on Amazon
Guides that use these: A Home Plumbing Maintenance Calendar, Season by Season · How to Do a Water Meter Leak Test in Under an Hour · Signs of a hidden water leak and how to confirm each one · Why your combi boiler keeps losing pressure, and what to do · Electronic leak detection explained: the tools and the survey
Winter and outdoor taps
Insulation and covers for cold snaps, and the key for taps without handles.
- Easy
Self-sealing foam pipe covers (6-pack)
Pre-slit foam sleeves with an adhesive seam for pipes in lofts, garages and crawl spaces where they can freeze.
Buy on Amazon - Medium
6-foot thermostatic pipe heat cable
A plug-in heating cable with a built-in thermostat that switches on as the pipe nears freezing; for short runs that can't be kept warm another way.
Buy on Amazon - Easy
Insulated outdoor faucet cover
A hard foam-lined cap that loops over an outside tap to keep frost off the valve once the line has been drained.
Buy on Amazon - Easy
Four-way sillcock and utility keys (2-pack)
Keys for outdoor taps without handles and for the square or triangle stems on meter boxes and service valves.
Buy on Amazon
Guides that use these: A Home Plumbing Maintenance Calendar, Season by Season · Protecting Pipes From Freezing: A Winter Plan for Every Home
Laundry and basement
Hoses and arrestors behind the washing machine, and the pump in the pit.
- Easy
Braided stainless washing machine hoses (pair)
Two 6-foot hot and cold fill hoses with elbow ends, a sturdier replacement for old rubber hoses.
Buy on Amazon - Medium
1/3 HP submersible sump pump
A cast-iron submersible pump with an automatic float switch, a common basement replacement.
Buy on Amazon - Medium
1/3 HP submersible pump with vertical float
A submersible pump with a vertical float switch, suited to narrower sump pits.
Buy on Amazon
Hand tools
The wrenches and pliers most of these jobs start with.
- Easy
8-inch adjustable wrench
A mid-size adjustable wrench for supply nuts, shower heads and compression fittings.
Buy on Amazon - Easy
10-inch tongue-and-groove pliers
Adjustable slip-joint pliers that grip slip nuts, P-trap couplings and large fittings.
Buy on Amazon - Medium
14-inch aluminium pipe wrench
A lighter aluminium-bodied pipe wrench for gripping round pipe and stubborn threaded fittings.
Buy on Amazon
Guides that use these: Underfloor Heating vs Radiators: Comfort, Costs and Retrofits · What Is Radiator Flushing and When Does a System Need It? · What Blocks a Kitchen Drain (and the Fixes That Actually Work) · How to unblock a bathroom sink: hair, pop-up wastes and traps
When the repair is bigger than the toolbox
A home warranty plan pays toward repairing covered systems and appliances, such as plumbing, water heaters and some kitchen appliances, after a service fee. What is covered, the limits and the exclusions differ by plan, so read the contract before you buy. Quotes through this link are not available in California, Iowa, Utah or Washington.