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Power tools and 12 V gear

Cordless tools changed driveway work, and 12 V accessories changed what can be done at the roadside. Both come down to one question: does the tool fit the system you already own — the batteries for one, the car socket for the other.

With cordless tools the platform matters more than the individual tool. Once you own batteries and a charger, every further tool costs less and you carry one charger instead of four. Choose drive size and torque range for the jobs you really do, not for the largest one you can imagine.

The 12 V items are the opposite: they sit in the trunk, run from the car socket and are chosen by duty cycle and by hose or cable length. An inflator that needs to cool between tyres is an irritation, and a jump pack rated below your engine size is dead weight.

What actually decides a purchase here

  • Battery platform: buying into one range is what makes the second and third tool affordable.
  • Drive size and rated torque, remembering that loosening and tightening figures are quoted separately.
  • Duty cycle on 12 V gear: how many minutes it runs before it has to cool down.
  • What is in the box: hoses, clamps, sockets and a case often decide whether the tool is usable out of the box.

Our picks in this category

A cordless impact wrench on a garage workbench

Power tools and 12 V gear

Milwaukee 1/2-inch cordless impact wrench, 18 V

A battery-powered wrench for loosening the fasteners a hand ratchet will not move.

Best for
Wheel nuts, suspension bolts and underbody work, especially on a car that sees road salt.
Watch out for
An impact wrench can overtighten or strip a fastener in seconds. Use it for loosening, and finish wheel nuts by hand with a torque wrench at the figure from the manual.
Check price and availability
A portable air pump and hose next to a car wheel

Power tools and 12 V gear

Viair portable 12 V tire inflator

A pump that runs from the car socket and tops up tyres without a trip to an air line.

Best for
Keeping four tyres and a spare at the right pressure at home, and slow punctures on the road.
Watch out for
Small inflators run hot and slowly. Read the duty cycle, check pressures on cold tyres against the sticker in the door jamb, and let the pump cool as the maker instructs.
Check price and availability
A jump starter pack and clamps on a garage bench

Power tools and 12 V gear

NOCO 12 V lithium jump starter pack

A battery pack that starts a car with a flat battery without needing a second vehicle.

Best for
Anyone parking outside in winter, or with a car that sits for weeks between drives.
Watch out for
A jump pack is a rescue, not a repair. If a car needs one twice in a week, the battery or the charging system needs testing, and the pack should be recharged and stored as the maker instructs.
Check price and availability