The Must-Have Power Tools for Kitchen Fitters

It doesn’t matter if you’re a full-time kitchen fitter, or whether you’re a chippie that focuses on many other home renovations jobs, you’re going to need a specific set of tools to help you get the best possible job done every single time. In this article, we’re going to look at the must-have tools that you’ll need in your arsenal. So, if you’re looking at branching out or taking up a new career path, then this article is almost certainly for you. Read on and find out about the best power tools for fitting kitchens, and why! We’ll also include some links to the various selections that we have to choose from, for your reference.

Routers

No, we’re not talking about that little plastic box in your living room where you get your internet access from. A router is a power tool (either handheld or table-mounted) that is used to “route out” a recess or groove into a piece of wood or plastic. This is essential for kitchen fitters as they are incredibly versatile bits of kit. For example you can use a router to recreate the pattern, grooves and designs in a piece of wood, creating decorative moulding, and cutting clean edges.

Jig

A router jig is an extension to your router, providing a clear template to guide your router when cutting or with repetitive motions. This bit of kit is an essential add-on to be used in conjunction with your router and will make life so much easier.

The Jigsaw

A jigsaw is another essential piece of kit, but how can you choose the best one for you? Whilst they’re perfect for cutting worktops that have sinks and other features that require a hole cutting, or any other standard trimming job, you’ll need a premium quality jigsaw to get the job done. That said, the type of jigsaw that you choose really comes down to your preferred style. For example, a cordless jigsaw will be easier to handle with fewer hazards; but a corded jigsaw will have an endless power supply which will come in handy when you’ve got a day packed full of cutting!

Combi-drill & impact driver combo

The combi-drill & impact driver is every tradesman’s best friend and can be used to complete a number of day-to-day tasks when on the job. You could be making holes for the faucets in the worktop or running pipes, and fitting hinges on cupboards; a premium quality comb-drill is the perfect companion. We’d recommend going for a twin pack so that you can get both with a few batteries to boot. These cordless beauties will have plenty of charge to get the job done, and they’re easy enough to put on charge as you carry on with other tasks.

Wood planer

You can’t call yourself a real kitchen fitter if you don’t have a handy wood planer in your tool kit. Whether you’re taking the edge off a worktop or trimming a cupboard door, a wood planer will get the job done effortlessly. Again, you can choose from cordless or corded depending on your preferred style.

Mitre saw

Some people feel as though they can get away without using a mitre saw, but we believe that if you want to do the best possible job with the perfect angles and woodcutting techniques, then this is the power tool for you. Whilst a mitre saw is a big bit of kit, they’re not too difficult to shift around with you. That, and with a leg stand, they’re easy to use and secure without any stability or safety issues. Be mindful of the blade size and variations that you purchase, depending on the materials that you are most likely to be cutting. Obviously, as a kitchen fitter wood is going to be the most common material, so a standard middle range blade should suffice. You may also wish to consider adding a plunge saw to your repertoire for cutting laminates and other glossy surfaces for a fine and precise cut.

Dust extractors

Naturally, a big part of the service as a tradesman is the clean-up. If you wish to offer your clients a thorough service that they will be absolutely satisfied with, then you need to try and keep the mess to a minimum. Of course, most people appreciate that there’s always going to be a mess when a big renovation job is being carried out in their home, however, a little “tidy as you go” approach will go a long way. With a portable dust extractor, when using a jigsaw or mitre saw, you can keep the amount of sawdust to a minimum. Not only will this make the clean-up at the end much easier, but it will reduce the amount of dust in the air making it more breathable.

Other essential tools

Of course, it’s not just power tools that you’ll need to get the job done! Here’s a quick list of the essentials that you’ll need to get started:

• Adjustable wrench
• Screwdriver
• Putty knife
• Tape measure
• Stud finders
• Teflon tape

Conclusion

And there we have it! The complete guide to all of the essential tools required to be a kitchen fitter. Naturally, there will be other tools that you may require depending on the complexity of the job, but these will certainly be enough to get the job done with precision. If you’d like additional information on the various tools and what they’re used for, or if you’d like a recommendation on which brand to go for, simply get in contact with us today. We look forward to hearing from you!