Workshop-Tested
Tool & Appliance Reviews
Real tools, tested results. Honest home improvement and power tool reviews by a licensed contractor with 14 years of hands-on experience. No sponsored picks. No filler.
14+
Years Experience
100%
Independent
7+
Products per Guide
0
Sponsored Picks
Expert Reviews
Browse by Category
Hands-on buying guides across 9 home improvement categories.
Laundry & Appliances
Washers, dryers, dishwashers, and stackable units
Vacuums & Floor Care
Cordless vacuums, robot vacuums, shop vacs, and steam mops
Outdoor Power Equipment
Pressure washers, leaf blowers, lawn mowers, and chainsaws
Kitchen Tools & Fixtures
Knife sets, electric kettles, faucets, and kitchen essentials
Power Tools & Workshop
Drills, saws, oscillating tools, and workshop essentials
Home Air & Filtration
Air purifiers, dehumidifiers, humidifiers, and space heaters
Grooming & Personal Care
Electric toothbrushes, razors, clippers, and trimmers
Lighting & Electrical
LED shop lights, work lights, garage lighting, and electrical fixtures
Painting Supplies
Paint sprayers, rollers, brushes, drop cloths, and prep equipment
Free for DIYers
Free Tools by Jake
Interactive calculators and estimators built by a licensed contractor. No signup, no ads.
Sod Calculator
Multi-shape sod, pallet, and delivery-weight estimator. Grass-type aware (Bermuda / Fescue / Zoysia / etc.), printable shopping list, embeddable widget.
Open tool Materials & estimatingFlooring Calculator
Vinyl, hardwood, laminate, or carpet — type-aware engine with waste %, carton or roll rounding, underlayment, transitions, fasteners, and printable shopping list.
Open tool Materials & estimatingTile Calculator
Multi-room tile, thinset, grout, and spacer estimator. Pattern-aware waste %, printable shopping list, embeddable widget.
Open toolLatest Guides
Recently Published
Our newest product reviews and buying guides.
8 Best Impact Drivers of 2026
Jake Morrison, a licensed general contractor, reviews the 8 best 1/4-inch impact drivers of 2026 — DEWALT, Milwaukee, Makita, and Ryobi tested across framing, decking, and finish work.
7 Best Circular Saws of 2026
Jake Morrison, a licensed general contractor, reviews the 7 best circular saws of 2026 — from sidewinder workhorses to true worm drives, plus cordless picks for deck work and roofing.
7 Best String Trimmers of 2026
Jake Morrison, Licensed GC, picks the 7 best string trimmers of 2026. Battery, gas, and corded weed eaters compared by yard size, swath, and line feed.
How to Paint a Room Like a Pro: What Contractors Know That DIYers Skip
A licensed GC's field-tested method for painting a room — primer chemistry by problem type, the fat-edge fix nobody covers, sheen decision logic, tape scoring, and the dry-vs-cure mistake that causes most callbacks.
7 Best Smart Thermostats of 2026: A Contractor's Honest Picks
Licensed GC Jake Morrison reviews the 7 best smart thermostats for 2026 — ecobee, Nest, Sensi, Amazon, and Mysa picks with real C-wire, heat pump, and DIY install guidance.
7 Best Water Filters of 2026
Jake Morrison, a licensed general contractor, reviews the 7 best water filters for every home — from $30 pitchers to whole-house systems and tankless reverse osmosis.
Your Reviewer
Jake Morrison, Licensed General Contractor
Jake Morrison has spent 14 years in residential construction and home renovation before founding DIYRated in 2026. After helping hundreds of homeowners choose the right tools and materials for their projects, he started writing the product guides he wished existed when he was starting out. Jake tests every major product recommendation in his workshop in Indianapolis and focuses on real-world performance over spec-sheet marketing.
Full bio & methodology