When it comes to bike tool the temptation is to march into the nearest bike shop and pick something that ‘just get the job done’. And, for the most part, if you adopt that approach you will find something that does the job, but how well it does that job and how long it’ll last are a different question entirely.

Having said that, it’s not the case that you have to spend significant money if you want the right tools for the job; you just need to know what you’re looking for.

Certain tools have particular requirements, not all of which are fulfilled by every offering on the market. Once you know what you’re looking for you can go out and find it, and for the most part it doesn’t depend on the price of the tool.

But not all tools are created equal, and some are more important to own than others. It might be nice to have a  saw guide for cutting carbon steerer tubes, but if you’re never going to do that yourself then what’s the point? And if you own a tub cutting guide but don’t have a set of tyre levers – what on Earth are you playing at?

Here are ten tools we think that every home mechanic should own, and if you have all of these you should be covered when it comes to the majority of home repairs.