The First-Year Apprentice Tool List (What to Buy, What to Skip)
Every first-year burns money on tools they don't need yet. Here's the buy-once starter list I give every green apprentice — what belongs in your pouch on day one, what can wait, and where quality actually matters.
Written by Steven Rotan
Licensed Journeyman Electrician — Oregon #883LR
📋 Want this to take with you? Grab the free printable First-Year Apprentice Tool List — a one-page checklist you can print and bring to the supply house.
The rule
Buy quality where your hands live all day. Buy mid-grade where you won't notice. Buy nothing that your shop provides. And check your local's or contractor's official tool list before spending a dime — many programs specify exactly what you must show up with.
Day-one pouch (the must-haves)
- Side-cutting pliers (9") — your most-used tool. Buy pro grade.
- Diagonal cutters and long-nose pliers
- Wire strippers — one good pair covering #10–#18 solid and stranded
- Screwdrivers — #1 and #2 Phillips, 1/4" and 3/16" flat, plus a stubby. Insulated handles are worth it.
- Multi-bit driver with nut-driver sizes for panel work
- Tape measure (25')
- Torpedo level — magnetic
- Utility knife and jab saw
- Non-contact voltage tester — pro grade, not the checkout-counter version. Your life will ride on it.
- Channel-lock style pump pliers (10")
- Hammer, tool pouch/belt, and decent work gloves
First few months (add as the work demands)
- Multimeter — a real one with CAT III rating; you don't need the $400 flagship yet, but avoid no-name meters entirely
- Conduit reamer / deburring tool
- Hacksaw, fish tape access (shop usually provides), allen set, small socket set
- Sharpie/markers, pencil, notepad — the cheapest tools that make you look competent
What to skip for now
Bender sets (the shop has them; learn on theirs), power tools (see FAQ), specialty crimpers, a giant rolling toolbox (you're carrying it all up stairs, remember), and any "electrician's kit" bundle — kits pad the count with junk.
Boots and knees
Not tools, but they outrank tools: buy real work boots (waterproof, safety toe if required) and a set of knee pads on day one. Every 30-year electrician will tell you the same thing — the gear that protects your body is the best money you'll ever spend in this trade.
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Frequently asked questions
How much should I budget for starting tools?
Plan on roughly $300–$500 for a solid starter set of hand tools if you buy quality on the items that matter (pliers, strippers, screwdrivers) and mid-grade on the rest. Check your program's official list first — many locals hand you a required list, and some contractors provide part of it.
Should I buy power tools as a first-year?
Generally no. Most shops supply power tools, and you don't yet know which platform (battery system) your future employers run. Put the money into hand tools and boots. If you buy one battery tool, a compact drill/driver is the safe pick.
What's the one tool people cheap out on that they shouldn't?
Side-cutting pliers (linemans). You will use them hundreds of times a day for decades. The $40 pair from a pro brand will outlast five bargain pairs and save your wrists. Second place: boots.
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