Must have home tools

General recomendations

Safety first. Always wear safety gear to protect yourself.

If planning to use the tools for many years, consider buying higher quality tools. They are generally built with more long-lasting materials, work better, and could be more comfortable to use. With better tools, you could spend a little premium in the beginning to avoid buying the same tools later to replace the initial low-quality purchase.

Don't work in a cluttered environment. Make yourself comfortable before doing any work with tools to avoid accidents. If you are not sure how to do something, learn it first. If still not sure, let others do it. It will cost some money, but could save you from a way more expensive troubles.

Safety glasses and gloves

Safety comes first. The very first on the must-have list are safety glasses and gloves. They will keep you safe from some flying particles and accidental cuts. Don't try to save a penny at a cost of an eye or a finger. But safety glasses and good gloves. For a piece of mind and longer healthier days.

Tool bag, tool box or other storage

First of all, consider how many tools you will have and make sure you know how you will store them. Tools tend to be everywhere and nowhere found when needed. To avoid it, make sure to figure out a proper storage for the tools. It could be anything from a cardboard box in the simplest scenario to a dedicated tools shed with bags, boxes, and cabinets inside. At the very least a medium size tool bag or a toolbox could be a reasonable choice.

Pliers

Pliers come in a variety of shapes and forms. For general use, you can stick to the most common type. Keep in mind, better pliers will have better grip and less play. They are likely to last longer and will be more satisfying to use.

Hammer

Picking the right hammer is a separate long story. There are too many types of hammers on the market. For general use, a "Claw Hammer" could be the right pick. Hammer is yet another tool that you might want to pick of a better quality. They tend to last for years, but modern marketing and money-making corporations figured out how to make them so bad, that they do not last long. Make sure the hammer has a solid (non-holo) handle. Solid metal, thick plastic, or solid wooden handle should last longer. Make sure the handle is comfortable and provides a firm grip. You do not want to run around after flying hammers in your house.

Utility knife

Utility knives are a little tricky. When picking one, make sure the blade position is firmly fixable. At the same time make sure the blade is in and out with a single quick action. Avoid buying a utility knife where the blade is not fixable in a position or such where to fix it, you will have to tighten a screw of some sort. The best one would be the "push or press the button, set blade position, release the button" type. One more thing to keep an eye on is how firmly the knife is built. If it is all wobbly, the blade has any play and it doesn't feel solid, avoid such a purchase.

Utility knives tend to be used very often, so picking something of better quality you will appreciate over years of use.

Measuring tape

Avoid buying the cheapest options. They are like hammers, and could last years, but low-end options are so bad that they just don't last. Length-wise, a 5-meter (or 16 feet) long measuring tape should have you covered for general-use scenarios. When buying a measuring tape, keep an eye on general build quality, and on how readable the writings on the actual tape are. Also, make sure it is easily and firmly fixable when the tape is pulled out. Do not buy the one where the tape is not fixable in place when pulled out. The reason is, sometimes you will want to pull out the tape, put it on a surface and do something else for a few seconds.

Measuring tape is also used often here and there. A good one is nice to have. Also, if a bad one is purchased, you will eventually have to replace it with something better (which is a waste of money for the initial purchase). Buy something decent from the beginning. It will save you money down the road.

Screw drivers

They come in a variety of forms and sets. A few shapes are most commonly used: Flat Head, Phillips, Pozidriv (almost like Phillips), and Robertson or Square Screwdriver. There are a few other more special types, but those above should have you covered in most cases. For a screwdriver, you could consider buying a universal one or a set with one handle and different bits. But no handle + bits set screwdriver could ever be as good as separate ones. Regardless what the decision will be, make sure to buy a long-shaft Phillips screwdriver. There will always be some use for it. It will let you work on screws that are out of reach for a single handle + bits screw driver.

Something to keep in mind is... Like with other tools, cheap screwdrivers will not last. The ends will strip and become useless. Buying higher-end screwdrivers will save you from frustration and from repurchasing the same things multiple times. A decent purchase is encouraged in regard to screwdrivers. You don't have to buy the best available ones, but something good, well-built, and long-lasting could be a good investment.