We may receive a commission when you use our affiliate links. However, this does not impact our recommendations.
Welcome to the 2025 edition of the Popular Woodworking gift guide! This year, the focus is on quality over quantity. These are the tools we’ve used and we’ve loved this past year, combined with tools we’re desperately hoping to find under the tree in December. These are the best gifts for woodworkers, according to woodworkers.
$30 and under • $30 to $100 • $100 to $200 • $200 And Up
$30 and Under
Handy Stocking Stuffer
T34604 10″ Saw Blade Protective Case • Grizzly • $5.95 Purchase on Grizzly’s Site
You don’t need to spend a lot to get a thoughtful gift. Take this 10″ saw blade holder for example; the case provides protection and storage for circular saw blades. If your woodworker is someone who is always swapping crosscut blades for rip ones, they’ll love it.
Don’t take my word for it: “I’m a sucker for a slick storage option. I’m even more of a sucker for affordable storage options. If I had a 10-in. table saw I’d likely have 3-4 of these to keep my blades safe and organized. Route a few dados in a couple of boards and slide the holders in. Done!” –Ben Strano, FWW
Handy Stocking Stuffer #2
Easy-Squeeze Silicone Glue Bottle • Rockler • $8.99 Purchase from Rockler
Rockler has a reputation for clever woodworking innovations, and this little bottle did not disappoint. The bottle is made of soft, pliable silicone that’s incredibly easy to squeeze, and it’s thoughtfully designed for easy refill. Everyone can use one of these.
Handy Stocking Stuffer #3
9-inch Sliding T-Bevel • Swanson Tool Co • $15.79 Purchase on Amazon
I received this t-bevel last year for Christmas, and while it’s nothing fancy, it’s worked great for everything I’ve needed it for.
Perfect for Everyone
PopWood+ Annual Membership • $29 Purchase from PW
Did you know that PopWood+ Memberships now include digital access to the current issue of the print magazine? Give the gift that lasts all year, for less than $30.
$30 to $100
The Odd Tool They’ll Really Use
FB Scriber • Tooley Park • £29.00 (about$36) Purchase from Tooley Park
There are often times when there’s simply no substitute for the right tool. A good scriber is one of those tools. Whether it’s leveling chair legs, scribing a cabinet, or any number of tasks, a quality scribe like this one from Tooley Park earns its keep.
For the Cozy Woodworker
Moxon Vise Premium Unisex Hoodie • $42 Purchase from The Pop Wood Store
This super cozy hoodie features a drawing of a Moxon vise and is available in six different colors. It’s a sweatshirt that’s sure to draw compliments from other woodworkers. The design is also available on a t-shirt or coffee mug.
Great All-Purpose Saw
Seium Saku Ryoba w/TPE Grip – 270 mm – No. 663 • Seium Saku • $49.99 Purchase from Woodcraft
Japanese saws tend to be great choices for beginners, but even seasoned woodworkers are drawn to their ease of use. I tend to like Ryoba saws, which have teeth for cross-cutting and rip-cutting.
For the Bowl Carver
The Robin Wood Carving Axe • Wood Tools • £69 (about $90) Purchase from Wood Tools
Hand-carving a bowl requires a variety of different tools, including small carving axes. The Robin Wood Carving axe is fairly light (less than 2lbs), making it manageable for long-term use and controlled cuts. Though its lighter weight might imply that it’s not suited for heavy stock removal, it can be used for roughing work or even felling and sectioning small trees.
The Dust Collection Hookup
Mullet FitsAll Hose Kit • Mullet Tools • $100 Purchase on Amazon
I wasn’t quite sure about the FitsAll hose kit when I first received it. Sure, it was a great product, but was it really $100 great? Turns out that it really is — it has attachments for every tool I’ve tried, and it works so well I’ve gotten rid of every other modular hose kit I owned.
$100 to $200
For Every Hand Tool User
ZenSharp Sharpening System Starter Kit • Zen Wu Toolworks • $115 Purchase at Zen Wu
If you’re going to use hand tools, you need to be able to sharpen them. The ZenSharp system is a bit like the scary sharp method, but instead of consumable sandpaper as the abrasive, it’s long-lasting diamond cards.
For the Woodworker with ADHD
MetMo Pocket Driver • MetMo • $119 Purchase at MetMo
As an adult with ADHD, I find myself “borrowing” my kids’ fidget toys from time to time. When Logan got the pocket driver from MetMo, I realized that I had found the adult version. The well-machined parts snapped into place with satisfying clicks, and there were plenty of ways to adjust it. As an added bonus, it makes a great screwdriver, its intended use.
It’s a Chisel, it’s a Plane, it’s a Chisel Plane
Chisel Plane • Blue Spruce Toolworks • $119.99+ Purchase at Blue Spruce Toolworks
Chisel planes are the perfect shop hybrid you didn’t know you needed. You get the force of a paring chisel, without a handle that interferes with trouble spots in the center of a glued-up board. This one from Blue Spruce Toolworks is thoughtfully designed and uses A-2 tool steel, which keeps it sharp for long-term use.
Don’t take my word for it: “It’s amazing the amount of uses you’ll find for this little tool in your shop—from planing plugs flush, to cleaning up dried glue, to doing some light-duty bull-nose work.” -Logan Wittmer
Everyone Needs Pants
Mesa Pant • SITKA Gear • $129 Purchase at SITKA Gear
Woodworkers are hard on clothes. I have a couple of pairs of these Mesa pants from Sitka, and they seem to be about the perfect balance of lightweight and tough. They’re comfortable, plenty of pockets, and at the end of the day, dust blows off of them easily.
For Those Extra Cold Days in the Shop
M12 Heated Jacket Hoodie Kit • Milwaukee • $159.97 (includes jacket, 2Ah battery, and charger) Purchase at Home Depot
“But Collin, you already put a hoodie on this list.” I did, but that one was blustery fall days or winter afternoons spent indoors. This heated hoodie, on the other hand, is for truly cold days in the workshop. Compatible with all M12 batteries, this hoodie is tough on the outside and toasty warm on the inside.
Don’t Forget Boots
Rover GTX LTH • SITKA Gear • $179 Purchase at SITKA Gear
Footwear is probably the most important article of clothing for woodworkers, and a good pair of boots like this one from SITKA Gear is essential.
Don’t take my word for it: “As winter settles in, I swap my shop shoes for a pair of boots. Central Iowa’s mix of rain, snow, and mud can make a real mess, and with all the in-and-out trips between the shop and yard, footwear matters. The Rover boots from Sitka have proven to be comfortable, supportive, and reliably waterproof. They slip on easily but stay secure—unlike many pull-on boots that feel loose or sloppy. For work around the shop or the sawmill, they’ve become a go-to utility boot.” -Logan
A Perfect Starter Chisel Set
Kirschen 6-Piece Chisel Set • Two Cherries • $199 Purchase on Amazon
I own two sets of chisels; one is from Harbor Freight, which I use exclusively for everything you shouldn’t use chisels for (but do anyway), and the other is this Two Cherries set. I actually got the set secondhand, but it’s still going strong — the chisels sharpen well, hold an edge for a long time, and look great. You can also purchase individual chisels as well, either to start a collection or round it out.
$200 & Up
For the Woodworker that Needs an Extra Hand
Work IQ Vise • Work IQ Tools • $279.99 Purchase on Amazon
I don’t normally put items on the gift guide two years in a row, but I love my Work IQ Vise too much to leave it off. I find myself using it all the time, even more than my bench vise I think. Any time I have small or awkwardly-shaped parts, or if I want something held higher off the workbench, into the Work IQ Vise it goes. Don’t forget to check out all of the different jaws and accessories.
A Hand Tool that Feels Special
X-2 Chisel • Zen Wu Toolworks • $312+ Purchase at Zen Wu
There are a lot of high-quality tools out there, but it’s rare that a tool feels as special as these X-2 chisels. Is it the little dovetail between the titanium body and ZW-X2 steel? Is it the gorgeous handles? Maybe it’s how buttery-smooth the cuts are. Whatever it is, I can’t wait for my next opportunity to build something in the PW shop with these chisels.
If Your Woodworker Hates Making Jigs
Joinery Sled • Woodpeckers • $339.99 Purchase on Amazon
Jigs are often a necessary evil in woodworking. Some people love making them, and others, like myself, would rather be working on building projects. The Woodpeckers Joinery Sled is for the latter group, as it combines numerous types of jigs into one super-jig that can be used at the table saw or router table.
For the Stylish Woodworker
Stiletto TIBONE 15oz Limited Edition • Stiletto • $349.99 Purchase at Acme Tool
The holidays are a great opportunity to purchase something that the giftee would otherwise not spend money on themselves. A custom hammer would generally fall into that camp, and this year Stiletto released three limited-edition titanium hammers with a range of custom grips. I myself chose a gold hammer with the dark green handle. Sure, it’s a bit garish, but it brings a smile to my face every time I use it.
The Last Sander They’ll Ever Need
ETSC 2 125 Random Orbit Sander • Festool• $598.90 (kit includes sander, 2x 4Ah batteries, charger, dust bag, edge guard, and Systainer) Purchase on Amazon
My longtime quest for the perfect cordless sander ended earlier this year. The Festool ETCS 2 was everything I wanted and more, and it’s the first sander I reach for with every project now. Also available without the batteries and charger for $422.94.
The Expensive Gift that’s Also Super Thoughtful
M18 FUEL PACKOUT 9 Gallon Dual-Battery Dust Extractor with VACLINK • Milwaukee • $1399 (includes vac, two 12ah batteries, and dual bay supercharger) Purchase at Home Depot
No tool got more use in my shop this year than the new M18 dust extractor from Milwaukee. And while it might not be exciting, it punches well above its weight in features and power, including the ability to be plugged in and used without batteries.
Here are some supplies and tools we find essential in our everyday work around the shop. We may receive a commission from sales referred by our links; however, we have carefully selected these products for their usefulness and quality.
