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DIY is not only incredibly rewarding (most of the time), it’s also one of the best ways to save you some money when taking on home improvement jobs or renovations (especially if you avail yourself of all the best cheap tools that are actually worth buying). However, while the hands-on nature of these projects makes them satisfying, it can also bring moments that aren’t as fun.

Luckily with technology influencing just about every market it can by 2026, there are plenty of ways you can help reduce the time spent on the monotonous side of DIY. Whether you’re taking on large projects or small intricate crafting, there’s almost certainly a gadget that can save you a heap of time without spending too much money on them. Particularly if you’re taking it on solo, having as much help as you can get can go a long, long way in getting better results faster. Here’s a look at 12 gadgets that may have gone under your radar.

Beyond having all the essential power tools for woodworking or metalworking, virtually every project depends on having the ability to measure and cut at angles reliably. The protractor isn’t exactly a new tool, but as is the case with the majority of analog tools, technology has crept into the fold and streamlined even the smallest in the box.

While standard protractors will always do a great job, a digital angle finder protractor can offer a much more accurate, reliable way to measure any cut and join you need. There’s plenty of choice out there for one of these gadgets, but the most popular products all feature two ruler arms connected with a locking screw, which can be rotated 360 degrees. Amazon is unsurprisingly a great place to pick one of these up, with the highly-rated protractor made by GemRed having an accuracy rating of +0.3 degrees. They also aren’t too expensive, often priced between $15 and $40, depending on what size you need.

One of the more niche products on this list, but also one of the most useful, is an electric engraving pen. Especially if your DIY project is one you want to personalize to the fullest, picking up one of these can offer a great deal of intricacy while saving you money compared to larger machines. And, of course, plenty of time instead of engraving the old-fashioned way.

This gadget can work on a variety of materials, including wood, glass, and metal. Pricing varies quite a bit with engraving pens, ranging from around $20 for more affordable ones up to $70 for top-end versions. What’s consistent with the majority of pens, though, is the expansive attachments for different designs. A three-speed motor is also featured in many of the tools, which is a feature that buyers tend to find incredibly useful. While other tools later on this list can also handle engraving, going for a purpose-built engraving pen will allow for more accuracy and better ergonomics for the specific task.

If you make things like jewelry or functional home decor products like coasters, resin is something you’re likely familiar with. You may have experience working with different types of it. Epoxy resin is the most popular variety, but if you’re going to be making smaller items and don’t want to wait hours for it to dry, UV resin is often a top choice.

Epoxy can cure in any condition through a chemical reactions, the name suggests, UV resin needs UV light to cure. To speed up the process dramatically, purchasing a UV curing system can finish your projects in minutes or even less. While you will need to buy the specific type of resin along with the light, some of the smaller products are priced as low as $15.99 on Amazon. Larger lights can get to double that, but still don’t cost too much considering how much time it can save you in the long run.

A common theme with quite a few of the products on this list is how they take traditional tools and streamline them with technology. The next of these is the tape measure. Similar to the digital angle finder, a laser measuring tool can retain the hands-on accuracy of a standard tape measure, but help you massively if you’re working on a solo project that could do with an extra set of hands from time to time. Especially if you work on larger pieces, gone are the days when you have to stretch from end to end to make sure you get the measurements right.

Now, you can simply put a laser measuring tool down on a surface, point it to where you want to measure to, and it’ll provide you with an accurate reading of the space between. If you’re planning on fixing something that’s hard to reach, or you’re looking for something reliable to add to a beginner set of DIY tools, this kind of gadget is affordable and easy to use (though it’s less effective outdoors in direct sunlight). 

Popular products come from the likes of Bosch, which can measure up to 165 feet. As for pricing, the popular laser from Bosch costs $49.99 as standard, with many others falling in the same range. Budget options can be picked up for around $20, however.

Keeping on the topic of larger projects, there isn’t a real replacement, or rather, a shortcut, in achieving smooth, accurate holes compared to using a drill. However, most power drills are more the kind of DIY tool you might find at Home Depot — a little big to be considered a gadget, and a little clumsy for fine work. If you’re working on jewelry, accessories, or household items, opting for a miniature drill pen should certainly be one of the gadgets at the top of your list.

These drills look a lot like the electric engraving pens we covered earlier, just with a different function. The design makes them incredibly easy to hold and use. The majority of the most popular models also come with a wide range of drill attachments, as well as a three-speed motor. Some will also have five speed settings if you need a little more power. High-speed steel drill bits are a popular choice, but some products also use titanium-coated bits. On the lower end, a cordless mini drill pen can cost between $20 and $30, but top-spec models can easily approach $100.

Soldering stations aren’t usually the largest of electronic tools, but like drills, they can’t be considered gadgets in the traditional sense. They’re also fairly complex, which usually means expensive, too. Luckily, there’s a popular alternative that can take away all the negatives of the larger machines: a portable temperature-controlled soldering iron. Another pen-shaped gadget in this list, this type of soldering iron allows you to get more up close with the same projects that the larger kits are often used for.

You can also get plug-in soldering irons that don’t come with a station, which can be bought for as low as $20.99 as standard on Amazon. However, to unlock the highest levels of usability, spending more on a rechargeable USB-C iron is worth it. Most of these areas are still temperature-controlled, have rapid heat-up times, and come with a variety of attachments for different projects. Brands such as FNIRSI offer top-spec portable soldering irons, which usually sit between $85 and $120. If you don’t want to spend that much, Amazon has a nice selection of well-reviewed alternatives for about half that.

A rotary tool kit is essentially a combination of individual gadgets we’ve featured on this list, making it an ideal choice if you’re working on various projects involving drilling and engraving, as well as carving and sanding. Cordless models don’t always come with quite as many attachments as larger plug-in tools, but similar to so many other gadgets on this list, the reduction in size and portability makes up for that.

If you only need a gadget for a specific task, a product like a mini drill pen or engraving pen would still be the way to go, given the additional attachments you get. But if you either want to experiment with different techniques or don’t want to spend the money for each gadget, this product is essentially a must-have for DIY work. 

To accommodate the number of tasks a rotary kit can handle, they often have five different speed settings. If you go for a budget option that’s still well-equipped, you’ll only have to spend as low as $17.99 on Amazon for a well-reviewed product. The best ones go for around $95 as standard, though, keeping options open if you’re more confident and want better capabilities.

Moving back to the small functional tools that can be put to use no matter what DIY project you’re tackling, there’s another tech-enhanced tool that can offer precise measurements alongside the protractor. A caliper is one of the essential tools when crafting, finding ultra-precise measurements of areas that rulers struggle to find accuracy. Standard caliper will do the job, but a digital caliper can give you another layer of reassurance that you’ve got the correct reading.

Digital calipers are mostly the same as the standard tool, only you have a screen attached to it. Pricing stays low despite this, with some of the best-reviewed products on Amazon currently sitting at $15.98. At the other end of the market, brands like Fowler charge up to $70. Stainless steel is often used for the vernier caliper for extra strength and durability, meaning you’ll get your money’s worth in the long run. The precise measurements, often as low as 0.001 inches, that a digital caliper can provide will make a massive difference to matter what project you’re working on.

Once you’ve finished putting your project together, plenty of gadgets can streamline the customization aspect as well. Air brush kits are often marketed toward things like nail and face painting, but the easy-to-use and consistent nature of them also makes them ideal for applying a base layer to your crafts. 

It won’t be able to add on more intricate details due to the high pressure, but an airbrush kit will apply a base coat far quicker than if you hand paint it, especially for larger projects. Think scale modeling and home decor. On Amazon, there’s a wide range of portable air brush kits to choose from, with more expensive products integrating things like an LED screen and more standard accessories. If you don’t need anything too flashy, affordable ones priced at around $20 remain competitive with up to 50 PSI and three power settings.

A pair of scissors might not be something you think needs improving, but if your DIY projects often require precise accurate cutting, it’s not always the easiest to keep the line perfectly straight. If that’s something you struggle with, you’ll no doubt understand why electric scissors are considered a must-have for hobby enthusiasts. 

Fabrics are often involved with an endless amount of home decor projects, from creating bespoke pillows for your living room or reupholstering furniture. As the name suggests, electric scissors remove the motion of actually cutting things out yourself, which can be super effective with tougher materials like leather and carpet. Some of the best-reviewed models on Amazon have ratings of up to 12,000 RPM, claiming a 50% faster operation compared to a standard pair of scissors. Expect to pay around $50 for a pair of electric scissors, though, but again, if your projects call for it, they can save a massive amount of time while still being incredibly accurate.

Staying with the engrossing task of cutting things out, there’s another step up from a pair of electric scissors if you want to save even more time, particularly with the more difficult tasks. Enter the Cricut Joy smart cutting machine, which can work with over 50 materials to precisely cut out highly detailed designs with a few button pushes. This is the largest gadget on this list and subsequently the most expensive, but at the time of writing it’s on sale for for $99, down from $179.

The smart cutter works by finalizing your design on Cricut’s app, and it’ll produce hard-to-cut internal items such as stickers, decals, and cards to attach to just about anything you can find. Especially for kids, the Cricut Joy keeps the freedom of choosing what design you want for your DIY project, but removes the finicky process of trying to perfectly cut it out. You can use vinyl, iron-on, leather, and standard paper for more versatility.

Knitting is essentially a non-stop hand and wrist exercise, and while it can be somewhat therapeutic, it can easily cause strain over time. One of its most time-consuming aspects is yarn winding. For this gadget, we’re going back to something that can eliminate the hands-on aspect of a tedious side of crafting so you can focus on actually creating, this time around being an electric yarn winder.

Staring at the tangled mess of yarn won’t get you excited to unravel it all and make a usable cake. With electric winders, it’ll pull in the string and wrap around the cone holder to create an almost-perfect cake ready for use. Owners can’t give enough praise for these, even if you go for an affordable one. On Amazon, you can find some for about $23 on sale at the time of writing, but the majority of the electric winders are priced at $39.99 as standard. As is the case with the majority of the gadgets here, the amount of time saved can easily offset the money you spend on it.

“There’s an app for that” was a phrase plastered onto advertisements for the Apple iPhone starting in 2009. Only about a year old at that point, the App Store was changing people’s relationship with software. Users were growing accustomed to the idea that the smartphone was a digital Swiss Army Knife, its glossy touchscreen waiting to be fitted with the right tool for any job. But what the public had not anticipated as we swiped and scrolled was that our phones might begin to watch us back. 

As we poured our lives into them, managing finances, messaging friends and partners, or simply reading the news, all our interactions became data points that could be used to infer the most private details about us. In a digital ecosystem funded largely by advertising, that data was extraordinarily valuable to the right person, and so developers worked tirelessly to extract it from us. The more apps we loaded onto our pocket computers, the more data they soaked up.

These days, the public generally understands that data collection is commonplace. Without knowing how to protect their digital privacy, though, many users simply accept its erosion as a fact of life. But some of the most effective steps you can take to stop your data from being extracted are as simple as quickly adjusting a few settings, and you don’t need any technical knowledge to do so. From restricting apps’ permissions to opting out of tracking, here are five phone settings that can limit how much data apps collect about you.

Modern versions of iOS and Android are built to constrain the worst data-gorging excesses of app developers. Much of that constraint is built around controlling which parts of your phone an app is allowed to access. When an app requests permission to use your camera or access your location, for example, modern smartphones will let users choose whether to allow it. In general, you should never allow any permission unless you understand why the app needs it.

On an iPhone or Android phone, you can see which apps are using which permissions by going into the settings. On iOS, tap Privacy & Security, and you will see a list of permissions (location, camera, and so on) and which apps have been using them. On Android, head to Settings, tap Security and Privacy, then tap Permissions Used In Last 24 Hours. You will see a list of permissions and the apps that have accessed them.

Alternatively, iPhone users can go into Settings, then Apps. Tapping on an app will show you the permissions it has access to. Android users can do the same from the Apps menu as well. Selecting an app takes you to its App info page, where you can go into the Permissions section to adjust an app’s access.

On Android, there’s one extra bit of legwork. Go back to the main Settings page and tap Apps, then tap the three dots in the top right and select Special Access. Tap Usage Data Access (which allows apps to track how you use them) and toggle it off for all apps. If any apps need that permission to function or use certain features, you can always turn it on later.

One of the primary reasons apps are hungry for your data is that the developers can sell it to advertisers or use it to advertise to you themselves. The way they do this on modern versions of iOS and Android is to create an anonymized advertising identifier. Google, which owns Android, is predictably more aggressive here, since advertising makes up the largest share of its revenue. Apple, being a hardware-forward company, has a larger incentive to protect user privacy. For that reason, Android apps often track by default, whereas iOS shows users a pop-up that lets them opt out of ad tracking when they first open an app.

To opt out of ad tracking on Android, open the Settings app and tap on Google. Tap All Services, then select Ads. Tap Delete Advertising ID, then confirm your choice. While you’re here, you should return to the Google Services page, tap on Usage & Diagnostics, and toggle that setting off to prevent Google from tracking when and how you use your apps. On iOS, you can prevent app tracking requests entirely by opening Settings, tapping on Privacy & Security, then selecting Tracking. Turn off the toggle next to Allow Apps to Request to Track.

However, the best way to avoid tracking from an app is not to have it installed in the first place. You can check what kind of tracking an app does on both Android and iOS before downloading it. In the App Store, tap the App Privacy section of the listing. On the Play Store, tap on Data Safety to see a detailed breakdown. If an app looks intrusive, it’s best not to install it.

There is only so much you can do to restrict the flow of your data by changing security settings on your iPhone or Android. However, many data collection policies can be disabled from in-app settings. While we can’t cover every app, we can highlight a few popular apps to give you an idea of what to look for.

On Instagram, tapping your profile picture then tapping the three-bar icon in the top-right corner of the screen will bring you to the app’s settings. Tap on Accounts Center, then tap ad preferences. Tap Manage Info. Here you will find a long list of settings for different types of data, each with submenus with more settings. There are far too many to cover here, but you must go into each submenu and choose the most data-restrictive options to limit what the app can access.

For TikTok, tap your profile photo on the bottom right, then tap the three-bar icon in the top right, then tap Settings. Scroll down and tap Ads, then turn off the toggles next to Targeted Ads Outside of TikTok and Targeted Ads. If available, also tap Clear Off-TikTok Data and confirm your choice. In DoorDash, tap the account icon near the top-right of the screen, then tap Settings. Tap on Privacy, then tap Learn More underneath the Marketing Choices section. Turn off the toggle next to Ad Personalization.

As you can see from those examples, many apps bury their data collection toggles deep in their settings menus. They also use vague language about ads and marketing in an apparent effort to ensure that most users will never stumble across these important privacy controls.

Samsung Galaxy users have to do a bit more compared to other Android users, since Samsung is yet another party interested in siphoning your data. Although these settings don’t apply to iPhones or non-Samsung Android devices, the fact that Samsung is the second-largest smartphone manufacturer globally means they’re worth going over in addition to the other settings you need to change to stop your Android from tracking you.

To stop Samsung from treating itself to your data, open the Settings app on your Galaxy device, then head to the Security and Privacy section. Scroll down and tap More Privacy Settings. If your device has the option, turn off Personal Data Intelligence and confirm your decision. Aside from the Now Bar, you won’t lose any features by doing this. Toggle off Send Diagnostic Data, as well.

Next, go back to the Security and Privacy page, tap on Account Security, then tap Samsung Account Security. Scroll down and turn off the two toggles next to Get News and Special Offers and Improve Personalized Ads With Samsung Account Data. Next, tap on Customization Service, then turn it off. You will see a pop-up warning you that this will remove features, but the only things you’ll lose are the ability to set location-based reminders in Samsung Reminders and personalized app suggestions in the app switcher.

But we’re still not done. Remember that Customization Service you turned off? Samsung includes separate toggles for it in the Samsung Calendar, Clock, Gallery, and My Files apps, as well as the Galaxy Store. Make sure it’s disabled everywhere, and turn off any other advertising or data collection settings across all your installed Samsung apps.

By far the most effective way to prevent an app from accessing your data is not to have it installed in the first place. While uninstalling apps isn’t a setting in the sense of toggling a switch in a menu, it is a change that alters your device’s configuration, so it fits the technical definition. Of course, if you truly wanted none of your data to be collected, you’d uninstall every app from your phone, including much of the operating system itself. That is, of course, impractical and would defeat the purpose of having a smartphone, so the next best thing is to delete apps you rarely or never use. Remember, you can always reinstall them later!

One way to declutter your app library is to go through all of your apps one by one. If you cannot recall the last time you used an app or no longer have a purpose for it, you can safely delete it. That dating app you don’t use anymore? Uninstall it. The fad selfie editor you used once? Get rid of it post-haste.

On iOS, apps can be deleted from the home screen by holding down on an app icon until the icons begin to jiggle. Tap Remove App, then tap Delete App. On Android, it will depend on your phone’s UI. However, one method that works on any version is to find the app in the Google Play Store and tap the Uninstall button displayed prominently at the top of its listing. Alternatively, you can open Settings and tap on Apps, find the app you want to uninstall, and then tap Uninstall. You will need to confirm your choice in either instance.