What's your unexpected favorite tool?

[Southerncough]

Greetings all, the other day i was admiring an item in my garden and thought "i never imagined this would be one of my favorite tools" then thought it might make a fun, educational thread to share a tool that really grew on you. Big or small, expensive or cheap, etc.

I'll start...
My $3 retractable sharpie.
I never realized how much i needed this thing in my life!
So many times I've either lost the cap or have been working away gripping it in my teeth.
Now If i need to label a stake or something I just pull it out of my pocket, click it, write, click, and back in my pocket it goes! No looking around for the damn cap...etc etc

 

[Old Salt]

Air hose reel fastened to a joist, just behind the door. It makes it fast and easy to store the hose.

 

[Bud]

Each time I order Chinese food I get the chopsticks, luv um, use them for a host of things, I’ve Supported growing plants with them, and used for a type of trellis.

 

[HugePeckerhead]

A funnel.

 

[Weaselcracker]

Pipe cleaners. I use them for training plants, tying branches down to scrog screens, for holding the splint on when I break a stem, as colour coded visual markers -like when pollinating a branch, for keeping wires, appliances and dangling stuff out of the way, and for cleaning my pipe. Generally a simple 180° kink is evough to hold what I need, and can be undone with a tug. Fully reusable- except for pipe cleaning I guess.

I never even saw a retractable sharpie before. Need to get out more...

 

[Southerncough]

I need a funnel! (All of my funnels have been soiled with automotive fluids.) Started quadlining my plants nice and low which has been fun except now it's hard to water without dousing the leaves with nutes!
Love me some pipe cleaners and chopsticks have come to the rescue of many floppy seedlings.
For some reason my favorite pots for seedlings and clones are only available at the dollar store in springtime.
I love their pruning shears, wire ties, label stakes and believe it or not have had decent luck with their veggie seeds.
They (dollar tree) get carry this garden wire (similar to a really really long bread tie) on a dispenser that conveniently hangs on a nail so i can pull a strip and cut it without having to dig around looking for it and that's nice.

 

[nivek]

ha,, a stir stick,,

i use an old recycled paintbrush handle,, still has a tiny bit of the original paint on it, otherwise bare wood top to bottom. i use it multiple times a day

 

[Remystemple]

a 10 gallon cooler i turned into a reservoir, along with the water tap i ran into the grow room. and an air pump with 2 tubes, each with a weight on the end so i don't have to stir my solutions lol. i just put the tubes in and let the air mix it for me.

 

[Southerncough]

ha,, a stir stick,,

i use an old recycled paintbrush handle,, still has a tiny bit of the original paint on it, otherwise bare wood top to bottom. i use it multiple times a day

I have a paint stirring attachment for my drill that makes a giant mess when i try to mix nutes that way BUT found it does a helluva job stirring with it by hand. And it's like $5 @ the depot

 

[Bud]

Another favorite is a hemostat, I use the smooth part to super crop stems with. And dubbles as
A roach clip, and to reach into jars and grab a bud.

 

[bobrown14]

I guess my favorite tool is the one in my hand that I didn't have to run to a store and buy it. lol

So today it was a metal hand saw, a Teppco Jig saw, screw driver, sharpie, dikes (wire cutters). All before breakfast. Installed a new stove with a new electrical outlet for 120v and cut the counter top to accommodate new stove. Of course I had to sleep on that project several weeks with stove sitting in the middle of the kitchen. lol

 

[Marzbadrock]

My favorite tool is my best friend jason!

 

[zeroday]

Metal thingies that come with a turkey trussing kit. I bend over the loop and then use them for the occasional seedling that needs help standing up. Also use them to poke the ash out of my pipes. They also help when handling dabs.

Sharpies rule the world though!

 

[cr8grow]

Third vote for funnel...paid $2 for one with a long nozzle...just make sure its in the pot before your pour. PS scrog pretty full now going into week 8.

 

[Dsrkmattertec54]

Unexpected favorite Tool:

Fear Innoculum

 

[Lerugged]

Mine would be a 90 degree sprinkler to water my barrels. It's a ballache to water with a watering can.
Best tool album ... aenime just saying

 

[Jackalope]

Indoor/outdoor thermometer was probably the biggest surprise.

 

[bobrown14]

And wait for it..... my wife's new favorite tool. lol

 

[Lerugged]

The new hob. Nice one Bob

 

[bobrown14]

Yay finally a stove. We were cooking on a hot plate for several weeks. Had to get this installed before I started flowering plants.

Had a hard time justifying growing plants and no stove to cook on. lol

I'm positive others have had different priorities.