Pro Tool Innovation Award Winners – A Tool Freak’s Mandatory Reading

A couple months ago we were approached to be media sponsors for the Pro Tool Innovation Awards, the brainchild of our good friends over at ProToolReviews.com. Pro Tool Reviews is all about letting the cream rise to the top of the professional tool brew. Whether you’re a tradesman or just a homeowner that likes high quality tools, Pro Tool Reviews is a great resource. We’re happy to share that their first official Innovation Award winners have just been announced. The winners include many household tool names as well as some brands and products you probably haven’t seen before. Read on for highlights and links to the full set of winning tools!

Pro Tool Innovation Awards

So, what exactly were the Pro Tool Reviews crack team looking at for their Innovation Awards? We’re thinking innovation was high on the list of criteria. Shocking, isn’t it?! While some publications out there have been known to slap an award on just about anything with a barcode, we have no doubt Pro Tools scrutinized the award candidates pretty closely. One thing we really like about the Innovation Awards was that they not only broke their awards into broad categories, (see below), but they also included more than one product winner per category. There are a lot of great products in the tool world, and to try to narrow the field to just one per general category would by definition mean you’re excluding many great tools. Check out their categories and a little HomeFixated feedback for each below.

Accessories

Blades and bits, that’s what it’s all about folks. You can have the most ass-kicking power tool on the planet, but if you use junky accessories for it, you may as well be wielding a Harbor Freight special just past its 30 day prime. There are definitely some fantastic accessories here including Milwaukee Sawzall blades and Bosch Daredevil spade bits. However, our tip of the hat when it comes to innovation goes to Hilti’s hollow drill bits intro’d at World of Concrete this year. Check out all the accessory winners here.

Clothing

Some cool looking work gloves we haven’t checked out yet piqued our interest in this list. However, the Milwaukee M12 Cordless Heated Hoodie is our personal fave. The great heated garment rush is on though, so expect Milwaukee to have much more competition from the likes of Bosch, DeWalt, etc. next year! However we predict Bosch won’t release a hoodie. Check out all the clothing winners here.

Corded Tools

Once the only way to get “real” work done, corded tools still hold sway despite the ever-increasing importance and prevalence of cordless tools. From tile saws to grinders there’s a great, very diverse selection here. Check out the full corded tool winners here.

Cordless Tools

Cordless is where it’s at for most tool companies these days. You’ll find a broad range of Lithium-sipping tools from many of the major brands here. We applaud the inclusion of both the Milwaukee M18 Fuel Grinder and Circular Saw, as they totally kick butt! Check out the full cordless tool list here.

Fasteners

With just a few winners in this category, we were happy to see Outlaw Fasteners included. Full disclosure, Outlaw is currently an advertiser, but that doesn’t change the fact that they are bringing a very unique product to market in a category that hasn’t exactly been the bastion of innovation in recent decades. Check out the fastener winners here.

Hand Tools

Our personal favorites in this category include Knipex TwinForce Cutters and HollowCore Nut Drivers from Milwaukee. We were also glad to see the Franklin Pro Stud Sensor which we reviewed favorably a while back. With 15 winners in this category, there’s a little something for everyone, whether you’re a carpenter, demolition man/woman, or electrician. Check out the hand tools winners here.

Pneumatic Tools

This list was full of hot air. Well, technically just compressed air. . . which sometimes does get warm. Anyway, the point here is that this category is for you if you’re into shooting fasteners. And who isn’t in to shooting fasteners, (except maybe this guy)? Loads of guns as well as the Ridgid Roofing Cutter we featured in the recent HomeFixated video seen below. Check out the pneumatic winners here.

Storage

We were a bit surprised to not see Veto Pro Pac in this list of winners. Even so, there are some great products to keep your tool, gear and fasteners from rising up in a messy rebellion to take over your shop/truck/life. Check out the three winning products from Klein, DeWalt and Bosch in the storage category here.

Test and Mesurement

Finally, the category near and dear to a tool geek’s heart – Test and Measurement. Here you’ll find tools that magically test and even light up fluorescent bulbs, scopes and lasers galore, and even a thermal imager that would send the Predator into a fit of jealous rage. Check out all the test and measurement geekery here.

Find the full 2013 Pro Tool Innovation Awards Winners here and you just might have your Christmas wish list a few months early!