Originally published in September 2023. Last updated on March 7, 2025.
Appliance repair jobs can have you fixing all kinds of equipment—from washers and dryers to refrigerators. Having a diverse set of tools in your bag keeps you prepared to deliver quality service and work safely.
To help you find the right tools and budget for them, we’ve compiled an appliance repair tools list for all types of jobs, along with descriptions and average prices.
When you’re ready to shop, download this appliance repair tools list to keep track of what you’ve purchased and what you still need.
Disclaimer: The appliance repair tool list features prices based on approximate ranges. Pricing will vary by brand, store, quality, and whether they’re new, used, or rented.
Essential tools for all appliance repairs
These are tools you’ll need to keep around no matter what kind of appliances you work with. For this whole set of appliance repair tools, screwdrivers, and pliers, expect to spend from $200–1300 depending on the products and brands you select.
1. Multimeter ($15-100): Use a multimeter to diagnose and troubleshoot an appliance’s electrical issues by measuring voltage, current, and resistance.
2. Voltage Tester Pen ($10–50): A voltage tester pen is critical for checking whether electrical wires or other electrical equipment have a voltage before you work on it. This helps you avoid the risk of electric shock.
3. Cordless electric drill ($40–200): Keep a portable drill to make disassembling and reassembling appliance parts easy.
4. Rubber mallet ($5–25): Unlike a hammer, a rubber mallet can deliver force without damaging surfaces—and that’s useful for adjusting or seating appliance components.
5. Putty knife ($5–15): Use these knives to scrape residue, apply filler, or remove appliance components.
6. Wire cutters ($10–40): When repairing or replacing electrical components, you’ll need to cut wires or small pins with a strong pair of wire cutters.
7. Wrench set ($30–150): Keep wrenches of various sizes to tighten and loosen nuts and bolts in appliances. This includes an Allen wrench, adjustable, combination, open-end/box-end, ratcheting, socket, and stubby wrenches.
8. Nut driver set ($15–50): These drivers fit over hexagonal nuts or screw heads, offering better grip and turning leverage than standard screwdrivers. This includes flexible, insulated, magnetic, ratcheting, and T-handle nut drivers.
9. Handheld steam cleaner ($30–100): Steam cleaners get grime and sticky residue off of appliance components when you’ve finished a repair.
10. Shop vacuum ($50–200): This powerful vacuum cleans debris, dust, or water from appliance interiors or surrounding areas during repair.
11. Appliance rollers ($15–60): Rollers help you safely move heavy appliances like refrigerators or ovens. You can also use a slip-resistant mat or glide underneath appliances to move them without scratching the floor.
12. Extension grabber ($10–30): Easily reach small pieces of equipment (nuts, screws, etc.) that have fallen into hard-to-reach places, like behind appliances you’re working on.
13. Shop towels ($10–25): When working with leaks, dust, and dirt you’ll want to keep shop towels close to clean up those messes before the job is done.
14. Thread-sealing tape ($1–10): Use a good thread-sealing tape to make sure your appliance repairs on equipment with water don’t leak in the future.
15. Replacement parts (prices vary): Always keep important replacement parts on hand such as extra switches, fuses, and screws to be prepared for anything.
16. Tool bag ($20–500): A dependable tool bag keeps your whole job organized, whether you choose a simple single-pouch tool bag or a heavy-duty option with all the bells and whistles.
Screwdrivers
Keep each of these screwdrivers in your tool bag for all kinds of appliances ($30–95 in total):
17. Flathead screwdrivers ($5-20) help you turn screws with a linear, single slot, which you’ll find often in older appliances and electrical connections.
18. Phillips screwdrivers ($5-20) have a cross-shaped tip for screws with a cross recess common in many modern appliances.
19. Torx screwdrivers ($10-25) have a star-shaped end made for Torx screws. Torx screws are common in electronics and some newer appliances.
20. Duck bill screwdrivers ($10-30) come with a wider tip for turning screws in tight spaces or holding flat components.
Pliers
Pick up a set of pliers for $30-80, and make sure it has each of these:
15. Needle nose pliers ($10-25) are long and thin-tipped, making them ideal for gripping, bending, and cutting in tight spaces. You’ll use them to manipulate wires and pick up small parts.
16. Slip joint pliers ($10-25) have a pivot point that can be moved to increase the tool’s jaw size—this is handy for gripping appliance parts of various sizes.
17. Cutting pliers ($10-30) are mainly designed to cut wires and thin metal parts. These pliers have sharp blades near their base to easily snip through materials during repairs.
Refrigerator repair tools
When you or your appliance repair technicians are assigned to a refrigerator repair, make sure you have these tools in your van, and set aside $55–140 if you’re buying all of them new:
21. Condenser brush ($10–20): Clean the condenser coils in a customer’s refrigerator with a condenser brush to improve cooling in the system.
22. Refrigerator defrost timer ($15–40): This timer controls the defrost cycle in refrigerators, preventing excessive frost buildup.
23. Evaporator fan motor wrench ($10–30): Designed to fit and remove the bolts securing the evaporator fan motor, this wrench is essential for motor replacement and repair.
24. Evaporator fan blade puller ($20–50): This tool helps you safely remove the fan blades from motors in refrigeration units.
READ MORE: 34 essential tools for HVAC work
Washer and dryer repair tools
To repair malfunctioning washing machines and dryers, keep these tools around (and budget $85–250 for all of them):
25. Socket set ($30–100): Keep a collection of sockets and a ratchet to work with nuts and bolts in a washing machine.
26. Belt tension gauge ($15–40): This gauge measures the tension in drive belts so you can ensure they’re neither too tight nor too loose for optimal machine performance.
27. Drum roller kit ($20–60): These kits come with drum support rollers, axles, nuts, and other replacement parts for worn-out dryers.
28. Dryer vent brush ($10–25): Use this brush to clean lint and debris from dryer vents, prevent blockages, and improve dryer efficiency.
29. Tub nut wrench ($10–25): Also called a tub spanner wrench, this wrench is designed to remove and tighten the central nut that holds the washing machine tub in place.
Oven and range repair tools
Pick up all these tools to equip yourself for oven and range repairs ($45–145 in total):
30. Temperature probe ($15–50): A temperature probe ensures an oven is reaching the right internal temperature.
31. Oven thermometer ($5–15): Unlike built-in temperature probes, an oven thermometer provides a secondary check on the oven’s actual temperature, helping confirm its accuracy.
31. Gas leak detector ($25–80): A safety tool that detects traces of gas emissions, gas leak detectors are used around oven fittings and connections to alert you of potential gas leaks.
Supplies and consumables
To be prepared for every appliance repair job, stock your van with these essential supplies and consumables ($88–275 in total):
32. Bucket ($2–20): Catch any leaking water during dishwasher, refrigerator, or washing machine repair.
33. Duct tape ($5–15): Ideal for many small fixes such as sealing small air leaks or holding loose parts together.
34. Extension cord ($10–30): Keep tools powered and have the option to test appliance when working on equipment not close to an outlet.
35. Flashlight ($10–40): Inspect dark or hard-to-reach spaces inside appliances, like behind refrigerators.
36. Insulation tape roll ($3–10): Safely insulate electrical wires and prevent short circuits in appliance repairs.
37. Magnetic bubble level ($10–20): An easy-to-use tool that will help you level appliances like refrigerators, washers, and stoves to make sure they stay working properly.
38. Soldering wire ($5–20): Repair circuit boards or reconnect electrical components in appliances.
39. Step ladder ($30–100): Access overhead appliances, such as mounted microwaves or HVAC units, or wires and power sources in elevated places.
40. Wire nuts ($5–10): Securely connect electrical wires when replacing motors, switches, or other electrical equipment.
Essential safety gear for appliance repairs
Safety comes first, so make sure you’re equipped with these must-have items for your appliance repair jobs ($25–115 in total):
42. Safety goggles ($5–30): Protect your eyes from chemicals, debris, or materials that may ricochet near your face during appliance repairs.
43. Work Gloves ($5–25): Give yourself an extra layer of protection from chemicals with rubber gloves, and from sharp materials with more heavy-duty multi-purpose gloves.
44. Protective Clothing ($10–40): Keep your regular clothes, uniform, and skin protected from chemicals or other spills with a protective cover.
45. Shoe Covers ($5–20): Carry shoe covers with you to avoid the tedious exercise of taking your shoes or work boots off when coming into a client’s home, while also keeping the house clean as a result.
Digital tools for running your business
As an appliance repair business owner, you have to organize service calls, track service agreements, keep customers happy, get more appliance repair leads, manage your finances, and much more.
To save yourself time and run a more efficient business, consider these must-have appliance repair apps and business tools:
39. Appliance repair service software
Instead of using spreadsheets and messy calendars to organize your schedule and job information, use software that’s built to help appliance repair businesses like yours manage day-to-day work with less effort.
Jobber’s appliance repair software keeps your business running smoothly and efficiently. Use it to streamline essential tasks, so you can stay organized and focused on what matters most. With Jobber, you have the tools you need to optimize your appliance repair services, including:
- Scheduling: Book appointments, create jobs, choose the client, and assign the job to your team instantly. You can also allow clients to book online right into your calendar for a more seamless experience.
- Quoting: Create professional quotes for your clients and track their status online. To stay on top of your leads, send follow-up emails to clients who have yet to respond to quotes.
- Invoice and payments: Send, track, and view invoices and make it easy for customers to pay online.
- Job details: Include to-do lists on jobs to ensure top-quality service for every client.
READ MORE: 8 best appliance repair apps to run a smarter business
40. Accounting software
Improve the speed and accuracy of your bookkeeping and payroll with accounting software like QuickBooks Online. QuickBooks Online lets you manage income, expenses, payroll, and financial reports from anywhere.
Plus, QuickBooks Online integrates with appliance repair software like Jobber to eliminate the need for double-entry work and save you time.
Now that you know what tools you need for appliance repair, remember that you don’t need everything all at once.
Start by identifying what tools and equipment you’ll need for the specific services you offer and look into options for used or rental tools before you make any major purchases. This will keep more cash in your pocket while you secure a healthy recurring list of clients.
As you make more money, you’ll be able to add new tools to your bag, or keep used and rentals if that works for you.
Refer back to this list as your business grows and more work comes in.
Frequently Asked Questions
-
Residential appliance repair tools are often smaller and made for everyday home appliances. Commercial tools are more durable and built for heavy-duty work on large appliances. They may need more power, cost more, and include special tools for industrial repairs.
-
When investing in appliance repair tools, go for equipment that is strong, safe, and compatible with the appliances you fix. Choose tools that are easy to use, portable, and have good warranties. Choose quality over quantity because while these tools may cost more, they last longer and often work better.