12- BEST CORDLESS COMPRESSOR
Milwaukee 2840-20 $349
This 18-volt compressor is more
expensive than an equivalent
corded one, but its complete
portability away from a power
source makes it more fun and
more practical. Use it to pump
up a tire or a pool toy or, more to
the point, power a nail gun. It
weighs about 34 pounds with a
battery, meaning you can carry
it in one hand and a nailer in
the other. We found this lib-
erating as we moved about
fastening baseboard trim. - BEST WELDER
ESAB Rogue ES 180i $600
The Rogue weighs a hair over
18 pounds but packs outsized
versatility. It can weld at 120
or 240 volts, with all types of
stick electrodes up to diame-
ters of 5⁄32 inch. (Note: At 120
volts, you’ll need a heavy-duty
breaker.) That said, our welds
with 1⁄8-inch electrodes at 120
volts on galvanized, clean, and
rusty stock produced nearly
unbreakable results.
SHOP TOOLS
↑ BEST SHARPENER
Work Sharp WSBCHPAJ $60
Dull knives are neither fun nor safe, but using the WSB-
CHPAJ sharpener is both. Clamp a blade into its magnet
holder, then sweep the sharpening rod down the length
of the edge. Repeat on the other side. We found it’s a
shortcut to a reliably keen knife.← BEST FUEL GAUGE
Bernzomatic Fuel Gauge $12
It wasn’t long ago that you sim-
ply had to guess how much fuel
was left in small cylinders—or
you ran them until they sput-
tered out. This handy device
works on both Bernzomatic and
Coleman cylinders, including
for propane and high-tempera-
ture handheld torches in the
14- and 16.4-ounce sizes. Turn
it on, select the cylinder size,
snap on the connector, hook a
finger through the loop, and
hold it up. The gauge displays
how much fuel remains.72 March/April 2021
COURTESYBERNZOMATIC(FUEL^ GAUGE)