Building a PC is a great experience. We sit there with a spreadsheet and multiple browser tabs, poring over the best CPUs, the best GPUs, PC cases, RAM deals, and many more components.
The package arrives, and we are excitedly tearing into the boxes, putting the parts on the table, and we are ready to build! We reach into the toolkit and dig out the rusty old screwdriver we used to open a paint can back in 2014. We then spill standoffs and screws over the floor, ready for an unsuspecting foot at 2am!
Precision Kits
All the gear, and lots of ideas?
You need to start somewhere, and this precision kit has pretty much every tool that you could need to maintain a PC, all in a handy case.
You get a precision screwdriver with 142 different bits (slot, Phillips, Pozidrive, Petalobe, Tork, Stand-off driver, Gamebit (for Nintendo consoles), Torx / Torx security, and many others. You also get spudgers and pry tools, tweezers, a brush, and a magnetizer/demagnetizer for your screwdriver bits.
If you need a smaller version, then the $9 Strebito 64-piece kit offers just enough bits to tackle most jobs, and it comes in a great case that will slip into your toolbox/rucksack/go-bag for when you need it.
Screwdriver Sets
Without these, you're screwed!
In my office/workshop, I have a general set of screwdrivers for general tasks, and a set of Wera screwdrivers for servicing 3D printers and taking things apart. Sometimes I put things back together with all their screws, but often one screw is left over.
A good general-purpose precision screwdriver set is a necessity. This 164-in-1 set has all the bits that you need to repair electronics and keep your electronics ticking over. The driver handle is solid, with a rotating end that lets your hand apply pressure to the screw without lifting off.
The kit comes in a very desirable case that neatly fits into your desk drawers / kit bag.
When building PCs, sometimes we need to reach screws in awkward locations. I'm looking at the full-tower PC build I made 20 years ago! You need a little length, and this set of long (12 inches / 30CM) Phillips PH2 and Slotted 1/4-inch screwdrivers will reach those hard-to-reach places. They also come with two 1.5-inch "stubby" versions that offer a little more torque due to their shorter stature. All of the drivers are magnetic, helping to keep those screws in place, and for those times when we drop screws behind a workbench.
Everyone should own this great electric screwdriver!
At least three Tom's Hardware editors own this screwdriver. I am one of them. It should be difficult to extol an electric screwdriver. After all, it is really just a motor that spins and screws / unscrews. But Hoto's NEX 01 Pro is easy to glorify!
The main screwdriver chassis is chunky and features a rubberized finish to prevent it from slipping from your hands. The twist power ring offers three levels of torque, and the simple push-button forward/reverse is a joy to use. Throw in a bonus LED light ring, and you are ready to build and maintain PCs and have plenty of power to put up those shelves in the living room.
There are two versions of the kit. The simpler kit has a ring holder to support the driver and a selection of bits. Or you can get the boxed version, which has even more bits and a rigid plastic case. I chose the latter, because it was oddly cheaper and it had lots more bits.
I also own this Hoto precision electric screwdriver kit, and it is amazing. I've used it to open laptops, build Raspberry Pi cases, repair a broken power bank, and perform many other jobs. It comes in a lovely case and provides 25 different bits (Phillips, Torx, Slot, Hex, etc.) and charges via USB Type-C.
Screw Kits
Don't screw up your next PC build!
Let's be honest. We've all scrabbled around for a spare stand-off or screw to secure a motherboard to a chassis. We've cannibalized other components to ensure that our main rig has everything it needs to keep the motherboard in place and the GPU firmly attached to the case. But what if we just spent less than $10 for 400 screws?
That's right, for less than $10, we can have 400 screws, stand-offs, and insulation rings to secure every part of our PC.
In the kit, there are:
- Hard drive screws
- Motherboard screws
- Chassis fan screws
- SSD screws
- Insulation gaskets
- High-strength chassis screws (think GPUs)
- M2 screws
- Flat Phillips screws
- M3 Stand-offs
- Chassis hand twist screws
I bought myself a similar pack a few years ago, and it has proven its worth on more than a few occasions.
For less than $10, just throw it into your basket without thinking!
Flashlights
Save money on these 'illuminating' flashlight deals
A good flashlight is one of the most rewarding tools that we can own. It lights up the dark, helps us see obstacles and what we are working on, and could be used to signal planes, should you be trapped on the island from Lost.
The first of these flashlights, the Olight IMINI2, I personally own. It is simple to use, just remove it from the magnetic base and it turns on, put it back and it turns off. The magnetic base can also be used to stick the flashlight to a PC case/metal object for hands-free illumination. Charging is simply done by inserting the base into a USB Type A port. There are no controls; it's just on or off by removing it from the base.
I own a Wuben C3, but I wish I had this one instead. With 1800 Lumens of light, USB Type-C charging, an IP68 rating, a baseball cap clip, and a magnetic base, this is a great flashlight. The 1800 Lumens brightness is at max power; dial it down, and you will get many hours of use. The magnetic base lets you connect it to a metal part of your PC case or 3D printer, leaving both hands free to get work done.
Dusters and cleaners
Clean the filth from your PC!
Air blowers/dusters are a popular choice for quickly blowing out fans and filters to remove any collected dust and fluff. They can also blow out the crumbs that linger under your keyboard. Air blowers are a great alternative to single-use compressed air cans.
The Wolfbox MegaFlow 100 (MF100) may sound like a 1990s Euro Rock tribute act, but it has 150,000 RPM of power to blow dust out of your PC at 45 meters per second!
This convenient blower is battery-powered and supports USB Type-C charging. The MF100 fully charges in 2.5 hours and provides up to 100 minutes of runtime on the first setting. The MF100 is small and compact, weighing only 0.66lb, so it can be easily stored when not in use. The MF100 is also supported by a 24-month guarantee and 24/7 customer service.
Earlier this year I cleaned out my desktop PC and my own dust blower did a great job, but there were times when the amassed collection of dead skin cells and fluff was too much for my much weaker air duster. So I bought some cans of compressed air, and not the dollar store stuff either! I don't use them often, but they are handy when you need a little more power in a precise point.
Sometimes compressed air or turbo-force USB-powered jet fans aren't enough, and so you must get your hands dirty. Cleaning any electronic components should be done with care. Components aren't as static sensitive as their predecessors (I'm looking at you 4MB SIMM that I bought in 1997!) but we should take care not to trash our kit.
These nylon anti-static brushes come in a range of sizes and shapes to clean dust from components and inside drive bays, and to keep caked-on dust from your fan blades. It also includes a keycap puller and tweezers to deep clean the harrowing scene that lurks under your keyboard.
The final cleaning product that you need for building and maintaining PCs is Isopropyl Alcohol, IPA.
I buy IPA in bulk, seriously. I use it to clean my 3D printers, tools, and even my PC case, when it's not full of dust. I dispense it into dollar store spray bottles, the ones used when traveling. I mark the bottle with an IPA label and just grab it when I need it. Yes, 99% is overkill; heck, it's medical grade for first aid use, but if you really want to eke it out, get some distilled water and water down your mix to 70%. I don’t because it works well as it is.
My top tip, though, is not to spray it when the components are hot. There is very little risk of fire, but it will evaporate rather quickly. That said, in the electronics hobbyist world, rapidly evaporating IPA is used to identify super-hot chips, typically those that have shorted.
Thermal pastes
Thermal paste etiquette — pea-sized blob, an X, or a smooth layer like peanut butter
Let's all agree that, however you apply thermal paste, that is the right way, ok?
Thermal paste / TIM or thermal pads bridge the hot side of a component to a heatsink or heatpipe, which wicks away heat, keeping the component cool. I first encountered thermal pads on an old AMD 1GHz CPU, yes, I am old! But I digress. I thought it was sticky residue from packing, so I scraped it off and put the cooler on my AMD CPU, played Colin McRae Rally and then the CPU overheated and took out most of my system. £200 (in 1999, £384 adjusted for 2025 inflation) later, I had my system working, and I learnt an important lesson.
Thermal material is essential to keep your system cool, and I asked the team what they use. Our Editor-in-Chief, Paul Alcorn, said that MX-6 is his go-to thermal paste. So I looked around and found this handy kit that contains 4G of thermal paste and six handy wipes. The wipes are essentially isopropyl alcohol on a cloth, and they are used to prepare the surface for the new paste. They will wipe off the old paste, dust, dead skin (ewww) and leave the surface ready for pasting!
If you spot something better, or want to tell me I am wrong, hit the comments!
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