I always pause when I see a tool brand touting how many pieces are in its tool set. Sure, 200 sounds great, but when you open up the case and see a clunky hammer and 199 nails—it’s technically accurate, but you’re suddenly a lot less impressed (and still in the market for a lot of essential tools).

That’s why the number 158 attached to Kobalt’s flagship tool set didn’t raise a red flag. After all, it’s right around the same number as you get with my favorite tool set for auto repairs from Craftsman and only a bit less than you get with this Crescent tool set, which is the one I recommend that’s best overall for most homeowners.

The $60 price tag, however, was impressive, and so I wondered: Did those savings come at the expense of less useful tools? Or poorly built tools?

To my delight, the answer was neither. I spent several weeks using this 158-piece Kobalt tool kit to perform various odd jobs around the house, from hanging pictures to fixing a leaky faucet. It’s a well-curated set that includes all the core tools you need to complete basic projects around the house, and it’s a kit that doesn’t compromise on quality.

I set about using this collection of tools to handle a variety of small tasks around the house in an effort to see just how much I could get done with it. It turned out to be quite a bit.

The hammer, bullet level, and tape measure helped me hang a set of framed pictures. I found many uses for the bit driver. With its wide selection of bit types and sizes, I was able to use it to tighten loose screws in a few doorknobs, remove a light switch, adjust the seat height on my road bike, and assemble a shop vac I was testing.

A set of precision screwdrivers was useful for removing the small screws that secure the battery compartments on a set of motion sensors on my home security system. There’s also an adjustable wrench, which I was able to use to loosen and tighten a supply line on my kitchen sink. The utility knife helped me break down a collection of thick cardboard boxes, and the slip-joint pliers proved useful for stripping out a 3-inch wood screw from a 2x4.

But while a lot of these tools are ones I actually used (and expect to use again), the set is not entirely free of filler. A chunk of those 158 pieces includes nails, anchors, hooks, hangers, and screws—pretty typical for a tool set like this, to be clear, but still not adding much value. That said, it’s not like you won’t use these at all, and having a small case that holds these essentials inside the set’s molded carrying case is convenient. My only gripe is with the plastic anchors, which are essentially useless unless you own a cordless drill and drill bits, neither of which come with this kit.

While Kobalt packs this set with tools you’ll actually use, it’s not filler-free. A chunk of those 158 pieces includes nails, anchors, hooks, hangers, and screws. That said, it is filler you’re likely to use, and having a small case that can hold these essentials inside the molded carrying case is convenient. My only gripe is with the plastic anchors, which are essentially useless unless you own a cordless drill and drill bits, neither of which come with this kit.

Generally speaking, the quality of the tools in a home tool kit isn’t going to match the build quality of the same tools if you buy them individually. And that’s okay. Home tool kits aren’t meant to meet a pro’s demands or take on bigger DIY projects, like renovating a bathroom or building a deck. Still, the quality of the tools should be solid and consistent across the entire set. From my experience, that’s often not the case with these multipiece kits. Kobalt’s 158-piece tool set is an exception.

For starters, all of the hand tools have a solid feel to them with better-than-average build quality for a home tool kit. The 10-ounce hammer is well balanced and large enough to drive larger finish nails. With their precision-cut jaws, smooth operation, and large grips, both sets of pliers could hold their own against sets of pliers you’d purchase individually. While most home tool kits come with undersized, flimsy plastic utility knives, Kobalt’s kit includes a full-size utility knife with full-size blades.

If there’s anything I could replace in this tool set, it would be the 6-inch wrench for a more versatile 8-inch adjustable version. It doesn’t sound like much, but those additional 2 inches provide more leverage to work stubborn bolts and compression nuts. The 8-inch size also has wider jaws that can fit around larger plumbing fittings you’ll find around your house, such as 3/4-inch garden hose fittings.

Home tool kits are designed for those who don’t use tools very often. You would think that might lead a manufacturer to design something less than comfortable in an effort to save money. After all, if the user doesn’t use tools often, they don’t know what they’re missing.

Thankfully, that’s not Kobalt’s m.o. with this tool set. The hammer’s molded handle and rubberized grip allowed me to get a firm, secure grip when driving 1 1/2-inch finish nails into a 2x4. The bit driver has a large handle that allowed me to generate more torque when turning tougher screws, and the utility knife is coated in a rubberized grip, which made it easier to bear down on the blade while cutting through heavy cardboard. Even the shears have a comfortable grip.

The only tool lacking an ergonomic grip is the adjustable wrench, which has a bare metal handle that created a painful pressure point on my palm when I was using it to loosen a tight bolt.

There are some little details that are thoughtful, as well. The utility knife holds spare blades inside the handle, and the two hex wrench sets are color-coded so you can see at a glance which is metric and which is SAE. All of the tools fit nicely into a durable molded case. Since there’s a designated spot for each tool, it keeps everything organized so you don’t need to go digging through a bag to find the tool you're looking for.

Kobalt’s tool set retails for about $60, which is a heck of a deal given the selection and quality of tools the set includes. While this makes it a great kit for handling odd jobs around the house, it’s important to note that this set, like most home tool kits, has its limitations.

It lacks a socket set, which is essential for some jobs, like working on a vehicle or a lawn mower. If you’re looking for a kit that can handle those tasks, consider the Craftsman 159-piece tool kit or DeWalt 142-piece mechanics tool kit.

It also doesn’t come with a cordless drill, which is something you’ll absolutely need if you're planning on mounting a TV to the wall or installing anchors for a set of floating shelves. Home tool kits such as the WorkPro Home Tool Set and Black & Decker home tool kit both come with cordless drills, or you can purchase one separately if you plan on doing a lot of drilling. My favorite is the Milwaukee M18 2904 Hammer Drill.

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