The 5 Most Underrated Tools Costco Carries (And Which We'd Recommend)

Whether or not a tool is underrated is, of course, in the eye of the beholder. But if that eye has seen a lot, all the experience behind a surprising recommendation is worth considering. Following are five great deals on tools at Costco that we think you'd be better off with — and a couple that you definitely shouldn't be without. Here we have tools that offer a way to move things around that isn't itself a burden, a way to clean up or just push things out of the way, a tool that gives you superhuman lithium-powered strength, a workshop essential at a phenomenal price, and a way to make your workshop more portable without sacrificing any of the power you need to get your jobs done.

All of these are highly rated tools that are underrated by virtue of prioritization: We often budget our DIY dollars in ways that are less crucial than these purchases. For example, sure, you can drag laundry appliances or big stacks of toolboxes around by sheer strength and will, but the mighty Magna Cart says that gravity should be subject to the laws of simple machines, so the burden isn't always entirely on you. Similarly, the Link2Home cord reel — a proven way to keep messy extension cords neatly organized – delivers up to 20 amps but also has an overabundance of reliability and capacity with its SJTW designation as a weather-resistant and durably jacketed cable rated for up to 300 volts. (Now, that's a technical rating; don't try 300 volts at home, and note that this reel is made primarily for the great indoors, with occasional outdoor use.)

Our favorite under-appreciated Costco tool is one that might not even get used in a workshop at all. The Link2Home Professional Grade Metal Cord Reel ($49.99) is the sort of thing you don't know you need until you have one ... but once you do, it's hard to imagine living without it. And as we've suggested already, this is no ordinary extension cord-power strip combo. It has an on-off switch that controls four grounded outlets, which include overload protection for faster tripping by a voltage or current overage. The tag end of the cord locks in place for transport, and transport is what this thing is all about. It effectively makes it possible to extend your workshop to just about anywhere. However, remember that there are places you should never use extension cords. Power tools often require 20 amps when combined with just about any other tool, and this simply isn't something your average extension cord can handle. The cord reel has a three-year warranty and 4.6 stars on 448 reviews. Amazon reviewers rate other Link2Home cord reels an average of 4.54 stars.

Some reviewers challenge Link2Home's description, saying the "heavy duty metal steel drum" is actually made of thin, flexible metal, and that the tangle-free cord management doesn't prevent tangles because the spool is so loose that it spins a little too freely. Others said it's difficult to wind the cable back onto the spool. But most love just about everything about it, and since it makes so many other things possible for a DIYer, it's the tool we think you shouldn't leave Costco without.

The Magna Cart's punny name doesn't stop the $39.99 personal hand truck from being useful. Weighing only 7 pounds, the 15-inch-wide aluminum cart can fold down to a remarkable 2.5 inches thick and 25 inches tall — small enough for airplane overhead compartments. Or it can unfold and telescope so that its handle reaches 39 inches and it can manage 150-pound loads. Its six-wheel design purports to help with door thresholds and stairs. In our roundup of Costco's best-selling home and garden tools, we praised the 800-to-1000-pound capacity of Costco's 4-in-1 Convertible Hand Truck, but the Magna Cart is a different sort of device. It's meant more for moving boxes and bins of things we're trying to keep organized. That said, this 150-pound-capacity cart can do real work, even moving large appliances. Consider: Many electric stoves, even 30-inch models, are 150 pounds or lighter. A standard residential clothes dryer usually weighs less than 150 pounds, as do medium-capacity top-loading washing machines. You'll have to make do without the straps afforded by most appliance dollies, of course. Purchasers largely agree about the Magna Cart's capabilities; between the Costco site and Amazon, the cart gets 4.4 stars based on over 100 reviews.

There are few complaints in so few negative reviews, of course. Wheel size comes up most frequently, with one reviewer preferring a previous Magna Cart model with larger wheels for better navigating big gaps between subway trains and platforms. A few users complained that the aluminum frame flexes and feels like it might break under load, though none said their cart actually broke.

You don't buy a wet-dry vacuum because you have one specific need; you buy one because you have a hundred. DeWalt's 8-Gallon Wet-Dry Vacuum acknowledges this need for flexibility in every aspect of its design and feature set. The stainless-steel vacuum features four swiveling casters for easy movement, a 12-foot cord, and a set of accessories and attachments to get almost every vacuuming task accomplished. Powered by a 5 horsepower motor, it moves air at 90 cubic-feet-per-minute (cfm) in various directions, since it can operate as both a wet-dry vac and a leaf blower. The wet functions aren't an afterthought, either. The device powers off when filled with water, has a large drain for fast emptying, and comes with a washable wet-dry cartridge filter (HEPA filters and disposable vacuum bags are also available). It gets 4.6 stars from Costco and Amazon on over 800 combined ratings.

Some reviewers question the vacuum's heritage. It is manufactured by Alton Industry, and some feel it doesn't live up to the quality associated with the DeWalt name ... particularly with regard to the attachments. Some note that it's difficult to interface with dust collection ports, even on other DeWalt tools. Others say it's surprisingly noisy. But 4.6 stars is 4.6 stars, and most purchasers are quite happy with the vacuum. And, at $94.99 (a comparable model, the DXV08S, is $139.00 on Amazon), it's hard to beat the Costco deal.

Some Trailer Valet products resemble a small child's concept of how you should move heavy things around ... and sometimes small children have much better ideas than us blinkered adults, with our notions of return on investment and financial responsibility. So, do you need a $6,999 RVR12 that moves your boat or utility trailer around on Caterpillar treads via remote control? Only if you're gearing up for an appearance on "Robot Wars." But do you need the Costco-special $599.99 MV Pro Drill-Powered Mover? Depends on your definition of "need," but in a nutshell, this thing is a beast, so you don't have to be one.

Available via Costco's NEXT premium brand service, the MV Pro is designed to handle a 12,000-pound trailer with weight distribution good enough to keep the tongue weight under 1,400 pounds. It can push a boat, ATV, utility, or other trailer up a 5% (2.9 degree) grade using only your guidance and any 20-24V non-impact drill driver, which is not included. The mover has two gear ratios to optimize speed and torque for any situation; solid, deeply treaded tires for traction; and a durable, powder-coated, zinc-nickel-plated steel body. Use the MV Pro when moving trailers around in tight spaces without a vehicle (or without the skill to use a vehicle in tight spaces) and you won't smash into things that cost a lot more than $599.99. And if that price troubles you, tell yourself that it's cheaper than many battery-powered trailer movers with similar specs.

Sometimes underrated is simply underrated. And so it is with the Campbell Hausfeld 8-Gallon Portable Air Compressor. A tool boasting a 3.5-star rating would normally warrant a pass, but a closer look says this compressor is worth, well, a closer look. An air compressor is indispensable in any home workshop, and a 125-psi, 8-gallon, 65-dBA air compressor for $139.99 is a good deal. Such a device is capable of most of the jobs you're looking to a compressor for: spray-painting, tire inflation, sandblasting, blowing off sawdust, blowing up pool and kids' toys, and operating pneumatic tools at a moderate pace.

So what about the negative reviews? A third of the three one-star reviews consists solely of a person who thinks referring to it as a 2.4 cfm (at 90 psi) compressor rather than a 2.2 cfm compressor constitutes bait-and-switch tactics. The compressor gets 4.1 stars based on 289 ratings at Amazon (where it's priced at $269) and 4.6 stars on 111 ratings at Home Depot ($251.90). The short, 90-day warranty, and a few instances of DOA compressors, were the only common complaints, so if you decide to take advantage of this deal, unpack it and give it a good workout as soon as you get it home.