The most thorough and credible review of snow blowers is conducted at ConsumerReports.org, where editors identify the best two-stage, single-stage and electric snow throwers based on comparative performance testing. Helpful ratings and reviews from owners are readily available at retailer websites such as Amazon.com, Sears.com and HomeDepot.com. Freelance reviewers such as “The Quality Snow Blower Guy” at QualitySnowBlower.com and Paul Sikkema of MovingSnow.com offer analyses of various brands and models based on their features, but not on hands-on testing.

So this is the weekend you’re finally going to tackle the cottage “to do” list. Job one: Wade through that giant coffee can full of screws to see if you have the fasteners you need for the tasks at hand. The simplest way to tell them apart is by color.

1. The black ones are drywall screws, cheap and useful for many odd jobs, but not very strong. The tint comes from a phosphate coating that prevents wet drywall compound from corroding the screw head.

2. Blue ones are masonry screws, used for fastening things to brick, mortar, block, or rock, though you have to drill a pilot hole first.

Whether you need a gift for a hard-core DIYer like yourself or a novice homeowner, we’ve nailed it.  Wrap up your holiday shopping right here in a snap.  Give a gift that will keep giving year after year.  Happy Holidays!

Husky Pro Tool Bag

More than 40 pockets keep tools visible and easy to grab. No more digging to the bottom of the toolbox to find a screwdriver. And these pockets keep chisels sharp, and other tools organized and easily accessible. There’s also a large central compartment for cordless drills and other big tools plus a place for a hand saw and level. The Husky 20-inch Pro Tool Bag is available at Home Depot stores and online at homedepot.com for around $40.

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The lawn mover is a machine that cuts you lawn using its blades. In the olden times, homeowners used manual grass cutters. However, as technology evolved, so has the lawnmower. Lawnmovers are very important to us especially during springtime. But as the season ends, we often disregard the importance of the machine.

Times change. When Dad was a young dude, toolboxes were heavy on handsaws and block planes. But in this age of reliable, inexpensive power tools and modular building materials, it’s time to rethink the traditional toolbox. So here are our picks. You can rent or borrow specialized tools that you’ll use only once, but the tools below are must-haves for the modern household.

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How many M.I.T. engineering Ph.D.s does it take to repair a dishwasher? In the case of a balky Maytag at Eric Wilhelm’s house in Oakland, Calif., one doctorate sufficed. After a plastic wheel on the dishwasher’s upper rack broke off of its assembly, Wilhelm faced a classic consumer conundrum. The same plastic part had broken and been replaced three times—and now the warranty had ended. Considering this history and Wilhelm’s mounting frustration, repairing the 3-year-old appliance seemed marginally less logical than buying a new one.

Yes, we live in a throwaway society. But a growing band of old-school tinkerers and new-school modders are rediscovering the joy of fixing what’s broken.

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