If he’s using the tools for income, they are probably tax-deductible at the end of the year. So if you buy him tools, save the receipt, so he can put them on his taxes. Or give him a gift certificate, so he can buy exactly what he needs, and tell him to keep the receipt.

My wife knows not to buy me tools, though, unless I specifically ask for one, because they are such a personal matter. I mean, say she wants to buy me an angle grinder. Should she get one with a constant on switch, or a momentary on switch? She doesn’t know, and I do.

Also, suppose your husband wants a REALLY nice multimeter. Maybe he can’t afford to buy the best one, but he really wants it. So he’s thinking about buying a cheap one. And you can’t afford the best one, so you buy him the same one he would have bought. But if you get him a gift certificate, he can use it AND his own money, and get the good one.

But if you insist on buying him tools, you can get a kit at the Home Depot with a tool belt, pliers, screwdrivers, etc all for an electrician. That might be good.

Go with Olger’s suggestion. A lot depends upon what type of work he’s doing (new install, repair, maintenance, etc.) and what he has now.

Some things
- a good tote or belt
- knife
- pliers of various types
- wire cutters and strippers
- test equipment
- screwdrivers
- hammer
- drill

you shouldn’t buy tools for a tradesman tools are very personal and many people are different, a gift certificate would be better, that being said he will need a cordless drill 18 volts preferably, Klein’s, ( that is a type of pliers) wire strippers, ( the Professional kind) a probe, (that’s a kind of circuit tester very important) and the list goes on and on he will get advice from his fellow electricians on what type and size of tools he’ll need depending on what he’s doing and he’ll make his decisions based on that

Because I don’t know either, the best thing you can do, is go to your local Home Depot or Lowes and go to the electrical department. There is a big sign over the department. Ask the for the basic tools that any good electrician need and go from there. You sound like a great wife. Best of luck to you and your new electrician.