Mike PleziaInside service technician, Clark Associates · Commercial Equipment, HVAC, and Refrigeration professional

Buy Quality Tools Once | HVACR Mentor

5 Aug 2026 · 1 min

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1:05

In this instructional monologue, HVACR Mentor Mike Plezia advises new technicians to invest in high‑quality tools rather than cheap, disposable ones. He explains that low‑cost tools often break, give inaccurate readings, or fail at critical moments, which can jeopardize safety and job performance. He highlights essential, reliable equipment such as a good multimeter, a quality clamp meter, and a dependable set of manifold gauges, and urges viewers to build their toolkit deliberately—starting with the essentials and prioritizing quality over quantity. The core message is that a quality tool is an investment that pays for itself each time it works when needed, whereas cheap tools cost more in the long run due to failures.

Chapters

Hey, are you new to the trades? Here's something you may not know about buying tools: buy quality tools once. Cheap tools break, they strip fasteners, they give you bad readings, and they let you down at the worst possible moment— when you're on a job, under pressure, and need something to work. A good multimeter, a quality clamp meter, a reliable set of manifold gauges, These aren't just tools; they're how you do your job accurately and safely. Build your toolkit deliberately. You don't have to buy everything at once. Start with the essentials. Choose quality over quantity. Here's the thing most new techs don't realize: a good tool is an investment, not an expense. It pays for itself every time it works when you need it to. And it pays for itself again every time the cheap version would have failed. Buy quality tools once. Now that you know, you can help someone else know.