Old tools, new thinking
Most site tools haven't changed in decades. They work, so nobody questions them. A pry bar has one angle. A tape measure only reads from the outside. A bevel has a wing nut sticking out of its side.
Hultafors looked at those everyday frustrations and engineered around them. The Swedish toolmaker's Site Essentials range takes familiar tools and fixes the one thing that slows you down on every job.
In our latest video we put six of them to work, from demolition through to layout. Watch it below, then read on for the full breakdown.
1. Hultafors 209 SB Adjustable Wrecking Bar
The 209 SB keeps you at maximum leverage through the whole pull, not just the first bite.
A standard bar gives you one fixed angle. Once the joint starts to lift, that angle works against you, and you end up contorting your body to keep the claw seated. The 209 SB solves this with an articulated claw that locks into nine positions. Set the head to suit the job and the bar does the work, whether you're lifting a stubborn bottom plate, stripping window casings or pulling up old decking.
Built to take a beating. Sceptical tradies often assume an adjustable head must be the weak point. It isn't. Heavy-duty locking teeth seat into solid steel grooves, and a large threaded wheel screws down to lock the head under load.
Details that matter on site:
- Ergonomic rubber grip for control at unusual angles
- Wide, chisel-ground heel that spreads force and reduces marking on surrounding material
- A deliberate curve above the heel for hand clearance when driving under a bottom plate
- Claw shaped for nail pulling
The design won a Red Dot award in 2012, and once you've used one for demo, a fixed bar feels like a step backwards.
2. Hultafors HDC, EDC and STK Chisels
Instead of one generic chisel, Hultafors makes three, each matched to how hard you work your gear.
|
Chisel |
Built for |
What sets it apart |
|---|---|---|
|
HDC |
Heavy site abuse |
Forged from one piece of steel with a full-length shank, replaceable nylon striking cap, and a fully flat back for flush, parallel cuts |
|
EDC |
Clean, accurate work |
Japanese steel blade with a rust-protective coating, honed to 25° and sharp out of the box |
|
STK |
Rough jobs you'd rather not ruin a chisel on |
A hybrid of heavy-duty blade and chisel tip for scraping, prying and scoring |
The STK is the one most people haven't seen before. It takes the punishment that would otherwise dull your good chisels.
Want to go deeper? We've done a full video comparing all three chisels.
3. Hultafors Talmeter
The Talmeter measures inside openings and marks your cut in one tool.
Measuring between two walls with a standard tape means bending the blade into a corner and guessing the last few millimetres. With the Talmeter, you extend the steel tape across a door frame or cabinet opening and fold out the rear extender. The exact internal measurement shows clearly in red.
Steel scribing fins at the front and back let you mark that length straight onto your material, so there's no reaching for a pencil. It comes in a compact 2 m and a 3 m version. If you do a lot of internal measuring, it earns its place in the tool bag fast.
4. Hultafors SLB Sliding Bevel
The SLB locks from the tail, so both faces sit perfectly flat against your work.
On a traditional bevel, the locking nut sits on the side of the stock. It gets in the way every time you try to lay the tool flat. Hultafors moved the lock to the rear of the tool. Set your angle, lock it from the tail, and both side faces stay completely flush with no hardware in the way.
The stainless steel blade carries high-contrast etched markings and sits in a durable aluminium stock that holds its angle under daily use. A pencil notch at the top makes marking quick and accurate.
5. Hultafors MPL Magnetic Pocket Level
The MPL is a pocket level that grips steel and still reads clearly in tight spots.
A strong neodymium magnet runs along the base, so it holds onto steel studs, posts and framing hands-free. A V-groove along the bottom and up one side lets it sit securely on pipework and round stock.
The high-visibility, crush-proof block vial has a magnifying lens, making quick plumb and level checks easy even where you can't get your head close.
6. Hultafors Atle Nail Puller
The Atle pulls headless and deeply embedded nails without chewing up the timber around them.
Place the jaws over the nail and strike the sliding handle. The impact drives the jaws below the surface and grips the shank. Lever back, and the nail comes straight out with the surrounding timber left intact.
On a big strip-out or a salvage job, where you're facing dozens of buried or headless nails, it saves serious time and keeps reclaimed timber usable.
Get your hands on them
Every tool here takes something you already own and removes the one thing that slows you down. At Signature Tools, we bring in premium tools from around the world so you can choose the right gear for your site.
Shop the Hultafors range at sigtools.co.nz
See them in person. Try the full Hultafors range, alongside Martinez, Diamondback, TrigJig and more, at our Auckland showroom:
76 Paul Matthews Road, Rosedale, Auckland 0632 Mon–Fri 9:30am–5:30pm · Sat–Sun 10:00am–4:00pm
