Why hasn’t a carabiner clip, a tape measure, and a compass been combined before?

Multitools breeze through the office here at TOH often.  With each one there is that instant of hope that it hasn’t shoehorned 10 otherwise singularly useful tools into one “convenient” package. The result is, usually, a tool that isn’t all that useful, and rarely used.

Phillips Screw Co’s $40 Tradesberry crams eight tools into a unit roughly the size of the first iPod. On their own, a tape measure, a flip out screwdriver, and a bubble level with a built in laser are all pretty useful.

But I don’t see pros or DIYers fastening this tool to their pants or tool belts with the built in carabiner clip anytime soon. The calculator makes a loud beeping noise, unless you manually shut the sound off. My 80s Casio wrist watch/calculator didn’t beep—now that was multitool. Some of the features, like the compass on the back and the small LED light seem like an afterthought.

It’s not all bad though. Stand the Tradesberry up on its side and it makes a handy level (above) for adjusting bookcase shelves or installing kitchen cabinets. As for the laser, really, who hasn’t used one to make circles on the floor and watch the cat run wild?