Hose and pipe cutters in 36mm and 42mm capacities plus a general hose pipe cutter, flexible, rigid and plastic thumb clip drivers, a stainless steel 30cm ruler and a rubberised 3m tape measure. A small range, but the things that actually make hose work quicker and cleaner.

Because a clean square cut is what makes a joint seal. A knife wanders on reinforced hose and leaves an angled edge; a hacksaw drags the reinforcement plies and frays them badly. A ratchet cutter shears through in one clean action. If you cut more than a couple of lengths, it pays for itself.

The 36mm capacity small cutter handles most automotive hose work. The 42mm large ratchet cutter covers bigger bores and thicker-walled hose, and the ratchet action makes larger cuts far less effort. If you work across a wide size range, the large one is the more flexible buy.

The flexible shaft driver bends round obstructions to reach clips you cannot line up on, which is where most of the frustration lies. The rigid driver gives more direct torque for straightforward access. The plastic thumb driver is compact and cheap for small clips. All take a 7mm hex.

We would not recommend it. Power driving makes it very easy to over-tighten, and over-tightening cuts into the hose and causes the leak you were trying to prevent - silicone and rubber only need nipping up. Tighten by hand so you can feel when the clip has taken up.

Grip and durability in a workshop. A rubberised case survives being dropped on concrete and does not skate off a bench or a wing. At 3m x 16mm it is the right size for hose runs and vehicle work without being unwieldy in a confined engine bay.