Do-It-Yourselfers Meet the New Toolbox

My toolkit is soooo yesterday (to tell the truth, my favorite tool is the phone). Hammers, screwdrivers, drills—they've come a long way, making it easier than ever before for more of us to dig in to DIY projects.

Whether you're a professional contractor or a weekend fixer-upper, we have lithium-ion battery technology to thank for some of the most dramatic changes in the tools we use.

With increased battery capability, power tools have gone cordless and gas-less and that's a good thing. Black and Decker's Cordless Chainsaw weighs just over six pounds and is powered by an 18-volt battery. You're not going to fell any sequoias with this chainsaw, but it's great for trimming trees and bushes or cutting small logs into firewood ($100).

And while we're tackling the great outdoors, let's get rid of that pesky lawn mower that's always pushing you around. RoboMower, the robotic lawnmower, can go out there and tackle the lawn all by itself. To set up the robot, you lay a grid of wires throughout your lawn. The wires are fastened with specially supplied pegs. RoboMower recognizes the wire with a special sensor and makes sure it always stays inside the designated area. According to the manufacturer, RoboMower can mow about 1/3 acre on one charge of its battery. Grab an ice tea and a good view as you let the robot do the work.

Other outside dirty work includes cleaning those gunk-filled rain gutters. Robots to the rescue again. The Looj is from iRobot, same company that makes the Roomba, a robotic vacuum cleaner. The Looj snakes along your gutters, cleaning whatever it finds in its path.

One of the handiest tools I've found is also one of the simplest. Remember the old-fashioned level? It helped you know the picture was hanging straight with two liquid bubbles. The Auto Leveling Laser also lets you hang your pictures straight—but it uses a laser beam instead of liquid to make sure things are aligned correctly. Better yet, this version of the level uses an LCD to tell you when things are level.

Smart screwdrivers like Black and Decker's make the simple chore of assembly much easier. The screwdriver is battery operated and able to squeeze into tight places.

As for the classic Swiss Army knife—can it be improved on in the digital age? You bet. A USB drive, an LED, a traditional Swiss Army knife, and a ballpoint pen are all integrated in this new-age rendition of a traditional classic.

And the lowly hammer? Can it be bettered? The S2 hammer, claims the manufacturer, needs only two strikes to get the nail in, and its shock-absorbing base is easy on the hands. If you're nailing multiple nails, you'll want to consider a cordless nail gun instead.

Long overdue is the idea of a talking ruler. Designed for kids, the Crayola Total Tools Audio Ruler lays down a line of disappearing ink and then announces how long a line it's drawn. The adult version is a talking tape measure.

Have you taken a look at a sewing machine lately? Brother's Duetta 4500D does everything but buy the fabric for you. It's self-threading, it quilts, and it does intricate embroidery. It's got a ton of computing power to execute complex stitches. USB ports on the machine let you upload new designs into the machine.