It’s that time of year again. Here are some gift ideas for your favorite plumber.
Gifts for the work van
The work van is our mobile headquarters, and every inch is optimized for service. But when it comes to arguably the most essential fluid transfer device — the water hose — we've been led astray by flimsy modern designs.
Forget the marketing hype surrounding "no-kink" or "pocket" hoses. We’ve all been there: A pocket hose that restricts flow and bursts under pressure, or a supposed no-kink hose that is more kink than hose when you try to wind it up; you end up throwing it in the shop dumpster in anger. It’s time to rediscover a true workhorse: the real, old-school rubber hose.
What genius thought those old Craftsman-style industrial thick black rubber hoses were not good enough? Take, for instance, the classic design often seen from manufacturers like Briggs & Stratton — a heavy-duty rubber hose secured with robust stainless-steel ends. The sales pitch against them is always the same: They’re too heavy and they kink.
Nonsense. Plumbers have relied on these for decades for a reason. The secret is discipline. Simply coil them in the same manner every time you put them away. For new hoses, run hot water or even boiler water through them once to make them immediately more pliable.
Here’s a hack. Buy two 25-foot hoses. Cut the female fitting off of one. Why? This allows you to run water into a drainline — a crucial step when operating a sectional or continuous rod machine. You’re not just buying a hose; you’re buying reliability and a proven system for superior pressure and durability.
Carrying hand tools
Our personal tools are an extension of our skill and dedication, and how you carry them matters. The days of struggling with a cumbersome, open tote are fading, replaced by smarter, more comfortable systems. Plumbers once just used 5-gallon buckets. I think that trend is hopefully coming to an end.
The humble tool bag has undergone a revolution, and the new backpack-style carries are taking the plumbing world by storm. Companies like Veto Pro Pac set the standard, designing bags that are so robust and intelligently laid out that they’ve become the gold standard. While Veto's quality and features are top-tier, the competition is stepping up.
Even more accessible options have emerged. I'm partial to the new design popularized by brands like Klein and Milwaukee Tool. The Klein version, which I currently use as my daily carry, looks like a backpack but operates like a dual-sided tackle box. It folds open on both sides, offering phenomenal access without having to dig. I’m not a fan of backpacks. For the everyday essentials, this organized and balanced approach is a game-changer. These bags have flaps that come down on both sides for storage. Not a backpack. They’re very nice. The exact one I love is the Klein Tool Runner.
Your new favorite tool: the Pipe Caliper
Stop guessing, squinting, or scrambling to find sizing marks on a rusted valve. My absolute favorite new tool, easily found on Amazon, is the Pipe Caliper.
This ingenious, simple device splits open and clamps onto any pipe — copper, steel, PVC — and instantly tells you the exact size. For a profession that constantly deals with multiple sizes of pipe and fittings, this tool eliminates guesswork and saves precious minutes on every job. It’s a small investment that delivers huge returns in precision and confidence. Is that 2 ½ inches or 2 inches? This will tell you in a half-second. Do your takeoff lists or parts runs with confidence.
Gifts for the office (if you have one)
The office is where business gets done, from estimating to client relations. Just as we seek efficiency in the field, we should demand it in our planning space.
If you’re still using a ruler and highlighter to estimate materials from blueprints, it's time to enter the digital age. Advanced takeoff software is no longer just for massive firms. I recently invested in FastPipe, and it's been an absolute revelation. It’s not over the top like some of the other software out there that makes you build an entire building from scratch like you’re an engineer; you just upload anything, even a PDF of a hand-drawn floor plan, set the parameters and off you go.
It’s a simple program that automatically calculates everything you need. You click to add fittings and bends, and the program instantly factors in all the necessary materials: hangers, all-thread, nuts and bolts, elbows, etc. It dramatically reduces human error and speeds up the bidding process.
A year-end tradition: kielbasa and sauerkraut
The best office gift is less about a thing and more about a deeply rooted tradition that strengthens bonds. For us, every year after Christmas, we continue a 100-year-old tradition of ordering massive trays of kielbasa and sauerkraut.
This isn't just for the office staff; we extend this hearty, delicious tradition to our best clients as well. It’s such a serious affair that we designate our two top guys to take a half-day off just to go pick up the order. Remember, if you don’t at least eat some, you’ll have bad luck all year. Without traditions, what do we have?
About the Author
Anthony Pacilla is a registered master plumber for McVehil Plumbing in Washington, Pennsylvania. He has over two decades of experience in the plumbing and HVAC trades and has a bachelor’s in business and economics from Thiel College.
