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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to say women who live with men don't own power tools

212 replies

54321nought · 23/08/2021 10:28

Iooking at the early responses, I maybe asked the wrong question, many women are responding that they own "small" tools or "small" toolboxes, but not the power tools,

so basically the same again

YABU- I am a woman living with a man, and I own power tools, or share equal ownership of the power tools in our household

YANBU - I am a woman living with a man, and he owns the power tools in this house, or mostly owns them

Again, if you don't live with a man, please don't vote, but please comment

OP posts:
AlternativePerspective · 23/08/2021 11:05

What a load of sexist crap.

Bollocks are you a woman trying to show equality. Sounds more like you’re a bloke trying to prove that women aren’t capable of using a tool/power tool.

Any tools are mine. The hedge trimmer/lawn mower etc, and even if DP lived with me he wouldn’t use them. But I’m no DIY expert either, so if something needs doing then I wait for my parents to visit and my dad does it. I have no shame about that.

Mammyofasuperbaby · 23/08/2021 11:08

I own all the tools and brought them into the shared family home. I'm the one to do diy but I don't use the drill anymore due to back issues so dh does that for me.
My dm taught me most of what I know with some learning of my own.
My father didn't teach me anything.

Iamclaracowbell · 23/08/2021 11:10

I'm not allowed to use power tools without supervision, but that is because I am a) clumsy, b) a bit devil may care with said items and c) may, just may, have a history of near disaster the famed last time I used one Grin.

DH also gets the heebie jeebies if I use the super sharp kitchen knives. It's nothing to do with me being female, it's because I'm a careless klutz.

Rosebel · 23/08/2021 11:11

I don't do any DIY. The power tools we have are mainly ones that my FIL had and my DH got after he died. My husband does do DIY if he absolutely has to but neither of us are keen on it.

SignOnTheWindow · 23/08/2021 11:13

I am a woman living with my husband. I own all the power tools and am usually the one who uses them.

AngryWhompingWillow · 23/08/2021 11:13

There are some bloody weird threads on here today. The 'AIBU' page being used as a poll page for people. WTF? Confused

Frodogo · 23/08/2021 11:14

My husband does woodworking as a hobby, so he buys most of the tools we own, but for normal household power tools, we both consider that we own them equally, like we both own the tv, the toaster, or the vacuum cleaner. I think the only power tool I actually use on a regular basis is the drill, though.

Peacrock · 23/08/2021 11:15

I have a set as I had them before we moved in together and I lived alone so used to do all my own DIY.

DappledThings · 23/08/2021 11:17

Nothing is owned by either of us. Everything belongs to both of us.

I was on maternity leave with DC1 but before he arrived and using the drill to put up a couple of hooks in the new nursery when the doorbell rang. I answered it with drill still in hand to be met by a rep for Gousto or Hello Fresh, can't remember which now, who foolishly said, "oh you're doing some DIY, I've got a man with me who could help". She got a curt reply. She then doubled-down by saying, "I assume you do most of the cooking in your house". She got another curt reply and left sharpish.

KupoNutCoffee · 23/08/2021 11:20

The drill is mine, the other power tools are mostly shared. We have bought them when we needed them, or they have been given.

Technically I suppose, it's my father who assists with the provision of the really powerful power tools (and the fixing of whatever we've fucked up).

The garden tools - power or otherwise however...are in DPs domain. I want nothing to do with the garden. I think a set of gloves and a trowel might be mine.

OhRene · 23/08/2021 11:25

I got my own place at 16.

DH had to be dislodged from his mum's arms with a crowbar at 26.

I used my own crowbar. Just like all the other tools and power tools. Any tools DH "owns" now have been bought by me over the years. Admittedly I do get DH to do most of the DIY work even if he doesn't know what the heck he's doing. I stand by and instruct.

LammasFires · 23/08/2021 11:25

I’m a weak and feeble woman of a certain age, so I own power tools.
Husband prefers to use his beautifully-sharpened hand tools as you get a much better, more precise job. Apparently. But you need serious wrist strength and general muscle.
He also doesn’t garden, so all the powered garden stuff is mine too.

jay55 · 23/08/2021 11:28

I now live alone.
When I lived with a man, my dad bought me a tool box and electric drill.
We didn't own any other power tools.
Somehow he ended up with the drill when we broke up Hmm

RusholmeRuffian · 23/08/2021 11:29

I have a drill, a tile cutter and a jig saw. OH had tools but no power tools. He can use mine if he asks nicely.

starfishmummy · 23/08/2021 11:31

All power tools bought by me for my use and have been since I was in my 20s. I am now approaching my pension.

When I bought my last drill, a definite "workhorse" the salesman asked if I was buying it as a present for my husband!! I told him that my husband barely knew hammer from a screwriver. Which is not quite true, he knows what many tools are but will insist on using the wrong one.

llmk · 23/08/2021 11:34

Why do you ask the same question again? Is it because you didn't get the predicted response first time round? Do you want the power tools to belong to the men?

In our house they are just tools, they exist without being allocated to a set of genitals

hocusspocuss · 23/08/2021 11:34

YABU. They're household tools.

thisisthebestest · 23/08/2021 11:35

@ditalini

Again, all tools are bought and mostly used by me. So my drill, my sander, my electric screwdriver, my jigsaw.
Yep this, both when I was married and single. My exh had his own (lesser) set
RandomDent · 23/08/2021 11:36

My husband wouldn’t know how to use them.

HowToMurderYourLife · 23/08/2021 11:39

My husband doesn’t know one end of a screwdriver from another. I fitted a new kitchen and bathroom while pregnant including ripping out and redoing all the pipe work. My tool cupboard is well stocked.

Dahlietta · 23/08/2021 11:41

Surely in a household shared by a man and a woman, the equipment gathered over the years for jobs done in the process of running and maintaining the household are jointly owned? In our household the drill, the chainsaw, the screwdrivers, even the cement mixer, are all joint household tools, just as the vacuum cleaner, the kitchen knives, etc are.

I agree with this. I would add though that we don't own any power tools and DH is marginally even more useless at DIY than I am.

MrsMonkeyBear · 23/08/2021 11:44

I own all the power tools in my house. DH is terrible at DIY so I do all of it. When I met him, I had a drill, a jigsaw, a power screwdriver and various other bits and pieces.

Since then I've added a fair few other items, sanders, nail gun and a better drill. DH is only allowed near the tools if I (or another capable adult) is supervising him.

The only things I won't touch are electrics and plumbing but I can do pretty much anything that would be classed as the "man's" job in the house

RedHelenB · 23/08/2021 11:47

When I was with my ex all tools were bought jointly and used jointly. They were just kept in the kitchen messy drawer or the garage. But we weren't very good at DIY!

CrotchetyQuaver · 23/08/2021 11:47

YABU I have a bit of a thing for power tools. Petrol strimmer, hedge cutter, pole saw, petrol blower. Im wanting a chainsaw next and dreaming about a tractor with a few attachments. Then there's the drills and sanders and other boring house stuff...

cookiecreampie · 23/08/2021 11:47

My husband uses the tools in our house.