I now happen to need a wrench to make some changes to my bed. I also realize that sometimes I may need other tools in my life as well. I was wondering
Which way to build one's own collection of tools is better, buying one after another, or buying a tool set?
I am living in U.S., if that helps.
Best Answer
Choose high quality for the most commonly-used tools.
There are a lot of crappy tools out there, many of them sold by Harbor Freight at rock-bottom prices. Those tools only make sense if you plan to use them very rarely, and if you will use them very gently, and if you can't rent them nearby.
For the tools you use most often, buy the best quality you can find. Working with good tools is a joy; working with crappy tools is very frustrating.
Don't buy every tool you could imagine using. While "the right tool for the job" makes the job go smoothly, buying all the "right tools" means you'll spend all your time organizing your extensive tool collection.
Buy tools that match the work you like to do. I haven't seen your bed, so I'm not sure how it's put together. It sounds like you plan on only very minor tinkering. With that in mind, I recommend you buy:
These 3 tools will let you do a lot of tasks. I'm guessing that will be enough for you. Beyond that, see the question that @NiallC linked to.
Regarding kits:
Kits sometimes sell on false abundance. That is, you see 100s of shiny bits and pieces and think "everything I could need, wow!". They may have duplicates (my socket set has four 10mm sockets!). They may have items you'll never use. And they may have low quality, hiding behind the size of the collection.
Kits often come in a nice case, making it easy to organize and store your tools. Unfortunately, if you need 1 more bit/socket/attachment/whatever than what comes in the kit, you don't have a good place to put it.