We all love tools, so what's better than seeing a list featuring the most innovative tool in every category you can think of? This year Core77 is proud to be a media sponsor of the 2015 Pro Tool Innovation Awards, where the guys and gals over at Pro Tool Reviews weed through thousands of entries to find the most innovative hand tools, power tools, accessories, safety gear and more.

Intended to serve as a buying guide, the PTIA breaks the tool world down into eight categories. If you're in the market for a new tool, and want to see what the latest variant is—and if you're more interested in true functionality than gimmickiness—you'll want to check it out. Here's a quickie guide to help you find what you're looking for and where to click:

Cordless Tools

As someone raised in an era when tools, like telephones, were always plugged into the wall, I never thought I'd see the day when you could buy a cordless freaking sliding miter saw. Or a jobsite fan, or a right-angle drill that could work a 6-inch hole saw. The future is here.

Enter a caption (optional)

Category includes:

- Angle Grinders
- Batteries
- Drill Press, Magnetic
- Drills/Drivers
- Hammer Drill
- Impact Drivers
- Impact Wrenches
- Rotary Hammer
- Paint Sprayer
- Planers
- Plumbing Augers
- Polishers
- Portable Fans
- Radios
- Sanders, Finish
- Sanders, Random Orbit
- Saws, Circular
- Saws, Track
- Saws, Band
- Saws, Reciprocating
- Saws, Miter
- Wire Crimpers
- Wire Cutters

Corded Tools

For the heavy-duty tools that haven't yet gone cordless, or for when you don't want to have to worry about batteries, corded tools are the way to go and will probably stick around for quite a while. Here are the industry's latest and greatest items that plug into a wall.

Enter a caption (optional)

Category includes:

- Demolition Hammers
- Drill Presses
- Edge Banders, Portable/Hand Held
- Paint Sprayers, Airless
- Plumbing, Pipe Beveling
- Rotary Hammers
- Sanders, Random Orbit
- Table Saws
- Tile Saws

Hand Tools

Some of the most indispensable tools don't require any electricity at all. Depending on what you make you won't need all of these, but all of you who work with your hands will have a huge chunk of these that you can't live without.

Enter a caption (optional)

Category includes:

- Chalk Lines
- Clamps, Spring
- Concrete Floats
- Concrete Trowels
- Hand Saws
- Knives, Insulation
- Knives, Utility
- Marking
- Masonry
- Metal Cutters
- Multi-Tool, Wearable
- Pliers
- Pliers, Hose Clamp
- Pliers, Locking
- Pliers, Long Nose
- Pliers, Straight Jaw
- Pliers, Wire Stripping
- PVC Cutting and Crimping
- Screwdrivers
- Screwdrivers, Multi-Bit
- Shims
- Sledge Hammers, Long Handle
- Squares
- Staplers
- Staplers, Hammer Tacker
- Tile Cutting
- Wrenches, Adjustable
- Wrenches, Pipe
- Wrenches, Torque

Safety and Storage

Tools aren't much good without a place to put 'em, and your work isn't worth your rate if you don't have enough illumination to see what you're working on. And you've gotta protect yourself from dust in the air and heavy stuff falling on your feet. These are those secondary items that make your work go smoother and safer.

Enter a caption (optional)

Category includes:

- Dust Extraction Accessories
- Jackets, Heated
- Ladders, Extension
- Tool Chests
- Tool Mobility
- Tool Organization
- Work Boots, Waterproof
- Work Lights
- Work Lights, Portable Flood
- Work Lights, Telescoping
- Work Lights, Under 500 Lumens

Accessories

Bits get broken, blades go dull. And fastener technology continues to improve. When you're ready to upgrade, take a look at the improvements the industry's made since you bought your old stuff five years ago.

Enter a caption (optional)

Category includes:

- Blades, Circular Saw, Specialty
- Blades, Reciprocating Saw, Metal
- Cutting Guides/Plates
- Drill Bit Guides
- Drill Bits, Auger
- Drill Bits, Masonry Hammer
- Drill Bits, Metal
- Drill Bits, Wood Boring
- Drill/Driver Attachments, Collated Driving
- Driver Bits, Extensions
- Driver Bits, Impact Rated
- Driver Bits, Kit
- Fasteners, Subfloor
- Grinder Wheels, Cutting
- Tap Guides

Landscaping and Outdoor Power Equipment

You probably thought you'd made it when you bought your house. Then you learned you had to maintain the grounds. The good news is, technology has brought us well past the point where we have to yank on a cable to start up a lawnmower; now the freaking things are battery-powered and can be had with a zero-turn radius. And there are other goodies on this list to help you tame nature with tools.

Enter a caption (optional)

Category includes:

- Blowers, Battery Powered
- Chainsaws, Battery Powered
- Fasteners, Landscape Construction
- Hedge Trimmers, Battery Powered
- Lawn Mowers, Battery Powered
- Lawn Mowers, Zero Turn Radius
- Shovels
- String Trimmers, Battery Powered

Pneumatic Tools & Nailers

Which power tool manufacturer teamed up with none other than Honda to put a four-stroke engine in their bad-ass air compressor? Find out at the link above, and also check out the full line-up of nailers, both pneumatic and battery-powered.

Enter a caption (optional)

Category includes:

- Air Compressors, Portable Gas
- Nailers, Angled Finish
- Nailers, Brad
- Nailers, Brad, 18V
- Nailers, Finish , 18V
- Nailers, Framing
- Nailers, Fuel Cell Finish, 7.4V
- Nailers, Roofing
- Nailers, Straight Finish

Test and Measurement

What battlefield information technology is to the military, testing and measurement equipment are to the tradesperson. With miniature camera lenses, lasers, infrared and thermal imaging technology, the modern-day tool wielder can perform tasks in seconds that used to take minutes or hours.

Enter a caption (optional)

Category includes:

- Inspection Cameras
- Laser Distance Measures, Long Range
- Laser Distance Measures, Short Range
- Line Laser Levels
- Non-Linear Measurement
- Rotary Laser Levels
- Thermal Imaging
- Voltage Testers