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Santa has been making a list and checking it twice - and so has Bob Vila, America's favorite home improvement Guru.

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Vila's first tip to holiday shoppers is to match tool gifts to the recipients' lifestyles and skill levels. For example, is the person a first-time homeowner who needs to build a basic tool collection or an experienced do-it-yourselfer with specific tool preferences? Is the person a home gardener, shade tree mechanic, woodworker or outdoor enthusiast?

Next, be sure to buy quality tools. Handles or grips should be comfortable to hold. Sizes and/or settings should be marked clearly. Do special features add convenience or improve the tool's operation? Is the tool impact resistant and built to last?

Especially when shopping for the "handyperson who has everything," look for tools with innovative designs and advanced technologies. Some stores, such a Sears, display the newest and most innovative tools in a special section within the hardware department.

Finally, don't be fooled by bargain-basement prices. Because of market competition, you won't go wrong in most cases if you use price as a guide to quality when buying tools. For example, it's less expensive in the long run to buy a hand tool that is guaranteed forever, such as Craftsman, than to replace a lesser tool with a better one later on.

With Vila's suggestions in mind, you might consider the following new tools from Craftsman as useful and creative holiday gifts:

   -- The Craftsman 3D sander (#11633, $49.99) is a whole new concept in
  sanding.  It can sand flat, round, concave or convex surfaces - including
  many places that previously could only be sanded by hand.  The
  revolutionary tool has three variable-speed sanding discs that pivot
  independently of one another from 800 to 2600 rpm.  (#11633, $49.99).
   -- Do-it-yourselfers will appreciate the Craftsman Professional Accu-Cut
  3-in-1 Cutter (#37310, $29.99). Not only does this rugged tool make clean
  cuts through rope, leather, sheet vinyl and rose bush stems - it also
  scores boxes, drywall and carpet backing.  In addition, a replaceable
  titanium-coated blade near the tool's pivot-point cuts mild steel or
  copper wire.
   -- The multi-featured Craftsman Forward Drive Staple Gun (#68514, $19.99)
  has a short fire stroke and requires less force to operate than
  conventional staplers.  Its ergonomic design and soft-body comfort grip
  reduce hand fatigue. The staple gun not only fires staples and brads, but
  installs wire and cable with an integrated guide.  A quick-load chamber
  prevents jams and holds 85 staples.
   -- The new Craftsman Professional 3/8-in. 12 volt Cordless Drill (#27121,
  $159.99) has a 24-position clutch that provides torque settings for
  applications from driving deck screws to boring holes in concrete.  A
  single sleeve keyless chuck with die cast clutch cap allows for rapid,
  one-handed bit changes.  The battery pack slides into its holding chamber
  in a tongue-and-groove fashion for easy insertion and removal.
   -- You'll give the precious gift of time with the Craftsman Instant-On
  Bonder (#80442, $19.99), the glue gun that heats up in less than one
  minute.  It's ideal for quick household repairs, hobbies and crafts.  The
  150-watt glue gun is thermostatically controlled to maintain optimum glue
  flow.
   -- For the remodeler or automotive enthusiast, consider the Craftsman
  Professional 2-Stage Vertical-Portable 25-gal. Compressor (#16777,
  $429.99).  It's the most powerful portable air compressor of its type ever
  built.  Because the compressor's revolutionary oil-free, two-stage pump
  continuously produces 175 psi pressure, it can power most air tools at
  peak efficiency all day long.  This breakthrough product runs on standard
  household current and is 50 percent quieter than conventional compressors
  of the same size.

  All of the above Craftsman tools are available at Sears.

Sears, Roebuck and Co. is a leading U.S. retailer of apparel, home and automotive products and services, with annual revenue of nearly $40 billion. The company serves families across the country through approximately 860 full-line department stores, more than 2,100 specialized retail locations, and a variety of online offerings accessible through the company's Web site, .

For additional information, contact Mike Mangan, MKM Communications, 847-515-3436 or Larry Costello, Sears, 847-286-9036.

SOURCE: Sears

Contact: Mike Mangan, MKM Communications, 847-515-3436 or Larry
Costello, Sears, 847-286-9036

Website: