When I started tiling professionally, I made the mistake most new tilers make: I bought cheap tools because I wasn't sure if the work would come in consistently. Within six months I'd replaced the tile cutter twice, the angle grinder once, and wasted more in broken tiles from bad cuts than I'd saved.
This list is what I'd buy now, knowing what I know. Not the most expensive tools in every category — but tools that won't fail you on jobs that matter for your reputation.
The Core Starter Kit
1. Tile Cutter: Sigma 4BU 70cm — £289
The Sigma 4BU 70cm is the first professional tool I'd buy. It handles 90% of domestic tiling jobs — everything up to 70cm in length, up to 15mm thick — and it handles them with the clean, consistent cuts that separate a professional finish from a DIY one.
The scoring wheel is Italian-made and genuinely long-lasting. I've been using mine for three years of regular site use without replacing the wheel. The breaking mechanism is smooth and predictable — you can develop a feel for what 10mm porcelain needs vs. 7mm ceramic, which you can't do with a cheap cutter that varies from cut to cut.
Buy this tool once and keep it maintained (scoring wheel oil, clean regularly) and it'll last the first five years of your career without needing replacement.
2. Laser Level: DEWALT DCLE34035B — £249
A self-levelling laser is not a luxury for a professional tiler — it's the tool that proves your floors and walls are actually flat when the client asks. Without it, you're working by feel and experience alone.
The DEWALT DCLE34035B is battery-powered (XR 20V — works with the broader DEWALT battery platform if you already use DEWALT tools), projects three 360° planes, and is accurate to 1.5mm/10m. The green beam is visible in normal interior lighting without glasses.
On a bathroom floor, I'll set it up in the centre of the room, use the horizontal plane as a datum for the full floor, and check every 4–5 tiles against it. On a wall, the vertical plane gives me my plumb line for the first tiles without fiddling with a plumb bob.
3. Angle Grinder: Bosch GWX 18V-7 — £159
For notch cuts, pipe holes, and cuts that a manual cutter can't handle, you need an angle grinder. The Bosch GWX 18V-7 is the cordless option I'd recommend for a starter kit — compact, 18V (use with your other Bosch tools), and the X-LOCK blade change system is genuinely faster than traditional nut-and-washer.
The guard is well-designed for tiling (good visibility of the cut line) and the no-load speed is adjustable, which matters when you're cutting porcelain — you want slower speed than you'd use for metalwork.
If you're already on DEWALT, the equivalent is the DEWALT DCG405N.
4. Spirit Level Set: STABILA 196-2 Professional Set — £189
This is one area I'd argue you should spend close to the professional budget even as a starter. A level that's 2mm out of true will build errors across every floor you lay. The STABILA 196-2 set gives you 60cm and 120cm levels — both the sizes you'll reach for daily.
STABILA levels are calibrated to within 0.5mm/m (professional specification). The 196-2 model has a unique two-component profile that's lighter than a solid aluminium level but doesn't sacrifice rigidity.
You'll use these on every job for the next ten years. Buy them once, buy them right.
View STABILA Spirit Level Set →
5. Drill and Mixing Paddle: SDS-Plus + Helical Paddle
For mixing adhesive and grout, you need a slow-speed drill (below 500rpm) with a mixing paddle. High-speed mixing introduces air bubbles that weaken adhesive. Any decent SDS-Plus drill on its lowest speed setting with a helical mixing paddle will do — you don't need a dedicated mixer for most jobs.
If you're already buying a cordless drill for general use, most 18V combi drills have a slow-speed setting. Get a helical paddle (£10–15) and you're set.
The Complete Starter Kit
| Tool | Product | Price | |---|---|---| | Tile cutter | Sigma 4BU 70cm | £289 | | Laser level | DEWALT DCLE34035B | £249 | | Angle grinder | Bosch GWX 18V-7 | £159 | | Spirit level set | STABILA 196-2 | £189 | | Notched trowel set | OX Pro (6mm V, 6mm sq, 10mm sq) | £35 | | Mixing paddle | Helical paddle | £15 | | Rubber mallet | Any quality brand | £15 | | Tile spacers (500 pack) | Various | £10 | | Total | | ~£961 |
Under £1,000 to set up properly for trade work. The Sigma and DEWALT are the two tools where quality directly translates to better-looking jobs and fewer broken tiles.
What to Add as Your Work Develops
6 months in (when bathroom floor work picks up):
- Sigma 4DN 95cm (~£489) — for large format floor tiles
- Suction cup tile lifters (~£65)
- Lippage control clips (~£35)
12 months in (when commercial work starts):
- Wet saw (Raimondi or Sigma SM3) for cuts over 95cm
- Second DEWALT battery so you're never waiting for a charge
When you're established:
- Full set of profile gauges and scribers for cuts around unusual shapes
- Tile saw trolley for mobility
Browse the full range in our professional tiling tools shop.