Here's the short version, from someone who buys both plumbing valves and shop tools for a 200-person manufacturing company: A Watts check valve is my default for plumbing repairs. A 15-amp circular saw uses about 1,800 watts. Choose a MIG welder 210 over a MIG welder 190 if you'll ever weld 1/4-inch steel. And for fence pickets, use a coil siding nailer with ring-shank nails. Those are the answers I usually give to maintenance requests. The rest is why I'd order the same things again.
Where these conclusions come from
I'm an office administrator, not a plumber or welder. Since 2020, I've managed facilities and maintenance purchasing for our plant—roughly 60-80 purchase orders a year. I report to operations and finance, which means I care about two things: the part works the first time, and the invoice doesn't cause an audit headache. That's why I've become a fan of products with published specs and predictable supply.
I also learned the value of saying “I don't know.” (Should mention: I now ask the maintenance lead to write down the exact spec before I order anything.) A supplier who told me “this isn't my strength” earned my trust more than the one who promised “we can do everything.” That mindset affects every recommendation below.
Watts check valve: the one I order without hesitation
The first time I ordered a check valve, I didn't order Watts. I found a cheaper equivalent online and thought the specs looked close enough. It worked for about a week, then we had water hammer noise and a small leak. The labor to replace it cost more than the valve. Looking back, I should have paid the difference and ordered a Watts check valve from the start. At the time, I didn't realize that check valves aren't all the same.
Here's what I now look for on Watts' product sheets: the pressure rating, the flow coefficient (Cv), and whether the alloy is lead-free. According to Watts product literature (watts.com, accessed January 2025), each valve series has published specs for temperature, pressure, and flow. I don't order a valve without confirming those numbers. If your local code requires lead-free materials, you'll see that in the part number too. Verify current requirements at your local plumbing code office.
The counterintuitive part: the cost of the valve is rarely where you save money. A failed check valve means labor, downtime, and sometimes drywall repair. A slightly more expensive valve with a known spec sheet is cheap insurance. That's not a sales pitch—it's the math I have to explain to finance every time we buy a Watts part.
One more thing: check valve type matters. If you're replacing a swing check, a spring-loaded check valve can reduce water hammer but may have a higher pressure drop. The Watts catalog has different families for different applications. I've ordered swing check valves when maintenance asked for them, and I've ordered spring-loaded types for recirculation lines. If in doubt, the manufacturer's tech support is more useful than guessing.
How many watts does a circular saw use?
Direct answer: Most 7-1/4-inch corded circular saws are rated at 15 amps. On a 120-volt circuit, that's 1,800 watts at full load. Smaller trim saws are often around 1,200 watts (about 10 amps). Battery saws use a different rating system, so don't compare wattage directly.
If you're asking this because you're sizing a generator, remember that a motor draws more on startup. A 2,000-watt generator can handle a 1,800-watt saw only if you're not running much else. According to the National Electrical Code (NEC), a continuous load should be limited to 80% of a circuit rating, and a circular saw on the same circuit as a shop vacuum is how you trip breakers. (I've had that happen more than once.)
One naming note: “Watts” is also a brand that makes check valves. In our facility, we've quoted both in the same email. If you're asking about watts as a measurement, it's amps times volts. If you're asking about Watts the plumbing brand, that's the section above.
MIG welder 210 vs 190: buy the 210 if you can
This is outside my area of expertise, so I asked the crew before forming an opinion. Here's what I learned: The number in MIG welder 210 or MIG welder 190 refers to the maximum output current. A 210-amp machine gives you more heat and headroom for thicker material. A 190 is lighter and might be enough for sheet metal and thin steel. But our maintenance shop needed to weld trailer brackets and 1/4-inch steel, and the 190 struggled.
I initially suggested the 190 to save a few hundred dollars. That was a mistake. Looking back, I should have ordered the 210 first. The 190 worked for light repairs, but it hit its duty cycle quickly and the crew spent a lot of time waiting for the thermal protection to reset. According to the American Welding Society's definition, duty cycle is the number of minutes out of a 10-minute period a machine can weld at a rated output. Per the AWS, that's the spec to compare, not just the max amperage.
If your work is occasional thin-gauge repairs, the MIG welder 190 is fine. If you're going to weld anything thicker than, say, 1/8-inch or 3/16-inch steel with any frequency, I'd buy the 210. That decision cost us more in the end because we eventually bought the bigger machine anyway.
Also, check whether the model is dual voltage or fixed input. If a welder needs 230V and your shop only has 120V, that's an electrical upgrade, not just a tool purchase.
What kind of nail gun to use for fence pickets
The short answer: a coil siding nailer with 2-inch galvanized ring-shank nails. That's the combination I'd order for standard cedar or pressure-treated pickets. The ring shank resists pull-out, and galvanized coating helps with outdoor moisture.
Don't use a smooth-shank finish nailer for fence pickets. A 15-gauge finish nail holds okay in drywall trim, but outdoor wood expands and contracts. Ring-shank nails grab the wood and don't back out as easily. A framing nailer can drive the nail, but it's heavy and might split a 1x6 picket if you're not careful. A coil siding nailer is designed for this type of work.
One caveat: if you're building one fence, rent the nailer rather than buying one. I don't say that to be nice—I say it because a good coil nailer is a specialized tool you'll use once every few years unless you're a contractor. Our company bought one because we maintain a large perimeter fence and do small repairs year-round. Your context might be different.
For cedar, stainless steel nails are an option if you're in a coastal area; they cost more but avoid streaks. For most inland fence work, galvanized ring-shank nails are fine.
When I'd change these recommendations
These choices are based on our context: a single-site facility, a maintenance team that does varied repairs, and a budget that has to cover both plumbing and power tools. If you're a professional welding shop, buy a heavier-duty machine. If you're doing one weekend fence, rent the nailer. If you're a plumber, you already know more about check valves than I do—I'm just telling you what I'd order for our building.
I can only speak to domestic U.S. operations. Code requirements for lead-free valves, electrical capacity, and even nail fasteners can vary by jurisdiction. I also know that a “210” can mean different input power requirements depending on the model, so check the manufacturer's specs before buying. In other words, get details from someone who actually knows the job. The supplier who tells you what they don't do is often the one you can rely on.
At least, that's been my experience with our facility. If you're making a purchase, ask the same questions I do: what's the published spec, what's the duty cycle, what's the fastener designed for, and what's the total cost if it fails. That process has saved me more than once.