Home / Tools
PickShack Tools

Practical calculators and tools for real life

Browse practical calculators and tools for preparedness, backup power, gardening, home projects, fuel planning, vehicle costs, device testing and troubleshooting.

165 free tools available

Browse by topic

Popular

Most-used items in this format.

10 Resources
Jump to popular

Household

Improve, power, secure, and maintain your home.

38 Resources
Jump to Household

Vehicle

Own, maintain, and travel smarter with any vehicle.

15 Resources
Jump to Vehicle

Yard & Garden

Keep your lawn, grow food, tend soil, water smart, and track yields.

27 Resources
Jump to Yard & Garden

Cooking

Smoker capacity, smoke times, fuel costs, and brewing math.

5 Resources
Jump to Cooking

Preparedness

Be ready for emergencies, outages, and the unexpected.

39 Resources
Jump to Preparedness

Tech

Get the most out of your devices and connections.

18 Resources
Jump to Tech

Health

First aid, fitness, and staying well.

14 Resources
Jump to Health

Money

Budget, save, and plan your finances.

9 Resources
Jump to Money

Search tools

Filter all 165 tools by keyword or topic. Start typing or pick a topic to narrow the list.

What PickShack tools help with

PickShack focuses on practical calculators and tools that help people prepare better, plan smarter, waste less, and solve everyday problems quickly.

The strongest themes include preparedness, backup power, gardening, home projects, fuel planning, and useful diagnostic tools — all designed to answer one practical question clearly.

Household 38

Improve, power, secure, and maintain your home.

Home Improvement & Repair 11

Concrete Calculator Estimate concrete volume in cubic feet and cubic yards based on slab length, width, and depth.
Deck Material Calculator Calculate deck boards, joists, screws, and total material cost from your deck dimensions, board size, and joist spacing.
Fence Material Calculator Calculate how many fence posts, rails, pickets, and bags of concrete you need for any fencing project. Supports wood, chain link, and split rail styles.
Flooring Material Calculator Calculate how much flooring material you need based on room dimensions, flooring type, and waste factor, with an estimated material cost.
Gravel Calculator Estimate gravel volume and tons needed based on length, width, depth, and gravel density.
Greenhouse Size Calculator Estimate greenhouse size from plant counts (leafy, herbs, fruiting, vining) and aisle preference. Outputs total sq ft, m², and recommended hoop, glass, or lean-to dimensions.
Moving Truck Size Calculator Estimate the moving truck size you need from bedrooms, square footage, furnishing density, and heavy items. Picks 10, 15, 17, 20, or 26 ft with a cubic foot estimate.
Paint Coverage Calculator Estimate how many gallons of paint you need based on wall size, coverage, and number of coats.
Roof Material Calculator Calculate roof squares, shingle bundles, underlayment rolls, and total material cost from your home footprint, roof pitch, and material type.
Roof Snow Load Calculator Estimate the weight of snow on your roof to determine if it poses a structural risk to your home.
Square Footage Calculator Calculate square footage, square yards, and square metres based on length and width.

Energy & Power 17

Electricity Cost Calculator Estimate electricity cost based on device wattage, usage time, quantity, and power rate for daily, monthly, and yearly energy spending.
Extension Cord Gauge Calculator Find the minimum AWG gauge for your load and cord length, avoid overheating, fires, and dangerous voltage drop.
Generator Noise Level Comparator Compare generator noise levels in decibels. See how loud your generator sounds at different distances and find quieter alternatives.
Home Appliance Wattage Reference Tool Look up running and startup wattage for common home appliances to size your generator or battery backup correctly.
Home Energy Audit Calculator Estimate your home's annual energy cost and find where you're losing the most money on heating, cooling, and electricity.
Home Insulation R-Value Calculator Get the DOE-recommended insulation R-value for your attic, walls, floors, or basement based on your climate zone, plus thickness by material and bag estimates for blown insulation.
HVAC BTU Sizing Calculator Calculate the BTU capacity needed to heat or cool your room or home, based on square footage, ceiling height, climate zone, insulation, and sun exposure.
HVAC Filter Replacement Schedule Personalized HVAC filter replacement interval and annual cost from MERV rating, household conditions, outdoor air quality, and system runtime, with a MERV 8 vs MERV 13 cost-vs-filtration comparison.
kWh to Cost Calculator Convert kilowatt-hours to electricity cost. Enter kWh used and your rate to see daily, monthly, and annual electricity costs.
Shelter Heat Loss Estimator Estimate how much heat your shelter or room loses per hour based on insulation, wall area, and indoor-outdoor temperature difference.
Solar + Battery System Sizing Calculator Size your off-grid or backup solar panel array and battery bank based on your daily load, peak sun hours, and autonomy days.
Solar Panel Output Calculator Estimate daily solar energy production based on panel wattage, number of panels, and peak sun hours.
Sump Pump Runtime Calculator Calculate sump pump cycle time, cycles per hour, and daily runtime from pump capacity, pit size, switch differential, and water inflow rate.
Transfer Switch Load Calculator Add the circuits you want backed up by your generator and instantly see total running watts, peak surge watts, and whether your generator can handle the load.
Water Heater Recovery Time Calculator Calculate how long your tank water heater takes to fully reheat after use so you can plan showers, laundry, and dishwashing without running out of hot water.
Watts to Amps Converter Convert watts to amps (or amps to watts) for any voltage, ideal for generators, solar systems, appliances, and circuit planning.
Whole-Home Standby Generator Sizing Tool Check off your appliances and get a recommended generator kW size, so you don't buy too small and get stranded, or too large and overpay.

Home Security 3

Home Security Score Calculator Score your home security from 0 to 100 across doors, windows, lighting, alarms, cameras, and habits, then see a prioritized list of upgrades by budget.
Outdoor Security Lighting Spacing Calculator Calculate the right spacing between motion-sensor security lights from lumens, mounting height, and beam angle. Get coverage radius, illuminance, and fixture count.
Security Camera Coverage Calculator: Camera Count + Blind Spots Calculate property coverage by camera count, field-of-view, and priority zones. Find blind spots, get a recommended camera count, and avoid over- or under-spec.

Maintenance & Inventory 7

Garage & Workshop Tool Inventory Tracker Catalog your garage and workshop tools by category and location, track estimated values, and build an inventory for insurance documentation.
Home Inventory Tracker Track your home contents by category, estimate total replacement value, and build a complete inventory for insurance claims or emergency preparedness.
Pressure Washer Cleaning Time Calculator: How Long Will It Take? Estimate cleaning time, water used, and detergent for a pressure-washer job by surface, area, and machine class. Covers concrete driveways, wood decks, vinyl siding, brick patios, fences, vehicles, and gutters; light electric to heavy gas machine classes; first-time vs experienced operator. Output: minutes, gallons + L, oz + mL detergent. US and Canadian price and unit support.
Pressure Washer Detergent Mixing Calculator: Dilution Ratios + Dwell Times Find the right detergent dilution ratio and surface-specific dwell time for your pressure-washer job, with compatibility warnings for surface and detergent-strength mismatches.
Pressure Washer PSI & GPM Calculator Recommended PSI range, GPM, tip color, detergent need, and cleaning time from cleaning task, surface material, and paint condition. PSI-too-low vs PSI-too-high tradeoff.
Storage Unit Size Estimator Enter your furniture and box counts to get a recommended storage unit size, estimated cubic feet, and common unit footprints (5x5, 5x10, 10x10, 10x15, 10x20, 10x30).
Water Heater Flush Frequency Calculator Recommended water heater flush interval from hardness (gpg or mg/L), heater age, tank vs tankless, and last flush date. Pro vs DIY cost-and-time tradeoff.

Back to Top ↑

Vehicle 15

Own, maintain, and travel smarter with any vehicle.

Ownership & Costs 5

Car Depreciation Calculator Estimate your vehicle's current value based on purchase price, age, mileage, condition, and type using real depreciation curves. See total depreciation, annual rates, and value retention.
Car Loan Payment Calculator Estimate a car loan monthly payment from price, down payment, trade-in, APR, term, sales tax, and fees. See total interest, total paid, payoff date, and a 60-month vs 72-month tradeoff.
EV Charging Cost Calculator Calculate the cost to charge your electric vehicle at home or a public station. Get per-session, monthly, annual, and cost-per-mile estimates.
Gas Mileage (MPG) Tracker Calculate your vehicle's real-world gas mileage by entering miles driven and gallons used to track fuel efficiency and estimate costs.
Vehicle Total Cost of Ownership Calculator Estimate the true yearly and monthly cost of owning a vehicle by combining fuel, insurance, maintenance, fees, financing, and depreciation.

Maintenance & Tires 5

Brake Pad Life Estimator Estimate remaining brake pad life from driving style, miles since replacement, vehicle weight class, and pad type. See miles and months remaining at your annual mileage.
Oil Change Interval Calculator Enter your last oil change details and driving conditions to get your next recommended oil change mileage and estimated due date.
Tire Pressure vs Load Calculator Find the correct tire pressure for your actual vehicle load. Enter total weight, tire max load rating, and max PSI to get a safe recommended PSI range.
Tire Tread Depth Checker Check if your tire tread depth is safe for wet roads, winter driving, or replacement. Enter tread depth in 32nds of an inch or millimeters.
Vehicle Service Interval Calculator (Mileage-Based Schedule) Find what car maintenance is due now and coming up at typical OEM intervals by vehicle type, current mileage, annual miles, climate, and driving conditions. Top-5 upcoming services with mileage-due and US and Canadian cost estimates.

Travel & Towing 5

Fuel Cost Trip Calculator Estimate total fuel cost for a trip based on distance, fuel economy, and fuel price.
Road Trip Budget Estimator (US + Canada) Estimate the total budget for a road trip - lodging, food, activities, and an emergency buffer - by traveler count, days, lodging tier, and country. Pairs with the Fuel Cost Trip Calculator for fuel and the Road Trip Split Cost Calculator for splitting actual costs after the trip.
Road Trip Split Cost Calculator Split fuel, lodging, food, and travel expenses fairly between travelers and see who owes or is owed.
Towing Capacity Checker Check whether your vehicle can safely tow a trailer by comparing towing capacity, trailer weight, tongue weight, and payload margin.
Trip Time Calculator Estimate driving time based on trip distance, average speed, and optional break time using kilometres or miles.

Back to Top ↑

Yard & Garden 27

Keep your lawn, grow food, tend soil, water smart, and track yields.

Lawn Care 3

Grass Seed Coverage Calculator: How Much Seed Do I Need? Find how much grass seed to buy by area, species, and seeding mode (new lawn, overseeding, bare-spot patch). Returns seed weight in lb and kg, estimated cost in USD and CAD, and applied rate in lb/1000 sq ft and g/m². Cool-season (Kentucky bluegrass, fine fescue, tall fescue, perennial rye) and warm-season (Bermuda, Centipede, Bahia). Soil-temperature trigger and 3-band seasonal timing built in.
Lawn Fertilizer Calculator Size your lawn fertilizer bag by area (sq ft / m²), grass type (cool-season Kentucky bluegrass, fine fescue, perennial rye, tall fescue / warm-season Bermuda, Zoysia, St. Augustine, Centipede), season, and organic vs synthetic preference. Returns recommended N-P-K ratio, product weight, bag count, cost estimate, and timing. Covers US (lb / sq ft) and Canada (kg / m²).
Mowing Frequency Calculator: How Often Should You Mow Your Lawn? Find how often to mow your lawn and the right deck height by grass type, season, and lawn condition, with the one-third rule built in. Covers cool-season (Kentucky bluegrass, fine fescue, perennial rye, tall fescue) and warm-season (Bermuda, Zoysia, St. Augustine, Centipede, Bahia). Returns interval in days, trigger height (in / cm), and the recommended deck height. US and Canada units.

Planting & Growing 9

Companion Planting Checker Look up which vegetables, herbs, and flowers grow well together and which should be kept apart in your garden.
Crop Rotation Planner Plan a 3- or 4-year crop rotation schedule for your garden beds. Assign plant families to beds and get a color-coded multi-year rotation table.
Last Frost Date Planting Calculator Enter your last frost date and a crop to get exact dates for starting seeds indoors, hardening off transplants, and planting outdoors.
Pepper Yield Calculator: How Many Peppers Will My Plants Make? Estimate your pepper harvest in pounds and kilograms by variety type (sweet bell, sweet non-bell, jalapeno, habanero, super-hot, shishito), number of plants, growing setup (in-ground, raised bed, or container), and sun hours. Returns total yield, approximate pepper count, and preservation output (pickling pints, dried pounds, or freezer bags), with a sun interlock that flags spots that won't fruit. US + Canada units; named short-season Canadian varieties.
Plant Spacing Calculator Estimate how many plants fit in a garden bed based on bed dimensions and plant spacing.
Row Spacing Calculator Estimate how many rows fit in a garden bed or field based on area width and row spacing.
Seed Starting Calendar Calculate indoor seed starting dates based on your last frost date and the number of weeks before transplanting.
Tomato Yield Calculator: How Many Pounds Will My Plants Make? Estimate your tomato harvest in pounds and kilograms by variety type (indeterminate, determinate, cherry, paste, heirloom), number of plants, growing setup (in-ground, raised bed, or container), and sun hours. Returns total yield, family servings raw and cooked, canning quart-jars, with a sun interlock that flags spots that won't fruit. US + Canada units; named short-season Canadian varieties.
Vegetable Garden Area Planner Plan how much garden space you need based on the crops you want to grow, your household size, and how much produce you want to grow.

Soil, Compost & Mulch 10

Black Earth Calculator Estimate how much black earth you need for gardens, raised beds, and landscaping projects.
Compost Calculator Estimate how much compost you need for gardens, raised beds, and soil amendment.
Container Garden Soil Calculator Calculate how much potting mix you need to fill containers, raised pots, and planners. Enter container dimensions or select common pot sizes.
Fertilizer Calculator Estimate how much fertilizer you need based on garden area and application rate.
Fertilizer Selector Decision-tree picker for the right fertilizer: pick what you're feeding (lawn, vegetable garden, flower bed, fruit tree, shade tree, shrub, container, acid-loving plant, new bed, damaged grass), soil pH, organic-only preference, season, and budget. Returns recommended N-P-K ratio, product type (granular slow-release / liquid / compost / lime / specialty), application rate per 100 sq ft / 100 m², timing, and whether you should soil-test first.
Lime Application Calculator: How Much Lime Do I Need to Raise Soil pH? Find how much lime to apply to raise your soil pH from where it is to where it should be, by area and soil type. Returns total lime needed in lb and kg, number of applications (single or split into two), per-application amount, and the timing window. Covers sand, sandy loam, loam, clay loam, and clay. Dolomitic vs calcitic vs pelletized tradeoffs. Cool-season fall and early-spring application windows. Lowering-pH branch directs users to sulfur via the soil-pH-testing guide.
Mulch Calculator Estimate mulch volume in cubic feet and cubic yards based on length, width, and depth.
Raised Bed Soil Calculator Estimate soil volume for raised garden beds based on inside length, width, and depth.
Tree and Shrub Fertilization Calculator: How Much N for the Dripline? Find how much fertilizer a tree or shrub needs by species type, DBH (trunk diameter), soil pH, and season. Returns actual N in lb and kg, bag amount of 10-10-10, dripline ring application zone, and a pH interlock that routes you to lime or sulfur first if your soil is wrong for the species. Covers deciduous, conifers, fruit trees, acid-loving (blueberry / rhododendron / azalea / holly), and shrubs. Year-1 sapling and mature-tree edge cases handled. US + Canada units and brands.
Weed Removal Method Picker Decision-tree picker that ranks weed-removal methods (manual / cardboard smother / vinegar / corn gluten / targeted herbicide) by weed type, area, bed type, chemical tolerance, and timeline.

Watering & Irrigation 2

Drip Irrigation Flow Rate Calculator Calculate your drip irrigation system's total flow rate and water usage to size pumps, timers, and water supply correctly.
Watering Schedule Calculator Get a personalized watering frequency and depth recommendation based on your plant type, soil, climate, and whether you've applied mulch.

Harvest & Seed Records 3

Garden Yield vs Family Size Calculator Calculate how many pounds of produce your garden will yield and how many weeks of supply that provides for your household, by crop, area, and experience level.
Harvest Yield Calculator Estimate total harvest yield based on the number of plants and expected yield per plant.
Seed Germination Rate Estimator Estimate seed germination rates based on seed type, age, and storage conditions to decide whether to plant or buy fresh seed.

Back to Top ↑

Cooking 5

Smoker capacity, smoke times, fuel costs, and brewing math.

Grilling & Smoking 3

BBQ Rub and Sauce Mixing Ratios Calculator Scale a dry rub and finishing sauce by meat weight, cut, rub strength, and sauce style. Returns total rub in oz and g with a per-spice breakdown, total sauce in cups and mL with a per-ingredient breakdown, and the standard percent-of-meat-weight rule baked in. Sauce styles: Eastern NC vinegar, Kansas City, Carolina mustard, Alabama white, or none. US and Canadian brand availability notes.
Propane vs Charcoal vs Pellet Cost Calculator Compare the yearly running cost of propane, charcoal, and pellet grills for how you actually cook. Enter cooks per month, hours per cook, and local fuel prices to see cost per cook and annual cost for each fuel, plus which one is cheapest for your habits. US prices in USD with Canadian equivalents in parens (propane 20 lb / 9 kg tank, charcoal bag, pellet 20 lb bag).
Smoker Size for Family Calculator Pick the right smoker capacity by guest count, cuts (brisket, pork shoulder, ribs, chicken, whole bird, mixed), cook style (low-and-slow / hot-and-fast / multi-cook), and buffer (lean / generous / leftovers-friendly). Returns recommended cooking surface in BOTH sq inches and sq cm, estimated cook time, fuel needed (lb of charcoal / lb of pellets / 20 lb propane tank fraction with 9 kg metric pairing), and a plain-English smoker pick.

Food Safety 2

Food Poisoning Symptom Checker: Likely Cause and Next Steps Educational food poisoning symptom checker for adults. Map time since the suspect food, your symptoms, and risk factors to likely pathogens and an action tier (home care, call your doctor or 811, urgent care, or 911). Not a diagnosis. For anyone under 18, pregnant, over 65, or immunocompromised, contact a healthcare provider directly.
Meat Thaw Time Calculator: Safe Thaw Time by Method and Weight Calculate safe thaw time for frozen meat by method (fridge, cold water, microwave) and weight. Avoid the 4 to 60 C (40 to 140 F) danger zone and the counter-thaw mistake. Built on USDA FoodKeeper and Health Canada Safe Food at Home thresholds. Weight in lb and kg.

Back to Top ↑

Preparedness 39

Be ready for emergencies, outages, and the unexpected.

Kits & Gear 4

72-Hour Emergency Kit Calculator Calculate exactly how much water, food, and supplies your household needs for a complete 72-hour emergency kit, tailored to your family size and conditions.
Bug-Out Bag Weight Calculator Calculate the ideal bug-out bag weight limit for your body weight and fitness level, and see how your planned gear stacks up.
First Aid Kit Completeness Checker Check your first aid kit against a comprehensive list of essential supplies. Get a completeness score and see exactly what's missing.
Go-Bag Essentials Weight Budget Calculate your go-bag's total weight, check it against your body weight limit, and see which categories are heaviest so you can trim the load.

Food & Water Storage 11

Emergency Water Needs Calculator Estimate emergency water needs based on number of people, days, and gallons per person per day.
Family Calorie Needs Calculator Calculate total daily and emergency calorie needs for your entire household by age group and activity level to plan food storage.
Freeze-Dried Food Rehydration Calculator Calculate exactly how much water you need to rehydrate freeze-dried food for any number of servings, perfect for emergency prep and outdoor meals.
Freezer Food Loss Estimator Estimate potential freezer food loss based on freezer contents value and outage duration.
Fridge Power Outage Safety Timer Estimate refrigerator food safety timing during a power outage based on outage length and door usage.
MRE Meal Count Calculator Calculate how many MREs or emergency rations your household needs for any duration, from a 72-hour kit to a 30-day supply.
Pantry Stockpile Planner Estimate pantry stockpile needs based on daily usage, number of people, and storage duration.
Protein Storage Calculator Calculate how much protein-rich food to stockpile for emergencies: canned chicken, dried beans, peanut butter, freeze-dried meat, and more.
Rainwater Collection Calculator Estimate how much rainwater you can collect based on roof area and rainfall.
Water Purification Tablet Dosage Calculator Calculate the correct number of purification tablets for any volume of water. Covers Aquatabs, Potable Aqua, Katadyn MP1, Micropur, and custom dose rates.
Water Storage Calculator Estimate total stored water capacity based on container size and number of containers.

Backup Power & Fuel 17

Battery Backup Runtime Calculator Estimate battery backup runtime based on battery capacity and power draw.
Diesel Storage Life Calculator Estimate how long your stored diesel fuel will remain usable based on storage conditions, container type, and whether a stabilizer was added.
Fuel Stabilizer Dosage Calculator Calculate the exact amount of fuel stabilizer to add to any volume of gasoline, covering STA-BIL, Sea Foam, PRI-G, Star Tron, and more.
Fuel Storage Calculator Estimate total stored fuel capacity based on container size and number of containers.
Gasoline Rotation Schedule Calculator Calculate your fuel's shelf life and get a rotation deadline based on stabilizer use, storage conditions, and ethanol content.
Generator Fuel Runtime Calculator Estimate generator runtime based on fuel tank size and fuel consumption per hour.
Generator Size Calculator Estimate what size generator you need based on appliance running watts, startup surge, and total planned load.
Heating Fuel Days Remaining Calculator Estimate how many days your heating fuel may last based on fuel available and average daily fuel use.
Home Heating Fuel Budget Calculator Estimate winter heating fuel cost by fuel type, home size, climate severity, local price, and furnace efficiency. Covers oil, propane, natural gas, kerosene, electric, and pellets.
Kerosene Storage Calculator Calculate how many gallons of kerosene to store for your heater, lamps, or cooker and see how long your supply lasts during a power outage.
Portable Power Station Runtime Calculator Estimate portable power station runtime based on usable battery capacity and device power draw.
Power Outage Duration Estimator Estimate how long a power outage may last based on outage type, weather conditions, and local utility response times.
Propane Tank Level Estimator Weigh your propane tank to find out how many pounds are left, what percentage full it is, and how long it will last at your appliance burn rate.
Propane Usage Calculator Estimate propane runtime based on the amount of propane available and the hourly consumption rate of your appliance or system.
Propane vs Natural Gas Cost Calculator Compare annual heating cost for propane and natural gas. Enter BTU need, local prices, and furnace efficiency to see which fuel costs less per year.
Solar Battery Recharge Time Calculator Estimate how long it takes to recharge a battery using solar panels based on battery capacity, panel wattage, sun hours, and charging efficiency.
UPS Battery Runtime Calculator Calculate how long your UPS battery will last under a given load. Enter your UPS VA rating, power factor, connected watts, and battery age to get estimated runtime in minutes.

Plans & Communication 7

Emergency Cash Needs Calculator Calculate how much emergency cash to keep on hand for food, fuel, medicine, and essentials during power or banking outages.
Emergency Pet Supply Calculator Calculate how much food, water, and medication to stockpile for your pets during an emergency or evacuation.
Emergency Sanitation Calculator Calculate how many waste bags, toilet paper rolls, hand sanitizer, and sanitation supplies your household needs when water and sewage are unavailable.
Evacuation Route Time Calculator Estimate how long your evacuation will take based on distance, traffic conditions, route type, and number of stops.
Hurricane Prep Supply Calculator Calculate your hurricane stockpile from family size, days of self-sufficiency, vulnerable members, storm category, and home situation. Outputs water, food, fuel, cash, medication, and total stockpile cost.
Pet Evacuation Prep Checker Score your pet evacuation readiness 0 to 100 across microchip, ID tags, carriers, medication buffer, vaccinations, and records, with a prioritized list of the next three actions.
Shelter-in-Place Supply Calculator Calculate exactly how much food, water, sanitation supplies, and medications your household needs to shelter in place through any emergency, from 3 days to 30.

Back to Top ↑

Tech 18

Get the most out of your devices and connections.

Networking & Wi-Fi 4

Ethernet Cable Length Estimator: Bulk Spool & Cost Calculator Enter room runs, average run length, cable category, and buffer to get total cable needed, recommended bulk spool size, estimated cost, and RJ45 connector count.
Mesh Wi-Fi Coverage Calculator: How Many Nodes Do You Need? Enter your home size, floors, wall material, and router placement to get a recommended mesh node count, optimal placement zones, and node spacing estimate.
Wi-Fi Bandwidth Needs Calculator Estimate the right ISP plan tier from device count, primary usage (browsing, 4K, gaming, video calls, smart-home), and simultaneous heavy-user load.
WiFi Troubleshooting Decision Tree: Find the Likely Cause Pick your symptom, what changed recently, and whether wired is also slow. Get the top 3 most likely causes of your home WiFi problem with concrete fix steps.

Devices & Testing 13

Color Blindness Test: Quick Ishihara-Style Screening Take a quick Ishihara-style color vision test online. Eight plates screen for red-green and blue-yellow color deficiency, with a summary at the end.
Dead Pixel Test Test your screen for dead or stuck pixels using fullscreen solid colors.
Frequency Sweep Test Test speakers and headphones with a 20Hz–20kHz audio sweep to check bass, mids, treble, and possible distortion.
Headphone Test Test headphones online with stereo, frequency sweep, and tone tools to check bass, treble, and channel balance.
Keyboard Tester Test your keyboard online by pressing keys and seeing them highlight instantly.
Microphone Tester Test your microphone online and see live input levels directly in your browser.
Monitor Refresh Rate Tester Measure your monitor's actual refresh rate (60, 75, 90, 120, 144, 165, or 240 Hz). Real frame-rate sampling via requestAnimationFrame plus a moving-box visual you can verify by eye.
Mouse DPI Checker Measure your mouse's actual DPI by moving it a known physical distance. The tool counts CSS pixels traveled and computes DPI rounded to the nearest standard step (400, 800, 1200, 1600, 2400, 3200, 6400).
Screen Resolution Checker Instantly check your screen resolution, viewport size, pixel density, color depth, refresh rate, and aspect ratio. Auto-detects on every device.
Sound Frequency Generator Generate a custom audio tone to test bass, mids, treble, and possible speaker or headphone issues.
Speaker Left / Right Test Test your speakers or headphones to confirm left and right audio channels are working correctly.
Speaker Test Test speakers online with stereo, frequency sweep, and tone tools to check balance, bass, treble, and distortion.
Webcam Tester Test your webcam online and preview your camera directly in your browser.

Smart Home 1

Smart Home Bandwidth Calculator Calculate total Mbps required across smart cameras, doorbells, speakers, thermostats, locks, bulbs, and plugs. Get a router-class recommendation and a Wi-Fi 6 vs 6E vs mesh decision.

Back to Top ↑

Health 14

First aid, fitness, and staying well.

First Aid & Emergencies 2

CPR Compression Rate Metronome An audio and visual metronome set to the AHA-recommended 100–120 compressions per minute, practice CPR timing or guide compressions in an emergency.
Emergency Action Decision Tree: What to Do First Pick the incident, severity, and patient to get ranked first-response actions, critical DO NOT warnings, and when-to-call-911 thresholds for 10 common home emergencies. General guidance, not a substitute for first-aid training.

Fitness & Wellness 8

Blood Pressure Checker Check your blood pressure category from a systolic and diastolic reading. Five zones (low, normal, elevated, stage 1, stage 2) per the AHA / ACC 2017 guidelines, with a category-specific next step.
BMI Calculator Calculate your Body Mass Index in seconds (works in imperial or metric) and see your BMI category with a plain-language explanation.
Calorie Burn Calculator Estimate calories burned during common activities using MET values and your body weight. Useful for planning food supplies during evacuation or extended outdoor work.
Daily Water Intake Calculator Calculate your personalized daily hydration target in ounces, liters, and bottle counts, adjusted for body weight, activity level, climate, and special health conditions.
Dehydration Risk Calculator Estimate hourly water loss based on activity, heat, and body weight. Find out how much water you need to stay safe during outdoor work or an emergency.
Heart Rate Zone Calculator Calculate your personal heart rate training zones based on your age and resting heart rate to optimize every workout.
Sleep Need by Age Calculator: How Much Sleep Do You Need? Find how much sleep you need by age, activity level, and current sleep-debt symptoms, with a recommended bedtime worked back from your target wake time.
Weighted Blanket Weight Calculator Recommended weighted-blanket weight from body weight in lb or kg, with sleeper-preference and child-vs-adult adjustments. Both imperial and metric output.

Medication & Supplies 4

Medication Dosage by Weight Calculator Calculate weight-based medication dosages for common OTC drugs. Enter body weight and select a medication to see the recommended dose range.
Medication Expiry Tracker Add your medications and expiry dates to see what is expired, expiring soon, or still current, keep your medicine cabinet and emergency kit ready.
Medication Temperature Safety Checker Check whether your medications are still safe after a power outage or temperature excursion. Covers insulin, EpiPens, biologics, and common oral medications.
Prescription Refill Timing Calculate when to call the pharmacy and pick up your next refill from last fill date and day supply. Outputs next refill date, pharmacy call date, and days remaining.

Back to Top ↑

Money 9

Budget, save, and plan your finances.

Budgeting & Tracking 4

50/30/20 Budget Calculator Split your monthly take-home pay into Needs (50%), Wants (30%), and Savings/Debt Payoff (20%), then compare your actual spending to each target.
Simple Budget Calculator Enter your monthly income and expenses across common categories to see total spending, remaining balance, and a breakdown of where your money goes.
Sinking Fund Calculator Plan monthly set-asides for irregular expenses like car insurance, property tax, and holiday gifts so the bills never catch you off guard.
Variable Income Budget Planner Budget on variable income by pegging your plan to your low month. Built for freelancers, commission earners, and seasonal workers.

Debt & Savings 3

Credit Card Payoff Calculator Calculate months to debt-free, total interest, and the savings from boosting your monthly payment over the credit-card minimum, with a minimums-only vs accelerated-payoff side-by-side.
Debt Payoff Calculator Calculate how long it will take to pay off your debts and how much interest you will pay using the snowball or avalanche method.
Retirement Account Comparison Calculator (Roth vs Traditional vs Taxable, US + Canada) Compare a year of contributions to Traditional (401(k) / RRSP), Roth (Roth IRA / TFSA), or a taxable brokerage account across decades, with the after-tax retirement value math that makes the Roth-vs-Traditional decision defensible. Uses a fair equal-after-tax-outlay comparison, models capital-gains drag on the taxable account, and names the winner for your current and expected retirement tax brackets.

Home Buying 2

Closing Cost Calculator (US + Canada) Estimate the full closing cost bill for buying a home: loan origination, title and legal fees, government fees, prepaids, and provincial land-transfer tax, with first-time-buyer rebates auto-applied. Models the Ontario sliding LTT (and the Toronto municipal double), BC's Property Transfer Tax with the first-time-buyer exemption, Quebec's welcome tax, the zero-LTT advantage in Alberta and Saskatchewan, Atlantic deed transfer taxes, and US national-average closing costs by loan type (Conventional, FHA, VA).
Home Affordability Calculator (28/36 Rule, US + Canada) Find the maximum home price you can responsibly afford from your income, monthly debts, down payment, and current mortgage rate. Uses the 28/36 traditional underwriting rule with Conservative, Standard, and Stretch stances, estimates property tax and insurance, handles PMI (US) vs CMHC (Canada) for under-20% down payments, and warns when your debt load would make you house-poor.

Back to Top ↑

Tools FAQ

What types of tools does PickShack offer?

PickShack offers practical calculators and tools for the home, vehicles, yard & garden, preparedness, tech, health, and money.

Are PickShack tools free to use?

Yes. All PickShack tools are free and designed to provide quick, practical answers without signups or complexity.

Which tools are best for emergency preparedness?

Browse the Preparedness topic for generator sizing, fuel runtime, water storage planning, and emergency supply estimators.

Can I use PickShack tools on mobile?

Yes. All tools are designed to work on phones, tablets, and desktop devices for quick access anywhere.

Browse practical calculators and planning tools by topic

PickShack tools are organized by real-world use cases — household, vehicle, yard & garden, preparedness, tech, health, and money.

Whether you need to size a generator, estimate fuel usage, calculate water storage, plan a garden bed, or check a device, these tools are built to give fast, useful answers without unnecessary complexity.