One item I have come across which is very useful is a non-contact voltage tester. It can test if there is any active current coming from an outlet, bulb, appliance, etc. without actually touching the item being tested (which could potentially result in you getting shocked). They way they typically work is that you hold a button to turn on the voltage tester and it will beep if it detects voltage and be silent when no voltage is detected.

I use mine often when doing any type of electrical work, it is much easier then having to plug something in or something like that.

You can purchase the voltage tester shown above for roughly $20 on Amazon, see the following link:

Milwaukee 2202-20 Voltage Detector with LED Light

I highly recommend that everyone gets one. Even if you don’t really do electrical work much, it is useful to have one of these to be able to tell if an outlet is receiving power.

The following video provides some tips on using the voltage detector.