Hi… Relatively new to the robotics world and I am excited about all the new gadgets I can buy. What tools if any should I have in my tool kit to start off. Should I get an Oscilloscope? Multimeters? etc. Thanks.
The usual “starter lab” should include at least:
- A Multimeter with continuity testing, voltmeter, ammeter, ohmmeter.
- Pliers, a wire stripper and screw drivers (regular size and small ones too)
- Soldering iron
- An assortment of common components (resistors, capacitors, LEDs, etc).
Nowadays, A PC with internet connectivity is probably also a must 
If you want to get started in robotics you will need some essential electrical tools. These tools will allow you to produce and test simple (and some more complex) circuits in order to control.
The first things you will need are basics tools that will allow to put together (and take apart) circuits and simple mechanical structures:
]Elenco TK-14 Electronic Technician Starter Kit/:m]
Second, it is rather convenient to have a way of cleanly and simply mount, test and prototype circuits. A breadboard and a reliable power supplies are ideal for such a task:
]Elenco 2420 Tie Point Solderless Breadboard/:m]
]SFE Breadboard Power Supply Kit 5V / 3.3V/:m]
]Phidgets Power Supply 12VDC 2.0A - US/:m]
Or you can opt for a more powerful and versatile power supply:
]Elenco XP-100 DC Voltage Power Supply/:m]
http://www.robotshop.ca/Images/big/en/elenco-xp-100-power-supply.jpg
When making a circuit, it is crucial to get all the polarities and voltage levels right (failing to do so will probably result in beautiful sparks and smoke). For this, it is important to have a reliable multimeter:
]Elenco LCM-1950 High-Speed Autoranging Digital Multimeter/:m]
http://www.robotshop.ca/Images/big/en/elenco-lcm-1950-high-speed-digital-multimeter.jpg
Also, if you are into fancy circuitry, you can get an oscilloscope, and what better oscilloscope for fancy circuits than the rather fancy SeeedStudio DSO Nano.