The best screwdriver sets in 2023

Best screwdriver sets in 2023

Best large screwdriver sets

Guild 60 piece screwdriver set

A 60 piece screwdriver set with 14 screwdrivers, a screwdriver bit holder, and 25 screwdriver bits, all in a helpful carry case. This is a good set of screwdrivers and bits, and would be great for someone looking for a set for the home and the garden. It also comes with a flexible screwdriver extension to help you turn screws, even in awkward positions.

Price: £30

Buy the Guild 60 piece screwdriver set from Argos

Magnusson 54 piece standard mixed screwdriver set

This set offers a decent quantity of screwdrivers plus a lifetime guarantee. The screwdrivers are tipped with black oxide, which makes them tougher and more rust resistant and the handles have a soft grip to improve comfort without sacrificing grip. Finally, this set comes with a helpful stand, for organisation and storage.

Price: £8.00

Buy the Magnusson 54 piece standard mixed screwdriver set from B&Q

Draper 70 piece screwdriver set

The Draper 70 piece screwdriver set features a comprehensive range of drivers, accessories and a moulded case to keep them organised and stored. Each screwdriver is sand blasted to ensure a smooth finish with no jagged edges, and has a satin chrome finish, giving it a rust-proof coating. Additionally, this screwdriver set has a flexible screwdriver extension, which helps with driving screws in awkward places or angles, and it also includes a magnetic pick-up tool for lost bits or screws.

Price: £42

Buy the Draper 70 piece screwdriver set from Amazon

Best basic screwdriver sets

Wera Kraftform 7 piece screwdriver set

Built for comfort, the Wera Kraftform Screwdriver Set has several design features which help set it apart from other sets. The hexagonal handles are designed to not roll when placed on a flat surface.

The handle’s surface is patterned with alternating soft and hard surfaces, with hard surfaces for high-speed turning, and soft surfaces for low speed, high-torque turning. The screwdriver head is also ‘laser tipped’, which means it’s slightly jagged for a better grip on screws and to prevent slipping.

Price: £43.19

Buy the Wera Kraftform 7 piece screwdriver set from Manomano

Stanley 10 piece multi-colour cushion grip set

This pack of 10 screwdrivers is useful for those looking for a magnetic, ergonomic screwdriver set, with a case for storage. The drivers all have magnetised black oxide tips, making the tips rust resistant and especially good at performing precise tasks, as the screw will stay attached to the head until you want to pull it away.

Each screwdriver in this set has a handle moulded to its shank, increasing its durability. This set is also covered by a limited lifetime warranty from Stanley.

Price: £21.71

Buy the Stanley 10 piece multi-colour cushion grip set from Amazon

Milwaukee set of 12 tri-lobe screwdrivers

Each of the Milwaukee set of 12 tri-lobe screwdrivers is magnetic and has a wrench-ready shaft, which makes them good for getting screws very tight on tough material. Tri-lobe refers to the triangular, rounded shape of the handle, which helps give leverage without sacrificing comfort.

This set’s shaft is wrench ready, meaning it’s strong enough for you to grip it with a wrench, then use the wrench for extra leverage to drive the screwdriver, so it can comfortably drive screws into dense material.

Price: £49.99

Buy the Milwaukee set of 12 tri-lobe screwdrivers from Amazon

Best ratchet screwdrivers

Stanley FatMax 13 piece ratchet screwdriver set

Offering a compact storage solution, the bits in this screwdriver set can be stored in the screwdriver’s hollow handle. It can also be set for use clockwise and counterclockwise, with the ratchet mechanism offering increased torque.

In cases that require less torque the ratchet can be locked, so that it can be used like a regular screwdriver. This set has a range of 13 bits, making it a good starter screwdriver.

Price: £28.95

Buy the Stanley FatMax 13 piece ratchet screwdriver set from My Tool Shed

Draper 40 piece screwdriver set

This comprehensive set of 40 screwdriver bits ensures you can be prepared for a variety of different screwdriver tasks. The ratchet screwdriver itself has a soft grip to help you turn without straining.

Price: £14.99

Buy the Draper 40 piece screwdriver set from Robert Dyas

Bosch 45 piece mixed screwdriver bit set and handle

A set of 44 heat-treated screwdriver bits, these are ideal for those looking to drive into tougher material. Offering a good variety of sizes, and a case for storage and organisation, this set also offers eight power bits, which can fit into power tools and nutsetters, which is used to fasten self-tapping screws. It is also covered by a one-year guarantee.

Price: £28.99

Buy the Bosch 45 piece mixed screwdriver bit set and handle from Toolstation

Best mixed drill bit & screwdriver sets

Makita 101 piece straight shank accessory set

A 101 piece kit including 50 screwdriver bits, 21 drill bits, a case, and a variety of accessories. To help make some bits better suited to high speed drilling, six of these drill bits are made with HSS, while the rest are made with alloy steel. Including a spirit level, countersink and magnetic bit holder, this is a good set for those looking for a starter kit.

Price: £26

Buy the Makita 101 piece straight shank accessory set from B&Q

BLACK+DECKER 109 piece mixed drilling and screwdriving accessory set

Including a mix of brad point drill bits for woodworking and HSS steel bits for masonry, this screwdriver set would be good for gardeners looking to work with wood, but also tougher jobs, such as installing a wall-mounted water butt into brick. The set of 109 pieces contains 67 screwdriver bits, 25 drill bits, and a number of accessories. It has a 12 month guarantee against failure.

Price: £25

Buy the Black + Decker 109 piece accessory set from Homebase

Dewalt screwdriver drill bit set

This 85 piece screwdriver set comes in Dewalt’s Toughcase, a clear case designed to slot in with other Dewalt Toolkits, which helps to keep all of your DIY accessories organised and accessible. This particular set contains 64 screwdriver bits, 16 drill bits, and 5 accessories, including a magnetic drill bit holder. It should be noted that it doesn’t come with a screwdriver, meaning it’s best for people who already have a ratchet or electric screwdriver, and are looking for extra parts.

Price: £154.00

Buy the Dewalt screwdriver drill bit set from Manomano

How to choose a screwdriver set

When choosing a screwdriver set, you want a tool that will reliably and comfortably do the gardening DIY tasks you have in mind, and without causing extra clutter. However, some of these factors will be more important to some people than others.

Some might happen to have a lot of room on their workbench, but need an ergonomic screwdriver to avoid strain, others might only need a screwdriver for a few gardening DIY tasks, but want a set they can use in the house too. It’s important that you evaluate your needs, and get the screwdriver set which best suits them. For gardening DIY, realistically the majority of your screwdriver’s use will be driving and removing screws from soft and hardwood.

Common screwdriver head types

Phillips: The most common screwdriver head type, with a pointed cross shapes head.

Flathead: With a pointed singular flat line, these fit into slotted screws, which often require minimal torque.

Hex screwdriver:A hexagonal tip, like an allen key, which is used to drive nuts, bolts and screws.

What is a ratchet screwdriver?

This type of screwdriver has an internal mechanism, which allows it to turn freely in one direction, but not the other. This means that the screwdriver can entirely turn a screw without needing its position to be adjusted. This allows the user to work much faster. Ratcheting screwdrivers often have changeable bits, which saves on storage space as bits are smaller and easier to store than full screwdrivers.

Is a ratchet screwdriver better than a normal screwdriver?

Ratchet screwdrivers save on space and are convenient to use, however they do have their disadvantages. Unlike regular screwdrivers, they can’t be used for prying up light material such as paint can lids, and they are more vulnerable to dirt and grime and if the ratcheting mechanism gets obstructed by grit, it might not work.

Screwdriver treatment

The main treatments of screwdriver materials are as follows:

Black Oxide: A treatment for steel and ideal for screwdrivers, this toughens and gives it better rust resistance.

Heat treatment: Treating tools with heat improves their flexibility and wear resistance.

Sand blasted: The process of blasting an object with sand wears away any blemishes, jagged edges, or unwanted bits, leaving only a smooth, clean finish.

Laser tipped: This treatment makes the surface of a screwdriver’s head rough, like a file, helping it grip onto screws easier.

Screwdriver accessories

Countersink: A countersink is a conical drill bit, which makes a shaped hole in material, typically after an initial hole has already been drilled. The conical shape helps flathead screws or fasteners to sit flush.

Flexible screwdriver extension: This fits on the end of your screwdriver, and its other side attaches to a screwdriver bit. It's flexible by design and makes it easy to reach awkward, or obstructed screws.

Magnetic pick-up tool: Usually a telescopic pole about the size of a pen, with a strong magnet at the end that's useful for picking up lost screws or screwdriver bits.

Stub screwdriver: Stub screwdrivers are screwdrivers with a smaller handle and shorter shaft, which allows you to reach into tight areas.

Precision screwdriver: A precision is a smaller, thinner screwdriver meant for driving small precision screws or fasteners.

Hex key: A piece of hexagonally-shaped metal, often with a 90 degree curve at one end. Hex keys are used for turning hexagonal bolts and fasteners

This Product Guide was last updated in August 2023. We apologise if anything has changed in price or availability.