In a hurry? If you’re looking for a comprehensive set of screw driving bits, I highly recommend checking the DeWalt Impact Ready FlexTorq 35-piece set. It’s a quality product made by a household name that includes various sizes of not only Phillips and slotted drivers, but also square, Torx, and small socket bits. As such, it will help you drive most of the screws you will regularly encounter.
DeWalt Impact Ready FlexTorq 35-Piece Set
Includes Phillips, slotted, square, Torx, and socket bits. Comes with a storage case.
Screwdriving bits are the staple of any handyman’s toolbox. Combined with a good impact driver, they will make assembling things with screws a breeze.
In this article, I will briefly review what I consider to be the best screwdriver bit sets for a variety of different purposes. I will also tell you how I chose the featured products and what other products I considered. Before doing so, though, here’s a quick overview of the winners.
HANDYMAN’S WORLD TOP PICK
DeWalt Impact Ready FlexTorq 35-Piece Set
Includes Phillips, slotted, square, Torx, and socket bits. Comes with a storage case.
RUNNER-UP
Irwin Impact Performance Series 20-Piece Set
Besides regular length bits, includes longer bits for difficult-to-access screws. Black oxide finish.
BEST BUDGET-FRIENDLY OPTION
Black & Decker BDA42SD 42-Piece Set
Includes hex bits as well as bits for other, less common drive types in a wide variety of sizes.
BEST SCREWDRIVER AND DRILL BIT SET
DeWalt DW2587 80-Piece Pro Set
A very versatile set that not only includes driving bits but also more than a dozen drill bits.
BEST LONG SCREWDRIVING BETS
Rocaris 10-Piece Set
A set of 4-inch long Phillips and slotted bits for driving the hardest-to-access screws.
BEST HEX BIT SET
MulWark 20-Piece Allen Bit Set
A set that can drive all of the common SAE and metric hex screw and bolt sizes.
BEST SOCKET BIT SET
Neiko10250A Nut Driver Master Kit
A set that can drive many of the most frequently used lag bolts and nuts.
Handyman’s World Top Pick: DeWalt Impact Ready FlexTorq 35-Piece Set
While the product is not made in the United States, it is manufactured by one of the world’s most reputable power tool brands. In addition to that, it comes not only with Phillips and slotted bits of various sizes but also with Torx and square bits. In addition to that, seven sizes of socket bits.
This set, rather than having each of the pieces attach to an impact driver directly, is instead equipped with DeWalt’s 10x Magnetic Screw Lock system. What that means is that there’s an adapter piece that you attach to your drill and that you attach the driving pieces into.
The adapter piece holds the drivers using a strong magnet. In addition to that, there is a magnetic screw holder piece which will let you work with fasteners at all angles without having to worry they will drop.
All of the fits nicely into a compact plastic box.
Things I Like About This Product: The set covers most of the common (and even some less common) screws as well as bolts. The magnetic screw lock system makes it easy to exchange the bits as well as drive screws at otherwise uncomfortable angles.
Things to Keep in Mind Before Buying This Product: While the set is fairly comprehensive, it does lack two oftentimes useful types of bits – hex bits and long Phillips bits.
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Runner-Up: Irwin Tools Impact Performance Series 20-Piece Set
Besides that, the set also includes the following regular-length bits: three sizes of Phillips and square bits each, five sizes of Torx bits, and three sizes of slotted bits. The set also includes a magnetic screw-hold attachment.
Each of the bits is made of cold-forged steel with black oxide finish. That makes them able to withstand high torque and resistant to corrosion.
The pieces come in a compact storage case made of ABS resin.
Things I Like About This Product: A perfect set if you don’t need nut driving bits. Includes not only regular but also extra-length bits.
Things to Keep in Mind Before Buying This Product: The set does not include hex and long slotted bits.
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Best Budget-Friendly Option: Black & Decker BDA42SD 42-Piece Screwdriver Bit Set
The set comes in a small plastic case and includes 41 driving bits and an adapter required to attach them to an impact driver (also serving as a magnetic drive guide).
The selection of driving bits is as good as it gets. There are, of course, Phillips and slotted bits of a few different sizes. But, there are also quite a few of the less usual – hex, square, and Torx – drivers as well.
Things I Like About This Product: The selection of bits is about as good as it gets and includes hex, square, and Torx pieces. The product is very affordable and comes in a good looking, compact package.
Things to Keep in Mind Before Buying This Product: While the quality is more than sufficient for home use, the bits might not withstand heavier, professional use. No long bits are included.
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Best Screwdriver and Drill Bit Set: DeWalt DW2587 80-Piece Pro Set
You’ll be able to use this kit with most screws with Phillips, slotted, square, and Torx drives. It even comes with three small socket bits (1/4″, 5/16″, and 3/8″). The black oxide drill bits included in the set range from 1/16″ to 3/8″ in size.
The set comes in a handy plastic case and besides the above, it also includes a magnetic bit tip holder and drive guide, as well as 1/4″ and 3/8″ socket adapters.
While the bits are made in China, they are of decent quality and will be more than adequate in most cases.
Things I Like About This Product: It allows reaching screws both inside narrow holes as well as in tight spaces as it includes three different lengths of driving bits. It’s one compact set that can deal with most of your driving and drilling needs.
Things to Keep in Mind Before Buying This Product: Some users reported that the thinner drill bits are prone to breaking and bending. Also, because of the sheer number of pieces in this set, you might end up with some that you never use. But then again, it’s better having them when you don’t need them than not having them when you need them.
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Best Long Screwdriving Bits: Rocaris 10-Piece Set
The Rocaris bits are made of S2 alloy steel making them very durable. They have a 1/4″ hex shaft and so can be used with most electric screwdrivers, cordless drills, and other such tools.
Included in the set are six Phillips and four slotted magnetized bits in several different sizes. Each of the bits is about four inches long.
Things I Like About This Product: It’s a basic and affordable set, yet it should be more than sufficient in most situations you will commonly encounter. The bits are long enough to reach even very deeply set screws.
Things to Keep in Mind Before Buying This Product: The set only includes Phillips and slotted bits, so it won’t be helpful if you need to work with the less usual drives (hex, Torx, etc.). Also, the bits don’t come in a storage case.
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Best Hex Bit Set: MulWark 20-Piece Allen Bit Set
Each of the 20 bits has a magnetic tip and is made of S2 steel. The bits have been tested and are resistant to high torque – as such, they are difficult to break and resistant to wear.
If they do break due to defects in materials and workmanship, they are covered with a limited lifetime warranty.
The set contains two strips – one set with ten SAE (inch) sizes and one set with ten metric sizes of hex bits. As such, you can throw just the one you need into your toolbox depending on the project you are working on.
Things I Like About This Product: All of the common sizes, both SAE and metric, are included making it one of the most comprehensive hex bit sets on the market. In spite of that, it’s quite affordable.
Things to Keep in Mind Before Buying This Product: While the bits are grouped together with rubber strips, they don’t come with a fully enclosed carrying case.
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Best Socket Bit Set: Neiko 10250A Magnetic Nut Driver 12-Piece Master Kit
The sockets are made of chrome vanadium steel and are coated with black phosphate. That not only makes them look nice but also increases their durability and resistance to corrosion. The bits are equipped with a 1/4″ quick-change hex shank, and so they can be attached to any impact driver that supports it.
Six of the most common SAE sizes (1/”, 5/16″, 3/8″, 7/16″, 1/2″, and 9/16″) and six of the most common metric sizes (8 mm, 10 mm, 11 mm, 12 mm, 13 mm, 14 mm) are included in this set.
All of them are stored in a small plastic case.
Things I Like About This Product: All of the most common sizes are included and the bits come in a storage case. The bits are made of high-quality material and so will last you a long time.
Things to Keep in Mind Before Buying This Product: Larger but still fairly common sizes (like 5/8″, 11/16″, and 19 mm, for example) are not included in the set.
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The Methodology: What I Considered When Picking the Products Featured Above
When coming up with the perfect pick for each of the categories, I looked at how the products fare in terms of the criteria below. I also considered how important each of those criteria is to the specific category.
Price: Of course, I considered price as one of the ranking factors. However, I took it into account relative to how they performed on the other criteria. As such, the only category where the price of the extractor set was the deciding factor was the “best budget-friendly option” where the Black & Decker 42-piece set was the winner.
Quality: The more important criteria to consider was the quality of the product. The three main ways to assess a product’s quality are looking at the reputation of the brand that makes it, looking at the material the bits are made of, and going thoroughly through positive, negative, and neutral reviews. Overall, all of the products I featured in the list are of decent enough quality in relation to their price and intended usage. However, if I had to choose one that wins on this front, it would be the top pick, DeWalt Impact Ready FlexTorq 35-piece set.
Versatility: Having a screwdriver bit is useless if it’s not the right type and size for whatever job needs to get done. As such, it is important for the average screwdriver bit set to be compatible with as many different types of fasteners as possible. And, to include those in as many sizes – both imperial and metric – as possible. Besides that, it’s also useful if a set has longer bits for driving harder to reach screws. Once again, the Handyman’s World Top Pick stood out the most in this regard.
Convenience: The final factor that I considered was convenience. One of the things that I looked at here were extra features – whether the set comes with a screw holder and similar extra bits, and whether it is nicely organized in a storage case. I also considered whether a set includes more than one of the most common bits. That can be very useful if working with teammates or if you use the bits a lot and wear them out. The product worth mentioning here is the DeWalt 80-Piece Pro set.
The Alternatives: Other Products I Considered Declaring the Winners
Throughout the process of picking the best products to feature in the list of top picks at the beginning of this article, I researched in detail more than 35 different screwdriver bit sets. Below are a few of those that didn’t make it to the list above, but are worth mentioning for one reason or another.
Firstly, besides the two products that I featured as the top pick and the runer-up, I was also considering the Makita 50-piece ImpactX bit set. However, in the end, I went with the DeWalt set as the top pick – in spite of having fewer pieces – because it is slightly more versatile thanks to its extra socket bits. I also didn’t feature it as the runner-up because it’s too similar to the DeWalt set and the Irwin set that I featured is simpler – meaning it’s great for people that don’t need too many different pieces – but equally good in terms of quality.
A product that was a serious contender for the best budget-option was this 18-piece set by DeWalt. I decided to go with the Black & Decker one, though, because it includes more pieces and oftentimes is sold for less than the DeWalt set. That said, if you need long bits, then you should consider the DeWalt set instead.
When choosing the best screwdriver and drill bit combined set to feature, it took me a while to choose between the DeWalt DW2587 80-piece set and the Enertwist 246-piece set. I eventually went with the former for two reasons. The DeWalt product had much better feedback regarding its quality and the truth is that 80 pieces are more than enough to have as your base. You can always buy more specialized bits individually when you need them.
Finally, for the best long bits, I included a set by Rocaris in the list. However, if you need to drive uncommon screws, consider this one by Neiko which comes with a wider variety of bits. On the other hand, if you only drive standard PH2-size Phillips screws, consider these Uxcell bits.
Summary
No matter what type of handyman work you do, you will almost certainly need to have a set of quality screwdriver bits in your kit. The good thing is that most of the bits (and all of the ones included in this list) are equipped with a standard 1/4″ shank. As such, they are compatible with more or less any impact driver – meaning you are not tied to the brand that made your power tool.
If you don’t have a set of drill bits yet either, I recommend getting the combined the DeWalt 80-Piece Pro set. Otherwise, for general use, go with the DeWalt Impact Ready FlexTorq 35-piece set or the Irwin Tools Impact Performance Series 20-piece set.
If you are on a budget, though, you should consider the Black & Decker 42-piece set.
Finally, when ordering your drivers, you might also want to consider getting a set of damaged screws and bolt extractors. Those will come in extremely handy if you manage to strip a screw.
DeWalt Impact Ready FlexTorq 35-Piece Set
Includes Phillips, slotted, square, Torx, and socket bits. Comes with a storage case.
