Best screwdriver sets 2021

Good screwdriver sets make tough jobs easier, but which one is the best?

Whether you’re just starting to build your tool kit or replacing older, worn-out screwdrivers, buying them in a set is often the most cost-efficient way to do it. 

There’s plenty of choice, so check your car for which fasteners are the most common. Kits typically come with a mix of slotted, Phillips, Pozidriv and Torx heads, but some also include a selection of driver bits or hex keys. So which is the set to ensure you have the right tool for the job? We got to grips with eight to find out.

How we tested them

A comfortable grip is key to applying lots of force and using a tool for prolonged periods, so we made that the centre of our test. We also looked for colour coding, which makes it easier to select the type you need in the middle of a job. In each set we wanted a good mix of blade types and sizes, with parallel-tipped, slotted and the ever-useful stubbies garnering extra points. 

A handle hole makes it easy to use a second driver as a T-bar, a hex nut on the shaft enables a spanner to provide extra twisting power, and magnetic tips are always handy. A case or some kind of storage helps keep them clean and together. The final consideration was price, taken from a range of online sources. 

Verdict

Silverline’s 248250 set blends a fine selection with many other plus points and a great price to win, just ahead of the Phillips-less Halfords and the hugely featured Draper. 

1. Silverline General Purpose Screwdriver Set 12pc 248250

2. Halfords Advanced 8 Piece Screwdriver Set

3. Draper 44 Piece Soft Grip Screwdriver, Hex Key And Bit Set 81294

Reviews

Silverline General Purpose Screwdriver Set 12pc 248250

  • Price: £11.80 
  • Screwdriver type: 6 SL, 3 PH, 3 PZ 
  • Contact: 01935 382222, www.silverlinetools.com
  • Rating: 5/5

There's lots to like with this comprehensive set, which has all the most useful sizes and costs less than £1 per driver. We like the magnetic blades, handle holes and colour coding, although oddly the Phillips aren’t marked with their sizes on the handles like the others. 

The rubberised finish is grippy as well as comfortable, and the smooth tops make it easy on the palm, while sculpted indents near the bottom of the handle help to protect slipping fingers. It would have been nice to have more than one stubby, but the set does include two parallel-tipped drivers. 

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Halfords Advanced 8 Piece Screwdriver Set

  • Price: £10 
  • Screwdriver type: 4 SL, 4PZ 
  • Contact: 0845 057 9000, www.halfords.com
  • Rating: 4/5

RECOMMENDED THIS is one of two sets with no Phillips option, but the eight drivers do come in a storage tray, albeit made of flimsy plastic. We like the coloured dots on the tops, and the handles on which the sizes are marked. 

Despite appearances, the plastic handles are relatively soft, which – along with the moulded dimples – makes them both grippy and comfortable. All are magnetic with handle holes, but none are parallel tip and there is just a single stubby. A good, well made and realistically priced set if you can live without Phillips.  

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Draper 44 Piece Soft Grip Screwdriver, Hex Key And Bit Set 81294

  • Price: £21.99 
  • Screwdriver type: 6 SL, 4 PH, 4 PZ, 3 TX, bit holder, 16 Hex, 10 bits 
  • Contact: 023 8049 4333, www.drapertools.com
  • Rating: 4/5

RECOMMENDED Draper’s collection comes in a plastic stand for either the bench or wall. It has a wide selection of drivers, being the only one to include Torx options as well as Phillips, Pozi and slotted heads, plus 10 bits fitted into a fold-out holder, and two sets of hex keys. 

The drivers are magnetic, but there are no stubbies, although their handles are comfortable and the hex moulding prevents them rolling on flat surfaces. Our biggest complaint is a lack of colour coding, which means choosing from the stacked stand is a bit of a lottery.

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Silverline Mechanic’s Screwdriver Set 11pc 324731

  • Price: £9.88 
  • Screwdriver type: 5 SL, 3 PH, 3PZ
  • Contact: 01935 382222, www.silverlinetools.com
  • Rating: 4/5

A nice-looking, magnetic set that spans slotted, Pozi and Phillips tips, and features three stubbies – the most on test. They aren’t colour coded, but the sizes are marked on each handle. The five larger drivers have hex nuts built into the shaft, making them practical for high-torque jobs. 

Despite being almost square in section, the curved design makes them comfortable to use, even when we were applying lots of pressure. The slightly grained surface improves dry grip, but they are still quite slippery when used with greasy hands.

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Clarke Pro 122 10 Piece Pro Screwdriver Set

  • Price: £27.59 
  • Screwdriver type: 5 SL, 5 PH
  • Contact: 0115 956 5555, www.machinemart.co.uk
  • Rating: 3.5/5

These are all pound-through (designed to be struck with a hammer), the blade continuing through the handle, which adds to the weight. Meant to last for years, they come in a latchable case and, although the set does include two stubbies, there are no Pozis. On the other hand, the rubberised handles are grippy and don’t slip. 

The hex nuts on all bar the two smallest slotted drivers are great for applying extra torque, but being on the very top of the handles makes it painful on the palm in normal use. Plus at £2.76 a pop, these are the dearest on test. 

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Laser 6 Piece Screwdriver Set 7613

  • Price: £10.88 
  • Screwdriver type: 3 SL, 3 PZ
  • Contact: 01926 815000, www.lasertools.co.uk
  • Rating: 3/5

The second of our sets (with the Halfords) not to feature any Phillips options, it has the fewest drivers overall, and they are also quite expensive, at around £1.83 each. 

We rate the stylish and comfortable soft-grip handles that are smooth on the ends so as not to hurt the palms. But we’d like to have seen a stubby or two and they are not colour-coded, although the types and sizes are shown on the handles. Each is magnetic and has a T-bar hole. Not at all a bad choice if you’ve no need for Phillips, but this set is really held back by the price tag. 

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Kamasa 7 Piece Screwdriver Set 55889

  • Price: £18.09 
  • Screwdriver type: 3 SL, 3 PH, 1 PZ
  • Contact: 01926 815000, www.kamasa.co.uk
  • Rating: 2.5/5

Like the Halfords, this set comes in a plastic tray to keep the drivers together and clean, at least for a while. The selection is reasonable, the single Pozi being the ultra-useful PZ2 x 100, but there are no stubbies or parallel tips. 

The handle design and feel are similar to the Silverline 248250, the sculpted rubber giving lots of grip and comfort. They are all magnetic and have handle holes, but no colour coding. Their sizes are shown on the top of the handles, but would probably soon wear off. However, the price is high at £2.58 per driver. 

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Sealey 8 Piece GripMAX Screwdriver Set AK4322

  • Price: £15.80 
  • Screwdriver type: 4 SL, 2 PH, 2 PZ
  • Contact: 01284 757500, www.sealey.co.uk
  • Rating: 2.5/5

AT first glance, we liked this Sealey set, which has a well made, professional feel with a lifetime guarantee, and includes a good selection of types and sizes of driver. The polypropylene and rubber soft-grip handles are moulded into a comfortable shape for fingers and palm, and each has a handle hole for applying more torque. 

The blades are shot blasted and magnetic, but there are no parallel tips or stubbies, and having no colour coding is a bind, with three types to sort through. They lose even more points for being the third dearest on test. 

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