What To Look For When Choosing A Screwdriver

15 best screwdrivers Rating 2019 Rating of the best screwdrivers according to experts and customer reviews in 2019 in the categories: inexpensive cordless, in terms of price-quality ratio, mains, percussion and professional drill drivers. The most popular manufacturers: Makita, BOSCH, Metabo, DeWALT, Interskol, etc.

The best manufacturers of screwdrivers

You need to pay attention not only to the technical characteristics of the device, but also to who is engaged in its production. The fact is that not all companies produce sufficiently high-quality and durable products. But the following five can be safely trusted:

  • Makita Japanese manufacturer of professional power tools;
  • Bort one of the largest manufacturers of power tools. All models are developed in Germany;
  • German firm BOSCH is a leading manufacturer of household appliances and tools in the world;
  • Metabo a trade brand from Germany that creates professional tools;
  • Company Hammer has more than 300 branches, which allows it to widely distribute its products;
  • DeWALT American manufacturer of high quality modern instruments;
  • Russian brand Interskol creates service equipment and repair tools.

When choosing a screwdriver, you need to pay attention to certain parameters. The main thing is that the future owner of a screwdriver must understand why he is buying a tool. This will allow you to quickly and correctly determine the set of required parameters. Standard requirements for a repair device include the following:What to look for when choosing a screwdriver

Best inexpensive cordless screwdrivers

What To Look For When Choosing A Screwdriver

Cordless screwdrivers are quite expensive; buying such a tool can hurt your budget. That is why you need to know which models you can save on without losing quality. Fortunately, such devices do exist, and they are produced by both domestic and foreign brands.

Choosing a drill: what parameters to pay attention to

Before purchasing a drill, you should decide what you need it for. It’s one thing if you need this tool for everyday use, for example, you are a professional interior decorator and renovator. Another is if this tool is used only from time to time at home. You should also take into account what types of work you have to do most often: you are drilling metal or wood, how often you have to make holes in brick or concrete, whether you use a tool for screwing in screws, mixing mortars and mixtures, etc.

If the drill will be used for several hours a day, then not everyone can withstand such a load. Of course, it would be nice to immediately get a professional tool that can work all day. But such drills are expensive, heavy, and usually larger than household drills.

Drill classification

Drills can be classified according to various criteria.

According to the type of power supply, they are divided into network and battery. Undoubtedly, rechargeable batteries are more convenient: the power cord does not interfere, there is no need for a nearby outlet or extension cord. It is safer to work with such a drill, especially at a height or in hard-to-reach places, there is no danger of electric shock if the power cord is accidentally damaged. The disadvantages of such drills are in the battery. They do not have enough capacity to provide operation for a long time, and replaceable batteries are quite expensive, such drills are less powerful than mains, and they are more expensive. It takes a long time to recharge the batteries. If you opted for a cordless drill, choose a model with replaceable batteries and a charger included.

In addition to drilling functions, drills can have additional: impact drilling, screwdriver function, the ability to use various attachments.

The screwdriver function, as its name implies, allows the use of low rpm with a sufficiently high torque, which is required when driving screws and self-tapping screws. Such drills are always equipped with the ability to reverse the speed, which allows you to turn out the screws. If you have to use this function often, then it is better to immediately purchase a screwdriver. Since screwdriving requires less energy than drilling and the battery capacity lasts longer, this tool is usually cordless for high mobility. In addition to the mandatory function of reversing the revolutions, screwdrivers are usually equipped with a special head with a torque adjustment mechanism. They use screwdrivers for carpentry, furniture assembly and disassembly, when working with drywall, etc.

Impact drills are suitable for drilling holes in concrete, brick. In these models, in addition to the rotational movement, a special carbide-tipped drill receives an additional reciprocating movement. When choosing models with hammer drilling, you should pay attention to the weight of the drill itself. A drill that is too small and light will not provide high drilling speed when using the hammer function. High power of the electric motor is also desirable. If you often have to drill holes in concrete or brick, it is best to get a type of drill called a hammer drill. This tool has a powerful impact mechanism and a motor, and is heavy. The rock drill can also be used as a small jackhammer, electric chisel.

There are special models of drills, for example, for mixing mortars and mixtures. For convenience, they are equipped with a special handle. An angle head drill allows you to drill at an angle to the drill axis, which is convenient when working in hard-to-reach places.

Most modern models of household drills are capable of performing the listed functions, i.E. Equipped with a reverse mechanism, an impact mechanism. Most of them have the ability to smoothly or stepwise change the rotation speed.

What to look for when choosing a drill

Distinctive features of a quality tool

When choosing a good drill, you need to pay attention to its technical characteristics. These include:

  • High-speed rotation;
  • Speed regulation;
  • Device power;
  • The size of the holes.

High-speed rotation is determined by the number of revolutions of the tool head, and this makes it possible to interact with various materials and nozzles. Even with low power, but increased high-speed rotation, the work process with such a drill will be more efficient.

Adjusting the speed will help scale up the capabilities. Thanks to her help, fasteners can be installed at a low speed, and drilled at a high speed.

The power of commercially available devices ranges from 300-1500 watts. Hence, the conclusion suggests itself that more powerful drills can drill holes in hard materials: concrete, brick, metal. But on the other hand, those devices with a smaller parameter will help save electricity.

The size of the holes is a parameter for conventional drills focused on the labor process with steel and wood materials, and in percussion drills with concrete ones. When choosing a model, it is imperative to know the permissible amount of drilling so as not to accidentally burn the engine when you just start using the device.

A variety of drills and their use in everyday life

Before buying a drill, you need to determine exactly what purpose you are pursuing. If you need a tool for working at home, then here you can consider two types. One of them is household, the other is professional. The first one has less power and it is advisable to use it no more than 3-4 hours a day with a break after 10-20 minutes so that there is no overheating. Such models cost much less than professional ones. Professional devices have great power and are designed for long-term use. You can work with them for 8 hours. They are subdivided into network and battery.

Cordless tools can be more powerful than cordless tools, but are at risk of burnout due to voltage surges. The second type of drill, although it has less power, but thanks to the built-in battery, does not depend on the presence of an electrical network.

Drills are divided according to the nature of their application:

  • Screwdrivers;
  • Mixing;
  • Corner

Using a drill-screwdriver, holes are drilled for fasteners, into which bolts and self-tapping screws are quickly screwed in. These tools are lightweight and compact. They will become irreplaceable assistants for furniture assemblers and in the construction of a frame house.

Mixing devices help not only drill holes, but also stir viscous and liquid building mixtures. They do not have an impact function and therefore can only work with soft materials.

Corner technical tools are used in hard-to-reach places. It is easy to work with them where a simple device cannot be reached. The angle drill will be indispensable during car repairs when you need to work under the hood.

When choosing a quality tool, you need to pay attention to the manufacturer’s firm, preferably a well-known brand.

What to look for when choosing a drill

Distinctive features of a quality tool

When choosing a good drill, you need to pay attention to its technical characteristics. These include:

  • High-speed rotation;
  • Speed regulation;
  • Device power;
  • The size of the holes.

High-speed rotation is determined by the number of revolutions of the tool head, and this makes it possible to interact with various materials and nozzles. Even with low power, but increased high-speed rotation, the work process with such a drill will be more efficient.

Adjusting the speed will help scale up the capabilities. Thanks to her help, fasteners can be installed at a low speed, and drilled at a high speed.

The power of commercially available devices ranges from 300-1500 watts. Hence, the conclusion suggests itself that more powerful drills can drill holes in hard materials: concrete, brick, metal. But on the other hand, those devices with a smaller parameter will help save electricity.

The size of the holes is a parameter for conventional drills focused on the labor process with steel and wood materials, and in percussion drills with concrete ones. When choosing a model, it is imperative to know the permissible amount of drilling so as not to accidentally burn the engine when you just start using the device.

A variety of drills and their use in everyday life

Before buying a drill, you need to determine exactly what purpose you are pursuing. If you need a tool for working at home, then here you can consider two types. One of them is household, the other is professional. The first one has less power and it is advisable to use it no more than 3-4 hours a day with a break after 10-20 minutes so that there is no overheating. Such models cost much less than professional ones. Professional devices have great power and are designed for long-term use. You can work with them for 8 hours. They are subdivided into network and battery.

Cordless tools can be more powerful than cordless tools, but are at risk of burnout due to voltage surges. The second type of drill, although it has less power, but thanks to the built-in battery, does not depend on the presence of an electrical network.

Drills are divided according to the nature of their application:

  • Screwdrivers;
  • Mixing;
  • Corner

Using a drill-screwdriver, holes are drilled for fasteners, into which bolts and self-tapping screws are quickly screwed in. These tools are lightweight and compact. They will become irreplaceable assistants for furniture assemblers and in the construction of a frame house.

Mixing devices help not only drill holes, but also stir viscous and liquid building mixtures. They do not have an impact function and therefore can only work with soft materials.

Corner technical tools are used in hard-to-reach places. It is easy to work with them where a simple device cannot be reached. The angle drill will be indispensable during car repairs when you need to work under the hood.

When choosing a quality tool, you need to pay attention to the manufacturer’s firm, preferably a well-known brand.

Cordless screwdrivers

The same characteristics for a cordless drill, a screwdriver and a cordless tool are considered. Now it is necessary to dwell in more detail on portable screwdrivers, which receive energy from a battery that is periodically charged from the mains. When choosing a screwdriver for your home, you can see models on the counter that are equipped with different types of batteries.

The screwdrivers are equipped with 3 types of nickel-cadmium (Ni-Cd), nickel-metal hydride (Ni-Mh) and lithium-ion (Li-Ion) batteries. Until now, the most common batteries in home screwdrivers have been Ni-Cd sources. These batteries have a number of advantages, the main ones being lower price compared to other types and the ability to work at low temperatures.

The process of charging the battery for a screwdriver.

At the same time, these batteries have a whole set of disadvantages, and the main one on their list is the memory effect, which affects the battery capacity and its service life. In order for nickel-cadmium power supplies to last long, they must be used regularly. However, they must go through a full charge-discharge cycle. If you do not fully charge the Ni-Cd battery, its capacity will decrease, and it will be almost impossible to restore its original value. These elements are also afraid of deep discharge, so they cannot be stored in a discharged state.

Nickel-metal hydride sources are less toxic than Ni-Cd batteries and have slightly better capacities. In addition, they are less susceptible to the memory effect, but they must be stored in a charged state. These energy sources are more expensive, but their service life is much shorter.

Lithium-ion sources have virtually no memory effect. Their value for household chores lies in the fact that the batteries can be charged at any level of discharge. At the same time, Li-Ion batteries are much less efficient at low temperatures, have the worst discharge current values, are prone to destruction if the charging mode is violated, and are the most expensive. Lithium-ion cells are best used when working with high intensity.

Which tool should you choose?

Most DIYers and professionals give preference to cordless screwdrivers, which make it possible to work away from the mains, however, the requirements for this tool when used in everyday life and professional activities can differ significantly.

Diagram of a cordless screwdriver device.

Someone uses it to screw 2-3 screws into the wood every couple of months, someone needs a screwdriver to build a fence, and for others it is an aid in their daily work, so making the right choice of a screwdriver for the house is simply necessary for the tool did not gather dust on the shelf, but became a real assistant.

Equipped with the same functionality and power as a drill, they are adjustable in torque, making them a versatile tool. The power drill of the screwdriver has an enviable fate, it has found recognition among professionals. Nevertheless, in a domestic environment, such a drill can be useful.

What do you need to know when choosing a screwdriver?

The industry today offers a wide range of tools for DIYers. One of the most popular among them is the screwdriver, which greatly facilitates the work of both furniture assembly and roof construction.

The cordless screwdriver is perfect for work where there is no electricity.

A screwdriver can perform the functions inherent in a drill, and its sufficiently powerful devices can cope with drilling metal and even concrete. The tool will soon completely replace screwdrivers from everyday life. Most of its owners already experience significant discomfort when they are forced to do without a screwdriver.

Additional features of screwdrivers

If there is an impact mechanism on the screwdriver, then using such a tool you can drill walls.

  • The presence of an impact mechanism in the tool makes it possible to drill concrete and brick with a screwdriver;
  • Backlighting is simply necessary when working in poor lighting conditions;
  • Some screwdrivers can work in the KM temporary amplification mode (pulse mode);
  • Manufacturers of expensive models equip charging units with battery charge indicators and automatic charging cut-offs.

But often the broadest set of additional features and equipment comes from tools of unknown origin, sold at a bargain price. Super-cheap and super-functional screwdrivers cannot be of high quality, so buying them will be a completely unjustified waste of funds.

Tool selection based on torque

Without going into the details of the description of what the physical definition of torque is, it must be said that when buying a screwdriver drill, you must definitely pay attention to this indicator. On the tool body and in its passport, the torque is displayed in Nm. The higher the number, the more powerful the screwdriver is. This means that it is able to drive thicker screws and drills into more viscous and harder materials. Tools with a torque below 10 Nm can be called screwdrivers.

Screwdrivers working in the range of 10 Nm to 20 Nm can handle most household tasks. To cope with a more serious test (working with a roof, for example), a screwdriver drill with a torque of 20 Nm and more is more likely. In professional models, this figure reaches 140 Nm.

Diagram of the network screwdriver device.

Screwdrivers are equipped with a torque control device (KM), because different efforts are required from the screwdriver when performing different work both at home and in production. If it works as a drill, then the regulator is set to the maximum KM, which ensures reliable drilling in wood or metal. To screw screws into a board, confirmations into furniture or screws into a metal profile, completely different efforts are needed.

The KM regulator is installed at the base of the screwdriver chuck and ensures sufficient screwing of the fasteners into a particular material. The smallest setting of the regulator corresponds to the smallest KM. As soon as more effort is required to screw in a self-tapping screw or screw than that set by the regulator, the chuck will be disengaged from the motor shaft (the so-called ratchet will work). The ability to adjust the torque provides greater precision during work and protects the motor from overload.

In addition to installing the KM regulator, some manufacturers equip screwdrivers with speed switches. Of course, not every model can change the rpm, but there are two-speed and three-speed tools. Such models at high rpm of the chuck cope with the duties of a drill, and at low speeds they screw in fasteners.

A little about cartridges

Varieties of chucks for screwdrivers.

Since the cartridge has already been mentioned, it is worth talking about its two varieties, installed on screwdrivers. Most models are equipped with three-jaw quick-change tools that provide hot swappable bits and drills from ½ to 13 mm.

There are screwdrivers equipped with a 6-point socket chuck, into which tools with matching shanks are inserted. Both those and other cartridges receive an impulse from the engine through the gearbox. Cheap screwdriver models can be equipped with plastic gear reducers, and professional tools are equipped with durable steel gears.

Home screwdriver. How to choose and what to look for?

Before purchasing the first screwdriver that catches your eye, you should figure out what this device is. Most ordinary people associate the process of using this power tool solely with tightening ordinary screws. Knowing its capabilities and the differences between various models, you can easily make the right choice.

Зміст Statti (Contents)

Classification of screwdrivers

By analogy with any other power tools, all cordless screwdrivers can be divided into professional and household, used for personal needs. Of course, they differ in their performance and the set of operations performed.

This compact twist tool is perfect for the following tasks:

  1. Screwing.
  2. Twisting.
  3. Drilling.

Cordless screwdriver Bosch GSR 12-2 BD Professionalbits set

Every man is familiar with the difficulties of screwing plinths or assembling furniture with a screwdriver. This work is time consuming and has low efficiency. Even with great care, the screws may be screwed in obliquely. If the same screw is used several times, then you can flare its head. As a result, the work has to start over.

If it becomes necessary to unscrew an old, hefty rusted screw, then the difficulties can increase many times over. It is the screwdriver who will be able to speed up this operation and minimize labor costs. In addition, with this tool, you can drill the required hole just as efficiently as with an electric drill.

What should you pay attention to when choosing a screwdriver?

Depending on the type of power supply, industrial screwdrivers can operate from a household power supply (outlet) or independently from a battery. In the first case, a carrier lying underfoot can significantly limit the size of the working area and complicate the performance of work.

Makita 6271 DWPLE Cordless Drill / Driver

Models with batteries that are independent of the network can be equipped with 4 types of batteries at once. When choosing such a power tool, you should familiarize yourself with the following characteristics:

  • First, the voltage value;
  • The capacity of the battery installed in the power tool. The amount of work that the screwdriver can handle depends on this value. In everyday life, a 2 A / h battery will be enough;
  • Charge duration. Depending on the type of battery, this value can be within 15-45 minutes;
  • You need to find out if the battery has memory to charge. Depending on the frequency of use of the screwdriver, it will have to be stored with the battery or separately from it;
  • The usability will also be affected by the size of the device;
  • Battery weight;
  • Time of continuous operation guaranteed by the manufacturer;
  • The amount of torque that determines its strength. For a home appliance, 30 Nm will be enough;
  • RPM value. For most industrial tools, it ranges from 300 to 1300 rpm. For domestic needs, 500 rpm will be enough.

Additional functions of screwdrivers

  1. The ability to work in a pulsed mode, necessary when unscrewing old fasteners;
  2. The presence of a percussion mechanism in the tool, which makes it possible to work with concrete and brick;
  3. Several speeds of work, providing more convenience when drilling;
  4. The presence of a backlight facilitating drilling in a dark place.

The information specified in the article should be quite enough to choose the optimal model of the screwdriver. At least you will speak the same language with the seller.