Top & Best Torx Key Review 2022 – How to Select Ultimate Buyer’s Guide
Torx Key: How to choose the best one in 2022?
Did you find a star-shaped screw, with six points and a small entrance in the middle, and you don’t know how to fasten or loosen it? Don’t worry: The Torx wrench, also known as the hexalobular wrench, is the tool capable of solving your problem!
Widely used in the automobile industry and in the computer field, the Torx wrench and screws are not present in most people’s daily lives, but it is worth having a kit at home for safety. Stay with us in this article to learn everything you need about these tools!
First, the most important
- The Torx wrench, also known as the hexalobular wrench, is used on screws of the same type. It is common in the automobile and computer industries.
- Torx wrenches are sold in kits and, therefore, you should choose a numerous one, with tools of various sizes. Thus, you will be prepared for every screw that appears!
- It is important to choose quality Torx wrenches, made with first class materials. The best option is chrome vanadium steel.
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The best Torx keys: Our opinion
Because they are small and inexpensive, Torx keys are almost always sold in kits. To help you choose, we have selected some of the best available on the market!
- The best cost-benefit
- A kit of professional Torx wrenches
- For those who demand the best quality tools
Buying Guide
After all, what differentiates Torx keys from others? Why should you have a set? In what situations might you need to use such tools?
We research the most common questions on the subject and bring complete answers about them in our buying guide!
What is a Torx key and what is it for?
The Torx wrench is part of the tools of the family of tightening and loosening screws, as well as screwdrivers, Phillips keys, Allen keys and others. The main difference is in the shape of the screw and, with that, in the necessary entrance to tighten and loosen it.Both the screws and the tips of the Torx keys have a shape similar to that of a star, with six tips spread out. It is also known by the name of hexalobular key.
It is much more rare to find screws with Torx-type entries than slots, Phillips or Allen screws, however, there are some areas in which they are more present. Since it is not possible to tighten or loosen them with other tools, having a set of hexalobular wrenches can be a good idea.
Did you know that Torx wrenches and screws were originally developed in the United States in 1964? The idea was to have a type of tightening tool that would provide more support than the Phillips, more used at the time. It has come to be highly sought after for automated processes.
Where are Torx screws and wrenches most used?
Maybe you’ve never seen a screw with a hexalobular entry, maybe you mess with them every day. This is due to the fact that some areas use these inputs much more than others. Let’s list some of the main ones below:
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- Auto industry: As Torx screws are great for automated processes, they are very present in the auto industry. You can find them on windshields, dashboards, seats, carpets and even some engines.
- Computing: Automation is also responsible for the large presence of Torx screws in computing. Hard drives, cards and internal systems in general often use these inputs a lot. You must have a kit of keys like this if you work repairing computers!
- Electronics and technological toys: Many modern electronic devices and toys that have functions that require batteries or complex systems use Torx screws.
Bicycles, scooters and the like, as well as devices such as printers and scanners can also be mounted with Torx screws. Outside these areas, it is much more difficult to find them!
What are the advantages of Torx keys?
The main advantage of the Torx wrench is the fact that only it can tighten or loosen hexalobular screws. If you find them, you will have nothing to do if you do not have a tool like this in hand!
Its L-shape helps the lever movement, facilitating the tightening and loosening of screws. As with Allen keys, this design was designed to make handling more user friendly.
They are very resistant tools, usually manufactured with quality materials. This ensures that a set can last for years and years, without new purchases being made frequently.
Unless you work in specific areas or need to dismantle an unexpected object, you will probably not have contact with a Torx screw.
See the table below for advantages and disadvantages of Torx keys:
What are the differences between Torx keys and other types of keys?
The Torx wrench differs from other similar tools precisely because of the shape of its tip and the compatible screws. This can only be seen at a glance, as the differences are considerable. But and beyond that, what drives away all types of keys?
Due to the ease that machines have to use Torx screws, these tools are widely used in automated processes. Therefore, they are found much more in industries such as the automobile than in furniture and other objects of slower production.
As with the Allen wrench, the L-shaped, not straight, makes tightening and loosening faster. You will rarely suffer so much from a Torx screw than it can from a normal or Phillips screw.
However, Torx screws are not able to have the same pressure as Allen screws, so they end up being deprecated in many areas. This is one of the main reasons why they are so rare to be found.
We compare several types of keys in the table below:
How to identify Torx key sizes?
You may have noticed that we quote Torx key sizes with names like “T6”, “T10” and “T50”. These codes refer precisely to the tool sizes.
The gradation that varies between “T1” and “T100” indicates the size of the Torx keys.
Torx keys are always identified by the “T” code followed by the size, in a gradation ranging from 1 to 100. T1 is the smallest possible tool, really reduced, while T100 is the largest.
It is important that you have a kit with varying sizes because it is the screw that defines which one you need. There is no use trying to tighten or unscrew with the wrong key: You will not succeed.
All keys have the size written on their body, as well as most screws. Identification thus becomes much easier, preventing time wasted with trial and error.
How much does it cost and where to buy a Torx key?
As they are sold in kits, Torx keys must be analyzed by unit price, not general. You can find models that vary between R $ 2 and R $ 10, depending mainly on the quality of the tool. It is possible to find good kits with eight or ten pieces for around R $ 20.
Tool and home supply stores in general should offer good Torx wrench kits. You can also make your purchase over the internet: We recommend mainly Amazon, closely followed by Amazon international.
Purchasing criteria: What to pay attention to when choosing your Torx keys
You know you need a good Torx wrench kit, but can’t decide which one? Smoothly! We have selected four technical criteria that can help you choose:
- Number of pieces in the kit
- Storage
- Material
- Ergonomics
Below, we explain more details about each one!
Number of pieces in the kit
The number of parts in a Torx wrench kit is essential not only for you to evaluate the cost-benefit of your purchase, but also so that you do not miss any important size when you need to tighten it.
It is ideal to have a kit with at least eight or ten pieces, ranging in size: From some very small, like T6 or T10, up to at least one T50. This way, you will be covered for most situations in which you encounter a Torx screw.
When in doubt, always choose the kit with the largest number of parts!
Storage
Torx wrenches are small tools and can be easily lost. And if they are not stored properly, they will still be under the effects of natural actions like heat and humidity that can damage them ahead of time.
Ideally, there is a case or case to store your Torx keys.
You should pay attention to whether the chosen kit offers a good storage medium. Ideally, there should be at least one case, but a small suitcase also fits very well. Thus, the protection of your tools will be complete!
It will be much easier to open the drawer and find the case directly containing all of your Torx keys instead of searching piece by piece among all the other tools.
Material
When you invest in tools like Torx wrenches, you certainly want to avoid having to do it again anytime soon. To be sure that they will accompany you for a long time, you need quality materials.
In the case of Torx keys, the most common material is chrome vanadium steel. It is even better to opt for models that have extra features, such as an antioxidant paint. This combination is able to accompany you for decades!
Ergonomics
Ergonomics is one of the main advantages of Torx wrenches, as their curved shape facilitates the levering effect when screwing or unscrewing. But it is clear that some brands still produce more ergonomic models than others.
The easier the Torx key is to hold, the better, and the more anatomical between its two parts, the more precision the lever effect will offer. If you pay attention to this aspect, you can have greater flexibility in handling the tool!
