Screwdriver: The best of 2022

We are constantly updating to bring you everything, about everything. And today we’re going to talk about an essential tool: the screwdriver.

These tools have served humanity for more than two millennia, with their refined uses ever since. They are indispensable in any toolbox, with different sizes in length and width.

If you don’t just want to buy one, but have the knowledge to choose yours, you’ve come to the right place. Screwdrivers have models and features, and as you read on, you’ll learn a lot about them!

First, the most important

• The absolute majority of objects and equipment have their parts connected with screws. Of varying sizes and shapes, many use the standard compatible with a screwdriver.
• Screwdrivers can be found in different types of length, width, extension and shape of the screwdriver for fitting. It is practically impossible for you to have just one to fulfill all functions.
• There are specific types of screwdriver. Some are suitable for electrical work, for example. So the importance of knowing this tool in depth.

You may also like:

• Drill: How to choose the best in 2022
• Penknife: Which is the best of 2022?
• Toolbox: How to choose the best one for you in 2022?

 

Ranking: The 4 best screwdrivers

The screwdriver is a tool that must exist in any case. If you do not have one yet, or are looking for other sizes, you can not miss the ranking we made for you.

Buying Guide

Although most people know a screwdriver, some terms may be new. And we want to bring here all the important data about this tool.

Continue with us to get to know its different types and, in the end, get to choose yours.

What is a screwdriver?

As much as technology continues to contribute to developments in its use, some components seem to have been very well designed for centuries. Whether for building a bed, or even a smartphone, there are parts that need to be assembled.

A screwdriver is a tool designed to allow this assembly (or disassembly), using screws that have a slot in the head. Confused? Come on!

Screws have the part of the thread, where they fit, and another wider one, called the head. In this wider end there may be a crack (a scratch, or something of another shape), which is where the key to twist it fits.

If you like to see to believe, take a good look at the appliances in your home. They may even be well hidden, but there are screws on all sides. There is no tool more useful than a good screwdriver.

For each type of screw, there must be a wrench suitable for the job. It will be suitable when there is maximum contact of the object to be tightened with the tightening / loosening tool.

Depending on the use and characteristics, several specific types of slots were created on the screws. And each of them needs to have an appropriate wrench for tightening / loosening, in the sense of maximum contact.

The most common types that we encounter in our daily lives are the flat and star (or phillips) slits.

But there are many others, where most are concentrated in the automotive sector and some others in industrial use: positive, torx, resistors, square, hexagonal, among others less common.

This adjustment also has to do with the size of the crack you intend to tighten / loosen. The measurements are found for sale in inches, so you need to have a certain knowledge of what you want to acquire.

This video published by the Distribution Center Loja do Mecânico will help you understand better:

Flat or crossed screwdriver? What’s the difference?

Of the types of slots, two are the most common and most prominent in household appliances: flat or crossed screwdriver. You see, they are not the only keys you will use when you need to perform maintenance, but they are the most used in general. Let’s analyze its characteristics:

Flat screwdriver

The oldest ever created (first dating from the 1st century), it has a flat and narrow tip. The width and length of the slot varies depending on the key. It is widely used for housework, mainly for furniture.

They are also used in mechanics to tighten and loosen large screws. With a hexagonal handle, a wrench can be used to increase the torque of the tool, without requiring more effort.

Crossed screwdriver (Phillips)

Tightening option that has been gaining space over time, especially in more fragile components. Its flattened tip has a shape of crossed lines (two slits).

It has a finer tip than its sister, and its use is only possible on screws with similar slits. Mostly used in acrylic, PVC and thin metal parts (they cannot be too tight under risk of damage).

What precautions should I take with my screwdriver?

Surely you should already have a screwdriver at home, at least one. Know, then, that they need basic care to continue performing their role with excellence. Check out:

• • Do not sharpen the end of the keys, as it affects the strength of the material, which can cause breakage and even damage to the user.
  • Lubricate the metal periodically to keep it protected from the elements.
  • Use the screwdriver only to tighten and loosen screws.
  • Before use, check that the tool is in working condition , looking for cracks or rounding of the edges at the tip of the wrench.

 

How much?

Screwdrivers are simple tools, but they can have different materials in their structure, as needed.

Therefore, you can find this product from R $ 4 to more than R $ 300. What will impact the price are the characteristics of the part you intend to purchase.

Where to buy?

Because they are affordable tools, and of global use, they can be found in all department stores, hardware, construction materials and even in agricultural and livestock.

However, an increasingly secure medium is also online purchasing. In this purchase model you will have the possibility to research as much as possible and buy products between different stores. Amazon is an excellent option, with variety and credibility in delivery.

 

Purchasing criteria: Factors for comparing screwdriver models

Because it is a simple tool, with an extremely simple function, screwdrivers do not have large mallets.

However, its variety of uses (albeit always for tightening/loosening screws) ends up creating keys with some distinct characteristics. And it is important that you know about them.

• Cable
• Slit width and opening
• Magnetized
• Rod material

Cable

Being a metal rod, the screwdriver has a thicker handle composed of different materials. The most common are high-density plastic and acrylic.

Depending on the need to use the tool, you need to keep the cable choice in mind. Element where the pressure for tightening/loosening occurs, must have the necessary conditions to be rotated.

If your use is residential, ergonomic and rubberized cables are great options. Usually cylindrical and molded by the user’s hand.

If you plan to use them also at work, and on components that require more tightening, acrylic cables are good options. In square or hexagonal format they allow more adhesion and use of other tools as assistants.

This option also exists in plastic handles, but they will deform as used with other tools. Finally, if you intend to use screwdrivers in dangerous environments (such as exposing electricity), keys with insulated cables and specific materials are the most recommended.

Slit width and opening

You have seen a little bit about it before. There are several sizes of screws and heads in them, in the same way, wider or narrower slits, larger or smaller. These measurements are given in inches.

It is important when choosing the key, to know in an approximate way what slot sizes you need it to tighten/loosen. If you make the wrong choice, you may not be able to perform the activity, or even get hurt.

Wrenches that are too thick do not fit into smaller screws, and the reverse does not work either. If the screwdriver is too thin, it will not have force on a larger screw.

One option provided by manufacturers is to purchase screwdrivers in small sets (ranging from 3 to more than 10 pieces). In this way, you compose the keys in your tool box for any occasion.

Magnetized

You may never have noticed, but some screwdrivers have a darker tip. Do you know what it’s for?

It is not just part of the tool design, by the way, far from it. This darker tip is magnetized. This means that they have a magnet at the end. It is very useful, because the screw sticks to that end and does not fall. If you need to screw a region where only one arm fits, for example, it is essential.

Although it is a super interesting criterion, it can make the screwdriver more expensive. Then consider whether it would be really useful for you.

Rod material

The material used for the screwdriver rod, that is, the metal part, may vary. Different types of steel are used and this automatically interferes with the part’s durability quality.

Check out this important detail of the product description on the purchase website. The best keys are made of chrome vanadium steel, hardened and tempered steel or carbon steel.