The 10 Best Torque Screwdrivers
This wiki has been updated 22 times since it was first published in October of 2018. Designed specifically to prevent overtightening or stripping fasteners, these torque screwdrivers will ensure you always firmly seat your bolts and screws without the worry of potentially damaging anything. We've included models in a range of sizes and budgets. Some are capable of reaching as much as 80 inch-pounds of force, while others are ideal for working on fragile components. When users buy our independently chosen editorial recommendations, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
1. Capri Tools CP21075
2. Wheeler Digital Firearms Accurizing
3. Neiko 10573B
Editor's Notes
September 28, 2020:
If you are going to be working on sensitive equipment, a torque screwdriver is invaluable. Unlike a regular screwdriver, they allow you to properly tighten a fastener, without having to worry about accidentally over tightening it and potentially damaging something. At the same time, this also means that you can rest easy that the screws you have put in aren't going to come loose because they weren't set tight enough.
While all of the models on this list are accurate, a digital model like the Wheeler Digital Firearms Accurizing offers users a bit more control, as it displays increments as a little as a tenth of an inch-pound of force, which no analog models can. It also almost completely eliminates the chance for user error, since the setting is clearly displayed in a large digits. Plus, with a 15 to 100 in/lb range and three measurement options, it is very versatile.
The Performance Tool M194 and Capri Tools CP21075 are two more good option for those who need to make adjustments in very small increments, however due to the former's +/- 5% accuracy, and the latter's +/- 6%, they are slightly less accurate than the Wheeler Digital, which is rated for +/- 2% accuracy. That being said, the M194, with a maximum setting of 15 inch pounds, is a smart choice for delicate electric components, while the CP21075 has a T-bar attachment for the handle that lets you add a bit more leverage when needed.
If you have a job where you continuously tighten fasteners to the exact same specifications, the Wera Kraftform 7460 may help you improve your efficiency, as it can be pre-set to a specific torque and left at that setting as you go about your work. This is unlike most others, which generally reset themselves automatically to prevent damage to their internal components.
November 01, 2018:
Accuracy was the utmost importance when ranking the best torque screwdrivers. There is nothing worse than using one to precisely tighten a fastener only to strip it because your tool doesn't work properly. Every item we have chosen has proven to be reliable when in operation.
4. Wiha TorqueVario-S
5. CDI 151SM Micro
6. Wheeler FAT Wrench
7. Stark 17520
8. Wera Kraftform 7460
9. Weaver 849728
10. Performance Tool M194
A wandering writer who spends as much time on the road as in front of a laptop screen, Brett can either be found hacking away furiously at the keyboard or, perhaps, enjoying a whiskey and coke on some exotic beach, sometimes both simultaneously, usually with a four-legged companion by his side. He has been a professional chef, a dog trainer, and a travel correspondent for a well-known Southeast Asian guidebook. He also holds a business degree and has spent more time than he cares to admit in boring office jobs. He has an odd obsession for playing with the latest gadgets and working on motorcycles and old Jeeps. His expertise, honed over years of experience, is in the areas of computers, electronics, travel gear, pet products, and kitchen, office and automotive equipment.