The 10 Best Torx Screwdriver Sets

Anyone who works on everything from laptops to lawn mowers gets the common star sizes in one go with the Wiha 36267, from tiny T5 up to T40. Each soft, two-layer grip is molded straight onto its blade, so it can't twist loose, and flats on the handle keep it from rolling. Wiha makes these in Germany and will replace them within a year if you aren't happy. There's no case or rack to keep them in order.

Built for a garage or shop bench, the Wera 367/6 covers the mid and large star sizes on cars, mowers and appliances. The six-sided handles won't roll off a fender, and hard and soft zones give a firm hold on stubborn screws. Wera hardens the tips for a snug fit and better rust resistance, and a rack holds all six. A limited lifetime warranty covers defects. Nothing below T10 is included, so electronics need another set.

For phones, game controllers, laptops and folding knives, the Wiha 26791 Precision covers the very small star sizes, from T1 up to T8. Each driver has a long, slim handle with a cap that spins under your fingertip, so you keep steady pressure while you twirl the shaft. Each handle shows its size, a help when tips are too small to read. Wiha builds them in Poland. They're too thin to break loose a screw that's stuck tight.

For occasional jobs, the Amartisan 12-Piece runs from T5 through T40 and packs everything into a carry case. The tips are magnetized, which helps hold a screw in an awkward spot, and the cushioned yellow grips are easy to find in a cluttered toolbox. The steel is chrome vanadium, a common choice for budget tools. Tips on low-cost sets like this can round off on very hard screws, such as the ones on good pocketknives.

Six drivers in the smaller sizes, T6 through T15, make the Wiha 36291 a tidy kit for knives, bikes, computers and home electronics. The cushioned handles are molded straight onto the blades, and each handle grows with its tip, so a small screw gets a small grip and a bigger one gets more leverage. Wiha's one-year replacement guarantee covers it. There are no large sizes, so it won't help with car seats, brakes or lawn equipment.

Made in the U.S., the Eklind 92200 is a precision set that reaches from T3 up to T20, so one bundle handles eyeglass screws and computer cases alike. Each driver has a soft grip and a wide spinning cap with the size molded in, so the right one is quick to pick out of the pile. Eklind says the tips also fit Torx Plus screws. Nothing larger is included, so car and mower work needs another set.

The Wiha 36689 swaps handles for long L-shaped keys, which reach screws buried deep in a machine and let you add muscle with the short arm. The long end has a ball tip that turns a screw at a slight angle, handy behind a bracket or a pulley. Sizes from T5 to T45 ride in a compact holder that keeps them in order. Ball ends are weaker than straight tips, so finish tight screws with the short end.

Tamper-proof star screws, the kind with a pin in the middle, turn up on game consoles and small appliances, and the Klein 32327 carries the hollow bits that open them. All 26 bits store inside the handle, and a strong magnet holds the bit and screw. Alongside the star bits are small Phillips, flat and hex tips for terminal blocks and electronics. Its only two plain star sizes are tiny, so it can't replace a full set.

A T-shaped handle gives more twisting force than a round grip, and the Gearwrench 83517 puts seven star keys on those handles. Each key also works from the short side arm, so you can spin a loose screw quickly with the long shaft and then switch ends for the final hard turn. The tips are chamfered to slip into a screw head fast, and the set carries a lifetime warranty. The T shapes are bulky in a toolbox drawer.

Like a pocketknife for star screws, the Ares 44000 folds security keys from T6 up to T30 into one compact tool. Each key has a hollow tip, so it turns both pin-center tamper screws and ordinary star screws on toasters, cars and game consoles. The keys are chrome vanadium steel and swing out of aluminum rails. The short keys reach only so far, and a folding body can't be spun as quickly as a screwdriver.