Speaking of new mini bit ratchets, Gearwrench’s MicroDriver offers the best bang for the buck bit driver set that I’ve seen so far. It’s been around for a couple of years, and is highly well regarded by pretty much everyone who has used it.
Note: This post was originally published on 5/8/2015, and republished on 4/3/2019. At this time, the set is on sale for $13.10 on Amazon.
As with the new Craftsman bit ratchet, you won’t find super-premium features with the Gearwrench MicroDriver. What you will find is a lot of convenience and utility in a compact and tidy package.
The MicroDriver set, model 85035, comes with the MicroDriver ratchet, which features both 1/4″ and 5/16″ hex sockets. 5/16″ hex screwdriver bits aren’t anywhere as ubiquitous as 1/4″ hex bits, but they’re available at industrial suppliers and online dealers.
Both sides of the MicroDriver have reversible ratcheting mechanisms, and on the top there are thumbwheels that provide fingertip control.
The set comes with:
- (5) 6pt metric sockets
- (5) 6pt standard sockets
- (18) 1/4″ hex screwdriver bits (3 Slotted, 3 Phillips, 6 Hex, 4 Torx, 2 Square)
- (5) 5/16″ hex screwdriver bits (2 Slotted, 1 Hex, 2 Torx)
- 1/4″ hex to square drive adapter for use with the included sockets or your own
That’s 34 pieces, plus the MicroDriver makes 35. All this comes in a handy plastic case that is surprisingly sturdy and durable. It’s not of throw-away quality that inexpensive tool sets come with.
The MicoDriver wrench is a little over 5″ long, which is quite a bit longer than many brands’ single-ended bit ratchets, but it’s still quite compact. I use my Gearwrench MicroDriver on occasion, although not as often as my Wera bit driver, and I have never found it to be too long or bulky.
This Gearwrench set is reasonably priced ($18 at Amazon as of the time of this [original] posting), and it makes for a great addition to portable, stationary, or home tool kits. I wish that Gearwrench left out the sockets and created an even smaller dedicated bit driver kit, but that’s hardly a major complaint.
Buy Now(via Amazon)
Buy Now(via Home Depot)
This is definitely one of Gearwrench’s most popular offerings, and I bet many of you own one too. If you’ve got one, what do you think about it? Or maybe you’ve been using something even better that you’d like to tell us about?
