The Best Security Bit Sets for Your DIY Projects

Just about every DIY expert will tell you that “use the right tool for the job” is a fundamental principle for home projects and repairs. Tools are precisely designed for a specific purpose, so having the correct tool on hand will make it easier for you to get your job done with less time and effort and without injuring yourself or damaging what you’re working on.

Screws are used in all kinds of products and projects, from woodwork to appliances and automobiles to computers, so an aspiring DIYer will need a good understanding of the various types and the proper tools to use with each screw.

The basic parts of a screw are the head, the non-threaded shank, the threaded shank, and the tip. The head of a screw can be different shapes, like pan, button, or countersunk, and it will also have a screw drive, the system used to turn it. Slotted and Phillips screw heads are the most common types of screw drives used in the United States.

A screwdriver bit is the tool you use for driving screws: the bits you use must fit the head’s drive type tightly so you have sufficient torque to rotate the screw. “Security bits” is the name given to the attachments made for use with drills, screwdrivers, or impact drivers to turn screws that have less common head types like Pozidriv (common in Europe), Allen (aka hex), double hex, or Torx (popular in automobiles, appliances, computers, and electronics).

These are our picks for security bit sets that will give you the right tools for the job.

How to Choose Your Security Bit Set

Consider these basic features when choosing your security bit set:

• Bit types: The are more than 32 types of screw drives on the market, so make sure the set you choose has the bit types for the screws you’ll be working with.
• Size: You need a bit size that fills the screw head securely; otherwise, you could strip the screw or damage your bit. There are standard gauge sizes for every type of screw and corresponding bit sizes. Make sure the bit set has the size selection you need.
• Case and Holder: The type of case can have a big impact on the usefulness of your bit set—it should be sturdy and fit the bits snugly (you don’t want your bits to fall out!), but not so tightly that the bits are hard to remove. Magnetized bit holders can help you fit your bit in the screw head more easily and securely.

Best Premium: Wiha 71990 Standard Security Bit Set

Wiha Tools, a German company established in 1939, has received numerous awards for product design and innovation, so you are guaranteed a quality bit set with a universal fit for all standard bit holders and power tools.

This 39-piece set, made from their special chrome-vanadium-molybdenum tool steel, includes these bits: Hex: 5/64, 3/32, 7/64, 1/8, 9/64, 5/32; Security Torx: T8s, T10s, T15s,T20s, T25s, T27s, T30s, T40s; Spanner: #4, #6, #8, #10; Tri-Wing: #1, #2, #3, #4; Torx: #6, #8, #10; Standard bits square: #1, #2, #3; PoziDriv: #0, #1, #2, #3; Slotted: 6.5, 8.0; and Phillips: #1, #2.

The set also includes a soft-grip, no-roll handle, a magnetic bit holder, and a bit holding socket adapter, all in a compact, sturdy metal case.

Best Selection: Horusdy 208-Piece Screwdriver Bit Set

The 208-piece Horusdy Screwdriver Bit Set includes Phillips, slotted flat, Pozi drive, nut driver, spanner, torq, tri-wing, Torx star, hex head, tamper-proof Torx star, and other specialty driver bits for a total of 15 different types of bits, made from chrome-vanadium steel, in a variety of sizes. The storage box is easy to carry, and each drill slot is engraved with the correct dimensions for easy identification and organized storage.

Best Value: Tekton 2930 Security Bit Set

A Michigan company in business for over 50 years, Tekton makes this 33-bit set that covers five types of screw heads and fits neatly into a pocket-sized organizer. The bits are made from premium chrome-vanadium steel and have a sandblasted finish. Their universal 1/4-inch hex shank fits any power driver or screw gun. The tips are precision milled for an exact fit in screw heads.

Best for Small Jobs: Sunsmiles Mini Precision Screwdriver Set

The Sunsmiles Mini Precision Screwdriver set packs 101 bits made from chrome-vanadium steel that cover 16 screw head types into a storage box that’s 7.8 inches by 4.3 inches by 2.5 inches. The set also includes nine opening picks, three plastic pry tools, a driver handle, an extension shaft, a pair of tweezers, a SIM card removal tool, a suction cup, a magnetizer/demagnetizer, a driver adapter, and a screw memory mat. These tools are great for repairing your computers, cell phones, game consoles, cameras, glasses, watches, toys, and small appliances.