Sometimes, the right tool for the job becomes the wrong tool for fitting into a low-clearance area. When it comes to screwdrivers, you have the option of finding a smaller one — which isn’t always an option — or using a right-angle screwdriver. Think of tightening a screw from around the corner, and you’re on the right track; finding the best one depends on the job you’re doing and your preferences.
The best right-angle screwdriver can fit into tight spaces, is versatile (ex: ratchets and extra bits), and is relatively small. The GreaTalent 25PCS S2 Steel Mini Ratchet Wrench Screwdriver Bit Set handles confined spaces well, measures 4.3” long, and offers nearly two dozen bits.
For such a relatively simple tool, there are several options to choose from. So, as with so many tools and home improvement decisions, consumers need to know what they want to accomplish before heading to the store to spend some money. Let’s review the best right-angle screwdrivers.
What Do Right-Angle Screwdrivers Do?
The right-angle screwdriver allows its user to work in a confined space.
Think about it — if your screwdriver is eight inches (20.32 cm) long, and the screw you need to access is five inches (12.7 cm) away from an obstacle, your screwdriver may as well be a sandwich for all the good it’ll do in that situation.
What to do? Either get out the butane torch, heat the shaft of one of your regular screwdrivers, and bend it into shape, or get yourself a right-angle screwdriver.
Right-angle screwdrivers — also called pivot, offset screwdrivers, or 90-degree screwdrivers — can work in the tightest spaces.
Some have ratchet drives to simplify the process. As part of that essential group of tools that you can’t do without, the right-angle screwdriver may not see everyday use.
You may end up with a set that gathers sawdust at the bottom of your tool bag for months. But when the day comes that you need it, you’ll sorely miss it if it isn’t there.
The tool is vital enough that there are even 90-degree drills. A power tool is one thing. One so specialized? The right angle must be something people encounter often enough to warrant making one of these.
If you’re working inside a cabinet or perhaps between studs in a wall, a traditional drill or screwdriver often just won’t fit. Different jobs call for different options, though, and there are lots to choose from.
Some are very fancy, sleek, attractive, and not measurably better than their utilitarian counterparts, and some are quite pricey. We’ll avoid any of those and list some of the best choices for a variety of jobs.
1. GreaTalent 25PCS S2 Steel Mini Ratchet Wrench Screwdriver Bit Set
(Most Versatile)
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Though technically a mini-set, this wrench set is a big find. One of the more valuable features of most right-angle screwdrivers is the ratchet action, allowing users to turn a screw without reseating the bit into the screw every time.
This set comes with the ratchet wrench and 24 interchangeable bits, providing all but the most specialized project options.
Choose from the various sizes of flathead, Phillips, hexagonal, and Torx bits included.
The steel construction of the wrench and its ratchet teeth allow for maximum torque for whatever your project needs, and the bits fit any 1/4″ (0.64 cm) hex shank holder, which means these bits will work in your impact drill, too.
2. DEWALT Pivot Bit Holder Set, 14-Piece
(More Than Just Right Angles)
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Dewalt’s Pivot Bit Holder isn’t actually a screwdriver but a kind of extension for your screwdriver or drill.
The big upside to this one is that it does any angle between zero and 90 degrees.
Insert the shank into your drill chuck or screwdriver shaft, and the screwdriver bit goes in the other end. While a right-angle screwdriver is handy, there are those times when you need only a slight offset.
This bit holder comes with 12 magnetized bits and weighs in at less than six ounces (170.1 g).
It brings versatility and durability to your tool kit and is the sort of tool that once you use it, you’ll wonder how you got along without it until now.
You may also curse yourself for having so much trouble on that last project because you didn’t even know you needed this tool back then.
3. MulWark 11pc 1/4 Mini Ratchet Wrench Close Quarters Pocket Screwdriver Set
(Small but Mighty)
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Small, lightweight, and providing options, MulWark offers another mini ratchet wrench set that offers options for the user.
Barely four inches (10.16 cm) long, this wrench will fit into small spaces while still giving enough torque to do the job.
The set comes in two varieties: one with ten screwdriver bits and another with 20. The hex drive is 1/4″ (0.64 cm), too, so the bits (flathead, Phillips, Pozidriv, hexagonal, and Torx) are compatible with other tools.
Steel construction means the unit’s low weight doesn’t translate into a flimsy tool. The body and the ratchet teeth are CRV steel, so this is a tool that’ll last.
4. Neiko 03044A Mini Ratcheting Offset Screwdriver and Bit Set
(Even Smaller; Still Indispensable)
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Find Phillips, flathead, and Torx bits in this tiny set from Neiko.
Available with six bits and a four-inch wrench, Neiko’s tool is durable and compact. If you’re working as a full-time mechanic, you’ll likely need to make a heavier-duty choice.
However, for projects around the house and general DIY work, this right-angle screwdriver works as advertised and gets high consumer marks.
Ideal for electronics repairs. Steel construction means a tough tool, no matter how small.
5. NEIKO 01323A Ultra Low Profile Offset Screwdriver Set
(Ultra Compact)
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No matter how compact a ratchet wrench, there may come a space just too small for it. Enter Neiko’s ultra-low profile set offers five different tools. Each one is basically a flat piece of metal with a short bit on the end.
These are small enough to work in a space with less than an inch of clearance.
The bits are attached, so they’re not interchangeable like most of these other sets, but there are various bits and sizes.
Each tool has a hole on the end so they can all fit on a key ring or carabiner, and that’s a plus.
Small tools like these get easily lost while banging around in your toolbox, so group these together and hang them somewhere.
6. BLUECELL 3pcs Offset Magnetic Screwdriver Set Phillips/Flathead
(Just the Basics)
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Bluecell’s three-piece magnetic set is all function over form. These are not ratcheting wrenches but old-school screwdrivers.
To accommodate the right angle and to account for different bit needs, each of the three screwdrivers in this set resembles a Z and has a slotted screwdriver bit on one end, a Phillips-head on the other.
Magnetized to hold the screw to the bit (helpful when you can’t even fit your hand in the workspace to hold the screw in place), these tools are basic, but simple-done-well is an excellent quality in anything, and this three-piece set is no exception.
7. Ryobi P241 One+ 18 Volt Lithium-Ion Right Angle Drill
(The Power Tool)
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Ryobi makes a great right-angle drill as part of its lithium-ion cordless line. Its long neck makes possible the least accessible jobs, and the handle is designed to enable easy one-handed use– after all, if there’s no space for a regular drill, why would there be space for both of your hands?
All the cordless toolmakers have a version of this. So, if you’re a Dewalt devotee or a Craftsman connoisseur, you can find a right-angle drill that will go with your particular cordless set and its batteries.
Don’t feel obliged to change over to Ryobi for just one tool. But the fact that this even crossed your mind goes to just how necessary a right-angle tool can be.
8. JelBo Flexible Shaft Extension Bits
(Best Attachments)
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Like the pivot bit holder mentioned earlier, not all right-angle tools are screwdrivers, and not all offset tools are locked in at 90 degrees, so be sure to explore your options.
There are extensions of all kinds to fit many different hex shank sizes.
There’s even a flexible shaft extension bit that lends infinite possibilities between zero and 180 degrees. And it looks all futuristic, too, which is fun.
9. #2 Phillips Screwdriver with Rapi-Drive 6-Inch Shank
(An Old School Option)
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More of a crank than a regular screwdriver, this Klein tool is basically a bent screwdriver.
Like any offset tool, if this is the one you need, there will be no substitute.
It looks odd, but so did the Phillips-head screw when it first came out.
This is a bare-bones tool, but again, there’s someone out there who can’t get the job done without this tool.
Conclusion
There will be times when you can’t get to the screw you’re after. We’ve all been there. Finding the one you need will depend on the job you’re doing, the clearance available in the workspace, and the kind of power you need.
The right-angle screwdrivers listed here are all quality examples of different options, but there are many more out there.
Use this as a shopping list or as a jumping-off point for your own research.
Be warned, though: once you’ve right-angled, you won’t ever have a complete toolset again without one of these in it.
Cheers, tools owners!
