I highly recommend this 12-in-1 electric screwdriver, and it’s 50% right now

Late last year, during the holidays, I featured an electric screwdriver that was popular with readers. I know from comments and emails that quite a lot of you purchased one and were impressed by the tool, and I’ve also been asked some other questions about it, too.

Well, since it was something I recommended, I have one. And I only recommend products that I’ve tested and that I feel make the grade in terms of both performance, reliability, and cost.

Also: Nomad just brought back my favorite USB accessory

The screwdriver in question is the HOTO electric screwdriver and right now it’s 50% off on Amazon.

ZDNET RECOMMENDS

HOTO electric screwdriver

A powerful electric screwdriver packing a huge 1500mAh capacity battery is perfect if you have a lot of DIY jobs to do.

HOTO electric screwdriver tech specs

• Rotary knob switches the screwdriver between three different torque settings
• Fast driving, thanks to 220 RPM motor
• A massive 1500mAh capacity battery provides ultra-long endurance and, when fully charged, can drive in more than 1,000 screws before needing a recharge
• The screwdriver features a circular LED shadowless lamp, so you can see what you’re doing
• HOTO cordless screwdriver set contains a dozen two-inch long S2 tool steel long bits with hardness up to 60HRC 
• The screwdriver and bits are stored in the anodized aluminum alloy storage box that has a soft, rubber top handle
• Universal Type-C charging interface means you don’t need a separate charger

Also: This tiny USB-C tester can spot counterfeit Apple chargers and cables

On the one end of this superb screwdriver is a standard 1/4-inch socket that takes the various bits, and behind that is a rotary knob that switches the screwdriver off and on, and also switches between three torque settings. There’s also a circular LED shadowless lamp, so you can see what you’re doing, which is a nice touch because it means I don’t have to wrangle a flashlight when I’m working in a dark area.

On the other end of the screwdriver, there’s a USB-C port for charging the unit — a neat touch because it does away with the need for any proprietary charger (I don’t need any more of those in my life). 

Also: My favorite electric screwdriver for heavy-duty jobs

In the middle of the tool are the controls, which are about as simple as they get. There’s a button to screw a screw in, and a button to screw a screw out.

The screwdriver and bits are stored in the anodized aluminum alloy storage box that has a soft, rubber top handle. If you want more than the dozen bits, HOTO have a version with 25 bits in a different case for $10 more

The three torque settings range from powerful enough to assemble a PC case or flat pack furniture (where you need quite low power), to powerful enough to put a fence up or screw down floorboards. 

What this screwdriver doesn’t offer is a super-gentle setting for things such as electronic gadgets, which this screwdriver might be too powerful for. This is where a mini precision electric screwdriver complements the HOTO screwdriver really well.

Also: This must-have screwdriver has two cool hidden tricks

Aside from the lack of a super-gentle setting, the HOTO electric screwdriver with a dozen bits is a great choice. Mine has already had many months of use and is going strong. 

As mentioned above, if you want more bits, then the version with 25 bits offers the exact same screwdriver, with a different carry case, for just $10 more.