Different Types of Screwdrivers: 12 Drivers Every Toolkit Should Have

Stripped screw heads cost American homeowners millions of dollars in damaged appliances, bike repairs gone wrong, and furniture assembly disasters every year — almost all of it preventable by using the right screwdriver tip from the start. Understanding the different types of screwdrivers is not just trivia; the wrong driver in a screw round-overs the head in seconds, and once that happens, removing it without damaging the surrounding material becomes a 30-minute job. Here is a working catalog of the 12 driver types you actually encounter, with sizes, uses, and the brands that make them worth owning.

1. Slotted (Flat-Head)

The original screwdriver, designed for the slot screws used since the 16th century. Tip widths run from 1/8 to 3/8 inches, with cabinet tips (parallel sides) better for electrical work and standard tips (tapered) better for general use.

Common uses today: electrical terminals, antique furniture restoration, and machine setscrews. A 1/4 inch slotted driver also serves as an emergency pry bar — though it ruins the tip if abused. Brands worth owning: Wera Kraftform, Wiha, Klein Tools.

2. Phillips

The four-pointed cross-head Phillips is the most common driver type in North America. Sizes run #00 (eyeglass repair) through #4 (heavy construction). The #2 Phillips fits roughly 80% of household screws.

The Phillips drive cams out (slips out of the screw) intentionally to prevent overtightening — a feature in 1936 production lines, a frustration today when you need real torque. Apply firm downward pressure throughout the turn to minimize cam-out and stripping.

3. Pozidriv

Pozidriv looks similar to Phillips but has additional small ribs between the four main points (visible in the screw head). Pozidriv drivers will work in Phillips screws clumsily; Phillips drivers in Pozidriv screws strip immediately.

Common in European appliances, IKEA furniture (older lines), and many automotive applications. Sizes are PZ0 through PZ4. Wera and Wiha both make excellent Pozidriv sets.

4. Torx (Star)

The six-pointed star Torx drive is the modern standard for high-torque applications. It transfers maximum torque with virtually no cam-out — almost impossible to strip with proper sizing. Sizes T1 through T100, with T15, T20, T25, T27, and T30 covering most consumer applications.

Torx is everywhere now: electronics, automotive, deck construction screws (GRK, Spax, Headcote), appliances, and modern furniture. Wera 967 series and Bondhus ProGuard sets are durable picks. Anyone doing deck building or appliance repair needs a full Torx set.

5. Torx Plus

An evolution of standard Torx with a more elliptical lobe shape, providing even higher torque transfer. Torx Plus drivers will not properly fit standard Torx screws, but standard Torx drivers fit Torx Plus screws (loosely). Sizes labeled IP (e.g., IP25) instead of just T.

Found in newer automotive, military, aerospace, and high-end industrial equipment. Most homeowners do not need IP drivers, but professionals working on modern vehicles do.

6. Robertson (Square)

The square-tipped Robertson drive was invented in Canada in 1908 and dominates Canadian construction. Color-coded: orange #0, yellow #1, green #2, red #3, black #4. The #2 (green) handles most deck and framing screws.

Excellent torque transfer, almost no cam-out, and the screws often stick to the tip for one-handed installation. Common in Canadian furniture, decking screws (especially in the Northeast US), and electrical panels. Ideal: Lee Valley or Picard sets.

7. Hex (Allen)

Hex drivers fit six-sided socket-head cap screws — common in furniture assembly (IKEA, Pottery Barn, etc.), bicycles, machinery, and modern faucet installations. Sizes run metric (1.5mm through 10mm) and SAE (1/16 inch through 1/2 inch).

L-shaped hex keys (Allen wrenches) are the cheapest option, but T-handle and screwdriver-handle versions speed up bigger jobs. Bondhus and Wera make sets with the right balance of fit and durability. The 4mm and 5mm metric sizes get the most use in furniture assembly.

8. Square Recess (Frearson and Reed & Prince)

Reed & Prince and Frearson screws look like Phillips at first glance but have sharper, more pointed cross slots. Common in marine hardware, older boats, and some agricultural equipment. Using a Phillips driver in these strips them quickly.

Most homeowners will never encounter these, but if you restore boats or vintage tractors, a Frearson driver set saves heads.

9. JIS (Japanese Industrial Standard)

JIS screws look identical to Phillips but have a different angle in the cross. American Phillips drivers cam out and strip JIS screws routinely. Common in Japanese motorcycles, cameras, electronics, and automotive components.

Vessel and Wera make true JIS drivers. If you work on Honda, Yamaha, Nikon, or Canon products, owning a JIS set saves stripped screws on equipment that costs hundreds of dollars to repair.

10. Tri-Wing and Spanner Security Drivers

Tamper-resistant fasteners use unusual drives to prevent unauthorized disassembly: Tri-Wing (three-arm star), spanner (two pin), Torx with center pin, and others. Found in elevator mechanisms, public restroom hardware, gaming consoles, and Apple products.

A security bit set ($25 to $50, iFixit Pro Tech Toolkit is excellent) covers most of these. Necessary if you repair electronics or access locked equipment for service.

11. Clutch Drive (Bow-Tie)

Clutch drive screws have a bow-tie shape recess, used historically in mobile home construction and some appliance installations. Becoming rare but still encountered in older RV repairs and trailer work. A clutch driver set is cheap insurance if you maintain older RVs or mobile structures.

12. Multi-Bit Drivers

For most homeowners, a single quality multi-bit driver replaces 80% of individual screwdrivers. The Wera 813R Rapidaptor or Klein 32500 11-in-1 ($25 to $40) carries 8 to 12 swappable bits in the handle and switches between Phillips, slotted, Torx, and square drives in seconds.

Pair with an electric impact driver (DeWalt DCF887 or Milwaukee M12 Surge) loaded with quality bits for production work. Stock individual fixed-handle drivers only for sizes you use constantly.

How to Avoid Stripping Screws

The right driver type only helps if you use it correctly. Three rules:

• Match the size exactly — a #2 Phillips in a #1 Phillips screw strips instantly
• Apply firm downward pressure equal to about 30% of the rotational force
• Keep the driver perpendicular to the screw — angled drivers cam out and round the head

For very tight screws, a hand impact driver (Lisle 30200, $20) delivers a sharp rotational shock that breaks loose stuck fasteners without stripping. Worth owning for anyone doing automotive or appliance repair.

Brands Worth the Money

Cheap screwdrivers strip screws by deforming under load. Quality drivers maintain precision tips for decades:

• Wera (German, premium): best overall driver quality, lifetime warranty
• Wiha (German, premium): especially strong on small precision drivers
• Klein Tools (American, mid-premium): the electrician’s standard
• Bondhus (American, mid): excellent hex and Torx
• Vessel (Japanese, premium): the JIS standard, also great Phillips
• Picard or Felo: solid mid-range options

Building a Practical Set

For most homeowners, the essential collection covers the vast majority of jobs:

• #1 and #2 Phillips, fixed handle
• 1/8 and 3/16 inch slotted, fixed handle
• T15, T20, T25, T30 Torx
• Metric hex set, 1.5 mm through 8 mm
• SAE hex set, 1/16 inch through 1/4 inch
• 11-in-1 multi-bit driver as backup and for rare sizes

A complete set in this range costs $80 to $150 from Wera, Klein, or Wiha and lasts 30+ years. The right driver is the cheapest way to keep screws turning rather than stripping — and once you know the different types of screwdrivers and what each is for, you stop guessing and start finishing projects faster.