Bit ratchets are nifty little tools that work with common 1/4″ x 1″ hex insert screwdriver bits, and they make it easier to access fasteners in awkward tight areas, and in spots where you need speed and torque.
I reviewed a Beta bit ratchet set about a year and a half ago, and it’s awesome except for the price point. My bit ratchet of choice is a Wera model that I briefly showed off 4 years ago in a bit ratchet size comparison. At the time, I compared it to my trusty and inexpensive offset Craftsman bit ratchet.
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My older Craftsman bit ratchet is a decent tool. It’s not premiumly built or designed by any standards, but it works well, especially for whatever low price I paid for it. One thing I never really liked about that ratchet was how it had rather coarse and chunky gearing that could only be reversed by pushing on the side levers.
This new red-gripped Craftsman bit ratchet looks to improve upon my older Craftsman bit ratchet in every way. It features 72-tooth gearing that provides for a minimum swing arc of 5°. This makes it more effective in the tightest of spots.
It also sports a new direction switch right on the top of the ratchet head for easier accessibility. The black knob that you see is part of the bit holder and is knurled for easier fingertip turning and control.
The ratchet head is angled with a 15° offset, which should help clear some obstructions in use. If not, you can always use the Craftsman bit ratchet – or any bit ratchet – with a standard 1/4″ bit holder as an extension.
According to the product image, the new ratchet is made in the USA. It’s priced at $10 and comes with (4) screwdriver bits: Phillips #1, #2, and slotted 1/4″ and 9/32″.
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Buy Now(via Sears)
Part No. 46157, Model 5221-2750, Item No. 00946157000P
First Thoughts
It’s hard to gauge ratchets like this one without firsthand experience, but it looks to improve upon the current Craftsman bit ratchets. I wouldn’t expect it to go head to head against premium bit ratchets such as from Wera and Beta, but it provides better bang for the buck. I would rather see a nice contoured handle than vinyl-wrapped shapeless piece of steel, but for $10 there’s not much to seriously complain about.
DaveVB
The first thing I noticed was “made in USA”. GREAT!!!! I currently carry a ratchet kit from Ace Hardware. It is in a rectangular box, really not something handy to carry in a tool bag, but it is handy enough to me that it goes everywhere I go. One thing that I like is the switch makes sense to me; slide it back means take the nut off, slide it forward means put the nut on. It will last a long time if I treat it like the light duty tool it is.
Jerry
I like it. Kind of reminds me of Craftsman tools back when I was building up my collection. Basic, but decent tools, made in the USA, and at a reasonable price point. Maybe if we enough people buy Craftsman tools with the USA stamp on them Sears will continue the trend.
MattP
Nice to have another USA option. Back when I had a job that involved a bit of field work on test equipment, there were Wadsworth (WFMC) mini ratchet bit sets in the tool kit. They were great, really good tip quality, super compact, could put a LOT of torque on it. Still haven’t bought one – $$$$.
http://www.amazon.com/Wadsworth-Ratchet-Super-Deluxe-Tools/dp/B0000WTWZ2
Tom
Wow, when was the last time that you saw a new made in the USA tool from Craftsman?
Kent
I’d buy one today if going to Sears wasn’t such a nightmare. Employees who don’t know anything, don’t care about anything, and looooong lines at the register.
Paying $6 to ship a $10 tool doesn’t work either. Perhaps I’ll see one at OSH and pick it up.
Sears has to stop acting like K-Mart if they want people in the store. I ordered something online from Sears a while back, and the return shipping was expensive, so I drove it to the store. It took 45 minutes (15 to stand in line) and the “sales associate” didn’t know how to return a mail order package – even though the instructions on the RMA said I could do that. None of the other employees would help, and she had to call a manager.
Shopping there just isn’t worth it for me, and I have almost completely stopped buying anything Craftsman, although I’ll grab something at OSH if needed.
Nathan
for 10 dollars I think I like it – would want to see how smooth it runs.
but often I run a bit holder socket on my existing ratchet – and I’ve not yet run into a place where I didn’t have room – so I guess I don’t see a dire need. but I like the knurled top head
complete and total side note – wonder who makes it, and wish SK tools would made a ratcheting bit handle with their mechanism from the palm ratchets or something akin to that.
Stan
This is made in the USA and this is from the Craftsman brand? Wow, that is shocking but very welcomed and needed. If anyone from Sears is reading this article, THIS IS WHAT IS NEEDED THESE DAYS. Tools that are American made and not the gimmicky imported junk that seems way too prevalent these days.
Thanks for choosing a supplier that produces American made items for once. Wish this happened more frequently with Sears and in general.
mike aka Fazzman
I have the old style of these and its not bad for the cheap price I paid,got me out of a jam at work once or twice,I prefer to use my Wera thou.
Ron
These wrench type 1/4″ bit holders can be super useful on screws that are too tight for a regular screwdriver. Especially on cars. Theres also just a socket available for 1/4 or3/8 drive ratchet wrenches.
fred
I use a Wera 8001 A made in the Czech Republic and selling for 2.5 (at Chads) to 3.3 times as much:
http://www.amazon.com/Wera-Square-Drive-Ratchet-Teeth/dp/B004ISLNRE
I like it – but if I were needing to try a new one out – this one – made in the USA and sold for $10 would likely do it for me.
pencil neck
I don’t need that… but for $10 and it is USA made, how can I go wrong?
So did anything come from the +100 comments about Craftsman not to long ago?
SteveR
This has actually been around for a number of years, just not available through Craftsman. I bought one perhaps 15 years ago from Snap-on, albeit it is marked Blue Point. They offer a flat one (no offset), as well as this model and a reverse-offset, too. I think they now go for around $17.00 each, w/o the bits. The 72-tooth ratcheting mechanism is nice, and the black knob is handy when there’s no room to swing the handle.. I use it enough that I would recommend this version, and at $10.00 (with the four included screwdriver bits) it’s hard to say no. I keep it with my ratcheting screwdriver for those times when there’s not a lot of room, and the handle allows you to crank on it for final tightening.
Blythe M
Is this compact enough for tightening the screws behind a door knob?
SteveR
Maybe, but I doubt it. I just took mine (with a 1″ bit in it) to try it, and no soap. The handle plus the bit was too deep to use on my door. What will work is an offset manual screwdriver, the kind with two ends (a #1 and a #2 Phillips). I have used a Wiha 161/1+2, or a Blue Point120SSDP, which is the same thing. The Wiha, though, has a molded black plastic handle, which gives you something to grip onto. I’m sure there are many others out there, too. If it’s a slotted screw, Snap-on makes a really close-quarters offset screwdriver (#020A) that has very short offsets. Again, others may work as well.
For the ultimate in tight-quarters screwdrivers, try a Japanese-made Anex No. 6102 2×10. The Anex comes in a set of three (a #1 and #2 Phillips, plus a slotted-blade screwdriver) on a keyring. If you can’t get in with one of these, you may have to give up; I’ve not seen anything slimmer.
SteveR
The Anex screwdrivers should be available from Amazon, as was the Wiha; the Snap-ons are available from snapon.com.
Stuart
It might be slim enough. I guess it might depend on the door knob. As SteveR suggested, if nothing else fits, Anex ones might: https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/snap-on-anex-low-profile-offset-screwdrivers/%3C/a%3E . The downside is that the Anex don’t ratchet, limiting positioning, and the screwdriver tips aren’t replaceable, at least not with off-the-shelf parts.
Blythe M
thanks for the replies, would the gear wrench micro driver in the other post be any better for this purpose?
Stuart
Not necessarily. I haven’t compared the two directly, but if there’s a thickness in profile it’ll likely be on the order of 1/8″ or less.
Mike
While clicking over to the Sears website just now to have a look at this item, I noticed their website is changed. Maybe not any prettier or easier to search than before but it’s definitely faster and less clunky. No waiting for three minutes each page for the Shop Your Way and old viewer applets to load. Has Sears actually listened and started to make positive changes?
Mike
…And they’re back to their old site already. Does it take everyone else literally four minutes to fully load the page or is it just every computer and device I happen to use? Doesn’t anyone there realize how awful their setup is? Why go back to it?
Stuart
Lots of sites do A/B testing. Amazon’s done this to me a couple of times now.
Joel
We’ve been making precision mini ratchet sets in Durham, CT from USA materials since 1936 🙂
http://chapmanmfg.com/
Morgs
Walked into my local Ace yesterday and picked one up. Love it.