Milwaukee launched a new 4-in-1 pocket precision screwdriver, model 48-22-2932.
It features a dual-length concealable shaft, wire-style pocket clip, and large rotating palm cap.
The design is fairly classic by now, with Milwaukee’s version looking a bit more robust than less expensive models.
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I couldn’t find an image that shows this, but take note of the design of the removable shaft. It can be inserted into the handle for longer reach, or reversed for a more compact and pocket-friendlier size.
I’m also willing to bet that, with the shaft in its shorter orientation, the front of the screwdriver handle can be pulled out to help save your pocket and body from the pointed end of the front screwdriver bit.
It comes with two double-ended bits, each with a ball detent for retention in the bit holder.
Tip Sizes:
Phillips #0, #00
Slotted 3/32″, 1/8″
The handle is said to provide a comfortable and non-slip grip for maximum control.
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There’s not a lot going on here, but the design seems well thought out.
Screwdrivers like this work well on electronics devices, especially battery compartments. It looks like it will be a good pocket screwdriver for EDC (everyday carry) and common tasks.
The new Milwaukee screwdriver is set to start shipping next month.
Price: $16
ETA: March 2024
Closest Competition: Klein 4-in-1
If you’re looking for a pocket screwdriver in a different style, the Klein 32614 is priced at $15.
Cheapest Alternative: Stanley
This Stanley is just $2.49 from Home Depot with free shipping, making it very difficult to beat.
There are 40 in stock right now for delivery, and I’m betting that we’ll see that number drop to zero again shortly.
In no way would this Stanley compare to the Klein or Milwaukee above, but it gives you a lot of bang for the buck, especially with free shipping.
Jason
Not the point of the article but some of Home Depot’s free shipping (while appreciated) makes zero sense.
I ordered a $5 air filter that shipped free in a giant box. Even with negotiated shipping I would still think it would cost almost that
Stuart
I first noticed it around the time of the pandemic lockdown, when people were encouraged to only shop at retail stores for essential goods.
I’m guessing it was successful in boosting sales, so they kept it. Some items still require a $45 purchase for free shipping, and others require freight or delivery fees.
But a lot of hand and powers ship for free, and it’s encouraged me to order more from Home Depot than Amazon.
Steven+B
Same happened to me me, maybe even funnier. I needed a set of disposable plastic putty knives, same thing, only they’re $3 and in EVERY store. This is not some weird niche part they keep only in specific warehouses, this is one of their cheapest items that is stocked in every store.
My Home Depot is a horrible place, very inconveniently located, and has the worst workers in history (RUDE if they speak English..swearing at customers for no reason, the merchandise is typically damaged or thrown all over the ground, the workers are useless for every function)…a function of where I live more than the company (HD is much better in the burbs).
I check on their website before visiting to ensure things are in stock. If I don’t need it RIGHT away, I order for pickup because about 50% of the time what the computer thinks is in stock isn’t and the workers won’t help you if you show them your phone and ask them to help you find an item.
They said they’d ship my $3 item. I was really surprised and figured…eh, I don’t need it this week…why not?…I was really just curious if they would and yes, I got a full-sized box with $3 disposable putty knives in it.
Quentin
Hah, I’m in New Zealand and I’ve bought things from Aliexpress for $1nzd, free shipping from china, takes two weeks to arrive in country, then overnighted from customs – $10+nzd alone for that.
It makes zero sense, but if they’re doing them at such quantities for the bulk of their orders it must work in their accounts
Greg
Home Depot isn’t the only one to make extremely strange packaging decisions. I ordered something from a hobby company a couple months ago, in terms of the item inside, it was essentially a screw driver with plastic clamshell around it. It came shipped in a box that was easily 12″x12″x24″. 90% of what was in the box was packaging paper.
It wasn’t free shipping like home depot, but I did only pay $5 for the shipping.
I often wonder if packing decisions like these, are disgruntled employees, trying to bleed their companies dry by making wasteful choices that aren’t being overseen.
mark
In my experience in manufacturing, the number of different size boxes is reduced for any of these reasons & probably more: in order to save warehouse space (instead of stocking a low-use box, they just stock more of the next size up, allows for full pallets instead of a partial pallet in a storage bay, adding storage to a warehouse is much harder than reducing skus & modifying ordering & skid specifications), supplier purchasing benefits for larger orders of a single part # (cheaper cost if More than x units purchased – Uline likes to do this), More compact & simpler packing stations & packing processes, shipping arrangements where they fill full UPS trucks and because of what they ship they are limited by weight more than space & so space isn’t the cheifnconcern in the pacling operation. Things like stock-outs & shipping delays would also cause a packing operation like this to use the next biggest size box & compensate with filler material.
Greg
that’s a fair, and far more rational point than my musings haha.
Peter Fox
The older long discontinued Husky 74501, 8 in 1 precision screwdrivers are still my favorite multi bit mini screwdriver ever made.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/reviews/Husky-8-in-1-Philips-and-Slotted-Screwdriver-Set-74501/100074336/1
The bits were decent and the price was good (about $6) I bought a bunch and wish I would have bought 10 times as many. The newer version is just plain junk, the bits are too soft.
One of the best features was the inclusion of a #1 Phillips tip. I use that far more that the #00 or #000
Jack D
I’ll throw my weight behind that! Wish I had one for each room in the house and the car! I’ve never found a fully comparable replacement.
Kevin
Yep, should have bought a bunch when I could have. One of mine favorite go to small screwdriver.
Did you get the Torx version also?
When I saw this review I was hoping for addition bits in the handle…
John E
Forgot I has one of those!
My go-to is the Klein 30+ kit these days.
Keith Blume
I almost made the same comment. That was the best screwdriver for small things.
NoahG
Oh yeah! Man those were great.
Scotty.
YES! This Husky is great and don’t forget there was a Torx version as well.
The replacement HD sold was so bad I literally threw it in the garbage a week after I got it.
JR Ramos
Agreed….highly so! This is one of those real gems that inexplicably hasn’t been reintroduced. It is such a good handle and design with the bit storage! Kobalt had something very similar, pretty decent, but it also disappeared. I understand why the Husky was discontinued but I can’t believe that a) they won’t bring it back, made somewhere else, and b) they replaced it with several iterations that are just truly junk.
I wish I’d bought some when I heard they were discontinued…have scoured ebay and the web a few times but they are long gone. The handle in Tekton’s little pouch kit is excellent (far better actually) but it doesn’t have in-handle storage…same with the nice metal iFixit drivers. I had hopes for Milwaukee’s driver last summer but it’s not that great (and yes, the omission of the #1 phillips seems like a huge oversights, but Klein and Milwaukee and others seem to think that 00 is more useful…for me, 1 and 0 cover almost everything short of phones and occasionally laptops).
I can’t imagine this old Husky handle has some patent preventing it from being made by someone else…wish they’d bring it back already. Might be nice to use 4mm bits instead of the odd smaller ones it uses, though.
blocky
While not as pocket-able, I keep this 27-in-1 Klein in the top drawer of my tool chest, and I like it quite a lot for the tiny tiny stuff.
https://www.amazon.com/Klein-Tools-Precision-Screwdriver-Tamperproof/dp/B09SVP9NDQ/
S
Stuart, just wanted to take a second and say that I really appreciate the layout comparing newly-released products to similar existing competition.
It’s refreshing to read a tool blog that doesn’t just copy/paste new tool press releases, while also acknowledging that the tool doesn’t exist in a vacuum, and other brands compete with similar offerings that might be better suited for different purposes.
No single brand can ever meet all market requirements– the only people I’ve ever worked with that had a full loadout of single-brand tools on their belt are apprentices!
Michael F
Yep, this is the reason I come back to Toolguyd again and again as well.
Stuart
Thanks, I appreciate it!
The inclusions simply seemed appropriate.
The Milwaukee looks good, but it made sense to add the Klein into the discussion. After that, the Stanley seemed fitting as an example of what you get at the lowest price point.
Scott
I was about to say the same thing
Michael F
I have the Klein and use it all the time. These pocket screwdrivers all seem very comparable and I think just about everyone needs one…or two!
mike
At work, I have carried the Klien daily for the last 3 years. Its nearly the perfect EDC screwdriver.
If they just made it 3mm larger diameter, it could use standard bits which obviously would be a HUGE improvement to functionality.
James
Yeah I’ve thought of this a lot. I know carry the Zyklop Pocket. The issue with holding the larger hits is that the bit storage takes up a lot of volume and increases the size for the pocket.
After experimenting with several, the Zyklop Pocket is meeting my needs and then some. The larger handle provides some nice torque, and the bit storage and socket function provide nice versatility. Slightly bulky for my pocket but worth it.
mike
I have both the stanley and Klien in my work pocket every day. Stanley can’t get the torque for some needs, but it’s a good comprimise.
James
Jinx. The Zyklop randomly broke apart today for no reason. Pulled it out of my pocket to troubleshoot my sister’s washing machine and the bit holder split into pieces and the bits went everywhere…….
As I said in another thread, I had thought that bit was flimsy so I initially passed. Then I bit the bullet and I’ve had it for a couple of months and I had just about fallen in love with the thing.
I’ll try to crazy glue it together and ask Amazon for a refund at the same time. Probably outside of refund window so I’ll yell at Wera too. COME ON.
Rob
I totally get it. There’s no tool that’s perfect so I mod it when I find a suitable fit. Take the Klien for instance. 1/4 inch bits fit, but don’t stay in without the detent ball as there is no magnet. So I cut a piece of two inch hex bit down to size, glued it in then glued a magnet on top of it and it holds 1/4 bits that stay.
Jack H
I carry the Stanley everyday in my pocket and while the Klein and new Milwaukee look like they are built significantly better, the Stanley’s bigger bit sizes that it comes with make it so much more useful for me.
I wish the other brands would make pocket screwdrivers with larger bits.
eddie sky
I still have, and use, the Sears Micro-tech Driver set. Sure, they are all separates instead of an all in one. But they are in my electric bag and long paid for. I also have a Wiha set that … the storage bag is just not smart design. And the driver holder, no matter how much you tighten, the long bits slip down inside it. And I can’t find the product anymore which explains why… 🙁
TheChad
I use the Klein a lot but eventually always end up breaking the flat head bits. I wish they sold a 5 pack of replacement bits or something similar. I try to be careful with them but they still break from time to time.
Maybe I need to try the Milwaukee.
TdotW
I don’t know about a 5 pack, but Klein does sell replacement bits. The ‘precision driver’ Phillips & straight is part number 13392. I did see a couple other manufacturers had multi packs. Just check it out on the interwebs.
AC
Too bad these small format screw drivers never have a PH2. I get potential torque would be limited, but it would be so much more useful, especially on a desk or a in a drawer with a bunch of pens where small and slim is appreciated.
ITCD
iFixit kits have PH2.
jayne erin defranco
I love this and will probably get and the Klien one too.
Sam
Klein makes the pocket screwdriver with a Schrader valve bit, so that’s what’s in my Milwaukee backpack.
Scotty.
The Picquic Multique fits in between a full size multi driver and these slim precision drivers. Includes T6 and T8 bits.
I found myself reaching for this frequently unless I need very tiny bits.
http://picquic.ca/multique/
Greg
The Picquic Teeny Turner is great for the very tiny bits, I’m just not a fan of the ultra stubby size handle. But it lives in a drawer for those rare cases where the need comes up.
https://picquic.ca/teeny-turner/
Greg
Milwaukee has really come out strong in it’s hand tools for precision electrical work, their upcoming pipeline is just packed with them.
JoeM
Was this… Necessary? I would, personally, guarantee I trust the quality, obviously. But… I’ve never got the hang of these double-ended multi-bit mini screwdrivers. There are times I even have trouble with the double-ended Leatherman flat bits.
Once again, Milwaukee’s design is excellent, the features all appear above-and-beyond. I just don’t see why basic 4mm precision bits aren’t the norm for these screwdrivers. (4mm being the smaller-than-1/4″ standard bits, not something terribly rare.)
And I get where these have been normalized, and that 4mm standard precision bits are “hard to find”… But even there, if these pocket drivers used the 4mm bits instead, there would be more ease in finding 4mm bits for everyone. Most have to be special-ordered at this point, despite their vast range of use and variety. But that is probably a tangent for another time. Sometimes I wish I could find cos and sin to prevent me from going on such odd tangents.
Richard
They need to start making these with Torx 8/10 tips
Yes slotted and Phillips are useful but I very rarely carry them all my stuff is Torx
Greg
They do have a few coming out that have torx bits… they just don’t have the fancy pocket clip.
https://www.milwaukeetool.com/products/48-22-2217
https://www.milwaukeetool.com/products/48-22-2933
https://www.milwaukeetool.com/products/48-22-2934
Greg
One more comment
Home Depot’s Husky brand has a model that is exclusively torx bits.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-8-in-1-Precision-Torx-Screwdriver-Set-70381H/204664390
Robert Adkins
Love that type of driver. 4 screwdrivers, nut drivers in 1 small package is hard to beat for an EDC driver.