PB Swiss hex keys are the best that I’ve ever used, and I’d buy them again in a heartbeat.
I bought my first PB Swiss hex keys – not the set shown here – more than 16 years ago. My very first was a lone 5mm plain-finish ball end hex key from Amazon.
Over time, I put together a set of low profile metric keys, thanks to Amazon clearing out the brand from their Small Parts store.
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Eventually, I bought a set of PB Swiss’s “standard” color coded ball end hex keys in metric and inch sizing. At some point I bought duplicates and also a slimmer set of fewer metric sizes.
These are not my only hex keys, but they are my best and favorite to use.
I’ll use different brands for various tasks based on what’s convenient to reach for. But if I know I’ll be working on an assembly project involving lots of socket or button head cap screws, I’ll grab the PB Swiss set.
Bondhus hex tools are more economical. I bought Wiha screw-retaining hex wrench sets on sale. I have a couple of loose Wera hex keys that are decent.
But there’s no equal to my PB Swiss hex keys. I use them for repetitive tasks, where precise fit and engagement are crucial, and in ways I probably shouldn’t.
They are fantastic. I bought all of my sets during Black Friday coupon promotions, which helped with the price. But even then, these aren’t inexpensive.
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Each one has its own serial number, although I have yet to have to contact PB Swiss customer support about anything.
The color coating comes in handy on occasion, but really I just like that it helps loose hex keys stand out on a cluttered workbench during bigger projects.
I sometimes use ball end hex keys in tricky spots, and these deliver. The color (powder coat?) sometimes scrapes off, but I get the task done.
When these can’t do the job, it’s time to bust out a different types of tool, such as a T-handle driver, ball end socket (be careful about now over torquing!) or maybe a bit ratchet.
PB Swiss tools are pricey. These hex keys are pricey. If you need hex keys to toss into a tool bag, box, or drawer until you might need it for a quick single-fastener task, consider something less expensive.
There are times when I’m using a different brand – as I can’t outfit every tool box or work station with PB Swiss hex tools – and I’ll get frustrated enough to take a couple of minutes to grab my better tools.
If you are in the market for PB Swiss hex keys, I can tell you that I consider them the best, and that I’ve had nothing but great experiences.
But if you’re not in the market for PB Swiss hex keys or don’t have strong application demands, maybe save your money and get something not quite as good for a lot less money.
Some reviewers have tried to quantify what makes some hex keys better than others. They try to measure things like size tolerances and breaking torque.
These tools have given me zero frustrations and zero regrets. I’ve had a lot of frustrations, but it’s always the location or condition of the fastener. In other words, I’ve cursed at different situations, but I cannot think of a single time any of my PB Swiss tools have let me down.
The fit tends to be easier than with some of my other hex keys, but they don’t slip. There’s this magical sweet spot where engagement is effortless but without compromising in torque. I can say the same for some of my other hex tools, but I can say it more consistently about PB Swiss.
I’m not sure “buy once, cry once” should apply here.
I say all of that because these aren’t the hex keys for someone looking to buy their first set of ball end tools. These aren’t for the user without selection criteria. They also aren’t for more abusive users, given the cost of replacement.
When I buy hex tools for others, I don’t get them these. When my kids grow up and move out, I won’t get them these.
The application experience is worth it to me, but I’m not convinced less demanding users will notice the benefits.
One might argue that the holder could be improved, but I’ve never had a problem with them. I have had problems with other brands’ holders trying to be more compact at the expense of ease of access. The holder is basic, but also trouble-free. It’s something I should criticize, but in practice I never think about it, which is the mark of great tools.
These are the best hex keys I’ve ever used, and I don’t see that changing anytime soon.
If you use hex tools on a daily or maybe even weekly basis, they might be worth looking into.
Maybe do what I did – try your most-used size first to see how you like it, and decide from there.
I only placed one order with DRPD so far, but it was a great experience. See also DRPD Tool Store – Secret Shopper Review.
Eric Wilson
I was a service tech for seven years on industrial printers. I had the set of long ball end rainbow wrenches from PB Swiss for five and a half of those years. They’re the best wrenches that I’ve ever used. I’ve since bought three more sets including a set of ball end and non ball end wrenches for my TSA approved kit.
Matthew C
Stuart,
Curious what your thoughts are on the wera hex plus wrenches. They were the best that I have tried personally. Not impossible for high school freshman to strip when I did competitive robotics, but did better than anything else I tried. Curious how they compare since I’ve been considering a better set for my shop
Stuart
I’ve had good experiences with Wera straight and ball hex products, but a very bad experience with their hex plus sockets (the 6mm broke on the 3rd ever screw when using a torque wrench).
I’ve been wishy washy about ordering the new set for review consideration (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CVXTZVL8/?tag=toolguyd-20 ), and the existence of an inch set with the same style of bench + portable case might convince me.
Jronman
I have the Wera in both Freedom and Metric. The color coded sets. They have not disappointed me yet. Disappointed to hear yours broke. They are best I have used but at the same time I haven’t used the PB Swiss.
Peter
What is a freedom size?
TomD
Imperial (American)
Jronman
Kinda the Patriotic way of saying the Standard measuring system. British Imperial or US Customary are technically not correct as the inch was converted from their respective countries inch into the Standardized inch.
Stuart
An inch is defined as “exactly equivalent to 25.4 mm.”
https://www.nist.gov/pml/owm/si-units-length#:~:text=The%20new%20conversion%20factors%20were,exactly%20equivalent%20to%2025.4%20mm.
A foot is defined as exactly 1200/3937 meters.
https://www.nist.gov/pml/us-surveyfoot
US pound is defined as 0.45359237 kilograms.
https://www.nist.gov/system/files/documents/2017/04/28/AppB-12-hb44-final.pdf#:~:text=The%20avoirdupois%20pound%20is%20defined%20in%20terms,identical%20in%20the%20avoirdupois%2C%20troy%2C%20and%20apothecary
We use a system of measurements that is based on metric measurements, and it’s been that way for decades.
When I learned the metric system in school 30 years ago, the teacher said we’d be converting over at some point. 😂
Tom H
I first tried the Wera metric set with the plastic sleeves (mine are all teal and not color coded but otherwise identical) and they are great. Although I think the non jacketed keys are better for all around use, since the added thickness of the sleeve reduces access. There have been times when my sleeved weras couldn’t fit into a recess to reach a screw. Save some $ and get the same performance with these ones instead! https://www.zoro.com/wera-9-piece-metric-l-shape-hex-key-set-05022086001-05022086001/i/G1786741/
Dan P
I have both kinds and I would say the PB Swiss are slightly better for fit. Not double-the-price, better, though – Wera is 98% as good on precision-machined stuff and maybe better on sloppy-machined stuff because the tolerances seem a little less exact.
The plastic sleeve on the Wera is what makes them less useful, subjectively, than the PB Swiss – I’ve had to cut the sleeve back trying to get them in a tight spot so the Wera is exclusively a shop bench resident now, and the PB go in my toolbag.
They’re both exceptional but consider how often you have to get some weird grub screw in a tight spot – even once is enough for me to justify the PB (or sleeveless) keys.
Josh
I use PB Swiss at work and I love them.
Wayne R.
It feels weird to me the disparity between 1) your hearty recommendation for these hex wrenches, and 2) the low frequency when mine see use.
I have a thorough set of Bondhus hex tools and an extra set from Wiha, and except for fixing up a semi-trashed bike found recently in a ditch, the last time I touched a hex wrench was the one that I pulled out of a tire on my wife’s car a couple of years ago.
I wonder why I so rarely see these fasteners…
Stuart
It depends on the projects you work on and the types of parts or machines that need to be adjusted.
Wood screws or similar? Phillips, Torx, Robertson. Threaded machine screws? Hex socket.
When’s the last time you used a non-jobber length drill bit, or a non-fractional and non-metric size? A lot of people never need drill bits outside what you can find in a 29pc set from the home center.
JoelLikestools
I have worked on machinery where metric allens and torx-plus is used on almost every fastener. It really depends on the industry and where things are manufactured.
ITCD
Hex socket cap screws are alllll over industrial equipment usually. And any tooling etc made in a machine shop, also almost always assembled with HSCS.
kc
In my experience, all PB Swiss tools are the best in category.
Nathan
So I love my bondhus hex keys and hex bits for my power tools
So how exactly are the PB swiss versions better? For the price difference?
Nathan
Their handle drivers are great. But for the keys them selves I just don’t see how they can be that much better.
Stuart
Bondhus are great for the money. But their fit can vary, in general, and when you switch between product types such as black oxide coated.
Things get… fiddly at times. For example, I don’t always have line of sight on a fastener head, and that’s where I don’t want to have to guess about engagement.
I very much recommend Bondhus, and I continue to use some of their tools alongside PB Swiss. I ordered PB Swiss’s sliding T-handle hex drivers last BF season, but I’m not retiring by Bondhus anytime soon. I also have some P-handle drivers, but again the Bondhus are a must-have.
There are times when I’m using Bondhus or other L keys, things don’t go very smoothly, I get up and retrieve my PB Swiss hex keys, and things go a lot better.
I don’t think I have come across any situation where another brand’s L keys worked better than my PB Swiss ones.
But, there are also a lot of times when there’s not much difference and it might even be all the same.
Bondhus is already a step above basic hex keys.
Nathan
Fair. I might reinvestigate I will say like with screwdrivers and the line. I find I am more often reaching for power device and bits.
I bought a set of bondhus (because I don’t know if other makes of these) ball end and straight hex bits in 1/4 drive that run a range like a key set. Ie metric 2.5,3,4,4.5…… 8 and I use them often
Furniture assembly example grab the 4mm and the 6mm and use my DeWalt 5in1. One off things I grab a key set.
MattW.
Not all of them are expensive as well woha magic ball are more. I carry a small metric set for striped out towel bar/plumbing fixtures and they cost less than 20 bucks. I have tried the husky bite ones thoes work well too but kinda mangle up the set screws more extraction only. A small set is well worth it for set screws alone 😔.
Ron
After buying the Wera Hex plus wrenches in both standard and metric, I had buyer’s remorse. I own several tools by Wiha, Knipex, Wera, Gedore , and thoroughly love all of them. But I have other sets of hex wrenches that I’ve had for a few decades that cost a fraction of Wera , such as Bondhus.
Scott K
I’ve had a really basic set of Stanley hex keys that I bought over a decade ago – they don’t see a lot of use but they’ve worked well enough over the years. I would like to upgrade to a ba end set, but I don’t use them so much to justify that as my next upgrade.
Coincidentally, I’m interested in buying something at the opposite end of the spectrum because I’d like to revisit that basics I keep in the car. This husky set seems like handy for infrequent use – does anyone have experience with it?
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-Folding-Hex-Key-Set-9-Piece-SAE-8-Piece-MM-8-Piece-Torx-HFHK3PCSET-06/317213853
Stuart
Just in case but might never use them? Most cheap name brands might do.
Folding hex keys that you will use on occasion? Bondhus. https://www.amazon.com/Bondhus-12533-GorillaGrip-Fold-up-Triple/dp/B000E7VG4S/?tag=toolguyd-20
Scott K
Thanks – I’ve definitely considered that Bondhus set before. I think I’ll pick up a cheaper set for the car and spring for a set of standalone Bondhus hex keys if I need to upgrade from what I have.
Saulac
I have this Bondhus set in my core toolbox. I think I learned about it from Toolguyd. More than a few time I though I will break them trying to loose something too tight (got to do what got to do) and luckily they have hold up so far. Folding hex sets are certainly not as good as individual wrench. But they are compromises that I am willing to accept after owning so many individual sets with missing a size or two (because I misplaced some).
Brad
I’m very much a “buy once, cry once” type who doesn’t use hand tools professionally. While that drives me to Knipex, Wera, and the like for many tools, I’ve found Bondhus to really hit the sweet spot: very good performance, even if not the absolute best, but also extremely affordable and American-made. If I get into something that requires more precise tolerances, I may “upgrade,” but Bondhus seems to fit the bill all around at this time.
blocky
Speaking of sweet spots and not misplacing keys, I’d like to throw this bondhus fold-up in the ring:
https://www.amazon.com/Bondhus-12550-GorillaGrip-Fold-up-32-Inch/dp/B0006O4AEW/
It’s combination metric/SAE; I keep one in almost every tool bag.
They also manufactured this in blue for Klein.
NolanB
I work for a robotics company and use PB Swiss tools professionally. I have both sets of L keys and they are nice but I use the bits a lot more since everything is torqued. PB Swiss bits bite harder than anything else and they don’t ever round out. All the other bits slip a little easier and round out after a while, even the reputable German brands.
scott taylor
I have some old Allen foldout and they are the bomb. I think my dad got them in the late 60s. imperial only however.
Rod
I ran die cutting equipment that was made in Switzerland (Bobst) for 43 years and bought a set of PB Swiss allen’s in the 80s. It’s the only brand I couldn’t wear out.
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Casey
Anymore I have come to think of hex keys as being consumables. They will deform. They will get lost. I don’t know how hard it is to buy individual PB Swiss keys, but I personally hate incomplete or mixed brand sets.
Love or hate Eklind, they are sold individually in some hardware stores and they are cheap to replace. And honestly, I find that 99/100 times, they are “good enough”.
MM
Same. I use hex keys in the machine shop all the time for tool holders, carbide inserts, etc. The 3/32 is especially common for this and is one of those tools like 10mm sockets that really like to grow legs and wander off. I misplace hex keys, or need to modify them, far more often than I wear them out or break them. And for that reason I use Eklind or Bondhus most of the time. They’re good enough, and the price is reasonable.
I do have a set of PB swiss at my electronics workbench that I keep for precision stuff, but I feel they’re at bit too costly for anything else. I don’t use them very often as I prefer to use “screwdriver” style hex drivers whenever possible.
That said, one thing I really like about these PB swiss keys, in addition to the very precise fit, is how they did the color coding. The color spectrum progresses logically as the sizes change, so that makes it easy to figure out what size you need relative to the one you just used. Let’s say you grab the red one, find out it’s too small, then you instantly know to try the orange next. Many other brands pick random colors which is less useful.
MT_Noob
While working on a recent project, I ran in to a situation where my L keys did not fit, same for t-handles and the old school folding set (all were too long or at the wrong angle). What ended up working was a 1/4 insert bit with the appropriate hex end on a somewhat stubby bit driver. I was able to make it work without having to further disassemble a bunch of other stuff to get proper access. While it worked o.k., I realized it would have been even better to use a 1/4 insert bit with a ball end hex. I haven’t seen those around as much as standard hex ends, but it does look like Wiha does make some. Does anyone have any experience with those? (Small fasteners and only a little torque needed.)
fred
Bondhus makes ball-end insert bits as well as ball-end power-drive bits:
https://bondhus.com/pages/ball-end-insert-bits
MT_Noob
Thanks Fred!
Wayne R.
I just realized, too, that one of the key facets to hex key sets are their keepers. Keeping them organized, not lost, and easy to extract should get a bit more attention, I think. The Bondhus keepers are good and simple, but sometimes a pain to get to the one the job needs. The Wiha keeper I have is convenient, but takes a little more attention to make sure nothing ends up lost.
What keeper is the best?
ITCD
A lot of folks love the Wiha Ergostar holder. I quite like the Fireball Tool holder pucks, though they aren’t as convenient in a tool bag. But it’s instant access to any size, spring retention instead of relying on plastic, and magnetized so you can plop em on a steel surface that isn’t necessarily level and free up your hands.
Michael F
I have a long and frustrating relationship with hex keys. I owned a set of plain Kobalt keys for almost 15 years and they were fine but the holder was extremely frustrating. It was constantly falling apart in my tool bag. I finally replaced it with a set of Husky keys and promptly bent the 4 and 5mm keys during normal torque application. Now I’m back in the market and considering investing – I’ll have to give the PB Swiss a look. I’m also eyeing the Park Tool sliding handle hex keys since I do quite a bit of bicycle maintenance these days.
Jared
I can’t remember the last time I used hex keys – at least not intentionally. I’m not above using a disposable hex key that came with a tool or piece of furniture.
If I’m grabbing my own tools though, it’s insert bits and a bit driver, bit sockets or the Anex ultra low profile version. There just aren’t a lot of situations where I’d want the L-key version.
That’s not to disparage PB Swiss though, just the L-key form factor. I’m persuaded PB Swiss is the BEST, even though I usually “make do” with Bondhus or Vessel.
I’ve tried Wera’s hex plus and I don’t like it for regular use – but like it if there might be junk in the cap-head. Same thing for their square bits. That slightly concave drive surface is handy if you’re inserting them into screws that were painted over.
Ryan
I have yet to not be satisfied with anything from PB Swiss. Well i had a tungsten tip punch shatter. But they replaced it with no questions asked.
In regards to hex wrenches. My only requirement is that they are atleast laser marked with the size. Though I do prefer stamped.
The most recent ones I purchased are the Craftsman V series. They were 50% off and i heard they are made by facom. 🤷 Anywho. They are pretty excellent. Definitely worth the $23 I paid. They have stamped size markings. Which, if you do use your tools a good amount. You know that size markings are important.
Friends dont let friends buy wrenches without size markings.