What's Driving You? The Best IFixIt Screwdriver Sets to Take Things Apart

My job involves taking tech apart, but the people who make the things I test often don’t always make it easy. Some discourage this by using strange and unusual screw types like hex, tri-lobe, and pentalobe that a typical screwdriver can’t handle. Fortunately, Micro Center carries several screwdriver sets that can handle these. I tested four screwdriver sets from iFixit: the entry-level $19.99 Moray, the mid-priced Mako and Mahi sets, and the premium Manta.

Photo: Richard Baguley — The iFixIt screwdriver sets, from left: the Manta, Mahi, Mako, and Moray. Bonus points for whoever can find the missing bit from my Manta set, as the dog has hidden it somewhere.

I prefer iFixIt because the company was one of the prime movers of the Right To Repair movement, which advocates for your right to fix the stuff you own. While many manufacturers try to discourage you from fixing things yourself through restrictive licenses, laws, and contracts, this movement advocates for the right of users to do it themselves. Plus, iFixit offers guides that show how to take apart and repair things from air compressors to XBoxes via iPhones and Tesla cars.

The difference between the four sets is in how many screwdriver bits they offer, the metal tips that fit into the driver (the handle) to adapt to different screw types. The cheapest Moray kit includes 32 bits, while the top-of-the-line Manta offers 112 bits. How many do you need? That depends on what you are looking to get into.

The Moray set should be sufficient to crack open a laptop, phone, or other small gadget. It has 32 screwdriver bits and a 4.4mm driver, all stashed in a nice tray to keep things organized. These bits include two pentalobe bits for opening iPhones and Macs, plus four Torx bits for the screws often used on laptops from manufacturers like Dell. Two gamebit drivers that can be used to open Nintendo devices are also included, as well as small Phillips and flat head bits.

Photo: Richard Baguley — Some of the more unusual screwdriver bits in the iFixIt sets: from left Torx T2, Triangle, Torx Security T25, Schrader, Tri-wing and Spanner.

The Mahi and Mako sets help get into larger appliances. The Mahi 48-bit set is excellent for bicycles, appliances, and cars because it includes bits for car parts, such as the odd screws that are used in your car clutch and the ones with two holes on the screw head (sometimes called spanner, or snake eye screws). There are also several hex and spanner bits for the larger screws often used in furniture and appliances. These fit into a larger ¼ -inch driver that is easier to grip than the smaller 4mm one, which makes it easier to apply more torque to move stuck screws.

The 64-bit Mako set includes bits for getting into smaller devices like laptops, drones, and small appliances like vacuum cleaners and kitchen gadgets. The 4mm driver and flexible extender make it easier to reach more awkwardly placed screws, and a full range of Torx bits, from the tiny T2 to the chunky TR25, is great for undoing so-called security screws. A magnetic bit is also very useful for retrieving screws that fall into the device while you are trying to remove them.

Photo: Richard Baguley — A Spanner bit, the hook bit for retrieving things from inside cases, and a larger Spanner bit.

My personal pick is the Manta set, which includes every bit in the smaller ones: a total of 112 bits and both ¼-inch and 4 mm drivers. I’ve written thousands of reviews and taken apart hundreds of gadgets (and even put some back together afterward), but I’ve yet to find a piece of tech or appliance that couldn’t be cracked open with one of the included bits. The only thing missing is the flexible extender included in the Mako and Mahi sets that makes it easier to reach awkwardly placed screws located inside a device. The set is relatively large, but the lid of the case it all fits into is a great place to store the removed screws so you don’t lose them. The Manta set isn’t cheap, but I’ve found it to be an invaluable tool for my work as a professional gadget breaker.

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Richard Baguley is a seasoned technology journalist and editor passionate about unraveling the complexities of the digital world. With over three decades of experience, he has established himself as a leading authority on consumer electronics, emerging technologies, and the intersection of tech and society. Richard has contributed to numerous prestigious publications, including PC World, Wired, CNET, T3, Fast Company and many others.