Review: Master Mechanic Swift Driver Ratcheting Screwdriver

As part of our membership in this year’s True Value Blog squad, I was asked to try out the Master Mechanic Swift Driver, a dual drive ratcheting screw driver. Now, I’ve had my share of gadgety, gimmicky screwdrivers, and ratcheting ones almost always fall into the category of ‘cheap’. Usually they’re shoddy affairs, not fit for a real toolbox.WAIT! Before I keep talking, did you know we’re running a $100 True Value gift card giveaway right-ahora-now!? Truth! Go enter to win, please!

And of course, there’s no substitute for a good, solidly-made set of screwdrivers. But the Swift Driver really impressed me, right out of the box. It’s solid and hefty-feeling, and all the moving pieces are made of metal. The grip is sufficiently fat (I hate skinny screwdriver grips), and simple (tough non-slip rubber, not dorkygel/shock-absorbing stuff I’ve had on other screwdrivers). It also has a some bit storage in the handle, which is nice.

The Switft Driver is, actually, really swift. The ratcheting mechanism is dual drive, which means the bit spins no matter which way you turn the handle. So, for example, when you’re turning the handle clockwise to drive in a screw, the bit turns. But then when you turn the handle back (to ‘reset’), the bit spins too! So you drive in (or pull out) screws twice as fast. It’s awesome. 

The kit I got to review came with a 29-pc set and a flexible shaft extension. The 29 pieces were nice, although I already have tons of bits lying around. But the flexible shaft was really a nice addition. I had seen shaft extensions before, but never a flexible one like this, and I immediately found a good use for it; tightening up a bathroom pedestal sink that would simply have been impossible to access any other way.

Bottom line: this is now my go-to screwdriver. I keep a Phillips bit on it, and a flathead bit stored in the handle (for those infuriating times when some idiot has used a flathead screw anywhere … argh. Why?). I would totally recommend this screwdriver to anyone. 

Here’s that link again, in case you want to try one for yourself.