+ Good bit selection for a pocket driver
+ Bits are durable
- Plastic frame warps over time enabling bits to fall out
For anyone who likes tools and likes always having a screwdriver with them, a pocket screwdriver is perfect. There are several different types of pocket screwdrivers, but one common style is the pen-shaped driver, which is about the size and shape of a pen or pencil and has a removable cap on either end, covering a double-sided screwdriver bit. The Titan 4-in-1 pocket screwdriver (model 32984) was designed in this style, and it ranks slightly above average compared to other similarly-designed pocket drivers.
Titan makes inexpensive small hand tools -- drivers, wrenches, sockets, telescoping mirrors, etc. -- that are sold in auto parts stores as well as some other stores. These tools are often cheaper options for those who can't (or don't want to) spend more money on a comparable tool from a more well-known brand. The Titan pocket screwdriver is sold for $1.99 at AutoZone, though the price may vary by location.
This pocket screwdriver resembles Stanley's 4-in-1 pocket screwdriver in appearance and function, though not in quality. The Titan driver has a black body and yellow end caps, with a gray double-sided bit in either end. The driver doesn't come in a package; it just has a little yellow tag with very little information about it. Each double-sided bit has a Phillips bit on one end and a slotted bit on the other end. One of the double-ended bits is stamped with the bit sizes -- PH #0 and 3mm -- but the other one, the larger of the two bits, doesn't have any sizes marked on it. The description on Titan's website doesn't give any information about the driver or bit sizes. The bits are not magnetic.
The end caps fit on the body snugly, unlike with some other pocket screwdrivers, but the bits themselves are very loose inside the body. They won't actually fall out -- at least, mine haven't yet -- but they feel like they're going to. The bits are metal and the body of the driver is plastic, so eventually after enough screw-turning, the plastic frame will wear down and be too loose to hold the bits in place. The bits themselves seem to be of decent quality.
The body of the driver, which doubles as the handle when you are turning screws, does not have any rubber or added texture grip, but there are length-wise grooves cut into the body that do serve to provide some traction. Each of the end caps has a hole near the tip so you can see which side of each bit -- Phillips or slotted -- is ready to use.
Overall, this driver is made with the design, materials, and attention to detail that you would expect for its $1.99 price tag. If you need a pocket screwdriver in a pinch, this driver is superior to some other drivers with a similar cost, such as the General Tools pocket driver and the UltraSteel pocket driver, but it ranks far below the Stanley pocket driver. For a long-term pocket screwdriver, you're better off spending a couple of extra bucks and purchasing the Stanley model.
(Originally published in slightly different form on Helium.com, June 2013)
Titan makes inexpensive small hand tools -- drivers, wrenches, sockets, telescoping mirrors, etc. -- that are sold in auto parts stores as well as some other stores. These tools are often cheaper options for those who can't (or don't want to) spend more money on a comparable tool from a more well-known brand. The Titan pocket screwdriver is sold for $1.99 at AutoZone, though the price may vary by location.
This pocket screwdriver resembles Stanley's 4-in-1 pocket screwdriver in appearance and function, though not in quality. The Titan driver has a black body and yellow end caps, with a gray double-sided bit in either end. The driver doesn't come in a package; it just has a little yellow tag with very little information about it. Each double-sided bit has a Phillips bit on one end and a slotted bit on the other end. One of the double-ended bits is stamped with the bit sizes -- PH #0 and 3mm -- but the other one, the larger of the two bits, doesn't have any sizes marked on it. The description on Titan's website doesn't give any information about the driver or bit sizes. The bits are not magnetic.
The end caps fit on the body snugly, unlike with some other pocket screwdrivers, but the bits themselves are very loose inside the body. They won't actually fall out -- at least, mine haven't yet -- but they feel like they're going to. The bits are metal and the body of the driver is plastic, so eventually after enough screw-turning, the plastic frame will wear down and be too loose to hold the bits in place. The bits themselves seem to be of decent quality.
The body of the driver, which doubles as the handle when you are turning screws, does not have any rubber or added texture grip, but there are length-wise grooves cut into the body that do serve to provide some traction. Each of the end caps has a hole near the tip so you can see which side of each bit -- Phillips or slotted -- is ready to use.
Overall, this driver is made with the design, materials, and attention to detail that you would expect for its $1.99 price tag. If you need a pocket screwdriver in a pinch, this driver is superior to some other drivers with a similar cost, such as the General Tools pocket driver and the UltraSteel pocket driver, but it ranks far below the Stanley pocket driver. For a long-term pocket screwdriver, you're better off spending a couple of extra bucks and purchasing the Stanley model.
(Originally published in slightly different form on Helium.com, June 2013)
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