Tool review: Snap-On SSDMR4B Ratcheting Hard Handle Screwdriver

Key Features:
 +   Good contoured grip
 +   Strong magnet
 +   Large internal storage area for bits
 -    #2 Phillips bit is too thin

 -    bit holder is shallow


The great search for the perfect everyday-carry screwdriver has been going on for a while now.  The Craftsman Auto-Loading Screwdriver is a solid driver, with good multibit selection and a decent magnet.  The Kobalt Double Drive Screwdriver isn't bad, but too bulky for what it offers.  The Stanley FatMax Ratcheting Screwdriver is the closest I'd found, but it's lack of a magnet for screw attraction detracts from its good features.

A couple of days ago, I got a Snap-On SSDMR4B Ratcheting Hard Handle Screwdriver through my employer.  It didn't take long to realize that this was the nicest screwdriver I'd ever used.  I even had a dream about this screwdriver.

For a repairman, technician, or someone else who uses a screwdriver every day, this Snap-On driver is everything you need.  It's the most complete screwdriver I've found, and the quality is excellent.  It has a $64.95 price tag on the Snap-On website, which is a lot of money for a screwdriver, but if you can find one cheaper, it's worth considering.

The driver has a good ratcheting action, with a 3-position ratchet switch that you can adjust without having to move the screwdriver.  The ratchet motion is very smooth, with many fine teeth -- much smoother than two decent Stanley ratchet drivers I've used.  For a ratcheting screwdriver, it's not very heavy.  The ratchet itself is very quiet.

There is a magnet behind the bit to attract screws, and it's as strong a magnet as I've seen on any screwdriver.  I have yet to drop a screw using this driver.  The driver comes with five bits: three Phillips bits (#1, #2, and #3) and two slotted bits (3/16" and 9/32").  The four bits not in use can be stored in the driver's handle, and there's enough extra room in the handle for several more bits.

The bits themselves are good quality.  The #2 bit (and possibly others, but that's the one I've used the most) is slightly thinner than other #2 bits, so it tends to slip occasionally when turning a screw.  If you notice this problem too, just use a wider bit.  (DeWalt bits tend to be wider and work very well.)

The only other shortcoming this driver has is that the bit holder itself is slightly shallower than the bit holders on other drivers.  The difference is only a millimeter or two, but it's enough so that occasionally when you have to use a lot of torque, the bit pops out of the holder and stays with the screw when you pull the driver back.  It can be a nuisance, but you can avoid it by loosening the fastener by just a hair before pulling the driver away.  Another way to avoid this problem is to use shorter bits with this driver, or bits that have a ball-and-spring mechanism to help them stay in place.  (Or bits that fit both of those characteristics, like the bits that come with a CRKT Get-A-Way Driver.)

The handle provides excellent grip.  It is contoured very well for your fingers, and it makes it hard to want to put this driver down.  The shaft also has a textured area for additional grip.  From the tip to the end of the handle, it measures 8-3/4".

The Snap-On SSDMR4B Ratcheting Hard Handle Screwdriver is by far the best screwdriver I've used.  It is the driver I'll be carrying every day from now on.  It's more expensive than many power tools, but if you can get your hands on one, you won't want to put it down.