Electric Screwdriver Recommendation

Just get a decent combi drill. You'll need one anyway and saves you buying 3 tools (because at some point you will convince yourself you need an impact driver as well).

This looks to be an absolute bargain, the impact driver is basically free at that price!
https://www.screwfix.com/p/makita-dlx2336s-18v-3-0ah-li-ion-lxt-cordless-twin-pack/896HY

A bit overkill for flat pack (though it will do it with ease and be a joy to use) but an impact driver would be a better investment long term because it's a lot more capable and versatile than an old fashioned electric screwdriver. Anything 18V from DeWalt, Milwaukee, Bosch etc will be fine.

Edit: I was still typing when I saw TNS post, which I sort of agree with. But... Having one tool which does all jobs is great but if you are drilling pilot holes then driving screws for example, swapping bits back and forward is a pain.  It's really useful to have a drill AND an impact driver. Screwfix and the like do good deals on sets of both from time to time. I've got a DeWalt 18V drill and impact driver and they are my most used tools by far!

Thanks both, I was thinking £50-60 tops to be honest, not £165. I already have a corded hammer drill.

This is STW.  Ask for leccy screwdriver recommendations, get advice on a whole suite of Gucci power tools!

What about this? A little over budget at £75, but a decent combi drill from a good make. Comes with a battery and charger (not all do at this price point, with many being sold 'bare').

Linky

I'm likely to be sneered at for this by the purists but, one of the best things I ever bought was my little IXO. Amazon linky

There's a newer model with variable speed which I can't comment on as I've never used one. But I've battered the crap out of my 5th gen IXO and it just keeps going. It's not the torquiest thing in the world if you really need absolute power, but it'll smash "I've just moved house" screws in all day long and you can always nip up stuff using hand tools. Battery life is ages. I bought a kit full of add-ons but the most useful extra is the offset adaptor that gets you into corners.

For what it is, a small cordless electric screwdriver, it's brilliant. It's not a semi-pro 18V drill masquerading as a screwdriver, but it's a quarter of the price and it unequivocally demolished my old Versapak that it replaced (that was probably slightly gruntier but even when new the NiCad battery lasted about 15 minutes). I love it to pieces, it's the first thing I grab when someone asks me "can you just come round and help us with..."

I am a Dewalt person, however i have an unbranded 3.6v Sainsburys (yes Sainsbury) driver that i have had for over five years and absolutely battered it... still going strong

Oh,

Couple it with a bit set if you don't have one. The one it comes with is crap.

£45 for that bit set and the IXO 5 driver is an absolute steal. Personally I'd stump for the 'premium' kit (and indeed, I did) but that's above your budget and it's wholly dependant on your usage requirements. I've got a lot of mileage just out of a bit adapter extending the reach, but if you need to screw round corners...

pre-owned Bosch prodrive 3.6v

2 batteries, 1 hour recharge.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/265728129115?hash=item3ddea1785b:g:ETkAAOSwgFdioMHe

Only used one time- not needed.

Where, Beirut?

I bought a little 4v Aldi Ferrex one a few years ago and it's been brilliant. Bought it for flatpack like you but found it useful for lots of jobs - it gets used all the time. Got a very nice drill and driver but for most of the jobs round the house the screwdriver is just nicer. Max torque about 5Nm. Best thing I can say is if it broke it'd be getting replaced immediately.

In don't think they have it in at the moment, but I believe this is the same thing:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/WORX-WX252-Extended-Cordless-Screwdriver/dp/B00MYZBC56/ref=sr_1_60?crid=RRSOTG50FHHV&keywords=electric+screwdriver&qid=1655094599&sprefix=Electric+%2Caps%2C233&sr=8-60

I have an IXO sat charging permanently on the bench in the utility room, covers 95% of my indoor needs.

I also have a set of DeWalt 18V cordless in the garage, screwdriver, impact driver, hammer action drill. Supplimented by a 1200w corded hammer action jobbie that i've had 20 years and not used for 10+.
The screwdriver has the grunt to drive in 6" and 8" screws without a pilot if needs be! Massively overkill for anything from IKEA.

I've got the older version of this (mine doesn't have a the torch).

It's easily the best tool I've ever bought, as well as the most used. Can't remember what I paid but it was definitely in your budget.

For flat pack just get a cheapo thing like TomD shows. It won't have enough torque to damage anything and will last long enough to get you through the first year of putting lots of stuff together.

Then buy yourself the impact drill etc to do the bigger jobs and general long term maintenance

I really like this, bit over your budget by the time you add a battery and charger, but you might be able to find a deal:

https://www.screwfix.com/p/bosch-gsb12v-15n-12v-li-ion-cordless-combi-drill-bare/6213j

Only 12v but not found anything it wont do, bar things you'd use your hammer drill for anyway. Nice and compact.

Thanks for the suggestions, the Bosch Cougar linked to is currently favourite. Though I might up the budget and get a Worx Impact Driver as I already have a couple of batteries for my Hydroshot.

I've got a Mac Allister cordless electric screwdriver from Screwfix - I think it was about £15. It's been absolutely fine for little jobs like flatpack and it's still working after 5 years. Small, handy, and fits in the toolbox that's kept in the house.

The 12v parkside drill/driver from Lidl is really good also, about £25-30, and is great for little jobs and can quickly convert between drill and driver. It's probably my most used tool and it's just really handy.

My combi drill, impact driver, and SDS hammer drill, barely get used these days apart from bigger jobs as the 12v parkside is so handy.

droplinked
Full Member
I’ve got a Mac Allister cordless electric screwdriver from Screwfix – I think it was about £15.

+1 on this for general screwdriver stuff.
I got this one:
MacAllister Screwdriver

But also get a bit set for it - I got a Bosch one that is good quality.

I bought mine when I was replacing the roof on my shed. It was fine & quite impressive what it will manage. Battery life is good, it has a useful little torch on the handle end & the handle rotates to make it into a straight tool which can be useful for getting into awkward spaces.
For flatpack furniture & general DIY this will be more than up to the job. It's really easy to reduce the power too, so you don't damage flat-pack furniture.

I'd very much avoid the impact driver if it's general interior work and building flat pack. It will make an unholy mess of any chipboard if you use it on flat pack, or any other typical household thing.

The advantage of the little screwdrivers is they're relatively low speed and torque so you can safely use them on delicate things. Also if you look at the shape of the little screwdrivers they can get right into shelves and corners that the driver wont.

+1 for IXO. And don't let an impact driver anywhere near flatpack.

a Worx Impact Driver as I already have a couple of batteries for my Hydroshot.

The trouble with that sort of thinking is that it's a slippery slope - for not much more you could have a drill, and impact driver and 2 more batteries and charger for your Hydroshot.

I have that Worx impact driver (2 in fact, because one broke and was unexpectedly replaced under their 3 year warranty after I'd already bought a replacement in an Amazon deal) and it could destroy an Ikea bookcase in the wrong hands (mine). Worx drill driver is about £50. and if you haven't already got a cordless drill you need one more than an impact driver.

Lidl Screwdriver
This is in Lidl on Sunday 19th. I had a similar one from Aldi a couple of years ago but got a warranty refund after the charging port seperated itself from the circuit board.
If they've fixed that (assuming it's the sameish product) then it's the most handy little screwdriver I've had. You'd be surprised how many times the 90 degree or offset head attachments are needed.

Even though its over budget by a long way once you buy the full kit, another vote for the bosch GSB12. The offset and right-angled chucks are works of complete genius - particularly when working in confined spaces like the inside of kitchen units or ikea stuff. I've four other bosch pro drivers, all of which are far more powerful, bigger-batteried or feature-rich but this litttle one gets used the most.

Only used one time- not needed.

Where, Beirut?

😆 It does look a bit rough.

What about the makita 3.6v screwdriver . Downside is its a 3-5 hour recharge, but its cheap, and you get a big pile of bits with it.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/224264393598?epid=8034150839&hash=item343733137e:g:KB8AAOSwJfRfyluf

Thanks both, I was thinking £50-60 tops to be honest, not £165. I already have a corded hammer drill

Remember (if it isn't already obvious) that an impact driver isn't the same as a hammer drill.  I guess you already know that but I often see them used interchangeably which could end up in severe disappointment when trying to drill into some brick 🙂

IXO here too, been using it for absolutely years. Was given a parkside one and it works pretty good too

I have a couple of cordless hammer drills and an impact driver but I still use the leccy screwdriver. Sometimes I want less power because what I'm screwing into doesn't need it or might damage it. Had to fix the lock on a uPVC door today - handle off, cylinder out, locking mechanism off. Leccy screwdriver was great for that

A while back they came out with something called Flashcharge. It was a small basic screwdriver much like the Bosch IXO but charged from empty in 60 seconds. Something to do with the type capacitors i think was the innovative key to it.

Don't think it took off, so maybe the idea was flawed.Maybe didn't have the oomph or ran out of power very quickly.

I liked the concept of it though.