Right all,

I fancy picking up a ratchet screwdriver of reasonable quality for diy use.

Currently have an eye on this http://www.uktoolcentre.co.uk/Shop/p~110842~FatMax-Ratchet-Screwdriver-Pistol-Grip.html

Any thoughts on this or something better… I like the idea of the optional pistol grip for increased torque.

Ta
G

Check out Wera tools, lovely bits of kit and not stupid money.

I’ve no experience of that model, but fatmax stuff is usually decent quality.

I have had one of these for years and it’s been excellent.
http://www.screwfix.com/p/stanley-multi-bit-ratchet-screwdriver/72752
As above the Stanley stuff is pretty good. Easy to get hold of from b&q, screw fix etc. And inexpensive.
Wera stuff is lovely though.

I’d go for a Snap-on, great quality.

Have a few, Aircraft Engineers
Snap-On is the best (and we don’t have many snap-on tools), like this one.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SNAP-ON-RATCHET-SCREWDRIVER-HARD-HANDLE-SSDMR4B-NEW-/121849459396
Facom is next, still very very good
http://primetools.co.uk/product/facom-acl-2a-3-in-1-protwist-ratchet-screwdriver-handle/
Just seen a damn good price for them currently in Halford’s – this would be my choice
http://www.halfords.com/workshop-tools/tools/hand-tools/facom-acl-1apb-ratcheting-bit-holder-screwdriver
Third is the Halfords Professional, it’s ok, not up with those above and can’t be found on their site at the mo. Most of the Halfords Professional Tools are excellent and fantastic (amazing don’t know how they do it value) value when in sets.

I have 2 snapon ratchet screwdrivers but don’t use them at all and use instead a long handled screwdriver. Why ? the balance is much better and the ratchet is noisy and pointless YMMV

I have the boggo Stanley one and its brilliant. Nicely weighted and can get plenty of torque through it.

Was more than up to the job of installing a kitchen…

+1 for snap one, but I would go for the hard handled one like in lionharts link. I also have the newer soft grip one and much prefer the older one. The same thing can be found branded as williams, I got one from us Amazon. I am a big fan of williams screwdrivers, standard and ratcheting.

I got a wera one and it works very well. But I tend to find I use normal screwdrivers most of the time still

I’d always go for Facom over Snap On

The ratcheting mechanisms are much nicer, more precise

Sure a Snap On could probably double as a mallet as they are so tough, but Facom always feel better engineered

Snap-on ……… As previous have said its the favoured tool of choice in the aircraft engineering world. High quality designed and made. Expensive, but will last for ever, and have that no quibble lifetime guarantee .

I have one of those Snap on ratchet drivers, it’s a very nice, well balanced, well made piece of kit.

I used to build and test aircraft engines, and we all had one in our tool cribs, along with a full snap on 1/4″ and 3/8″ drive socket sets. I can’t think of anyone I worked with, me included, that would have taken the screwdriver out of the box before a 1/4″ drive ratchet and a 6″ extension.

To this day, mine is still pristine, get yourself a ratchet and extension instead, much better for all round use and a bit of leverage when you need it too.

As Jools says, the ratcet mechanism in Snap on is a bit industrial, I used to have a britool one which had a far nicer mechanism, but it broke. That’s the difference with the Snap on ones really.

OP
If you are just talking DIY/round the house stuff,the most used driver I have (14yrs)is the Stanley .All the popular blade sizes in the handle and quick to change over.For fixing the space shuttle I have

Bloody Snap On. It’s spanner monkey heroin. Good but overpriced tools (not always amazing), but emperors new clothes levels of hype about them, and clever ‘have it now, pay me forever’ credit that hooks you right in. And in my experience, the guarantee isn’t quite as ‘no quibble’ as they’d have you believe, either. IMHO, of course.

That said, they do make some very nice stuff…