Bahco 808050 Ratchet Bit Screwdriver

I had bought this tools many Years ago when it was made in France. Until today this one works perfectly and is a super high-quality ratchet mechanism. No play in the shaft whatsoever, precise movement. Now I bought it again for another place and I realized that today it’s being made in Taiwan. It still looks exactly the same like my old one but it is another world in terms of quality. There is about 3 to 5 mm play in the shaft and the ratchet is doing a cheap sound and movement, not the smooth professional precise movement of my old one. A totally different tool with the looks of my old one. This is another example of a world-class company with great history and quality heritage (Bahco, Sweden) being sold to a multinational company (SNA) and they start to deteriorate the quality towards low level DIY market range - zero sustainability thinking. Historically Bahco was a brand for professionals with highest quality tools. Nowadays You never know what you get when you buy Bahco brand, because it depends where and by whom it’s made, which you will realize only after purchase and first use. A text book example how to destroy a world-class brand equity founded in 1886 - disappointing and disgusting.

This really is a very nicely designed and very handly small screwdriver. It has a similar action to the larger version which I also own and use regularly. It is quite heavy but balances well in your hand and the selector is very easy to use. Unlike the larger Bahco ratchet, it has no bits stored in the handle and you'll have to buy these. Having said that, I have plenty already and they're cheap anyway. I now buy mostly screwdrivers that take hexagon bits anyway, as it makes these tools more versatile and longer lasting. No real negative points. However a screwdriver like this is not suitable for non-screwdriver type jobs like prying the top off a paint tin, I would not recommend using it for electrical work as its not designed to be insulated and if you need something for very small screws, you'd be better off buying a much smaller tool. Although Bahco and Britool now seem to make most of their stuff in Taiwan, and this tool is no exception, I can't complain about the quality. Good for small household jobs and certainly recommended.

I wanted a new ratchet, multi-head screwdriver, and was originally looking at a Snap-On one, but I went with this instead. It has 6 different interchangeable heads - 2 flat-head and 4 cross-head/Philips-head of differing sizes and thickness and is magnetized so can hold screws on the tip, which is handy. The top of the shaft has a nice grippy diamond texture that means you can palm the handle and use you fingers to quickly rotate the shaft. The handle has a soft feeling rubber/plastic that is quite comfortable.This product does feel solid, the ratchet works, and it does do the job. If it wasn't for what I'm about to note below this would have received a higher rating.Now, the not so good (which could just be mine):- The actual shaft of the screwdriver wobbles from side to side easily by a couple millimeters, which is incredibly annoying when you are trying to position smaller screws.- Whilst the ratchet works there is play, especially when the ratchet is in the 'locked' (i.e. central) position. I would accept a little play, but it rotates by upwards of 20 degrees before hitting the limits.- The bits tray insertion and removal is a bit gritty and feels like they don't fit correctly.These three things lead me to question the durability of the product, especially the ratchet system. I can imagine with the relatively light use it will be getting from me then it will last a few years, but I wouldn't want to use it in a professional or harsh environment, especially not one where it would be exposed to liquids, dust or dirt.

I bought this almost 5 years ago. I use it as my main screwdriver around the house with the included bits and also with extra bits for hex, torx, etc. It is wonderfully made with a comfortable handle, long shaft and a robust ratchet. The ratchet selector is not the nicest nor is the button to eject the bit holder. This is what you get for the money. However, the quality of the ratchet itself is superb and I don't think you can buy a better ratchet screwdriver before it gets more than twice as expensive. Absolutely recommended for hobbyist DIY and to have a screwdriver around the house. A single one that can do it all.

Absolutely love this ratchet screwdriver, spent a few more £ and bought the version with the 2 led lights . I wouldn't normally spent that much on a ratchet screwdriver but I thought I'd treat myself the bits in the handle is a great idea and the reviews for Bahco products are very good