The best lock picking sets, compared.
Top pick: Preciva 26-piece, 4 locks – Highest score: 4.4 from 937 reviews on this ASIN, with 12 picks, five tension wrenches and four clear locks stated together. The weak manual and a damaged lock are already deducted. Best value: Diyife 26-piece, 2 locks – About £15.99 with two clear padlocks and 4.3 from 1,324 reviews on this ASIN. The manual is auto-translated and the locks are easy, which is already in the score. Updated October 2026.
A lock picking set here is a case of metal picks and tension tools, usually with clear plastic practice locks and a short guide. You want a desk hobby or a gift, not a trade qualification. Reviewers say the clear locks open too easily and that some picks are thick or soft. In England and Wales, Act 1968 section 25 covers an article away from home for burglary or theft. Keep the set at home and practise only on locks you own. What to check before you pay is in the [lock picking set buying guide](/hub/door-and-window-security/lock-picking-set/sub/lock-picking-set-buying-guide). It is not a trade qualification, and a title that says professional is not a test result. Start with a practice lock you are allowed to touch. A clear lock in the box is enough for a first look at pin stacks.
A lock picking set here is a case of metal picks and tension tools, usually with clear plastic practice locks and a short guide. You want a desk hobby or a gift, not a trade qualification.
28 products checked · 64 hrs invested · +21,400 readers
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
How many practice locks do you want in the case?
The Preciva set is about £24.99 and lists 12 picks, five tension wrenches, four clear practice locks, four key types and one manual, at 690 g. Amazon.co.uk shows 4.4 from 937 reviews, the highest stars in this group, and the sample belongs to this ASIN. The bullet names a slotted padlock, an AB lock, a flat cylinder and a cross cylinder, without defining AB. Reviewers praise a large selection for a first try, and one buyer opened the practice padlock in about two minutes. The manual is called near useless for the other locks, a first parcel arrived with the picks missing, and one clear lock shed plastic and fell apart. The spec block does not name a case, though reviewers describe a pouch larger than a jeans pocket. It is the top pick in this group because the contents line adds up and the reviews are not copied from another ASIN, and it is still an acrylic kit with a weak paper guide.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A first cased kit when you want four practice locks and a contents list that matches the title, and you will ignore the paper manual.
Less suitable: Anyone who already wants a metal practice lock, or who needs the first parcel to be complete without a replacement.
Specifications
Common questions
What are the four Preciva practice locks?
The bullet names a slotted padlock, an AB lock, a flat cylinder, and a cross cylinder. It does not define what AB means.
Does it include a case?
The spec block does not name a case. Reviewers describe a wallet or pouch that is larger than a jeans pocket.
Are the instructions enough?
The set includes one paper manual. Reviewers call it near useless for the locks beyond the first one, and one clear lock fell apart on a first try.
The Eventronic 17-piece is also about £15.99, listed at 490 g, with two clear locks, a nylon bag, a paper guide and two electronic guides. The printed line is 4.3 from 7,449 reviews, and that text matches the 32-piece Eventronic file, so it is not a second sample. Reviewers in the shared block call the picks acceptable for the money and the clear locks too easy, with some picks flimsy or too thick. The title says 17 pieces, a bullet says 12 picks and 5 tension tools, and the piece field says 2, 24. A wide bullet names padlocks, doors, cabinets, sheds, bike locks and some cars, while reviews say the included locks are easy and the picks are a mixed fit beyond them. The instructions are a known complaint in that block. Treat the star count as shared evidence, not as 7,449 extra reasons to prefer this ASIN over the Diyife set at the same price.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A two-lock evening at about £15.99 if you already know the star count is shared with another Eventronic listing.
Less suitable: A shopper using 7,449 reviews as proof this set was tested separately from the 32-piece kit.
Specifications
Common questions
How many pieces are in this Eventronic set?
The title says 17 pieces and two clear locks. The bullet says 12 picks and 5 tension tools. The piece-count field says 2, 24. The file does not settle on one total.
Is the 7,449-review count unique to this ASIN?
The saved listing prints 4.3 from 7,449, and the review text matches the Eventronic 32-piece file B08SJ9RDCM. Treat that as one shared block, not two samples.
What do the reviews say about the locks?
Reviewers call the picks acceptable for the money and the included locks too easy. Some picks are described as flimsy or too thick, and the paper guide as weak.
The Eventronic 32-piece is about £25.99, listed at 610 g, with a bullet line of 13 picks, five tension tools, four clear locks and a case. The printed 4.3 from 7,449 is the same review text as the 17-piece ASIN, so the count is not extra evidence. Reviewers in that block say the clear locks show the pins and then open too easily, and that some picks feel thick or not very stiff. The piece-count field says 4 while the title says 32 pieces. The details material line says silicone, and the bullets say stainless steel picks with a non-slip silicone handle. Paying about £10 more than the two-lock kits buys two further acrylic locks and a contents line that the shared reviews still describe as a novice set. Dimensions are not stated.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A four-lock case at about £25.99 if you want the extra acrylic bodies and you will not count the shared reviews twice.
Less suitable: A buyer treating 7,449 stars as a separate test of this 32-piece kit.
Specifications
Common questions
Why does the piece count say 4?
The details field says 4 pieces and the items field says 36. The title says 32 pieces. The components line lists 13 picks, 5 tension tools, and 4 clear locks.
Is the material silicone or steel?
The details field says silicone. The bullets say stainless steel picks with a non-slip silicone handle.
Are these reviews separate from the 17-piece set?
No. This saved listing and B072DWLG1W contain the same review text and the same 7,449 count.
The IPSXP 32+4 is about £26.99, with 13 picks, five tension wrenches, four clear locks, a zip case and a nylon bag, listed at 620 g. Across 5,215 amazon.co.uk reviews it sits at 4.3. Reviewers call it a fun gift, and one buyer says the included locks were learned in about ten minutes. The same sample says the locks open with little effort or with any tool, the core is plastic, and the tools feel too big or flimsy on a decent lock. One pick was missing on arrival, and one cylindrical practice lock had a pin fault. The recommended-use line is learning and teaching. A lifetime money-back line appears in a bullet, not as a separate warranty term in the spec block. The large review count is real for this ASIN, and it still describes an easy acrylic kit.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A gift in a black zip case when the point is a first look at four clear locks, not a longer practice path.
Less suitable: Someone who wants the tools to feel like a metal padlock after the first ten minutes.
Specifications
Common questions
Who is the IPSXP set aimed at?
The recommended-use line says learning and teaching. Reviews call it a fun beginner gift and say the practice locks are too easy after the first session.
Does it come with a case?
Yes. The bullet describes a black zipper bag and a nylon bag, with the clear locks in separate boxes.
What went wrong for buyers?
One pick was missing on arrival, one cylindrical lock had a pin fault, and several reviewers said the tools feel too big or too flimsy on a real lock.
The Eventronic 38-piece is about £29.99, listed at 680 g, with 12 hooks, five torque tools, four clear locks and a credit-card sleeve holding five hooks. Amazon.co.uk shows 4.3 from 1,735 reviews. One reviewer used the card picks for a first open in about two minutes alongside a YouTube lesson, and a parent said the set suited a 16-year-old learning how locks work. Reviewers also call the locks simplified, the manual broken English, and the metal cheap. One tip snapped, two locks would not take the key, and one buyer received an unusable set and a partial refund. The lock-type field says electronic, which the rest of the file does not support. The sleeve is marketed as something you can carry, which is a poor reason to pay about £29.99 when the locks are still the easy acrylic kind.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A buyer who specifically wants the credit-card sleeve in the same case as four clear locks, and will keep that sleeve at home.
Less suitable: Anyone hoping five extra card hooks make the practice locks harder, or who wants a tool to carry out.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this set include a credit-card pick?
Yes. The bullet describes a credit-card slot with five hooks, plus a zip case. One reviewer used those card picks for a first open.
Are the four locks a difficulty ladder?
The listing calls them training locks. Reviewers say they are simplified and very easy. Two reviews report locks that would not take the key, and one reports a snapped tip.
Why does the lock type say electronic?
That is the details field. The rest of the file describes a manual pick set with transparent padlocks. There is no electronic lock in the contents.
The Diyife set is about £15.99, with two clear training padlocks, a zipper bag and a 6-page manual. Across 1,324 amazon.co.uk reviews it sits at 4.3, and that sample is its own. UK reviewers call it a cheap starter, note tools that are not too fiddly, and mention the two locks in their own cases. One review names a gift for an 11-year-old. The same file says the manual is auto-translated, the picks look press-cut, and the practice locks are the easy part. The piece-count field says 1 while the title says 26 pieces, and a listed size of 50 x 40 x 30 mm conflicts with a weight of 500 g. It is the best value here when you want one evening on two clear locks and a review file that is not copied from another listing.
Pros
Cons
Best for: One evening at a desk with two clear locks, including a supervised gift, when you want the cheaper cased kit with its own reviews.
Less suitable: Anyone who already finds acrylic locks too easy, or who wants a stated steel thickness from a specialist maker.
Specifications
Common questions
How many practice locks are in the Diyife set?
The title and the bullets say two transparent training padlocks. One reviewer describes a padlock and a euro-style lock, each in its own case.
Is the manual usable?
The bullet says a 6-page manual. Reviews call the text auto-translated and say it does not teach the method.
Why do the dimensions look wrong?
The details field says 50 x 40 x 30 mm. The same file lists a weight of 500 g. Those two figures cannot both describe the packed set.
The Eventronic 37+5 is the dearest kit in this table at about £31.99, with five clear padlocks, a cloth bag, a credit-card case and an instruction book, listed at 726 g. The star line is 4.3 from 174 reviews. Reviewers like the presentation and the number of tools, and one buyer had opened two of the training locks. Others returned it within 24 hours because the locks were no challenge, called the picks bendy, and said the metal only goes about 1 cm into the plastic handle. A Y tension wrench was missing for one buyer, and two locks turned with no key and no picking. The dimensions field says 10 x 10 x 10 mm, which cannot describe a 726 g kit. Five acrylic locks at this price are not a step up from the about £24.99 Preciva set on the evidence in the file.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A gift box with five clear locks if the presentation matters and you accept a small review sample.
Less suitable: A buyer paying about £31.99 to get a harder lesson than the about £24.99 four-lock kit.
Specifications
Common questions
How many practice locks does the 37+5 set include?
The title says five transparent training padlocks, including a heavy square lock. The piece-count field says 42.
What did buyers send back?
One buyer returned it within 24 hours because the locks were no challenge. Others report bendy picks, a missing Y-wrench, rough keys, and two locks that turned with no key.
Can the listed size be right?
The details field says 10 x 10 x 10 mm. The weight is 726 g. The size line is not usable.
The dkjfei folding set is a 40 g stainless steel pocket tool at about £6.29, with a closed length stated as about 9 cm. The title says 6 in 1, the model name says 7 in 1, and the piece field says 9. No practice lock and no separate case are listed. Amazon.co.uk shows 1.0 from one review, dated 26 September 2026, which calls the set cheap and nasty and says it will not pick. The listing asks whether you can carry it in the UK, and the bullets do not answer. Recommended uses include residential lockouts and car work, which this file does not demonstrate. It is the lowest score in the group because one review and a missing practice lock are the whole of the evidence.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Nobody in this comparison, unless you only want to see how small a folder at about £6.29 is and you will not rely on it.
Less suitable: A first practice session, a gift, or anything you might put in a pocket away from home.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the folding set include a practice lock?
No. The saved listing lists a folding opener, a rotation tool, and named pick types. It does not list a practice lock or a separate case.
Does the listing answer whether you can carry it in the UK?
The listing asks that question. The bullets do not answer it. They do say the closed set is about 9 cm and suited to a pocket.
What do buyers say?
There is one UK review, scored 1.0. It calls the set cheap and nasty and says not to buy it. It does not praise the set.
Eight amazon.co.uk lock picking sets were scored from the listings and the review notes on file. There is no laboratory test and no separate methodology note. The highest score is the top pick: the Preciva set, because the contents line adds up and the 937 reviews belong to that ASIN. The best value is the Diyife set at about £15.99, with 1,324 reviews on its own listing. A shared 7,449-review block on two Eventronic ASINs is counted once. None of the eight listings states BS 3621, BS EN 1303, TS 007 or Sold Secure.
Practice locks
30%A clear lock you are allowed to touch is the first check. Two locks suit one evening. Four or five still open too easily in the reviews. No practice lock is a heavy deduction.
Picks and tension tools
25%A hook, a rake and more than one tension wrench matter more than the piece count. These listings do not state steel grade or thickness. Conflicting piece fields are deducted.
Case
20%A case that stays in the house scores above a 40 g folder. A credit-card sleeve is noted, and it is not a reason to carry the set away from home.
Guide and review evidence
15%Paper manuals that reviewers call poorly translated do not teach the method. Star lines are used only when the review text belongs to that ASIN.
Price against the job
10%About £16 buys two clear locks. About £25 to £32 buys four or five. Paying more inside this table mostly buys more shapes, not a harder lock.
You want a desk hobby or a gift, not a trade ticket. Eight amazon.co.uk lock picking sets run from about £6.29 to about £31.99. Quality is a practice lock you may touch, and picks you can hold, not a 30-piece title. None of these listings is a lab result, and none states a British lock standard.
A lock picking set in this comparison is a case of metal picks and tension tools, sold on amazon.co.uk with clear plastic practice locks and a short guide. The job is a desk hobby or a gift. It is not a trade qualification, and a title that says professional is not a test result. Start with a practice lock you are allowed to touch. A clear lock in the box is enough for a first look at pin stacks. It is a poor long-term teacher. Reviewers of these kits say the clear locks open too easily.
A 32-piece or 38-piece title is a weak signal. Diyife’s piece field says 1 against a 26-piece title. The Eventronic 32-piece field says 4. The 37+5 field says 42. These listings do not state steel grade or thickness. A hook, a rake and more than one tension wrench matter more than the number on the box.
Reviewers say the included locks open too easily, sometimes in about two minutes or with any tool. That is not proof you can open a UK front door, a BS 3621 lock or a named car. None of the eight listings states BS 3621, BS EN 1303, TS 007 or Sold Secure. Do not practise on the only door that secures the home.
The dkjfei set is about 9 cm closed and 40 g, with no practice lock, and the listing does not answer its own UK-carry question. In England and Wales, Theft Act 1968 section 25 covers an article away from your place of abode for burglary or theft. Keep the set at home. Call a locksmith for a lockout.
The first check is a lock you are allowed to touch. A clear lock shows a pin stack once. Reviewers then call it too easy, so it is a poor long-term teacher. Two locks are enough for one evening: Diyife and the Eventronic 17-piece, both about £15.99. Four locks are the Preciva, Eventronic 32-piece, IPSXP and Eventronic 38-piece. Five are the Eventronic 37+5 at about £31.99. The dkjfei folder lists none, which is why it sits last. Picks come next.
A case should live in the house. Preciva’s spec block omits the case, and reviewers describe a pouch larger than a jeans pocket. Diyife and IPSXP name a zip case. The Eventronic 38-piece and 37+5 add a credit-card sleeve. That sleeve is still a home tool. The 40 g dkjfei folder is the set you will be tempted to carry, and the law section is the reason not to. The guide is the weak line on every cased kit in these files.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You want two clear locks and a review file that is not copied from another listing. The Diyife set is the best value at about £15.99, 4.3 from 1,324 reviews, with a zip case. The manual is called auto-translated, and the locks are the easy part.
You want a first cased kit whose bullet names 12 picks, five tension wrenches and four clear locks together. The Preciva set is the top pick at about £24.99, 4.4 from 937 reviews on this ASIN. Ignore the paper manual, and expect an acrylic kit.
You want a black zip case for a first look at four clear locks, with an adult if the recipient is a child. The IPSXP set is about £26.99 and 4.3 from 5,215 reviews. Reviewers say the locks are learned in minutes and then open with little effort.
The Preciva 26-piece set is the top pick at about £24.99: the highest score, 4.4 from 937 reviews on this listing, and a contents line of 12 picks, five tension wrenches and four clear locks. The manual is weak, one parcel arrived short, and one clear lock fell apart. The Diyife set is the best value at about £15.99, with two clear padlocks and 1,324 reviews that belong to that ASIN. The Eventronic kits at the same sort of price share a review block or add easy acrylic locks. Keep every set at home.
Preciva 26-piece, 4 locks
Highest score: 4.4 from 937 reviews on this ASIN, with 12 picks, five tension wrenches and four clear locks stated together. The weak manual and a damaged lock are already deducted.
Diyife 26-piece, 2 locks
About £15.99 with two clear padlocks and 4.3 from 1,324 reviews on this ASIN. The manual is auto-translated and the locks are easy, which is already in the score.
Editorial
Peter F. is the editor for DIY & tools at productscompared.co.uk. Comparisons in this category are checked against amazon.co.uk listings, review evidence and public UK sources.
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
Public UK sources below, plus the eight amazon.co.uk saved listings for prices, stars and review counts. UKBumpKeys and KSEC figures are October 2026 shop pages, not a lab. Last reviewed October 2026.
Expert source (DIY & tools): Charlie White (Charlie DIYte) (external profile) – public expert commentary used as a research source, not as a contributor to our pages.
This page contains affiliate links to amazon.co.uk (tag pcuk26-21). If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices, stars and review counts are from the listings. This is not a laboratory test.
