Independent comparisons. We may earn from shop links. More info

Torx bit set buying guide: shank, pin, then size

Updated: October 2026

You are choosing a first Torx bit set for a UK drill-driver, a car socket, or a small appliance. A star screw will not take a cross-head bit. The next miss is the shank, or a pin that stops a solid tip. This torx bit set buying guide follows that order, then the T-number on the packet. The [Torx bits comparison](/hub/drilling-and-accessories/torx-bits) is the table of twelve amazon.co.uk listings. Who each set is for sits on the [best Torx bit set](/hub/drilling-and-accessories/torx-bits/sub/torx-bits-best) page. The Products Compared editorial team read those listings on 15 October 2026 and did not run a lab test. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

You are choosing a first Torx bit set for a UK drill-driver, a car socket, or a small appliance. A star screw will not take a cross-head bit. The next miss is the shank, or a pin that stops a solid tip.

Our top picks

Milwaukee Milwaukee Shockwave 32-piece set

Best overall

Milwaukee Milwaukee Shockwave 32-piece set
9.4/10about £17.90
View offer
Wera Wera Bit-Check 30 TX Universal 1

Alternative

Wera Wera Bit-Check 30 TX Universal 1
9.2/10about £18.95
View offer
HORUSDY HORUSDY 14-piece tamper set

Best value

HORUSDY HORUSDY 14-piece tamper set
8.3/10about £5.99
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Start with the shank you already own
  2. 2.Plain star or a star with a pin
  3. 3.Size span, with the packet in charge
  4. 4.Length, case, and what these twelve listings cost
  5. 5.The order to use at the shelf

Start with the shank you already own

A drill-driver normally takes a 1/4 inch hex bit. ISO 1173:2001 describes that drive end as 6.3 mm. The Wera Bit-Check 30 TX Universal 1 is that kind of set. Screwfix marks model 05057908001 as Impact Compatible: Standard, which is not the Impaktor line. The Gunpla set is T3 to T20 on a 4 mm hex, at £3.61. UK reviewers could not click it into a normal holder. Buy it only if you already own a 4 mm holder. Qnkaa, at £10.88, splits T8 to T70 across three square drives and includes no ratchet. A correct hex still fails if the screw has a pin.

Plain star or a star with a pin

A standard Torx recess is six lobes with an open centre. A security recess adds a post, so a solid tip will not seat. You need a hole in the tip when you can see a pin. Facoow, at £9.99, says T5 and T6 are not tamper-proof. WORKPRO, at £7.99, prints plain T4 to T6, then holed T7H through T40H. HORUSDY, at £5.99, states tamper bits from T6 to T40 and keeps T5 plain. A holed bit can still turn many plain stars. A solid bit cannot clear a pin.
Milwaukee Milwaukee Shockwave 32-piece set

Testsieger

Milwaukee Milwaukee Shockwave 32-piece set
9.4/10about £17.90
View offer

Size span, with the packet in charge

T20, T25 and T30 cover a lot of UK timber screws, as a rule of thumb, not as a standard. Timber Online says 4.0 mm screws typically use T20 and 5.0 mm typically use T25, and it tells you to check the tub. TC Fixings titles one 5.0 mm screw TX25 in the heading and TX20 in the body. If the tub says T25, a set that jumps from T20 to T30 misses the job. BS EN ISO 10664:2014 inspects the recess. It is not a bit-life test. Wera stops at TX40. Milwaukee’s amazon.co.uk page lists no T-numbers. Buy the span printed on the contents line.

Length, case, and what these twelve listings cost

A 25 mm insert is enough when you can see the screw and keep the driver square. YONGYONGBUY is 100 mm at £6.49, on only 37 ratings. Extra length does not fix a wrong T-number. These twelve amazon.co.uk prices fall into about £3.61 to £7.99, about £9.99 to £13.99, and about £17.90 to £21.99. S2 on the shank is an alloy name, not an impact rating.

The order to use at the shelf

Match the holder, then look for a pin, then read the T-numbers on the packet. A 25 mm bit is enough when the head is proud. A few correct bits can cost less than a large box that still misses the screw.

Common questions

Do I need a 1/4 inch hex set, a 4 mm set, or sockets?
Match the tool you already hold. A drill-driver’s holder is normally 1/4 inch hex, the 6.3 mm end in ISO 1173. Buy 4 mm only if you already have a 4 mm holder. The Gunpla set is 4 mm, and UK reviewers could not click it into a standard holder. Buy sockets if you will use a ratchet. Qnkaa needs a 1/2 inch square drive for its T70.
Should I buy security bits if I mostly meet plain star screws?
No. An open star needs a solid six-lobe tip, and a timber screw is usually that head. Buy a holed bit when you can see a pin. A holed bit will often turn a plain star as well, so a mixed box is reasonable if you meet both. Facoow’s T5 and T6 are not tamper-proof, and WORKPRO’s T4 to T6 are plain on purpose.
Which T-numbers cover timber screws, and why is the packet the authority?
As a rule of thumb, 4.0 mm timber screws are often T20 and 5.0 mm often T25. Timber Online says check the tub. TC Fixings shows TX25 in a title and TX20 in the body of one page, and some Spax screws use T20. The packet outranks a chart.
Is a 25 mm bit enough, or do I need 50 to 100 mm?
A 25 mm bit is enough when the head is proud and you can keep the driver square. You want extra length when the head is recessed. YONGYONGBUY is 100 mm, Facoow mixes 1 inch and 2 inch bits plus a 5.8 cm extension, and BAKESHU includes a 4 inch holder. Length does not fix a wrong size or a missing hole.
Does S2 on the shank mean the set is for an impact driver?
No. S2 is the alloy name on these listings. It does not describe a torsion zone. Milwaukee states a SHOCKZONE. LIBRATON states a torsion zone. Wera’s Universal set is for drill-drivers, and Screwfix marks that model Standard rather than Impact. For an impact driver, buy the stated geometry, not the letters S2.
What should I expect to pay on amazon.co.uk?
In these twelve listings, small insert sets sit at about £3.61 to £7.99, mixed sets at about £9.99 to £13.99, and the named insert sets plus LEXIVON at about £17.90 to £21.99. Qnkaa’s socket set is £10.88 and still needs three square drives. Outside the sample, a two-piece impact pack can be about £3.31. The bands describe this comparison only.

Related pages

Security Torx vs standard Torx

Torx bits for impact drivers

Torx bits

Best Torx bit set: drill, impact, security or socket

How to use Torx bits without rounding out the screw

Sources

Public sources used for this comparison. Last checked on 16 October 2026.

  1. ISO 10664:2014 — hexalobular internal driving feature (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  2. BS EN ISO 10664:2014 — UK text of the recess standard (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  3. ISO 1173:2001 — assembly tools for screws and nuts, drive ends (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  4. Wera Impaktor TORX bits — impact geometry, not this Bit-Check (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  5. HSE — selecting powered equipment (PUWER) (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  6. Consumer Rights Act 2015 — GOV.UK (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  7. Insight Security — security Torx pin and matching bit (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  8. Camcar — TORX trademark and tamper-resistant family (retrieved 16 October 2026)