The best VDE screwdrivers, compared.
Top pick: Wera 7-piece slim Kraftform set Best value: ArmaKit AKVDE-7 7-piece set – £9.95 for a multi-piece set that names IEC 60900, rated 4.6 from 58 reviews. No Pozidriv, and the included tester is not a proving device. Updated October 2026.
A VDE screwdriver is a sleeved hand driver meant to limit shock if the tip touches a live part. You meet it when you change a socket or a switch, or when an electrician fills a pouch. What you can check without a lab is the marks on the handle, a tip that matches the screw, and an undamaged sleeve. VDE and GS are manufacturer claims, not a UK statute. The British identifier is BS EN IEC 60900:2018, for tools used up to 1,000 V AC and 1,500 V DC by a skilled person. A red handle is not permission to work live. Marks, tip family and slim shafts are in the [VDE screwdriver buying guide](/hub/hand-tools/vde-screwdriver/sub/vde-screwdriver-buying-guide).
A VDE screwdriver is a sleeved hand driver meant to limit shock if the tip touches a live part. You meet it when you change a socket or a switch, or when an electrician fills a pouch.
42 products checked · 64 hrs invested · +21,400 readers
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
Which screw are you turning?
The Wera 160 iSS/7 is the only set here sold with a reduced blade diameter, for confined spaces and recessed screws, at £41.80. The listing is 4.7 from 2,007 reviews, and the comments that name a job talk about terminal rails and consumer-unit screws a standard insulated shaft will not reach. Grip is praised, including by people who changed from another brand, and the tapered insulation is called useful on boards. The specification table does not list the seven tips, and the attribute line says Phillips. One UK review itemises slotted, Phillips and PZ/S sizes, and that inventory is a review rather than the spec. Smaller handles are called thin, and the smaller drivers snap. The water-bath line claims safe working up to 1,000 V, which on a UK 230 V installation is an insulation rating, not permission to work live.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Recessed terminal screws on a proved-dead board, when reach matters more than a printed size list.
Less suitable: A plain PZ2 you can confirm from the specification, or a buyer who wants larger handles.
Specifications
Common questions
Why is this set more expensive than the other Wera six-piece sets?
The listing is the 160 iSS/7 with reduced blade diameter and smaller handles, at £41.80. The other Wera sets in this comparison are standard-diameter six-piece sets around £26–£27.
Does it include Pozidriv?
The head-style attribute says Phillips only, and the spec table does not list tips. One UK review itemises slotted, PH1, PH2, and two PZ/S plus-minus drivers, and says there is no plain PZ2.
What do reviews say about the slim shaft?
Reviewers use it on terminal rails and recessed screws. Some also say the smaller handles feel too thin and that small sizes can snap.
The Wera 1060 i/1062 i/6 gives you PH1×80 mm, PH2×100 mm and four slotted drivers from 2.5 mm to 5.5 mm, at £26.98. Across 1,072 amazon.co.uk reviews it sits at 4.7, and the English comments in the first 50 treat the Kraftform grip and the slotted sizes as a working set for terminal screws. A few owners report several years of use, and snapped blades are scarce in those English reviews. There is no Pozidriv in the contents list, so a faceplate screw with the extra Pozidriv ticks is the wrong job for this set. The bullets use the VDE set name and do not repeat a 10,000 V test figure, and no case is listed. The material field says stainless steel, which is the page’s wording rather than a hardness test. It is the top pick in this comparison because the sizes are printed, the review base is large, and the stored comments do not keep returning to broken tips.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Phillips and slotted terminal screws, when you want printed sizes and a large review sample.
Less suitable: Pozidriv faceplates, recessed screws that need a slim shaft, or a buyer who wants a tester in the box.
Specifications
Common questions
Which tips are included?
PH1×80, PH2×100, and slotted 0.4×2.5×80, 0.6×3.5×100, 0.8×4.0×100, 1.0×5.5×125.
Is this the Pozidriv Wera set?
No. Pozidriv is the other Wera six-piece in this comparison, model 05051576001. This one is 05051575001.
What is the Black Point tip?
The listing says it offers an exact fit and corrosion protection. It does not say the tip is magnetic.
This BILITOOLS kit is seven drivers and four pliers at £55.99 and 2.15 kg: slotted 3.5 mm to 6.5 mm, PH0 to PH2, a voltage tester, and long-nose, diagonal, combination and water-pump pliers. There is no Pozidriv in the screwdriver list. The rating is 4.7 from 507 reviews, many of them not in English. Some buyers want the whole kit for home jobs or a second set for a van, and some call the pliers well made. Others say the case or pouch does not hold the tools, the pliers are small for trade use, and the screwdriver steel sits below a Wera. One review says the user was shocked at 480 volts on first use. That is a single allegation in the extract, not a test we repeated, and VDE or GS on the title is not permission to work live at UK 230 V.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A home kit where you want pliers and Phillips drivers together and you already own a two-pole tester.
Less suitable: A Pozidriv faceplate, a board change, or anyone reading one shock report as something to ignore.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this only screwdrivers?
No. It adds 6 inch long-nose, diagonal, and combination pliers, and 10 inch water-pump pliers, to the drivers and a tester.
Which screwdriver tips are listed?
Slotted 3.5, 4.0, 5.5, and 6.5 mm, plus PH0, PH1, and PH2. Pozidriv is not listed.
What do reviews say about the case and safety?
The case is a common complaint. One review says the user was shocked at 480 volts the first time. That is one allegation, not a test result.
The BILITOOLS nine-piece lists slotted drivers from 3.0 mm to 6.5 mm, PH1, PH2, PZ0, PZ1 and a voltage tester, at £23.99, with no PZ2 in that list. The rating is 4.7 from 283 reviews, and many of the first 50 are not in English. Praise covers a case that keeps the set together, the size range for home electrical work, and the mix of Pozidriv with Phillips and slotted. Tips are reported stripped under regular maintenance, and one review finds the magnetism weaker than the claim. More than one reviewer will not trust the neon tester and prefers a two-pole tester. The bullets claim VDE and GS up to 1,000 V. GS is a German tested-safety mark, not a UK approval, and neither mark authorises live work on a 230 V circuit.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Home electrical work that needs PZ0 or PZ1 as well as slotted and Phillips, if you keep a separate tester.
Less suitable: PZ2 faceplates, or daily maintenance if stripped tips in the reviews put you off.
Specifications
Common questions
Which Pozidriv sizes are listed?
PZ0×72 mm and PZ1×80 mm. There is no PZ2 in the bullet list. Phillips is PH1 and PH2.
Is the voltage tester a proving device?
The listing includes a voltage test screwdriver. Reviews say they do not trust it and would rather use a two-pin tester. The listing does not claim a proving unit.
Are the tips magnetic?
The bullets say magnetic tips. One review says there is not much magnetism.
The Anesty 13-in-1 is a detachable handle, 11 bits and a tester pen in an EVA case, at £16.90, with three slotted, four Phillips, two Pozidriv and two Torx bits. Millimetre sizes are not listed. The rating is 4.7 from 10 reviews, and one block in the file is about a sledgehammer, so it is not evidence about this driver. The reviews that are about the set praise the labelled case, the mix of tips and a handle that does not feel slippery. No repeated broken tip appears in those comments. The text says the shafts are designed to meet 1,000 V insulation standards and does not print IEC 60900. Ten reviews cannot carry a 4.7, and the bit you fit still has to show insulation marks on the shaft in your hand, which does not make live work on a 230 V circuit reasonable.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A labelled case with a mix of tip families, if ten reviews are enough for you and you check the shaft marks.
Less suitable: A buyer who wants a fixed blade with printed millimetres, or a 4.7 that rests on a large sample.
Specifications
Common questions
What is in the 13-in-1?
Eleven bits (3 slotted, 4 Phillips, 2 Pozidriv, 2 Torx), a voltage tester pen, and a detachable handle, in an EVA case.
Does the listing name IEC 60900?
No. It says the set is designed to meet 1000V insulation standards.
How many reviews are there?
The listing line is 4.7 from 10. One of the nine review texts in the extract is about a sledgehammer and is not this tool.
The BLOSTM set is seven fixed drivers, flat and cross-head, with magnetic tips and hex anti-roll handles, at £15.39. The title names a storage case, and many of the first 50 reviews, inside a 4.6 rating from 1,819, praise a box, the colours and the torque from the hex grip. One reviewer says the set arrived in cardboard only, so the case is not a settled fact. Blade sizes are not in the specification, and the head line says cross-head rather than Phillips or Pozidriv. Someone looking for a slotted-and-Pozidriv driver for breakers did not find one in the set. Broken tips do not recur in those 50 reviews. The insulation line is VDE tested up to 1,000 V, with no IEC 60900 number in the bullets, so the handle still has to be read, and a phase tester mentioned in one review is not in the included-components line.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Everyday flat and cross-head screws if a large review sample matters more than a printed size list.
Less suitable: A Pozidriv faceplate, or a buyer who needs each blade length on the listing before ordering.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this set include Pozidriv drivers?
The listing says flat and cross-head only. It does not name Pozidriv sizes.
Is a voltage tester included?
The included-components line lists seven insulated screwdrivers. A tester is not in that line. One review mentions a phase tester.
Does it come with a case?
The title says storage case. Reviews both praise a plastic box and, in one case, say the set arrived in cardboard only.
Bahco’s BE-9888S is a seven-piece ERGO set at £28.25, rated 4.6 from 1,406 reviews. Electricians in the first 50 praise the grip on long shifts, colour marks on the handle ends, and long terminal drivers in tight terminations. The bullets do not list the seven tips, and the head attribute says flat. Reviews discuss Pozidriv, no Phillips, and a missing PZ1, with PZ0, PZ2 and PZ3 named by reviewers instead, so the piece list stays unresolved. Heads are reported snapped or bent within a month, including a PZ2, and terminal drivers arrived slightly bent on two replacements. The insulation line says VDE-tested, with no standard number in the bullets. You still have to read the marks on the handle, and the set is not a licence to work on a live 230 V board.
Pros
Cons
Best for: An electrician who already likes the ERGO grip and will check which Pozidriv sizes are actually in the box.
Less suitable: Anyone who needs a printed PZ1 before ordering, or a first set where a bent terminal driver is a bad start.
Specifications
Common questions
Which seven tips are included?
The amazon bullets do not list them. Reviews say the set is slotted and Pozidriv, often with no PZ1 and no Phillips. A separate article’s PZ0–PZ3 description is not the listing.
What breaks, according to reviews?
PZ2 tips, other heads, and terminal drivers: snaps, bends, and two batches of slightly bent terminal drivers. Other reviewers report years of daily use.
What is the warranty line?
The extract says Linited lifetime warranty, read as a limited lifetime warranty. Country of origin is Spain.
Afeld lists six drivers at £12.04: slotted 3.0 mm, 4.0 mm and 5.5 mm, plus PH0, PH1 and PH2, with the lengths printed beside each tip. The amazon.co.uk rating is 4.6 from 955 reviews, and praise covers the price, magnetic tips and the two-component handle, including an electrician who uses them to replace worn drivers without spending about £30 more. Many of the first 50 reviews are short and not in English, so the English signal is thinner than 955 suggests. The metal is called quite soft, and one tip failed to lift a screw cleanly. There is no Pozidriv, and the specification does not list a case. The included-components field says only Handle, which does not match the six drivers in the bullets. The page claims VDE certification for work up to 1,000 V, which is an insulation claim on a UK 230 V supply, not a reason to leave the circuit live.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Sockets and switches that use Phillips and slotted screws, at a low price, if you can accept a soft-tip complaint.
Less suitable: Pozidriv faceplates, or a job that needs a hard tip you can trust from the reviews.
Specifications
Common questions
Which sizes are in the set?
Slotted 0.5×3.0×75 mm, 0.8×4.0×100 mm and 1.0×5.5×125 mm, plus PH0×75 mm, PH1×80 mm and PH2×100 mm.
Does it include Pozidriv?
No. The listing is three Phillips and three slotted drivers.
Does it come with a case?
The specification does not list a case. The included-components field says Handle.
The Wera 1060 i/1065 i/6 lists PZ1×80 mm, PZ2×100 mm and four slotted sizes from 2.5 mm to 5.5 mm, at £25.94. The components line is Pozidriv and slotted, while the head attribute says Phillips and flat, so the listing disagrees with itself. The rating is 4.6 from 438 reviews. Owners like the yellow handles in a tool bag and the grip for daily electrical work, and one reviewer still rates the flat drivers highly after the Pozidriv tips failed. PZ1 and PZ2 heads are reported snapped after a handful of uses, and tips chip on faceplate screws within months. Two orders labelled Pozidriv arrived as Phillips, and one buyer received three pieces instead of six. The bullets say each driver is individually tested, which is a production claim, not a reason to work live on a 230 V circuit.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Pozidriv and slotted faceplate screws, if you inspect the tips on arrival and can return a short or wrong set.
Less suitable: A buyer who needs Phillips, or anyone who has already had Pozidriv tips chip on faceplates.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this Phillips or Pozidriv?
The included-components line is PZ1×80, PZ2×100, and four slotted sizes. The head-style attribute says Phillips, Flat, which does not match that list.
What have reviewers broken?
Several report snapped or chipped PZ1 and PZ2 tips. Flat drivers are praised in the same reviews. Some orders arrived as the wrong set.
Where is it made, according to the listing?
Country of origin is Czech Republic. Model 05051576001. GTIN 04013288222374.
ArmaKit’s AKVDE-7 is four slotted drivers, from 3.5 mm to 6.5 mm, plus PH1×80 mm, PH2×100 mm and a 140 mm voltage tester, at £9.95. The bullets claim GS and VDE insulation certified to IEC 60900 and tested up to 1,000 V. The amazon.co.uk line is 4.6 from 58 reviews, and the 21 texts praise machined tips, usable torque and an anti-roll grip. Those same texts call the included tester cheap, and one owner says they would not use it. There is no Pozidriv and no case in the specification. The listing says the set is for professionals working on live systems, which is a product sentence, not permission to work live on a UK 230 V circuit. At this price, with the standard named and the sizes printed, it is the best value here if you will check the marks on the handle and you do not need Pozidriv.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A first slotted and Phillips set if you will inspect the 1,000 V marks and you do not need Pozidriv.
Less suitable: Pozidriv screws, or anyone using the neon tester to decide a circuit is dead.
Specifications
Common questions
Which drivers are listed?
Flats 0.6×3.5×100, 0.8×4.0×100, 1.0×5.5×125 and 1.2×6.5×150 mm, plus PH1×80, PH2×100, and a 140 mm tester.
Is Pozidriv included?
No. The size list is flat-head and Phillips only.
What do reviews say about the tester?
One reviewer would not use the included tester and keeps a separate meter. The drivers themselves are mostly praised.
Gunpla’s listing is ten drivers and a 139 mm tester at £15.98, with slotted 3 mm to 6.5 mm, PH0 to PH2 and PZ0 to PZ2. It has the largest review count in this set, 4.5 from 2,231, and it is the only fixed set here that prints PZ0, PZ1 and PZ2 together. Some comments accept the drivers for DIY smart-switch changes while the grip is intact. Reviewers also say the VDE markings they expect are not on the tools, which undercuts the insulation line in the title. Small blades break, including a flat tip on a 13 A plug screw, rubber grips peel, and magnetism is reported lost or absent. There is no case. A 4.5 with missing marks is a weaker buy than the review count suggests, even though the Pozidriv range on the page is the widest here.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A buyer who needs PZ0 to PZ2 printed on the listing and will reject the set if the handle marks are missing.
Less suitable: Anyone treating the star count as proof of insulation, or a daily set if tips that snap are a deal-breaker.
Specifications
Common questions
Which tips are listed?
SL3, SL4, SL5.5, SL6.5, PH0, PH1, PH2, PZ0, PZ1, PZ2, plus a 139 mm tester.
Do reviews agree it is marked VDE?
Several reviewers say the markings they expect are missing and they will not trust the insulation claim. That is a review theme, not a lab result.
Does it come with a case?
The specification does not list a case. Reviews say you need your own storage.
The WEDO IN512-08 is a single PH3 driver with a 150 mm blade, listed at £8.97. The text claims 6150 chrome-vanadium, a hardness of HRC 58–63, IEC 60900, VDE 1,000 V and a 10,000 V AC test, plus a flange that keeps the exposed metal short. The amazon.co.uk extract has no star rating and no review text, so none of those claims has an owner comment in this file. PH3 is a large cross-head, and UK socket and switch screws are more often Pozidriv or slotted, so this one driver does not cover a faceplate. There is no case and no tester. Until you can read the marks on the handle, the IEC line is a claim on the page. It is not a reason to work live on a 230 V circuit.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A spare PH3 of 150 mm if you can confirm the marks on the handle yourself.
Less suitable: A socket or switch faceplate, or anyone who wants owner reviews before trusting an insulation claim.
Specifications
Common questions
What tip is this?
One cross-head, listed as PH3, with a 150 mm blade.
What insulation does the listing claim?
IEC 60900, VDE, and a 10,000 V AC test before the tool leaves the works. There is no review line on the extract.
Is it a set?
No. Number of items is 1. Weight listed is 185 g.
Scores run from 0 to 100 using amazon.co.uk listing fields captured on 15 October 2026. Stars contribute up to 40 points, review volume up to 20, how clearly the listing prints sizes, tip family and insulation up to 20, UK tip fit up to 15, and price up to 5. Deductions cover snapped tips, missing marks, soft metal, a shock allegation, and a thin or missing review file. There is no insulation test and no laboratory score. The top pick is the highest score. Best value is the usable multi-piece set that names IEC 60900 in the lower price band of this extract. A VDE line on a title is an insulation claim, not permission to work live on a UK 230 V circuit.
Amazon stars
40%amazon.co.uk stars, scaled to 40 points. A listing with no rating line scores 0 on this block. The star line is not an insulation certificate.
Review volume
20%Up to 20 points from the review count on that listing. 2,000 or more scores 20. A file under 20 reviews scores 5 before a separate thin-sample deduction.
Listing clarity
20%Sizes printed, a tip family you can name, insulation wording, and fields that do not clash. IEC 60900, a water-bath line, or individually tested scores higher than VDE alone.
UK tip fit
15%Pozidriv named in the listing, slotted sizes named, and a reduced-diameter shaft where the listing sells one. A Phillips-only set does not score the Pozidriv points.
Price band
5%A multi-piece set at about £9 to £16 with a review line scores the full 5. Dearer sets score less. The lowest price does not win the comparison on its own.
Check the marks on the handle and the screw in front of you before the star rating. Prices below are the twelve amazon.co.uk shelf prices captured on 15 October 2026. We did not run an insulation test, and a VDE line on a title is not permission to work live on a UK 230 V circuit.
A VDE screwdriver is a hand driver with a sleeved blade and a handle meant to limit shock if the tip touches a live part. You meet it when you change a socket or a switch, or when an electrician fills a pouch. What you can check without a lab is the marks on the handle, a tip that matches the screw, and a sleeve that is not cut or taped. VDE and GS are manufacturer claims, not a UK statute.
Phillips and Pozidriv are different recesses. A PH tip cams out of a PZ screw. UK faceplates are often Pozidriv or slotted. The Wera top pick has no Pozidriv.
VDE in a bullet is weaker than the double triangle, 1,000 V, the maker and a standard number on the tool. GS is a German mark, not UKCA. Gunpla reviewers say expected marks are missing.
HSE GS38 says a single-pole tester does not prove a circuit dead. Prove dead with a two-pole tester checked before and after. Do not shorten the sleeve or tape a cut one.
Look for the double triangle, 1,000 V beside it, the maker, and BS EN IEC 60900 or IEC 60900. A bullet that only says VDE tested is weaker than marks you can see. GS is a German tested-safety mark, not UKCA and not a lifespan guarantee. In this extract ArmaKit names IEC 60900 at about £9.95. Anesty says designed to meet 1,000 V and does not print the standard number. A star rating between 4.5 and 4.7 is not that mark.
Match the screw. UK faceplates are often Pozidriv or slotted. Phillips cams out of Pozidriv. Many consumer-unit terminals are slotted or plus-minus. A reduced-diameter sleeve helps a recessed screw and still needs the same insulation marks. Only the Wera 160 iSS/7 in this extract is sold as slim, at about £41.80, and its seven tips are not in the specification table. A bundled neon tester does not prove the circuit dead, and none of these twelve is a torque screwdriver.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You isolate a lighting circuit and change a faceplate. UK plates are often Pozidriv or slotted, and a large PH3 does not match. The Wera six-piece at about £25.94 lists PZ1×80 mm and PZ2×100 mm plus four slotted sizes, rated 4.6 from 438 reviews. Inspect the tips on arrival: stored reviews report snapped Pozidriv heads.
You already isolate the circuit and need reach into a recessed terminal. The Wera 160 iSS/7 is the only reduced-diameter set here, at about £41.80, rated 4.7 from 2,007 reviews. The specification table does not list the seven tips. Smaller drivers snap in stored reviews.
You want a first slotted and Phillips set and you will read the marks on the handle. The ArmaKit AKVDE-7 is about £9.95, rated 4.6 from 58 reviews, and the bullets name IEC 60900. There is no Pozidriv. Do not use the included neon tester to decide a circuit is dead.
For Phillips and slotted screws with printed sizes and a large review file, the top pick is the Wera six-piece at about £26.98, rated 4.7 from 1,072 reviews. It has no Pozidriv. For a multi-piece set that names IEC 60900 at about £9.95, the best value is the ArmaKit AKVDE-7, rated 4.6 from 58 reviews, if you do not need Pozidriv and you will not trust the included tester. A Pozidriv faceplate wants a different set, such as the Wera PZ1 and PZ2 set at about £25.94, and you should check the tips. None of these listings was lab-tested, and a VDE line is not permission to work live.
ArmaKit AKVDE-7 7-piece set
£9.95 for a multi-piece set that names IEC 60900, rated 4.6 from 58 reviews. No Pozidriv, and the included tester is not a proving device.
Editorial
Products Compared publishes British-English buying guides based on amazon.co.uk listings and public UK sources. We do not run a lab and we do not invent test scores.
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
Public UK sources and the amazon.co.uk listings in this comparison. Listings captured 15 October 2026. Page updated October 2026.
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 amazon.co.uk listings captured on 15 October 2026. We did not run a lab test.
