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How to use an electric screwdriver

Updated: October 2026

The box is open and the first cam on a new bedside table is about to show whether you have got it right. How to use an electric screwdriver is five steps in order: charge it from a UK source, fit a bit that matches the screw, set the direction, start on the lowest setting that still turns the screw, and stop when the head seats. If you are still choosing, the [electric screwdriver comparison](/hub/screws-and-accessories/electric-screwdriver) lists the models. This is a driver for existing holes, not a drill. A qualifying purchase through our links can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

The box is open and the first cam on a new bedside table is about to show whether you have got it right.

Our top picks

Bosch Bosch IXO 7

Best overall

Bosch Bosch IXO 7
8.5/10about £41.90
View offer
Bosch Professional Bosch GO 3

Rank 2

Bosch Professional Bosch GO 3
8.3/10about £56.50
View offer
HYCHIKA HYCHIKA SD-4F

Best value

HYCHIKA HYCHIKA SD-4F
7.8/10about £17.89
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Charge it before you need it
  2. 2.Fit the bit that matches the screw
  3. 3.Set the direction, then the clutch
  4. 4.Pressure, light, and when to stop

Charge it before you need it

Most household electric screwdrivers have a built-in lithium cell, so you cannot swap in a spare halfway through a wardrobe. Charge the tool fully before you start, on a hard surface, not a bed or a sofa. Electrical Safety First recommends the original charger and not leaving a lithium pack on charge overnight. Some boxes include a mains charger with a UK plug. Others contain only a micro-USB or USB-C cable, which still needs a UK USB plug you trust. Do not force a non-UK plug in with a travel adaptor. If the plug does not fit, the electric screwdriver buying guide covers what the box should have named.

Fit the bit that matches the screw

Most screw-head damage starts with the wrong bit, not with too much power. UK flat-pack often uses Pozidriv rather than Phillips. Real Homes uses a PZ2 label as its worked example, and PZ2 is the size for most cupboard screws. Johnsons Timber says keep both Pozidriv and Phillips to hand. A loose Phillips bit in a Pozidriv head is mixing up Pozidriv and Phillips. Push the bit fully into the hex collet until it does not wobble, and keep it in line with the screw. Slotted screws slip sideways under power, so drive those by hand.
Bosch Bosch IXO 7

Testsieger

Bosch Bosch IXO 7
8.5/10about £41.90
View offer

Set the direction, then the clutch

Clockwise tightens and anti-clockwise loosens, but the symbols differ, so practise the switch in the air. Some UK reviews of the Bosch GO 3 say its direction control is awkward. If the tool has a clutch, start on the lowest setting and move up only if the screw stops short of flush. Flatpackadvice.co.uk says go up, not down. The Draper listing highlights 11 settings, WORX and Amazon Basics show 3, the GO 3 bullet says 7, and the Fanttik prints 0.5–6 Nm. The HYCHIKA, the IXO, the BLACK+DECKER and the MQFORU do not print numbered steps. With no clutch, short bursts are the limit.

Pressure, light, and when to stop

Use light pressure along the screw. Electrical Safety First says seat the bit, then press gently rather than lean on the tool. Too little pressure lets the bit jump. Too much crushes chipboard. The Bosch GO 3 is push-to-start, and one UK review says it started while a bit was being fitted, so keep your fingers off the bit during a change. Stop when the head sits flush. In particle board, finish the last quarter-turn by hand. A new hole, a long structural screw or masonry is a drill, which electric screwdriver vs cordless drill sets out.

Common questions

Which way is tighten on an electric screwdriver?
Clockwise tightens and anti-clockwise loosens, viewed from behind the tool. Most electric screwdrivers have a slider or rocker switch for direction, and the symbols vary between brands. Before you touch a screw, press the switch briefly in the air and watch which way the bit turns. That two-second check saves a lot of reversed screws on flat-pack furniture.
Do I need Pozidriv or Phillips bits?
Keep both. UK screws, especially on flat-pack furniture, often use Pozidriv, and PZ2 is the size you will use most often. A Phillips bit fits a Pozidriv head loosely and tends to cam out and round off the screw. Check for the four small extra lines between the main slots, which identify a Pozidriv head.
Where do I set the clutch for the first screw?
Start on the lowest numbered setting. If the screw stops before its head is flush, move up one step and try again. Numbered steps are not comparable across brands, so a 3 on one tool is not the same as a 3 on another. Moving up gradually protects the screw head and the material, particularly chipboard and MDF.
What if my electric screwdriver has no clutch?
Several models, including the HYCHIKA and the Bosch IXO, do not print numbered clutch steps. In that case, use short bursts on the trigger as the screw gets close to seating and release the moment the head sits flush. On particle board, finish the last quarter-turn by hand so the screw does not strip the hole.
How do I charge it if the box only contains a cable?
Plug the cable into a UK USB plug or another port you already trust, and charge on a stable, hard surface. Electrical Safety First recommends using the original charger where one is supplied and not leaving lithium batteries charging overnight. Do not use a travel adaptor to fit a non-UK plug into a UK socket.
What do I do with a push-to-start screwdriver?
A push-to-start tool, such as the Bosch GO 3, starts turning when you press the bit against something. Keep your fingers away from the bit while fitting or changing it, because one UK review reports the tool starting during a bit change. Seat the bit in the screw first, then press steadily along the line of the screw.
When should I stop and use a hand screwdriver?
Switch to a hand screwdriver when the screw head starts to burr, when an Allen-style fitting begins to round off, or for the final turn in particle board. Slotted screws are also better done by hand, because a powered blade slips sideways. A hand finish takes seconds and avoids a stripped hole that is hard to repair.

Related pages

Electric screwdriver for furniture

Electric screwdriver

Best cordless screwdriver UK top pick and best value

Electric screwdriver buying guide for torque and clutch

Electric screwdriver vs cordless drill for UK jobs

Sources

Listing prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk extracts kept for this comparison. Public UK sources cover chargers, plugs, machinery supply and vibration limits for paid work. A BBC Gardeners' World round-up is listed as a public mention of an IXO 7 and a BLACK+DECKER. It is not this site's test. Prices move.

  1. amazon.co.uk extracts, Bosch IXO 7 and sibling listings (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  2. BBC Gardeners' World, electric screwdrivers (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  3. ManoMano UK, cordless screwdriver buying guide (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  4. B&Q, electric screwdriver and impact driver buying guide (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  5. Kitd, cordless screwdriver UK 2026 (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  6. HSE, hand-arm vibration (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  7. Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016, regulation 35 (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  8. Consumer Rights Act 2015 (retrieved 16 October 2026)