The best Hollow wall anchor setting tools, compared.
Top pick: TOPWAY molly gun Best value: TOPWAY molly gun – Tool-only plier at about £9.79 with 4.6 from 930 ratings. You supply the sleeves, and the stated stroke is 14 mm. Updated October 2026.
A hollow wall anchor setting tool is a hand plier that pulls a metal cavity anchor's screw back so the legs fold behind plasterboard instead of spinning. In the UK you buy one after ordinary plugs tear out of a stud wall, for curtain rails, mirrors, light shelves and towel rails. It is the wrong fixing for a basin or a large television on the board alone. Judge the jaw, the stroke and whether the sleeve matches the board and the hole printed for that anchor. The wall must be a board with a clear void. A stud wants a screw into the timber or metal. A dot-and-dab lining often wants a fixing that reaches the masonry. Use the drill size printed for that anchor, because M4, M5 and M6 charts do not share one bit. Read the load from the anchor maker. A published UK example in board up to 12.5 mm is 12 kg. See the [hollow wall anchor setting tool buying guide](/hub/screws-and-accessories/hollow-wall-anchor-setting-tool/sub/hollow-wall-anchor-setting-tool-buying-guide).
A hollow wall anchor setting tool is a hand plier that pulls a metal cavity anchor's screw back so the legs fold behind plasterboard instead of spinning.
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
Do you already own cavity anchors?
The TOPWAY 405500 listing is about £9.79 and shows 4.6 from 930 ratings. It is a tool only, with a stated 14 mm stroke, and no anchors in the box. It is the best value card in this set on price plus rating count for a plier you pair with your own sleeves. That is an editorial sort, not a load test.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Occasional plasterboard jobs when you already have M4 or M5 cavity anchors.
Less suitable: Long anchors that need a longer pull, or a buyer who wants sleeves in the same box.
Specifications
Common questions
Are anchors included with the TOPWAY gun?
No. The listing is a setting tool for cavity wall anchors. You buy the sleeves separately.
What stroke does the listing state?
14 mm maximum working stroke, and a 16-times arm-force figure. A UK review says it would not compress long TIMco 75 mm M5 anchors.
What do UK reviews repeat?
Most say it is easier than setting mollies by hand and sturdy for occasional jobs. A minority report a strong squeeze to start, or a plastic grip that slipped off the screw head.
The T.K.Excellent HU-XI-86 listing is about £22.99 and shows 4.6 from 801 ratings. You get a metal gun and 60 zinc-plated molly bolts in three sleeve sizes, in a box. The shear field says High and gives no kilogram. Review themes are confidence on plasterboard and hard handles.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A plasterboard house where you want three sleeve diameters and a gun together.
Less suitable: A buyer who needs a stated M6 count, or a light squeeze.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this kit include a storage box?
Yes. The bullets describe a durable box with the gun and 60 molly bolts.
What sizes are printed?
8 x 34 mm, 11 x 36 mm and 11 x 50 mm. The title also says M4 M5. A review says you need an 8 mm or 11 mm drill.
What do UK reviews repeat?
Buyers praise a secure mount where plastic plugs failed, and say the handles need a strong squeeze. One buyer could not get the handles to pull at all.
The Philoch listing is about £7.99 and shows 4.5 from 249 ratings. It is a tool only, stated for M4, M5 and M6, at 16.3 x 12.5 x 2.7 cm and 460 g. Reviews include missing E-clips and a frame one buyer calls plastic, against a metal claim on the card.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A cheap plier for a few M4 to M6 cavity anchors you already own.
Less suitable: Trade use, or anyone who needs the sleeves and a case in one box.
Specifications
Common questions
Which anchors does the Philoch listing name?
M4, M5 and M6 cavity anchors. No anchors are in the box.
Can it be used on plasterboard?
The listing says it sets cavity fixings in hollow stud walls. Reviews describe plasterboard shelves and a hollow door.
What do UK reviews repeat?
It does the job if you squeeze hard. Several buyers found retaining clips missing, so the pins fell out. One says the frame is plastic.
The Brackit MT2152 listing on amazon.co.uk is about £18.99 and shows 4.4 from 3,474 ratings. It is a kit: a steel setting tool, M4 and M5 molly sizes, a case and instructions. The title and the bullet counts do not match. Review themes include solid holds on plasterboard and tools that broke after repeated squeezes. This card is the top pick only as the most-reviewed kit in this set, not as a load test.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A stud-wall house where you want a case of M4 and M5 sleeves with the plier.
Less suitable: A job that needs M6, or a buyer who wants a tool-only plier and branded sleeves.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the Brackit kit include a setting tool?
Yes. The listing describes a specialist setting gun with a non-slip grip, plus molly bolts and a plastic carry case.
Which anchor sizes does the listing count?
The bullets say 28 M4 x 39 mm, 20 M4 x 45 mm, 22 M5 x 45 mm and 10 M5 x 58 mm. That is 80 sleeves. The title says 88 pieces and mentions wall hooks.
What do UK reviews repeat?
Many buyers use it on stud walls where plastic plugs failed. Others report a pin that wore through, threads that stripped, and a screw head too small for the jaw without a washer.
The HXX1020 listing is about £14.96 and shows 4.4 from 114 ratings. The title names M4, M5 and M6 cavity dowels with a metal plier. Counts and a brand name are not stated on the listing. There is no kilogram on the card. Reviews include both jobs that stayed up and a jaw groove that chipped.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A mid-price plier when you want M4 to M6 named on the title.
Less suitable: A buyer who needs a counted kit or a known brand.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the HXX1020 come with a storage box?
The listing questions ask about a box. The bullets do not confirm one. A review mentions a carry case and plugs.
Which threads does the title name?
M4, M5 and M6 metal cavity dowels. It does not say how many of each.
What do UK reviews repeat?
User reports mention brackets and a dartboard. Others say it needs a strong hand, and one plastic groove chipped by the 12th anchor.
The NERDON listing is about £9.99 and shows 4.4 from 2 ratings. It is a 388 g metal tool for M4, M5 and M6, with no anchors. Two reviews are not a durability record. One buyer needed two hands and saw the pull-back slip after about 10 holes.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A spare plier when you already own M4 to M6 sleeves.
Less suitable: Anyone choosing on review volume. This card has two ratings.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the NERDON tool include anchors?
No. The package quantity is 1 and the listing records no anchors.
Will the listing claim M6?
Yes. The title and a bullet say M4, M5 and M6 hollow wall anchors, for plasterboard among other boards.
What do the two UK reviews say?
One set a shelf bracket in plasterboard and felt the mechanism slip after about 10 holes. The other bought it as a replacement and does not report a break. Two reviews is a thin sample.
The Becho listing is about £17.88 and shows 4.3 from 71 ratings. You get one gun and 24 anchors across M4, M5 and M6. There is no kilogram on the card. Four UK reviews note repeated DIY use for one buyer, and a twisted handle for another.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A small counted set of three metric sizes with a gun.
Less suitable: Daily trade use, on the evidence of the review that returned a twisted handle.
Specifications
Common questions
How many plugs are in the Becho pack?
10 of M4 x 32 mm, 8 of M5 x 52 mm and 6 of M6 x 65 mm, plus one fixing gun.
Does a review say it fits other anchors?
Yes. One buyer says it suits other manufacturers' anchors from the shops. That is one report.
What do UK reviews repeat?
Four reviews are on the listing. Praise is easy use on stud walls. Criticism is a flimsy feel for trade use, and one twisted handle that was returned.
The LIBRATON 919021 listing is about £24.99 and shows 4.1 from 152 ratings. It is the widest size list in this set: six lengths from M4 x 32 mm to M6 x 65 mm, plus a tool, for a stated 3-38 mm panel. The 65 lb line is a seller claim. Seven UK reviews do not describe a snapped tool.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A buyer who wants M4, M5 and M6 lengths in one box and accepts a claim, not a datasheet.
Less suitable: Anyone who needs a published safe working load before they hang a heavy item.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the LIBRATON kit include a setting tool?
Yes. The bullets say 30 molly bolts in six sizes and one setting tool.
What weight does the listing print?
65 lb, plus a line that says 12 times stronger than plastic anchors. Neither line cites a test method.
What do UK reviews repeat?
Seven reviews are on the listing. They say it works if you hold it correctly, that quality is only fair, and that one box arrived water damaged.
The LIYOU LY1020 listing is about £15.99 and shows 3.7 from 36 ratings. The title is a 72-piece molly set with a carbon-steel tool. A bullet also says jack nut. There is no kilogram. Reviews include a first-use break and a missing latch plate.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A buyer who has read the six steps and only needs light cavity anchors.
Less suitable: A buyer who needs one mechanism named clearly, or a tool with a large review count.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this a molly set or a jack-nut set?
The title says molly bolts. One bullet calls it a jack-nut tool kit. Treat that as a conflict, not as proof the jaw fits both.
Does it come with a box?
Yes. The bullets say a durable box. A review expected a latch plate and says it was missing.
What do UK reviews repeat?
Five reviews are on the listing. One says easy and good quality. Others say the tool was poorly made, broke on first use, or arrived without a latch plate.
The CRCFSUK M5 kit is about £17.99 and shows 3.1 from 3 ratings. You get 30 M5 anchors in three lengths, 30 screws, a tool and a case. The written review says the grip would not set the bolts. Three ratings cannot support a quality claim.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Only if you specifically want an M5-only set and can return it easily.
Less suitable: A first plasterboard kit. The review count is three and the written review is a failure.
Specifications
Common questions
What board thicknesses does the listing state?
5-10 mm for the M5 x 37, 7-21 mm for the M5 x 52, and 20-34 mm for the M5 x 65. A separate line says objects up to 24 mm thick.
Does it claim a shelf load?
The listing questions ask about shelves. The bullets say mounting objects. There is no kilogram.
What does the UK review say?
The listing shows 3 ratings. The written review says the buyer drilled 9 mm holes and the pistol grip would not expand the bolts. Three ratings is a thin sample.
Ten amazon.co.uk listings were scored from the stored pages and the review notes already on file, scraped on 19 October 2026. There is no laboratory test. Stars are the listing line, not a workshop trial. The top pick is the Brackit 88-piece kit, the most-reviewed kit in this set. The best value is the TOPWAY molly gun, a tool-only plier, on price plus rating count. Neither award is a load test. The weights below sum to 100.
Clear void
25%The wall has to be a board with a void behind it. A timber or metal stud wants a screw into the stud. A dot-and-dab lining often wants a fixing that reaches the masonry, not a sleeve folded in the board.
Sleeve and board
20%Sleeve length has to match the measured panel, including tiles. One maker lists an M5 x 37 for 6-15 mm board. Longer rows start around 24 mm of substrate. A kit of one length fails on a different wall.
Jaw and stroke
20%The jaw has to fit the screw head and have enough stroke to fold the legs. Short heads need a washer in several UK reviews. One listing states a 14 mm maximum stroke, and a review says it would not set a long M5.
Drill on the packet
15%The drill diameter is the one printed for that anchor. One chart is 8 mm, 10 mm and 12 mm for M4, M5 and M6. Another maker's chart uses 7 mm, 9 mm and 10 mm for its own parts. Do not mix the charts.
Maker load
10%Read the load from the anchor maker. A published UK example for an expanding cavity fixing in board up to 12.5 mm is 12 kg safe working load. A 65 lb line on a listing is not that figure.
One mechanism
10%Prefer a listing that names M4 to M6 cavity anchors only. A title that also says jack nut, riveter or toggle has not specified the jaw. DuoHM, spring toggles and jack nuts are not set with this plier.
Decide the wall and the sleeve before you decide the plier. A kit is only useful when the sleeves match the board you measured. A tool-only plier makes sense when you already buy anchors to the maker's chart. Load figures belong to that chart, not to a converted pound line on a listing. The ten cards here were not load-tested.
A hollow wall anchor setting tool is a hand plier. It pulls the screw of a metal cavity anchor, a molly bolt or an interset, straight back so the legs fold against the rear of plasterboard instead of spinning. In the UK you buy one after ordinary plugs tear out of a stud wall, for curtain rails, mirrors, light shelves and towel rails. Do not treat it as a fixing for a basin or a large television on the board alone. Stars on the amazon.co.uk cards are buyer opinions.
The plier has to pull the screw back until the legs resist. If you drive the screw first, the anchor can spin in the hole. Seat the lugs, squeeze, then refit the screw.
The drill diameter is the one printed for that anchor. One chart is 8 mm, 10 mm and 12 mm for M4, M5 and M6. Another uses 7 mm, 9 mm and 10 mm for its own parts. Do not mix the charts.
A 65 lb line, and a claim of twelve times a plastic anchor, has no test method on the card. A published UK example for an expanding cavity fixing in board up to 12.5 mm is 12 kg safe working load. Read the load from the anchor maker.
The wall must be a board with a clear void. A timber or metal stud wants a screw into the stud. A dot-and-dab lining often wants a fixing that reaches the masonry, and British Gypsum's Site Book puts medium loads on dabbed linings on a masonry plug, not on a sleeve in the board. Sleeve length has to match the measured panel, including tiles. Fischer's HM 5 x 37 is listed for 6-15 mm board. Rawlplug's longer Interset rows start around 24 mm of substrate.
The jaw must fit the screw head and have enough stroke to fold the legs. Short heads need a washer in several UK reviews. TOPWAY states a 14 mm maximum stroke, and one review says that card would not set a long TIMco M5. Prefer a tool whose listing names M4 to M6 cavity anchors only. A title that also says jack nut, riveter or toggle has not specified the jaw. Fischer DuoHM prints 20 kg in 12.5 mm board and does not use this plier. Read the load from the anchor maker.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You want curtain rails and light shelves on a stud wall, with M4 and M5 sleeves in a case. The Brackit 88-piece kit is the top pick at about £18.99, with 4.4 from 3,474 ratings. The title and the bullet counts do not match, and some UK reviews report a broken pin.
You already buy cavity anchors and only need a jaw for M4 or M5. The TOPWAY molly gun is the best value at about £9.79, with 4.6 from 930 ratings. It is a tool only, with a stated 14 mm stroke, and a review says it would not set a long M5.
You want M4, M5 and M6 counted in one box. The Becho gun and plugs list 10 of M4 x 32 mm, 8 of M5 x 52 mm and 6 of M6 x 65 mm, at about £17.88 and 4.3 from 71 ratings. There is no kilogram on the listing, and a review calls it too flimsy for trade.
The top pick is the Brackit 88-piece kit at about £18.99. It is the most-reviewed kit in this set, at 4.4 from 3,474 amazon.co.uk ratings, with M4 and M5 sleeves, a case and a steel plier. The title and the bullet counts do not match, and UK reviews include broken pins. The best value is the TOPWAY molly gun at about £9.79, with 4.6 from 930 ratings. It is a tool only, with a stated 14 mm stroke, so you supply the sleeves and a long M5 may not set. Neither card was load-tested.
TOPWAY molly gun
Tool-only plier at about £9.79 with 4.6 from 930 ratings. You supply the sleeves, and the stated stroke is 14 mm.
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 from the research digest, used for this page in October 2026. Prices, stars and review counts are from the ten amazon.co.uk listings captured on 19 October 2026. There is no laboratory test. A 65 lb listing line is not a safe working load.
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.
