“Best Allen Wrench Set 2022 Review”
- What is the difference between the Allen key: The hex key (Allen key and Allen wrench) is a basic driver for screws with a head with interior hexagonal recesses (sockets).
- Hex keys are made from a single hexagonal rod of hard steel with blunt ends that slide into similar-shaped screw sockets.
- The rods bend to 90o, creating two arms with an equal length, which resembles the shape of an “L.”
- The tool is held and rotated with its long arm generating quite a significant torque at the end of the short arm.
- Its shorter arm also secures it to reach screws that are hard to reach or rotate screws more quickly but at the expense of torque.
- Hex keys are identified by the size of a socket and are made with precise tolerances.
- This is why they are typically sold in kits of many sizes.
- Key length usually increases with increasing size, but not always proportionally.
- The various variations on this design include the shorter end embedded in a transverse handle containing keys of different dimensions that fold in the handle when using it.
- Though frequently used in terms of generalization to refer to “hex key”
- however, the “hex key “Allen” term is a trademark registered (circa 1910) of the Allen Manufacturing Company
- (now Apex Tool Group) located in Hartford, Connecticut; therefore, “Allen key” and “Allen wrench” are not generic trademarks.
• Here are the prices now in various markets, but you must read the article to make it clear with you and buy the right item for you
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Bondhus 20199 Balldriver L-Wrench Double Pack, 10999 (1.5-10mm) and 10937 (0.050-3/8-Inch), Angle...
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AliExpressHow to use hex screws ?
Hexagonal screws are utilized in various items such as tables, toilet paper holders, and bicycles.
For loosening or tightening these screws, you’ll require a particular wrench known as the Allen wrench or Hex wrench.
They usually come in sets of various sizes and have different lengths of arms, end kinds, and storage cases.
To help you figure out which set is right for you, we’ve created this guide of the best Allen wrenches.
Please continue reading to find out about our suggestions and the performance of each set during our depth tests.
(BEST CASE) TEKTON 25282 Hex Key Wrench Set:
The case of this set holds your wrenches secure and makes it simple to take out a certain size.
The holes are ideally suited to every wrench, and it is possible to swing open the case to access the wrench you require.
In addition, these wrenches feature a black oxide finish which shields against corrosion.
They also have the housing is colour-coded for easy identification.
Key Features
13.13 wrenches measured in millimetres
In inches, 13 wrenches
Ball-end design
Two rubber cases
What Customers Are Saying ?
More than 3,000 people have evaluated the Allen wrench kit on Amazon. This product has an average of 4.8 5 stars from five, and 90% of reviews have four or five stars.
The wrenches were liked by customers because they included in the set have ball ends and that they could be used to reach any screw as they could enter at an angle, and the ball-ends would fit inside the screw.
Some customers complained that the wrenches had an entry angle of 10 degrees instead of the 25 that TEKTON stated.
Our Experience
The case in this set held the wrenches in place, making them easy to reach. These holes are perfect for the wrenches.
We also liked how the top row opened open, making it simpler to grab the wrench.
We tested three wrenches from the set in terms of performance, and none of them encountered problems tightening or loosening screws.
The wrenches were able to loosen a tight screw and also a screw located that was on the underside of furniture.
The screw’s ball-end proved particularly useful in loosening the second screw since we could look at the screw from an angle rather than straight across.
Our Score
This set checked all the boxes for the things you require from the case and wrenches, and we awarded all the marks all around.
Scoring Breakdown
| Metric | Score |
|---|---|
| Case ergonomics | 5/5 |
| Wrench end type performance | 5/5 |
| Wrench arm length and leverage | 5/5 |
| Overall score | 5/5 |
Best Ball-End: Bondhus 20199 L-Wrench Double Pack
The wrenches included in this set come with straight ends and ball ends.
These ball-ends on longer arms let you connect the fastener at an angle.
This can be useful for screws that are difficult to reach, such as those that are underneath a piece of furniture.
Key Features
- Nine wrenches measured in millimeters
- In inches, 13 wrenches
- Ball-end design
- Two rubber cases
What Customers Are Saying
The item has an overall rating of 4.9 5 stars from Amazon after more than 2,000 customers have reviewed it.
From those reviews, 99 percent of them stated that it was a 5- or 4-star product.
The customers were satisfied with the high-quality wrenches. In the process of loosening the tight screw, the wrenches did not strip the screw or snap, unlike the other brands made in China.
However, some customers thought that the set was missing some sizes of wrenches and made it difficult to loosen all screws they encountered.
Our Experience
The set case did an excellent job of holding the wrenches in place, but the rubber surrounding the wrenches was very tight and made it difficult to take the wrenches out when you wanted to make use of the wrenches.
We tried three wrenches of various sizes from this collection like the previous set.
They all could adjust screws to loosen or tighten the furniture we purchased.
The wrenches included in this set came with ball ends similar to the wrenches from the previous set, making it easier to get a screw to the side of the furniture.
The wrenches also could loosen a screw without difficulty.
Our Score
The wrenches in this set worked well; however, we removed one point from the set’s ergonomics score because they were difficult to pull off the cases.
Scoring Breakdown
| Metric | Score |
|---|---|
| Case ergonomics | 4/5 |
| Wrench end type performance | 5/5 |
| Wrench arm length and leverage | 5/5 |
| Overall score | 4.7/5 |
Length of the wrench arm and leverage 5/5
Score overall 4.7/5
Best Dual Set: TEKTON 25253 Hex Key Wrench Set;
The set includes 15 short-arm wrenches measured in millimeters and 15 long-arm wrenches measured in inches, providing plenty of sizes for your wrenches and length options to fit a variety of screw kinds.
The wrenches are also in a storage case with hinges that can be opened in a flat position, making it much easier to access the wrenches.
Key Features
The 15-inch wrench in millimeters
The 15 wrenches are measured in inch
Straight-end design
Hard plastic case
What Customers Are Saying?
More than 4,000 Amazon customers have left this set with an average score in the range of 4.7 stars.
Ninety-two percent of reviews written by customers were either four or 5-star ratings.
The positive reviews noted that the set came with various wrench sizes and that the standard sizes, generally the ones in between, are strong and didn’t snap or bend when pressure was applied. However, the smaller wrenches were described as fragile and broke easily.
Our Experience
The wrenches were in a plastic case which opened with a flat surface on the table.
It was easy to see all the sizes and then pull off the tool we wanted to utilize.
Although all the wrenches did not fall from their slot, smaller pieces fell from their slots, warning that they wouldn’t remain in place during transport.
Even though the wrenches weren’t inside the slots, they were within the case.
We tried three wrenches in mid-range of scale in terms of performance, and all three loosened and tightened screws with no difficulty.
Although these wrenches did not feature ball ends as the two sets, we tested in our review, and we were in a position to loosen a difficult-to-reach screw on a piece of furniture.
Also, we were able effortlessly to loosen an extremely tight screw.
Our Score
Although this set passed every test without issue, we took a point for ergonomics of the case because certain wrenches came from their slots.
We found that the test jog was not sufficient to break the wrenches. Perhaps an even more thorough method of transportation, such as the set lying loose in the back of your car, might remove the wrenches from their slots.
Scoring Breakdown
| Metric | Score |
|---|---|
| Case ergonomics | 4/5 |
| Wrench end type performance | 5/5 |
| Wrench arm length and leverage | 5/5 |
| Overall score | 4.7/5 |
Most Affordable: HORUSDY Allen Wrench Set.
The Allen wrench set made by HORUSDY is less expensive than other sets that we have reviewed, such as the similar set from TEKTON,
which comes with 30 wrenches and the hard plastic case.
TThe wrenches are heat-treated with black oxide, have black-colored finishes, and an old-fashioned drive which allows for more leverage when used.
Key Features
The 15-inch wrench in millimeters
The 15 wrenches are measured in inch
Straight-end design
Hard plastic case
What Customers Are Saying ?
Like the previous set by TEKTON, the one we have from HORUSDY is rated with an average of 4.7 stars.
This rating comes from more than 1700 reviews, with 93 percent of them giving the product a rating of 4 or 5 stars.
Most customers were impressed with how complete this set is, particularly given its low cost.
Many customers have said that this set had the correct wrench for each screw they came across, even screws which their previous sets were unable to accommodate.
Similar to complaints regarding the tiny wrenches used in prior sets, users complained that the small wrenches of this set were easily bent.
Our Experience
The wrenches were packaged in a tough plastic case. However, the case did not meet expectations in many aspects.
The smaller wrenches slipped in their slots and were removed after carrying the case for a brief run.
The case tab was difficult to remove, making it difficult to access the wrenches.
The three Allen wrenches we tried from this set loosened and tightened screws easily.
We were able to loosen a tight screw and a difficult-to-reach screw with no issues.
Our Score
This set scored full marks for the type of wrench and the length of the wrench arm.
However, it was the least score of all the sets we reviewed. Smaller wrenches fell out of their slots and we struggled repeatedly to open the box to access those screws.
Scoring Breakdown
| Metric | Score |
|---|---|
| Case ergonomics | 3.5/5 |
| Wrench end type performance | 5/5 |
| Wrench arm length and leverage | 5/5 |
| Overall score | 4.5/5 |
Best Foldable Set: Texas Best Folding Hex Keys
They are made of high-quality material and a flexible angle that allows for various circumstances.
The Texas Best wrenches come in an adjustable holder that folds instead of an actual rubber or plastic holder.
The most significant benefit is that you do not have to worry about losing an item.
Key Features
Eight wrenches, measured in millimeters
Nine wrenches for inches
Straight-end design
Foldable case
What customers are saying
The foldable set comes with an average rating of 4.6 stars from more than 1,000 Amazon customers.
Most customers were happy with the set, and 89% of them rated it with five or more stars.
The customers were pleased with the holders the wrenches were packaged in and said they were small and light.
In addition, they appreciated that the non-slip surface on the wrenches makes them easy to hold when changing screws.
However, some customers complained that the Allen wrench set was packaged inside the box was fiddly to get out of.
Our Experience
This set can be folded, which means it was down half a point since it was impossible to segregate only one wrench and the other.
It also lost half point because certain wrenches hung loosely within the holders.
Instead of keeping the wrench in one place, some of the wrenches would hang and be constantly in.
This didn’t hamper our use of the set; however, it was a hassle.
Concerning performance, the set successfully used three wrenches of different sizes.
We anticipated that the set would be unable to earn points for the wrench’s arms’ length and leverage,
as we feared that the holder could hinder the movement of the wrench and interfere with the wrench’s ability to release a difficult-to-reach screw.
Although this was the situation, it wasn’t as hard as we’d hoped, and we only took one point.
The set also could loosen a screw without difficulty.
It was probably able to handle the screw with the most ease of the other sets reviewed in this review due to the thickness of the holder providing us with more of a grip.
Our Score
The set was awarded all points for the end of the wrench type metric. However, it did not earn points for the length of the case and the length of the wrench arm due to its heavy holder.
Scoring Breakdown
| Metric | Score |
|---|---|
| Case ergonomics | 4/5 |
| Wrench end type performance | 5/5 |
| Wrench arm length and leverage | 4.5/5 |
| Overall score | 4.5/5 |
The Buying Guide
Before you purchase an Allen wrench set, consider the following points.
Handle Type
Here are a few of the most commonly used varieties of hex key handle:
L-Shaped
This is the most well-known kind of hex handle. The key is bent to 90 degrees and comes with two arms: short and long.
Based on the tightness of the area, it is possible to use either arm to remove bolts or screw them.
T-Handle
A T-handle wrench includes a crossbar at that top part of the wrench, which gives the user more room to hold on to when using. But, it might not be suitable for all scenarios, particularly when you’re trying to reach the tightest of spaces.
P-Handle
A P-handle Hex key is similar to a T-handle due to the crossbar on top of the. But, the grip is more substantial and provides users more space to grasp.
Three-Way
A three-way Hex key is like a spoke with three keys of different sizes protruding from it. It’s more adaptable due to its various sizes; however, it’s not ideal for tight spaces.
Ratchet
This kind of handle is like the socket set, which has the ratcheting handle and various-sized sockets. But, the ratchet comes with the hex keys you can connect to the handle and use as sockets. This type of set offers you the complete ability to control the hex key; however, the handle takes up lots of space, restricting the areas you can place it.
Screwdriver
Screwdriver Hex keys come with handles that look similar to the handle that you will get on the Phillips head screwdriver or flathead.
Foldable
Sets with folding handles are like pocket knives, in that the knives can be folded out and in when you’re ready to utilize them.
In general, you’ll never lose the hex keys since they’re connected to the base. However, the base restricts the amount of leverage you can use when tightening or loosening the screw.
Number
Check that your Allen wrench set includes various sizes of wrenches to suit different needs by buying an Allen wrench set that includes at minimum ten sizes of wrenches.
Each set of hex keys should come with size labels that are either millimeters or inches or both, so you can determine what wrench to grab and then use.
Material
The Allen wrench set that is made of premium steel or alloys such as chrome vanadium steel is durable enough to last for many years of use. If you opt for a lesser-quality materials, you keys may be bent or edges may be damaged over time.
Surface Finish
Since hex keys are composed of metal, they’re prone to corrosion and rust, even without a protective coating.
To keep corrosion and rust from reducing the lifespan of your set, you should look for the one with a black oxide layer on your wrenches.
Review Standards
After narrowing down our choices to 20 sets, we took a more detailed review of each and looked at other factors, such as the number of wrenches included in the set, the kind of case they were in, and what kind and end they were.
We then chose five sets, purchased them, and tried them on the three metrics listed below.
Testing Metrics
To evaluate the performance of each Allen wrench set, We tested the sets on the ergonomics of the case, the performance of the wrench’s end, as well as the length of the wrench arm and leverage.
Case Ergonomics
Allen wrenches are generally stored in four ways: made of hard plastic, rubber holders, inside pouches, or sets that can be folded.
Cases made of hard plastic and holders made of rubber are generally more durable and are easier to carry around.
Some cases can be too large for the wrenches, making them susceptible to falling off.
Foldable sets can be bulky and hinder the user from taking one wrench at a time.
The Wrench End Performance Type
The ends of the Allen wrench can be straight or rounded. Straight-end wrench resembles the end the screw.
It has an hexagonal shape with straight edges. In contrast, an end-ball wrench features an hexagonal pattern in the middle
Ball-end wrenches are great because their hexagonal shape allows them to get into the screw head, and their ball-shaped shape permits them to approach the screw at an angle.
This allows you to loosen or tighten difficult-to-reach screws.
Leverage and length of the Wrench Arm.
The size of the arms of the wrench differs from wrench to set and wrench to.
Every wrench will have a distinct arm length if you look at a set. The bigger the head of the wrench is, the longer the arm.
However, the proportions between the size of the head and the length of the arms are identical across one set.
There are times when you’ll come across an assortment of double-packs that have various wrenches, including short arms and wrenches that have long arms.
In this case, all short arms will have the same head-size-to-arm-length ratio, and all long arms will have the same head-size-to-arm-length ratio.
However, a different set may have a different head-size-to-arm-length ratio.
For example, a 1/16-inch wrench that comes from one may be shorter than one of 1/16 inches from another set.
The use of Allen wrenches with longer arms allows you to access screws further away and is hard to get rid of.
An extended arm also gives you greater leverage, allowing you to apply the needed force needed to loosen a screw.
Testing Procedure
We ran various tests that allowed us to evaluate every product based on the above metrics.
Case Ergonomics
We began by looking at the kind of case the set was packaged in. We awarded higher marks to cases made of hard plastic and holders made of rubber since they last longer than any other material.
Then, we assessed how well the cases held the wrenches in the right place by taking an 0.5-mile course through the office building using an appropriate wrench.
After the run, we examined each case to determine whether any wrenches were loose.
Then, we examined the ease with which each case could be opened or closed and how easy it was to reach the wrenches.
Performs Wrench End
We tried the three Allen wrenches of each set of three screws of various dimensions.
We assessed whether the wrenches stayed in place when tightening and loosening screws or if they moved out.
Leverage and length of the Wrench Arm.
We conducted two tests on this measurement. In the first test, we tried to determine whether the arm’s length was sufficient for it to access a screw further away from the bottom of an item of furniture.
In the second test, we evaluated the leverage of the wrench by tightening an existing screw and then analyzing how the wrench was able to loosen it.
Scoring
Each metric earned 5 points, and the final score was a sum of each metric’s scores.
Case Ergonomics
We gave the set 1 point and the Allen wrench set based on the kind of case the wrenches were in.
We gave all points to the set of wrenches in a tough plastic case or a rubber holder and deducted half a point for sets that fold or pouches that fold.
Two points were given according to how well the case held the wrenches in place as the team member jogged through the facility.
If the case could stop the wrenches from falling out, the case was awarded two points. If the case opened and the wrench fell out during testing, we took 1 moment.
The two remaining points were awarded based on the ease we could remove the wrenches from or out.
If we did not have difficulty taking them in and out, the set was awarded two points.
If we had difficulty getting the wrenches in and out the wrenches, we were penalized 1/2 of a point or one point.
The Wrench End Performance Type
We evaluated each wrench’s capacity to loosen and tighten screws using a scale of 1 to 5.
Then, we averaged the three scores to create an aggregate score of this measurement.
Leverage and length of the Wrench Arm.
The first test was conducted, we awarded 2.5 points for an item with wrench arms sufficient in length to reach a screw further away.
If we encountered difficulty reaching the screw, we took 1/2 of a point or one point.
In the second test, we gave 2.5 points per set when its wrench could easily release a tightened screw, and we deducted one point if we encountered difficulty getting the screw loose.
Frequently Answered Questions
Are Hex keys as well as Allen wrenches the same thing?
Yes. William G. Allen patented the hexagon-shaped tool in the early 1900s. This is why the product is named by its inventor or due to its shape.
What do I require the Allen wrench set to use it for?
Here are a few items that might have hexagonal screws that need an Allen wrench for installation or maintenance:
Furniture, such as tables or barstools
Tools, such as power saws
Bicycles
Motorcycles
Plumbing fixtures
Cars
Skateboards
What is cam-out?
Cam out occurs when the wrench falls out of the screw’s head when it’s trying to tighten or loosen.
If this happens for a long time, the screw will be worn and no longer be functional.
To prevent cam-out, make sure you use the appropriate wrench to complete the task and ensure the wrench is parallel towards the screw.
In conclusion:
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Well made and easy to handle. The ball-end design helps get into tight places and stills provide enough torque to get the job done. Has all the sizes I need (SAE and metric) for around-the-house use.
Well made and easy to handle. The ball-end design helps get into tight places and stills provide enough torque to get the job done. Has all the sizes I need (SAE and metric) for around-the-house use.
Very good price for both the standard and metric sets. They have more sizes than other sets I have bought in the past. Hopefully they will hold up well to heavy use.
Very good price for both the standard and metric sets. They have more sizes than other sets I have bought in the past. Hopefully they will hold up well to heavy use.
Much better than I expected. Good size. Good compact design. The only problem with them is that you have to rotate some of the wrenches to get to the one you want.
Much better than I expected. Good size. Good compact design. The only problem with them is that you have to rotate some of the wrenches to get to the one you want.
Very good quality, nothing to envy other expensive brands.
I like the cases keep everything organized and the ball on the tip lets you angle the wrench wham using
I have been using Bondhus for many years, a very common tool i use in my industry, long lasting, excellent quality.