Best Magnetic Bit Holder

Magnetic bit holders can really help you out, particularly at times when you need to use your drill one-handed.

But there are issues, to start with there are hundreds of different magnetic bit holders available, some are amazing and others are crap. But how do you know which one to go with?

Well usually I would say go with a trusted brand, but after testing lots of different bit holders here even that advice doesn’t hold true. So let me do the work for you and tell you what the best magnetic bit holder is.

Testing The Bit Holders

If you want to skip all the testing and just buy the best then here is our winner. To find out how this bit holder won keep on scrolling!

I bought lots of different bit holders out of my own pocket and will now get down to testing. I will test how strong the magnets in each bit are as well as how easy they are to use. Lots of these bit holders have fancy release systems, which I know from experience can easily fail, leaving your screw bit stuck in the holder.

Magnet Test

To see how strong the magnets in these bits are I wanted to see how many nuts they could pick up. I chose this as it is a fairly simple and repeatable way to illustrate the different magnetic strengths of these bit holders.

Trend Magnetic Bit Holder

This is our winner and favourite of the magnetic bit holders we tested.

The bit holder has a nice and strong magnet, which picked up 8 nuts and was the second strongest of the magnets we tested. It did all of this while having a slimline and simple design.

The only possible issue with this bit holder is also one of its best features. The spring release system works really well and makes taking bits out so simple. It feels smooth and high quality. The issue is though, how long will it last?

These types of mechanisms tend to fail over time, will this happen with the trend? I have no idea, I will start using this holder day to day and let you know in an update if I have any issues.

Bosch Bit Holder

The bit holder from Bosch is a bit of a letdown in the magnet department, clocking in at only 3 magnets. I am also not a fan of the collar release design on these holders. I have used them frequently and lost track of the number of times a bit has got stuck in and the spring release has seized up.

If you ever think of using them in the rain then you can usually kiss goodbye to them ever working properly again, not ideal for our weather.

The bit holder is also big and bulky and can really get in the way when you are trying to get into confined spaces. The power of the magnet really isn’t enough payback for all of the drawbacks with this bit holder, 2 stars from me.

Makita Mag Boost

The magnet on this Makita bit holder is strong, picking up 6 nuts in my test, blowing the Bosch above out of the water.

This is a decent bit holder but does have a few drawbacks, to start with the price. Coming in at around £14 at the time of writing it is just a lot of money for a magnet and a few bits. Sure the bits are high quality and the magnet is strong but it is still a decent chunk of cash.

Another issue I have with this bit holder is this it is quite chunky. The magnet is quite round, admittedly it is smaller than the Bosch but it will still prevent you from getting into tight spots.

Makita Ultra Magnetic Bit Holder

This was the strongest magnetic bit holder out of the ones I tested. It features a rare earth neodymium magnet that picked up 9 nuts in my test, blowing the competition out of the water.

The problem I have with this bit holder, and the reason it didn’t win my “best overall award” is simply the cost and size of the bloody thing. It is expensive and it is huge, it is also a pain to change bits in it.

Milwaukee Magnetic Bit Holder

This is a simple design, with a thin collar and no locking mechanism. This may seem basic to some people, but these kinds of designs are perfect. Why complicate the matter, a bit holder should be a simple thing that just works, and this is exactly what this Milwaukee magnetic bit holder does.

The holder has one of the strongest magnets in our test, picking up a total of 5 nuts.

The slim profile also means it is easier to get into tight spots. The fact that the bits just pull out means changing bits is quick and easy and there is nothing that can go wrong with any mechanism.

Saxton Magnetic Bit Holder

This is one of the cheaper bit holders in our test, but when it comes to pure magnet strength it put up a decent fight, picking up 4 nuts. This is more than some of the big brands managed at a much higher price.

The design is very simple and much like the Milwaukee above, this is no bad thing though as I have already said. This is a simple tool, which means there is less that can go wrong with it.

You can buy it as part of a pack with a long and short bit holder. The long one is really useful for getting into hard to reach spots.

Wera Round Bit Holder

This bit holder was a bit of a letdown from a well known and high-end brand. The agent just wasn’t strong enough, only picking up 3 nuts in our testing.

The complex spring release system also just strikes me as something that will break over time. I can’t be sure about this though and maybe it will last for years and years, but I doubt it.

Wera Straight Bit Holder

This is a decent bit holder and certainly wouldn’t be the worst purchase, although it doesn’t offer enough to come out as our overall winner.

It is a simple design and nice and slim, the magnet is strong but there are definitely stronger ones in our test.