Bosch High-Carbon Steel Hex Shank Screwdriver Bit Set

Why I reached for this set

I keep a few “catch-all” bit kits in the shop and truck, and over the past few months, Bosch’s 47‑piece bit set has been the one I’ve reached for most. It’s compact enough to live in a tool bag, broad enough to cover almost any fastening task I run into, and—most importantly—its tips fit fasteners cleanly without chewing themselves up after a day’s work. If you’ve ever wasted time hunting for a proper P2 or R2, or fought with cam‑out on a stubborn screw, the appeal here is immediate.

What’s in the box

Bosch organizes this set around the bits you actually burn through:

• 1-inch insert bits: heavy on the workhorse sizes—Phillips P2 and square R2—plus P1, P3, R1, R3, three slotted sizes, and Torx T15, T20, T25.
• 2-inch power bits: mostly P2 and R2, with a couple slotted in a longer reach for recessed fasteners.
• Magnetic nutsetters: 1/4-inch and 5/16-inch for hex-head screws and small bolts.
• Magnetic bit holder: a standard finder/driver for the 1-inch inserts.

There are no drill bits in this kit; it’s a pure driving set. The shanks are 1/4-inch hex, so they drop into a magnetic bit holder, a hex driver chuck, or a regular three-jaw drill chuck without drama.

Build quality and tip geometry

The bits are high‑carbon/tool steel, fully hardened and tempered. That’s pretty standard language, but in practice it shows up in two ways: the edges stay crisp longer than bargain-bin bits, and the tips are formed precisely enough that they seat firmly in the fastener. On stubborn P2 screws, I noticed less “rocking” in the head and fewer skipped cam‑outs, especially compared with miscellaneous shop leftovers I used to keep in a coffee can.

Bosch’s precision-formed tips are the real differentiator here. In cabinet work and pocket‑hole assembly (R2) I got a positive, deep bite with minimal slop; in TORX (T25 deck screws), the fit was snug without needing to “hammer in” the bit to stop wobble. The nutsetters are properly magnetized—strong enough to hold a washer-head screw straight, but not so aggressive that you fight to release shorter fasteners.

In use: wood, metal, and the occasional masonry job

Across a handful of projects—installing cabinet boxes, assembling shop carts, swapping out electrical box covers, and running deck boards—the set has covered nearly every fastener I’ve grabbed:

• Wood: P2 and T25 drove cleanly with minimal cam‑out in pine and pressure‑treated lumber. The 2-inch P2 bits are helpful when you need reach past a countersink or hardware.
• Metal: Self‑tapping hex‑head screws into 18‑ga sheet were straightforward with the 1/4-inch nutsetter. The magnet held long enough to start the screw one‑handed.
• Masonry-adjacent tasks: After pre‑drilling for concrete screws, the P2 and nutsetter handled installation without rounding. This isn’t a masonry kit, but the bits didn’t flinch at the torque of driving Tapcon‑style screws once the hole was properly sized.

I ran the bits in both a compact 12V drill/driver and an 18V impact driver. While these aren’t marketed as “impact‑rated,” they handled moderate impact use fine. For all‑day, high‑torque impact work, I’d still reach for torsion‑zone, impact‑rated bits, but for mixed tasks the Bosch set held up well.

The case and organization

The case is about 8.75 x 8 x 1.5 inches and weighs roughly 1.2 lbs loaded—flat enough to slide into a bag sleeve or drawer. Inside, bits are grouped logically: inserts together, longer power bits off to one side, nutsetters and holder easy to grab. I appreciate that Bosch padded the counts where it matters: there are lots of P2 and R2 in both lengths, which are the bits I burn through most. I didn’t have to cannibalize from other kits partway through a job.

Retention is firm enough that bits don’t scatter if the case gets jostled, yet they’re not so tight that you need pliers to pull a bit. The included magnetic holder has reliable retention and just enough “grip” on inserts to avoid accidental drops, with minimal wobble.

Compatibility and control

• Shank: 1/4-inch hex across the board, so it plays well with drills, drivers, and most multi-bit screwdrivers.
• Chucks: Works in both hex collets and standard three‑jaw chucks. There’s no quick‑change chuck included, which is fine by me because the supplied bit holder covers most needs.
• Reach: The split between 1-inch inserts and 2-inch power bits is well-judged. The longer bits help you clear hardware and trim without adding the flex you can get from a long extension.

Durability and wear

After several weeks of mixed tasks, the wear pattern is encouraging. The P2 edges have a light burnish but no rounding; the R2 corners remain crisp; and the T25 ribs still seat tightly. I haven’t snapped a tip or twisted a shank. That said, any hardened bit can be brittle at the extremes—if you plan to lean on a high‑torque impact all day, impact‑rated torsion bits are the safer choice. For everyday driving, these strike a solid balance between hardness (edge retention) and resiliency.

The magnetic nutsetters show typical polish wear on the flats but haven’t lost magnet strength. They’re not thin‑walled specialty nutsetters, so if you need to fit into very narrow channels, plan accordingly.

Where it falls short

No kit is perfect. A few limitations stood out:

• No hex (Allen) or Pozidriv bits. For furniture assembly and European hardware, you’ll want a few common hex sizes on hand.
• No security Torx. If you work on fixtures that use pin-in Torx, this set doesn’t cover it.
• Not impact‑rated. They tolerate casual impact use, but heavy‑duty impact driving all day is outside their wheelhouse.
• Only two nutsetters. 1/4-inch and 5/16-inch cover most sheet‑metal screws, but if you regularly drive 3/8-inch hex heads, you’ll need an extra.

None of these are dealbreakers for general carpentry and maintenance, but they’re worth noting if you have specialized needs.

Value and who it suits

For a 47‑piece set that leans hard into the most-used sizes, the value is strong. You’re not paying for filler or oddball bits you’ll never touch, and the quality is a step up from the nameless assortments that come bundled with drills. I see this as:

• A primary kit for DIYers and homeowners who want reliable bits in a tidy case.
• A jobsite-ready secondary kit for pros who burn through P2/R2 and want a dependable backup in the bag.
• A travel kit for service techs who need Phillips, square, slotted, TORX, and basic nutsetting in one place.

If your daily work is sheet‑metal fabrication, electrical gear with security fasteners, or production‑line assembly, you’ll likely augment this with specialty or impact‑rated bits.

The bottom line

Bosch’s 47‑piece bit set nails the fundamentals: precise tips, useful sizes, a sensible mix of lengths, and a compact case that’s easy to live with. The bits engage cleanly, resist cam‑out, and hold their edge through real‑world use in wood and light metal. While it’s not a do‑everything kit—there are no drill bits, hex sizes, or security profiles—the coverage it offers aligns with what most of us actually drive day to day.

Recommendation: I recommend this set for anyone who wants a durable, well-curated driving kit anchored by the bits you use most. It’s a reliable “grab-and-go” solution for general carpentry, maintenance, and assembly. If you rely heavily on an impact driver all day or need specialized profiles, pair it with an impact‑rated torsion set and a handful of hex/security bits, and you’ll be covered.