Skil 44 Piece Drilling and Screw Driving Kit with Bit Grip

Why this small kit earned a spot in my bag

I tossed the Skil 44-piece kit into my tool bag for a weekend of mixed tasks—cabinet hardware, a couple of bracket installs, some light drilling in wood and thin sheet metal—and it hasn’t left since. It’s not a full-blown shop set, but it hits the everyday sweet spot: the right driver bits, a handful of general-purpose drill bits, and two magnetic helpers that make one-handed work far less frustrating.

The standout: magnetic bit collar

The headline feature here is the magnetic bit collar that slides over a 2 in impact bit. Skil claims 4X magnetic force when used this way, and in practice it does what you hope: it holds screws securely enough to start them one-handed and to work overhead without dropped fasteners. I used it for installing cabinet knobs and a couple of small angle brackets where I needed a free hand to hold parts in place. The collar grabbed #8 and #10 screws reliably; even on slightly waxed cabinet screws it kept a steady hold. Is it infallible? No magnet is. If a screw is oily or the recess is shallow, you still want to guide the first thread. But compared with a standard magnetic holder, I had fewer fumbles and noticeably cleaner starts.

A couple of practical notes:
- You need a 2 in impact bit for the collar to seat properly. On shorter bits, it either won’t fit or it crowds the fastener head.
- The collar adds some diameter around the bit. In very tight corners, it can bump the workpiece before the screw head is snug. In most situations, though, the added bulk wasn’t an issue.

The quiet helper: magnetic insert bit holder/screw guide

Separate from the collar, the included magnetic insert bit holder serves as a screw guide. It’s the everyday option when you don’t need maximum holding force. I used it for longer drywall-style screws in pine where alignment matters more than raw magnetism. The guide reduces wobble, keeps the screw tracking straight, and it’s slimmer than the collar, so it’s better near inside edges or in shallow cabinets. If you only adopt one of the two magnetic accessories for routine tasks, the insert holder is the more universal piece. The collar then becomes your “third hand” for awkward positions and ladder work.

Bit assortment: the right essentials for household and DIY

The driver bit selection covers Phillips, slotted, hex, and square. That’s the quartet I reach for most in household work: furniture assembly (hex), electrical cover plates and hardware (slotted and Phillips), and deck/accessory fasteners (square). The coverage here is sensible, with multiple sizes in each style, but there’s a notable omission: no Torx. If you routinely drive Torx-head screws—common in exterior screws and some cabinet hardware—you’ll want to add a Torx set to complement this kit.

The bits themselves are steel and held up fine through a weekend of work and a week of around-the-house tasks afterward. I drove a mix of soft and hard screws into pine, plywood, and light-gauge steel brackets. Cam-out was controlled as long as I matched bit size accurately and kept the driver speed moderate on final torque. I didn’t notice premature rounding or chipped tips. For heavy-duty, all-day driving in construction lumber, you’ll still want dedicated impact-rated bits in your go-to sizes, but for typical DIY and maintenance, these get the job done without complaint.

The drill bits: general-purpose and predictable

Sixteen drill bits round out the kit. They’re standard twist bits suitable for wood, plastics, and thin non-ferrous metals. In wood, they cut cleanly as long as you mark your hole—no brad points here, so they can wander on glossy finishes if you start cold. A quick punch mark or a light pilot with a smaller bit fixes that. In thin sheet metal (like bracket steel), they kept their edge over a handful of holes; feed gently and use cutting oil if you’re doing more than a couple. There are no masonry bits, so this isn’t the set for drilling brick or concrete.

For cabinet hardware installs, I appreciated having multiple sizes on hand in the same case as the driver bits. I’d still lean on dedicated brad-point bits for clean entry in visible woodwork, but for utility holes and general tasks, these are convenient.

Case and organization

The carrying case is compact and keeps everything visible at a glance. Bits stay put well enough to survive a ride in a tool bag without mixing. I like that the magnetic collar and insert holder each have their home, so I don’t fish for them in the bottom of a pocket. It’s not a heavy-duty shop box, but it opens and closes cleanly and has held up to repeated use without a hinge drama. Most importantly, it makes this kit something I actually grab because I trust the organization.

Everyday usability

A few usability notes from living with the kit:
- The 2 in bit requirement for the collar is easy to forget until you reach for it. I tossed a couple of spare 2 in Phillips and square bits into the case so the collar is always “ready to go.”
- The insert bit holder is the workhorse; the collar is the specialist. I reached for the holder 70% of the time, the collar 30%.
- Driver speed matters. Let the magnet do the holding on start, then throttle down near seating to minimize cam-out—basic practice, but the collar makes it tempting to rush.
- Because there’s no Torx coverage, I find the kit pairs best with a small Torx add-on card.

Where it fits—and where it doesn’t

This is a convenience kit, not a replacement for a shop’s worth of bits. It’s ideal for:
- Homeowners and renters tackling fixtures, shelves, furniture, and light repairs
- Punch-list work where you’re moving between drilling and driving
- Pros who want a compact “beater” set in the service van for quick jobs

It’s not the best fit if you:
- Need masonry bits or brad-point wood bits for fine woodworking
- Drive Torx fasteners routinely (you’ll need to supplement)
- Spend all day on site driving structural screws—in that case, invest in a dedicated set of impact-rated drivers in your core sizes

Durability and value

Over a couple of weeks of steady use, the bits remained serviceable and the magnetism consistent. I didn’t see flaking, and the holders didn’t loosen up. Steel bits in this category have a ceiling, of course—if you regularly drill stainless or abrasive composites, upgrade to cobalt or specialty bits. But as a compact, do-most-things kit, the balance of quality and selection is right. The inclusion of both the magnetic collar and the screw guide meaningfully improves daily usability, and that’s what elevates it above a generic 40-something-piece set.

The bottom line

The Skil 44-piece kit makes small jobs go smoother with two well-thought-out magnetic accessories and a sensible mix of driver and drill bits. It’s organized, easy to live with, and dependable for the kinds of tasks most people face weekly. You’ll want to add Torx drivers and, depending on your work, a few specialty drill bits. But as a compact core kit, it earns its space.

Recommendation: I recommend this kit for homeowners, DIYers, and pros looking for a grab-and-go set that improves one-handed driving and everyday drilling without taking up much room. The magnetic bit collar is genuinely useful when you’re short a hand, the insert holder is a solid everyday companion, and the overall selection covers the bases for typical household and light-duty tasks. If your work leans heavily on Torx fasteners or specialty drilling, supplement it—but don’t overlook this as a practical, value-friendly foundation.