The 8 Best Screw Extractor Sets
Updated by · How we research
Spiral, multi-spline, drill-bit and plier extractors for stripped screws and broken bolts, compared. The Alden Grabit Pro 8440P leads for stripped heads. When users buy our independently chosen editorial picks, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
The worst result of this job is a snapped extractor, because the hardened steel left behind is far tougher to drill than the bolt was. The right tool depends on what failed: a stripped head, a head that still sticks up, or a stud sheared off flush. These picks cover home repairs, car work and busy shops.
Editor's Notes
October 23, 2026, by Ezvid Wiki Admin:
A two-ended bit that runs in any drill now leads the list. The Alden Grabit Pro 8440P came out ahead in a published five-kit comparison, and it is the quickest fix for the most common problem, a stripped screw head. The Irwin Hanson 11119, Neiko 04204A, Vampliers VT-001 and Ridgid 35585 stay, and we added the Gearwrench Bolt Biter 84787, the Mayhew 37332 and the Irwin Impact Screw Grip so that every kind of failure has a tool.
The Easy Out set is unavailable, the Tacklife is no longer sold, and the SpeedOut drew too many reports of broken bits. We couldn't get current details on the Hanson 53227, so it's out for now. The 48-piece Hanson master set is a shop investment, so it moved to special honors.
One thing ran through every brand's owner reports: extractors snap when they're forced. Our guide below spends more time on drilling and sizing than on brands, because that's where most jobs succeed or fail.
November 17, 2020:
Today, the multipurpose Vampliers VT-001 comes on board, as a tool designed for extracting fasteners as well as cutting through or twisting wire. Their serrated jaws are made to bite into screw heads without slipping. You can have stubborn hardware removed in less time it would take to break out the power drill. Their bright rubber handles help them to stand out on your workbench, and they’re ergonomically designed and comfortable in the hand. They’re made with safety in mind, with a protective sheath you can slip over them when they’re not in use. They can handle stripped, rusted, corroded, or stuck screws, nuts, and bolts like a champ. For a more traditional set from a well-known name in tools, look to the comprehensive, 48-piece Irwin Hanson 3101010, each component of which sports a low profile that proves useful when you’re working in small spaces. With this set, you'll receive spiral flute, multi-spline, and bolt extractors as well as hard cobalt twist bits. The included left-hand cobalt drill bits come in handy for drilling out the interiors of fasteners. They come in a large, slotted blue case, so you can keep them organized with ease.
For a set of hex-head multi-spline extractors from the same manufacturer, consider the Irwin Hanson 53227, the stout shanks of which allow you to exert a high level of torque using a tap wrench or a drill. Their aggressive left-hand spiral design provides extra gripping power, so you can remove embedded studs, bolts, socket screws, and more. For a reliable set that works with a variety of types of fasteners, check out the Ridgid 35585. The set’s 24 components are made of tough steel for years’ worth of use, and they’re backed by a lifetime warranty. When you’re using a drill or other power tool for woodworking purposes, always wear protective eyewear for safety’s sake.
July 17, 2019:
If you work on machines and structures, the day will come when you'll be tightening a fastener and suddenly, it will give out and spin freely. This means that either it broke somewhere along its length or the head has been rounded. You'll have to dedicate time to removing it. Most mechanics carry small extractor sets like the Easy Out 63-65HRC or the Ontel SpeedOut. These work fine in many cases and can be used with a driver or tap wrench.
For tougher problems, the Irwin Hanson Master Set and the Ridgid 35585 provide the greatest versatility - including bolt removers that allow you to grip onto rounded bolt heads. These also include left-handed bits that will often be all that is needed. For the left-handed bits, a drill/driver works best as it provides the speed necessary for them to remove material efficiently. The spiral flute and multi-spline extractors work best when used with tap wrenches because it allows the greatest control of speed and torque while allowing you to use a hammer to lightly tap the extractor into the bolt hole. Using a drill with these tends to overspeed the extractors and not allow the spirals to dig into the bolt material. For bolt extractors, a long-handle ratchet or a regular ratchet with a cheater bar provides the best results and allows you to gain leverage over the bolt head while minimizing the chances of further rounding.
Extraction should always be performed with the aid of a penetrating oil. As a last resort, the entire bolt (along with the base threads) can be drilled out. Then, the new hole can be tapped and a wider fastener used. All mechanic and structural work should only be performed by trained technicians or tradesmen to avoid personal injury or damage to property.
Special Honors
IRWIN Hanson Master Extraction Set The 48-piece Hanson master set combines spiral extractors, multi-spline extractors, left-hand drill bits and drill guides in one steel case. It covers far more sizes than a home shop needs and costs several times as much as the sets above, but for a fleet garage or industrial maintenance crew it's one kit for nearly any broken fastener. irwintools.com
Four Ways To Pull A Broken Screw
Double-ended drill bits, like the Alden Grabit Pro and Irwin Impact Screw Grip, do both steps in a drill: one end cuts a seat, the other end bites.
Spiral extractors, often called easy-outs, are the classic. You drill a hole in the middle of the broken screw, tap in a tapered extractor with left-hand flutes, and turn it counterclockwise. The taper wedges in harder as you turn, which grips well but can spread a thin shell of bolt against its threads. The Irwin Hanson 11119 pairs each extractor with a drill, and Bob Vila's five-kit comparison found that style works best on larger screws and bolts.
Straight-flute and multi-spline extractors go in the same kind of hole, but they grip along their length instead of wedging. That means less outward force and more torque before they give, which is why Mayhew recommends straight flutes for badly seized fasteners. Multi-spline sets like the Neiko 04204A are driven with a socket or wrench.
Double-ended drill bits, like the Alden Grabit Pro and Irwin Impact Screw Grip, do both steps in a drill: one end cuts a seat, the other end bites. They're fastest on stripped screw heads in wood and soft metal. Bit-style extractors such as the Gearwrench Bolt Biter bite a rounded head or hole from an impact driver. Extraction pliers like the Vampliers skip drilling, but only work when the head still stands proud of the surface.
Sizing And Drilling: Where Most Jobs Go Wrong
Size the extractor to the hole, not to the screw. Most sets print a chart on the case or stamp each tool with the drill to use: the Mayhew 37332 marks both the drill size and the screw it fits. A common rule from GarageTooled is to drill one size smaller than the fastener's core, so enough metal is left around the extractor to grip.
Center matters more than anything. A hole that drifts off center cuts into the threads on one side and leaves the extractor nothing to bite. Center-punch first, start slowly, and keep the drill straight. The Ridgid 35585 includes hardened drill guides for exactly this reason.
Use a left-hand (reverse) drill bit if you have one. It drills counterclockwise, so the heat and bite sometimes back the screw out before you ever reach for the extractor. Put a drop of cutting oil on the bit, and soak the threads with penetrating oil for at least 15 minutes before you turn, as Bob Vila advises.
When An Extractor Breaks, And How To Avoid It
Extractors are hardened so they can cut into a screw, and hardened steel is brittle. If one snaps inside the hole, ordinary drill bits won't touch it, and you're left needing carbide tools or a machine shop. Tools Laboratory and owner reports across every brand point to the same causes: an extractor that's too small, a hole that's off center, and too much force too fast.
Turn slowly with a tap wrench or a ratchet, and stop if the extractor starts to twist instead of the screw. Don't hammer a spiral extractor in hard, since that can split the bolt or crack the tool. Use an impact driver only with bits made for one, like the Gearwrench Bolt Biter or the Irwin Impact Screw Grip; thin spiral extractors can shatter under impact.
Some fasteners won't come out with any extractor. Hardened bolts, rusted studs in aluminum and stainless screws often need heat, a nut welded onto the stub, or professional help. Wear safety glasses whenever you drill or extract, because hardened chips and broken tips fly.
How we researched this
We compared 19 screw extractor sets, pliers and bit kits, read makers' specs, size charts and usage instructions, studied a published five-kit hands-on comparison and two spec-based roundups, analyzed owner reports on breakage and grip, and checked every brand for recalls with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Frequently asked questions
What are the main types of screw extractors?
Spiral extractors (easy-outs) wedge into a drilled hole; straight-flute and multi-spline extractors grip without wedging; double-ended bits drill and extract in a drill; and extraction pliers grab a head that still sticks up.
How does a screw extractor work?
You drill a small hole in the center of the broken screw, then turn a hardened extractor into it counterclockwise. Its reverse flutes or splines bite harder as you turn, until the screw breaks free and backs out.
What size screw extractor should I use?
Use the drill size printed on the extractor or the set's chart. Pick the largest extractor that leaves a solid wall of screw around the hole. Too small an extractor is the most common reason they snap.
Which extractor is best for small screws?
Double-ended bits like the Alden Grabit Pro work well on small stripped screws. If the head still sticks up, extraction pliers like the Vampliers VT-001 need no drilling at all.
Can I use a screw extractor in an impact driver?
Only if it's made for one, like the Gearwrench Bolt Biter or the Irwin Impact Screw Grip. Standard spiral extractors are brittle and can shatter under impact.
What if the extractor breaks off in the screw?
Stop drilling with ordinary bits; they won't cut hardened steel. A carbide bit, a welder or a machine shop is usually the next step. Going slowly with the right size prevents most breaks.
