My favorite electric screwdriver for heavy-duty jobs

The other day I looked at a small electric cordless screwdriver that’s perfect for small tasks that need a delicate touch. Readers asked if I have a recommendation for a bigger, heavy-duty screwdriver that’s built for bigger, harder work.

I sure do.

The Bosch Go smart screwdriver. 

Bosch Go Smart Screwdriver tech specs

• Battery voltage: 3.6 V
• Weight: 0.31 kg
• Battery type: Lithium-ion
• Charging: Micro-USB
• No-load speed (1st/2nd gear): 360 rpm
• Chuck capacity: 6.35mm
• Torque (soft/max): 2.5/5nm

The feel of the Bosch Go is that of a chunky screwdriver, although despite looking rather bulky, it’s actually very ergonomic and fits into the hand well. 

The rubberized elastomer coating does a good job of making it comfortable to hold for extended periods.

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There are two controls — a three-way slider and a button. The slider controls have a fasten, lock, and unfasten position, while the button activates the screwdriver.

In addition to pressing the button, you can also activate the screwdriver by pressing the screwdriver itself down firmly, which, while it does take a little practice to get used to, is very convenient once you’ve built the muscle memory.

The head of the screwdriver rotates to control the torque, offering five torque settings, ranging from soft to max. 

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Even set to soft, this is a powerful screwdriver, and the soft setting is close to what most people can achieve by hand, while the max setting delivers serious power — enough that in the beginning it would catch me out and snatch the screwdriver out of my hand. Again, it takes getting used to.

Charging is handled via a Micro-USB port in the handle. While I would have preferred USB-C, this is far better and more convenient than some proprietary charger.

A single charge is good for screwing or unscrewing hundreds of screws.

On the business end is a 6.35mm (1.4 inch) hex socket that takes standard screwdriver bits.

I’ve screwed and unscrewed those hundreds of screws with this screwdriver and it’s performed flawlessly. It has no problem driving screws into wood with no pilot holes, and pulls them out with equal ease. The built-in electronic brake means that the screwdriver stops instantly when you want it to stop, which is a great safety feature.

The fact that there’s no need to press a button makes this tool easy to use — fit a screw to the end, press the screw and screwdriver down, and away it goes.

Unfastening a screw is just as easy — press the screwdriver down on the head and it automatically starts unscrewing.

The Bosch GO is an amazing electric screwdriver, combining power with ease of use. The ability to charge using USB is welcome, as it does away with the need for some ghastly proprietary charger. It’s a professional, tough tool that will give you years of use. I’ve used and abused this tool, and it’s not let me down.

Highly recommended.