Tools

Screw Planned Obsolescence with These Two New Toolkits

It’s no secret that we enjoy taking things apart. If we’ve learned anything from the last decade of teardowns, it’s that having the right tools for the job is essential. When we encountered a new screw during our live teardown of the Apple Watch, we channeled our inner MacGyver and hand-filed down our smallest bit to finish the job. Then we brought that new smaller screw to the masses.

Tri-point screw from an iFixit toolkit
Filing down our smallest tri-point bit by hand like a boss!

That’s just what fixers do. We problem-solve. We innovate. We make do and mend. Fixers need to adapt to the latest devices, so we’re making sure they’ve got the right tools to get the job done.

Today, we’re excited to launch two new driver kits—the Manta Driver Kit and the Mahi Driver Kit. Their aquatic names are a nod to iFixit’s Central Coast roots, and both kits were engineered from the ground up right here in San Luis Obispo, California.

But first, a little bit of history

Before we started engineering the Mahi and the Manta Driver Kits, we thought it would be fun to explore the history of bits—to put their pedigree into context. So we rounded up some folks in our office to blog about their favorite bit. You can read all of their articles in our newest blog series, Bit History.

Bit History posts to celebrate the iFixit toolkit launch

And if you don’t want to read through a history lesson, we included short videos inside each post, too. Our series covers the following bits:

  • The Phillips: From our incredibly talented Director of eCommerce, Jeff Snyder
  • The Flathead: By Julia Bluff—our most spirited writer-fighter in the Repair Revolution
  • The Robertson: Written by Andrew Goldberg, he does all the things here
  • The Pentalobe: By yours truly
  • The Torx: As told by Ex-Teardown Engineer turned Coder, Evan Noronha
  • The Spanner: Brought to you by Video Host Extraordinaire, Kelsea Weber

A deep dive into the Manta Driver Kit

Now that you’re schooled on bits, we can talk about our newest driver kits. The Manta Driver Kit includes two premium screwdriver handles—a hefty 1/4″ drive for full-size applications and a precision 4 mm drive for fine work. Both drivers feature magnetic bit sockets, knurled grips, and silky smooth spinning tops.

Manta driver kit
Double the drivers = double the fun, amirite?

The magnetized lid doubles as an integrated sorting tray. And all of our 4 mm bits have been redesigned with a longer neck for a deeper, more precise reach. From the common Flathead to the pesky Pentalobe, you’ll have 112 bits to prepare you for any repair—our widest assortment of bits yet.

Manta Driver Kit
Screws, beware! We just released the Manta Driver Kit into the wild.

Meet the Mahi Driver Kit

The Mahi Driver Kit is the only kit you’ll need to get into medium-sized devices. It includes a hefty 1/4″ aluminum driver with a magnetic bit socket that keeps your bit secure while you work. The driver pairs with 48 steel 1/4″ bits, so you can handle the toughest and torque-iest fasteners in any home or shop project.

We engineered the Mahi Driver Kit for maximum utility. The lid is held in place with magnets to eliminate the need for flimsy hinges or clasps, and it mounts to the back of the case to keep it out of the way while you work.

Mahi Driver Kit
We like big bits and we cannot lie.

So there you have it, folks. Let us know what you think about our new driver kits in the comments. And don’t forget to tag us on social media during your repairs! There’s nothing better than seeing iFixit tools in the wild dishing out sweet repair justice.