What you can live without, but shouldn't: the cordless screwdriver

There are some tools that many people just dismiss as unnecessary, until they try them out. From then on, their minds are immediately changed and they realise that these devices make life much more convenient and easier. This group also includes motorised, cordless, battery-powered screwdrivers, which, unlike many other electronic devices, are not just for fun, but also for work, for so-called useful activities. 

The popularity of this range is demonstrated by the fact that, alongside the big, old-established European and Japanese machine tool and DIY companies, there are now  solutions from new players such as Xiaomi.

A perfect example of this is Xiaomi Mi Cordless Screwdriver, which was one of the big stars of the 2021 Christmas season. The design award-winning product is a real modern battery-powered screwdriver with a 2000 mAh, i.e. very high capacity battery, which can be charged via USB-C port and will fill up with energy in about 120-180 minutes. It is equipped with a powerful magnetic motor with a torque output of 5 Nm, which is perfectly sufficient for everyday use.

With a very clean, sleek look, the housing and switches are made of metal, making it very durable and easy to survive being dropped on the floor. 

You should definitely consider a motorcycle screwdriver where the heads, called bits, are interchangeable. The box of the Xiaomi product mentioned above contains dozens of these bits, which can be used to handle all types of screws. The quality of these accessories is also very important, of course, and in this case you can't complain about that either, as they are made of S2 steel alloy. It is essential that such a machine is easily portable, i.e. sufficiently compact and lightweight. The Xiaomi Mi Cordless Screwdriver, for example, is extremely small (24 x 130.5x 42mm) and weighs just 35 kilograms. It comes with a stylish bit holder, a carrying case and it's great that it's equipped with three tiny LED lights. They create a bright light strip, so you can use the machine in dark places without having to blindly try to hit the screw head, which can be a real pain. 

Unfortunately, many manufacturers don't focus enough on ergonomic design, but Xiaomi has paid special attention to this. This is evidenced by the rotation switch on the back of the case, an innovative device that makes it easier to use the product with one hand and  more precise work. 

Personal experience

A good, motorised, battery-powered screwdriver can make a staggering difference to the quality of life. It's one thing to make the job easier and faster, but it also eliminates one of the worst parts of DIY. Because, when you have to work with a lot of screws, for example when assembling furniture, after a while unscrewing or screwing them becomes so monotonous and tedious that it takes away your enjoyment of life.