Crescent Vortex Bit Holder Claims 500 Times Greater Bit Life
Impact drivers make many of our screwdriving jobs easier. The problem is the violent impact that makes them so effective also beats up bits. Impact-rated bits help, but those are best in metal-to-metal fastening and some of us want a do-it-all bit. The Crescent Vortex bit holder is cracking that nut.
Pros
- Much longer bit life
- Improves bit life when driving in any material
- Strong magnetic hold on bits
Cons
- Extends tool length
- Bits can be hard to pull out
Crescent Vortex Bit Holder | The Big Deal
As we watched multiple brands push to create the perfect screwdriving bit would be, most didn’t focus on a bit holder. In reality, it’s a brilliant place to start. By putting an intermediary between the tool and the bit, you have a lot more freedom than metallurgy and physical shape alone offer.
The Crescent Vortex bit holder starts with a typical 1/4-inch hex shaft that pairs with your impact driver. On the other end, a 1/4-inch hex receiver magnetically holds the bit in place.
Inside the silver housing, the shock absorption takes place in what Crescent calls its Dual Impact Zone.
When you combine that with an impact-rated bit that has its own impact-absorbing properties, Crescent’s testing data shows up to 500 times the life of the bit alone.
The middle section spins freely, and you can hold it to stabilize the drive while the tool does its work.
If there’s a downside, it’s that the bit holder extends the overall length of your impact driver. In some of the tightest spaces, you might have to go back to a direct connection. A more minor consideration is that the magnet is nice and strong, but can make some bits tough to pull out.
Crescent Vortex Bit Holder Price
You can pick up the Crescent Vortex bit holder at Lowe’s for $9.98. Considering how much longer the life of your driver bits will be, it pays for itself pretty quickly.
The Bottom Line
In the time we’ve been using the Crescent Vortex bit holder, it’s clear to us that our bit life is greater. We still break them from time to time, but we’re getting far more drives out of each one whether we’re working in wood, wood-to-metal, or metal-to-metal connections.
I picked one up at Lowe’s as soon as they started carrying them and have been using it every day since on everything from decks to cabinet installs. Really like the tool and has definitely extended the life of a number of different quality/brand bits. My only gripe is while the tool holds the bit really well, the magnetism just doesn’t seem to transfer to the bit itself, even if I run it through a magnetizer. Definitely worth the money if you’re a pro.
Seen this on TikTok, sent for a free one in march and it still has not showed up. today at Lowes i purchased one for $9.99 got home and got ready to install shelves. and i broke 3 bits right off the jump. Product seems well built, but did not seem to engage like it was supposed too. disappointed to say the least.
From the picture and illustration, it seems like the bit holder is using both a wire detent and a magnet to secure the bits. Sort of like belt and suspenders.
I can’t see the point of this bit holder, are the impact drivers so powerful that they break bit, or are the users buying cheap bits? This is one more tool to end up in the bottom of the tool box never to see the light of day agin.