In this review I will explain how the Wowstick electric screwdriver compares to my good old ES120 and whether it’s worth getting. I will focus on user experience and not waste time on the specs or how it works, you can find these out in the manual.
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Update (Mar 2021): We have a better screwdriver than the wowstick from my testing.
Table of Contents
Where to Buy Wowstick Electric Screwdriver
- Banggood: http://bit.ly/33l3imT (half price at the moment)
- Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Cja0OC
Wowstick Electric Screwdriver
What Happened to My ES120?
I had the ES120 for about a year. Although I loved it, it died a few months back unfortunately (just won’t turn on anymore). It really made building and repairing quads so much easier.
See my ES120 screwdriver review.
I’m telling you, doing screws manually becomes a form of torture after being spoiled by electric screwdrivers!
My good old ES120 Screwdriver (died now)
When I saw the Wowstick on sale for only $35, I was so tempted as I bought the ES120 for $90! And I am glad I gave it a try because it’s better than I expected.
Packing & Accesories
The Wowstick packing is simply amazing, it feels like a $300+ product (almost like opening a iPhone). All the accessories and parts are nicely packed inside separate boxes.
And you get quite a few accessories for a $35 screwdriver :D Noice!
Torque
The Wowstick has more torque than the ES120. It’s not a whole lot more, but it’s enough to be noticeable.
You need to loosen or tighten a screw the last 1/5 of the turn, which is normal to electrical screwdrivers this size.
When there is not enough torque, the screwdriver bit stops spinning, but you can still hear the motor running. I guess the gears simply disengage in this situation. But still it’s best not to stress the motor and gear.
Ease of Use
When holding the Wowstick, first thing that comes to mind is the weight, it’s a lot lighter than the ES120. It’s also larger, and the surface has a matte finish from tip all the way to the end. This provides a more solid grip. The ES120 felt “unbalanced” and more slippery.
I really like how the ES120 operates and I think it’s intuitive and clever. It has a built-in accelerometer, turning the screw driver controls the rotation direction, and how much you turn controls the speed.
On the other hand, the Wowstick is a much simpler design, it has two buttons for turning the screwdriver clockwise, or counter clockwise, that’s all. And speed is also constant. While that might sound a bit unattractive, it’s really not a deal breaker. The speed is decent, and that’s all I need.
The light turns on when it’s spinning – it helps if you don’t get enough light to see where the screw is. Very handy feature.
Bit Sets and accessories
The screwdriver bit sets that come with the Wowstick are absolutely amazing – there are 60 different bits! Some might consider that an overkill :)
It covers most if not all the screw types you will come across in FPV drones, and it should even handle most electrical devices like smartphones.
The bits have 4mm (1/8″) hex shanks and are removable, which means it’s compatible with many other screwdrivers out there, as well as bit sets.
Battery Life
Battery charging via a micro USB port at the end of the screwdriver.
I have used it a few days now, and I haven’t run out of juice yet. I am guessing each charge can last 8 to 10 drone builds or more.
Value
I loved the ES120, but it was hard to recommend due to the high price. The Wowstick is just as good if not better, and it’s only 1/3 of the price! What is there not to like? Get yours from:
- Banggood: http://bit.ly/33l3imT
- Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Cja0OC
The kit I bought is the “1F+”.
3D Printed Bit Holder
Keep up to 12 of your favourite bits around the screwdriver, so you don’t have to take them out of your toolbox every time
recommendtools
