These tools are an upgrade from their analog counterparts for fastening nuts and bolts in auto repairs, plumbing projects, and more.
Gear-obsessed editors choose every product we review. We may earn commission if you buy from a link. Why Trust Us? digital torque wrench 1 2
While an analog torque wrench adequately fastens nuts and bolts to their proper tightness, a digital torque wrench represents an impressive upgrade in terms of accuracy. Whereas a standard torque wrench relies on the feel of the user and mechanical levers that must be properly maintained for accuracy, digital torque wrenches use sensors that are far more accurate and don't need calibration. This comes in handy when you perform automotive repairs that require fasteners to be tightened to very specific settings. Digital torque wrenches are also useful when you work on plumbing, HVAC, and other similar home projects.
These tools also feature certain touches that make them very straightforward and almost foolproof to use, including a display screen that shows you the exact torque amount being generated and LED lights and audible alarms that alert you when you’ve reached the target amount of torque. Some digital torque wrenches also store data, including peak torque amounts.
Below, we break down what you should consider when you shop for a digital torque wrench, and we review some of the best digital torque wrenches to add to your set of mechanics tools.
The drive on a torque wrench is the square piece on the head that attaches to a socket. Torque wrenches are often measured by their drive size.
A 3/8-inch torque wrench—one of the most common sizes—will generally produce torque ranging anywhere from 20 to 100 foot-pounds, while larger torque wrenches with 1/2-inch drives generate between 25 to 500 foot-pounds of torque.
Torque wrenches with a 3/8-inch drive are suitable for the smaller nuts and bolts found on most automobiles. Since these torque wrenches are more compact than the larger 1/2-inch models, they also fit more easily into tight spaces.
A 1/2-inch torque wrench works best when setting the torque levels on larger fasteners, such lug nuts, engine mounts, and those found on vehicle suspensions. These torque wrenches are typically long—24 to 30 inches—which helps generate the force necessary to reach higher torques.
Smaller, 1/4-inch torque wrenches are suitable for repairing bicycles and smaller machinery like lawn mowers, and larger 3/4-inch models are best when working on industrial machinery.
Unlike conventional torque wrenches, digital models display the amount of torque being applied on an LED screen. Many digital torque wrenches have backlit screens, which helps with visibility when you’re tightening a bolt or nut in the dark recesses of a car’s engine or undercarriage. Digital torque wrench display screens also give you control over setting the desired torque, changing measurement options, and toggling between torque tracking and peak torque modes.
Unlike conventional torque wrenches that click when you reach the set torque value, digital torque wrenches alert you using a variety of methods. Most audibly buzz when the tool registers the set torque value. Others will display a bright, colored, sometimes blinking LED light to alert you when the target torque is met. Some torque wrenches will also alert you when you’ve reached 90 percent of the target torque value—a useful feature to prevent overtightening.
Torque wrenches come with either fixed or flexible heads. A flexible torque wrench head pivots about 15 degrees up and down. This movement helps maneuver the torque wrench into an engine, around an exhaust system, and into other tight spaces. Torque wrenches with fixed heads do not pivot. While they aren’t as easy to fit into small spaces, torque wrenches with fixed heads provide more stability when exerting a lot of force on the wrench to reach higher torques.
The entire purpose of a torque wrench is to ensure nuts and bolts tighten properly, so the car, motorcycle, or piece of machinery the fasteners hold together operates safely. As such, a torque wrench’s ability to accurately measure torsional forces accurately is crucial. Most torque wrench manufacturers list their torque wrench’s accuracy by a percent margin of error that typically ranges between two percent and four percent. This means a torque wrench with a two percent accuracy rating won’t diverge from the set torque by more than two percent.
Most digital torque wrenches are accurate to within two percent. You pay more for a better accuracy rating, but generally speaking, all digital torque wrenches are more accurate than their analog counterparts, which typically come in with a four percent accuracy rating.
As someone who briefly worked as an auto mechanic and who spends a fair amount of time working on his own vehicles and an RV, I understand the importance of owning a good torque wrench. I’ve used torque wrenches to tighten everything from lug nuts to brake calipers and oil plugs to their proper torque specifications.
Craftsman’s digital torque wrench checks all the boxes for what you should want out of this tool. With its 1/2-inch drive and 50-to-250 foot-pounds of torque, it capably handles large fasteners.
Its backlit LED screen is readable even in dark conditions. It also beeps loudly when it reaches the target torque, and buttons next to the display screen let you switch between three measurement options.
We also like the wrench’s molded handle, which gives you a good grip when aiming for higher torques. At 30 inches long, it produces enough leverage for working larger nuts and bolts.
While it doesn’t list its accuracy rating, Craftsman’s reputation in this space is impeccable, and there’s little reason to suspect this otherwise exceptional tool won’t give you appropriately accurate torque readings.
We like the value ACDelco provides with this torque wrench. It has a large, soft, ergonomic handle that’s comfortable to grasp even when applying a lot of pressure on a larger nut or bolt. The torque readings display digitally (though they are a little dim), and the torque wrench will flash and sound an alarm when it reaches the set torque.
Change settings or modes using the convenient controls on the handle, and the wrench’s broad range of torque—from 3.7 to 37 foot-pounds—is perfectly in line with what you’d expect from a wrench with a 3/8-inch drive. (However, if you need a max 147.5 foot-pounds of torque, ACDelco offers a 1/2-inch drive model, too.)
You can also adjust the wrench’s display to show a range of different measurements, including inch-pounds, Newton-meters, and kilograms-centimeters. Nicest of all, it costs about half what you’ll find with other quality digital torque wrenches.
This 1/2-inch-drive Kobalt torque wrench provides two auditory and visual alerts. It beeps and displays a green light when it’s reached 90 percent of the target torque, and then it produces one long beep and emits a red light when it reaches the torque value. All of these alerts make it arguably the best digital torque wrench you’ll find when it comes to preventing overtightening.
An LCD display projects the current torque reading, all available units of measurement, and the target torque value. The wrench also saves readings and gives you the ability to check peak torque readings via a five-button control panel.
Along with this 1/2-inch model, Kobalt’s digital torque wrench is also available in a smaller, 3/8-inch size.
This professional-grade digital torque wrench is built to take a beating. It comes equipped with plenty of rubberized covering to shield the tool, including a rubber bumper that surrounds the head. With it, you also get a handy storage case that protects it during transport.
A large, overmolded handle with plenty of soft rubber ensures a comfortable grip when you’re generating high levels of torque. At 20 inches, it’s also longer than most 3/8-inch torque wrenches, so reaching those higher torques requires less effort.
It’s a little too easy to inadvertently bump buttons on this wrench, which could lead to unwanted adjustments while you work. That said, its alerts when you reach your desired torque, including a buzzer and LED lights, are loud and flashy. And the large, backlit screen that displays your reading is also very readable.
This compact digital torque wrench generates between 2.2 and 44.3 foot-pounds of torque, which is perfect for the smaller fasteners found on motorcycles. (Vanpo also offers another 3/8-inch-drive digital torque wrench with a 5 to 99.5 foot-pound range if you prefer something a little more powerful.)
The large, backlit display is easy to read, even in darker workspaces, and LED indicators and a buzzer alert you when you’ve reached the proper torque. The kit also comes with an extender and an adapter for sockets with a 1/4-inch drive.
Without the extender, this wrench is a little on the shorter side, and therefore, it offers less leverage than others. However, it’s molded handle and rubber grip offer a level of hand comfort that makes up for the shorter length.
With its flexible head and low tooth count, Gearwrench’s 3/8-inch digital torque wrench is ideal for working nuts and bolts in hard to reach places. It also has a small, five-degree swing arc, which means you need less clearance to work the handle in tight spots.
Since reading the LED display is sometimes difficult when you work in tighter confines, the handle vibrates to let you know when the tool has reached its target torque. There’s also a buzzer and LED light indicator for the same purpose.
This Gearwrench digital torque wrench is also available in a 1/2 inch version.
Tony Carrick is a full-time freelance writer who specializes in technology, home improvement, DIY, home security, and outdoor recreation. He’s tested and written about everything from home security systems to power tools to gas grills. His product guides, how-to articles, and feature stories can be found in such publications as Bob Vila, Angi, U.S. News and World Report, Field & Stream, Futurism, and Switchful. When Tony isn’t writing, he can be found working on his latest home improvement effort at his home in North Carolina.
Save 54% on Bluetti Portable Power Stations
The 9 Best Home Generators for 2024
Save 30% on Blueair Air Purifiers at Amazon
The 8 Best Door Draft Stoppers
The Best Power Strips and Surge Protectors
The 8 Best Work Overalls for Men
The 6 Best Tile Saws for Your Home Projects
Save Up to 32% On These Editor-Tested Tire Chains
A Part of Hearst Digital Media
We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back.
waterproof inclinometer ©2025 Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved.