VCanEnergy DC01119 USB-C Li-ion pocket screwdriver review

Introduction

I love tools – almost as much as I love science and technology in general. Whenever I have a chance to visit a hardware store like Ace, Home Depot, HarborFreight, or Lowes, I make it a rule to never get a shopping cart otherwise I will fill it up and probably max out my credit card. In this blog, I tend to focus on electronic gadget teardowns. But with each project, my tool chest seems to fill up just a bit more so why not share my thoughts on tools as well.

Last month, my trusty battery-powered pocket screwdriver died for the last time. I had already repaired it twice – once by re-greasing the tiny compound planetary reduction gearset and once by scrubbing corrosion off the power switch contacts. But this time it was beyond repair. The planetary gearset chewed itself apart and while attempting to fix it I shorted out the power switch and burned some traces on the PCB. So time to buy a new one and a good excuse for a full review.

Although I was really excited about the LTT screwdriver, I already have a ratcheting screwdriver. I really wanted a compact powered driver rather than a premium ratcheting driver. My ideal screwdriver has the following features:

• ~300 grams or less
• standard 1/4″ hex bit holder
  • locking bit holder is nice to have but not crucial
• magnetic pickup to hold screws
• ~200rpm for precision work
  • variable speed from ~150-400 rpm is nice to have but not crucial
• at least 3 lb-ft (4 Nm) peak torque – enough to tighten and loosen M4 nyloc nuts
• variable torque setting
  • Ideally a range from 0.5-7.5 lb-ft (0.75-10 Nm)
  • Adjustable clutch mechanism is best but electronic torque limiter OK
• rechargeable Li-ion battery
  • easily replaceable 16550 / 26650 cell is nice to have but not crucial
• LED illumination is nice to have but not crucial
• USB-C port for charging
• under $50 USD

I had already seen Project Farm’s rundown on compact/budget drivers. Many of the models reviewed came close to my requirements, but none had a USB-C port! So after scouring Amazon reviews, I went with this VCanEnergy DC01119 model that was on sale for $28 USD.

Unboxing & Physical characteristics

Inside the carboard box was a black plastic case with a clear front cover that housed the screwdriver and accessories. All accessories indicated in the product description were included although one Philips bit fell into the rear of the case and was rattling around. When I retrieved it, I found a product manual. Had it not been for this one bit rattling around, I wouldn’t have even thought to open the case to find the manual.

Inner packagingOuter packagingContents

Product Manual

The screwdriver felt comfortable in my hand. The blue portion was a strong Polyamide glass-fiber reinforced plastic (PA6-GF30) with a matte surface finish. The black grips were a TPE-rubber material press-fit and glued to the plastic. The rubber didn’t feel particular high-quality, but not low-quality either. It was just average.

The accessory set was what you’d expect in a budget screwdriver kit – the bits fit various screws fine but didn’t feel top quality like DeWalt, Makita, or Milwaukee. For regular work, I’ll be using a premium bit set anyway so I didn’t focus too much on the accessories.

The driver weight was ~282g – perfect for me. Other measurements are provided below:

282 grams830g unopened package weight34mm grip190mm long24.5mm combined length of cap and bit holder14.5mm long bit holder10.7mm thick bit holder17.25mm wide cap35mm grip diameter

113mm tip to button center

Testing

I’d just to say up front that I actually liked this screwdriver overall and a lot of the critique is super nit-picky.

General Usability

I liked how there was a rocker switch to immediately select forward and reverse directions. Some brands include a forward/reverse switch and a separate on button which I find more difficult to use. But the position of the rocker was a little too far from the tip of the screwdriver for comfort. To use my thumb to activate the rocker switch, I had to contort my hand a little bit which meant I had less accuracy in positioning the screwdriver bit. One benefit of this rocker-switch location is that it allows the screwdriver to be thinner since nothing needs to jut out further than the motor/gearset. Models with the switch closer to the tip tend to be thicker so you can’t get into tight spaces with a bit-extension.

At 282 grams, the weight is right in the sweet spot for me. The balance was comfortable – not too top or bottom heavy. Although there is no integrated bit storage, there is a clip-on magnet thing that can either store bits/screws, or can hold the screwdriver itself on a metal wall.

Dual white LEDs illuminated the work area with one on top and one beneath. While these were not super bright, they were bright enough to be helpful. There is no way to switch the LEDS on or off manually – they just come on automatically when the screwdriver spins and turn off when the motor is off.

Natural grip

Using button with thumb

Magnetic bit storage clip

It holds the screwdriver too!

RPM and Torque

The product details claim a tightening torque range of 3lb-ft to 4.4lb-ft with high, medium, and low settings. I tested these 3 settings and there was a difference between them but my measurement methods were not accurate enough to verify the specific torque numbers. For my application, the difference in torque wasn’t enough to be useful. Unlike VCan’s demonstration video, the driver didn’t actually turn the screws a different amount with the three settings. Instead, each progressive setting bottomed out the screw and just left the motor on for an additional 1/2 second after it stalled. So the low setting left the motor stalled for 0.25s, medium for ~0.75s, and high for ~1.25s.

All that being said, the peak torque was actually very good for small-to-mid fasteners like the M3, M4, and M5 bolts I use regularly – enough so that I didn’t need to go back and hand-tighten.

The ~280RPM is helpful for getting work done fast, but is too fast for precision work on smaller fasteners like M1.5 and M2 found in cell phones and laptops. For drivers without variable RPM, something closer to 200RPM is probably a better choice.

Testing driver torque

Testing driver torque

Testing various USB-C cables

Battery life and charging

The battery life is impressive. I got tired of using it before I could fully drain the battery. The provided charging cable was a regular 3-foot USB A -> USB-C and was able to charge at 12W (5V @ 2.4A) from a generic phone charger. Unfortunately, it was not able to charge via USB-C -> USB-C since it does not have 5.1 ohm CC resistors installed. I tried 4 different cables on 3 different USB-C chargers. The construction is such that disassembly to fit the missing resistors would almost certainly ruin the handle as everything except the cap is sonic welded or glued.

Conclusion

For $28 on sale, this VCan DC01119 screwdriver has some excellent features such as a useful amount of peak torque and great battery life. But it has a few drawbacks that make me want to re-think my whole approach to evaluating tools. For me, the lack of proper USB-C -> USB-C (C2C) charging via the power delivery protocol is a deal-breaker. I just cannot support companies that refuse to read a 6-year old specification and spend literally 5 cents for two 5.1ohm resistors to make a compliant USB-C product. Having to use a USB A->C cable in 2022 is just plain dumb. Also, I’d gladly sacrifice some of the battery life to gain a real clutch mechanism to set different torque levels more accurately. So I’m back on the hunt…