Skil just put a motor on the Allen wrench. The new HK0001 is a compact 4V powered hex key that the company calls the industry’s first powered hex key, and it is aimed squarely at the furniture assembly and household repair crowd. It shipped to retailers in early September 2026 at $49.99.
This is not a tool for stripping 3/8-inch bolts. It is a torque-controlled driver for the stuff you normally do by hand.
Think putting together a dresser, tightening a loose cabinet hinge, or working inside electronics and tight corners. The 8.85 in-lbs of max torque is deliberate. It is enough to seat a screw without splitting cheap particle board, and it will not round off a soft hex head the way a full-size impact driver can.
Skil HK0001 specs
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Model | HK0001 |
| Max speed | 150 RPM |
| Max torque | 8.85 in-lbs |
| Collet | 1/4-inch hex, accepts standard hex bits |
| Battery | Internal 4V rechargeable |
| Charge time | Roughly 2.5 hours via USB-C |
| Weight | 0.7 lb |
| Working angles | 90, 135, or 180 degrees |
| Warranty | 2 years |
- PZ2, PH2, and T25 driver bits
- SQ2 and a 3/16 slotted bit
- Hex bits in sizes 2, 2.5, 3, 5, and 6 mm
- Two holders, one of which stows on board
Forward and reverse run off a two-button switch. There is an LED work light plus a battery indicator. A manual override lets you keep turning the fastener once the motor runs out of torque before the head sits flush.
How it fits in
Skil has been building out this exact corner of its lineup. The HK0001 sits alongside the company’s 4V Twist and Pivot Grip screwdrivers, and it is really the same idea taken to hex heads.
It is not trying to replace a ratchet or a torque wrench. It replaces the loose Allen keys in a drawer, with controlled speed instead of a sore thumb.
The trade-off here is torque. At 8.85 in-lbs, this will stall well before a stiff bolt that you would crack loose with a hand key or a 12V driver.
For the furniture-and-fixtures jobs it is marketed at, that is arguably a feature. Lower torque means fewer stripped heads and less cracked MDF. If a fastener fights back, you finish by hand.
Who should pass on it
If you are under a car dashboard taking out brake caliper hardware every weekend, keep a real key set in the box. This is a light-duty driver for assembly and repair, not a wrench substitute.
Why this matters
Powered hex keys have existed as niche accessories for years, but none of them were built around household assembly. This one is. It is aimed at the person who owns one Allen key and a screwdriver, not the person with a five-drawer chest.
That matters because Skil is betting on the same 4V USB-C segment that its Twist screwdrivers already play in. The marriage of an internal rechargeable battery and a hex collet is a small category, but it is a real one, and Skil is first to chase it here.
Where to get it
The HK0001 started shipping in early September through Acme Tools. A 27-piece kit is planned at a price that has not been announced.
For more on compact powered drivers, read our picks for precision electric screwdrivers and our roundup of tools for small spaces.