If the only hex wrenches you have are the five or six random ones kicking around the bottom of your kitchen drawer—leftovers from IKEA builds, light fixtures, and towel bars—it might be time for an upgrade.

The good news is that you don’t need to invest a lot to get a decent set. After testing 18 models, we think the inexpensive Amazon Basics Hex Key Allen Wrench Set with Ball End is the best for around-the-house jobs, like installing towel bars, tightening door handles, or assembling knock-down furniture.

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Runner-up

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Best for...

Top pick

The Amazon Basics Hex Key Allen Wrench Set with Ball End really sets itself apart from the rest, due to the excellent cases. These cases provide the right amount of “hold” on each wrench, making them easy to take out and put back. The cases also fold open, allowing simple access to the smaller wrenches—the most difficult to get out. All of the wrenches in this inexpensive set of 13 metric and 13 SAE sizes have a longer reach than wrenches in basic sets. These also have a ball end, which lets the wrench rotate a fastener at an angle—a great feature to have when you’re dealing with tricky little set screws on toilet-paper holders and towel bars.

Runner-up

If the Amazon Basics set isn’t available, or if you’ll be using the wrenches a lot and you need more durability, we also like the Bondhus 20399 Ball End L-Wrench Double Pack. These wrenches have a lifetime warranty, and they’re made of a proprietary substance called Protanium Steel, which, according to Bondhus, is 20% stronger than Chrome Vanadium (which the Amazon Basics wrenches are made of). After testing, we don’t think this additional durability will make a difference during standard around-the-house tasks, but it might under more-sustained use. We like that the SAE and metric wrenches are different colors, so it’s nearly impossible to get them mixed up. The cases hold the wrenches in place securely, but they don’t fold open, so the smaller wrenches are more difficult to get out.

Best for...

For portability, it’s nice to have a folding set of hex wrenches. You can’t lose an individual wrench, and it’s great for tossing into a tool bag. Our favorites are the Bondhus 12522 GorillaGrip. We’ve been using these wrenches for years, and they have a level of fit and finish that far exceeds the reasonable price tag. These wrenches are comfortable to hold and use, and they unfold with a nice, even resistance. It’s also notable that when each wrench unfolds, only that wrench moves. On other kits, no matter how much we fiddled with the tightening screw, the wrenches to either side of the intended wrench would also unfold. We also like how the GorillaGrip wrenches can be stopped at 90 degrees from the handle, which helps with quickly loosening or tightening a screw. These wrenches are also covered by a lifetime guarantee.

Best for...

We think that most people will be happy with the GorillaGrip folding wrenches. But if you have larger fingers, work with gloves a lot, or have dexterity issues, the Milwaukee 48-22-2183 17-Key Folding Hex Key Sets’ design makes it easier to deploy the wrenches. Each wrench set has cutouts on both sides, so the wrenches can be approached from the sides and not just from the front. In all other ways, these are great wrench sets. They have a solid feel, clearly marked wrench sizes, and the same 90-degree stop as the GorillaGrip wrenches. They’re typically almost twice as expensive as the GorillaGrip wrenches, so unless you really need the easier access, we recommend sticking with the GorillaGrip wrenches.