Types of screw extractor

Updated 15 November 2026 · 5 min read

Screw extractor is a name for several different tools. Some are for stripped heads, some for snapped bolts, some for rounded nuts. Here's what each type does, so you buy the one your job actually needs.

At a glance

Double-ended burr extractor bits

One end is a burr that cuts a cone into the screw head, the other is a short left-hand thread. Both work with the drill in reverse: cut the seat, flip the bit, back the screw out. They're the quickest option for everyday stripped screws, because there's no separate drilling, and they sit on a hex shank that fits any drill or driver.

Limits: they're made for screws, not big seized bolts, and the threaded end is short, so they need some head or shank to bite into. This is the kind we sell.

Spiral extractors (easy outs)

The classic tool: a tapered, left-hand spiral with a square end. You drill a pilot hole into the broken bolt, tap the extractor in, and turn it anticlockwise with a tap wrench. Good for broken bolts and studs that have no head left.

Watch out: the taper acts as a wedge, so it can expand the bolt slightly and lock it tighter in its hole. They're hard and brittle, and a snapped easy out is far worse than the bolt you started with. Go slowly, and stop if it won't turn.

Straight-flute and multi-spline extractors

These have straight ridges instead of a spiral. You hammer them into a pilot hole and turn them with a spanner or socket. Because they don't wedge the way a spiral does, they're the better choice for larger bolts that are really stuck.

Left-hand drill bits

Drill bits that cut anticlockwise. Used in reverse to drill the pilot hole for an extractor, they often catch the broken screw and spin it out on their own. Worth having if you deal with broken screws often.

Bolt extractor sockets

Sockets with spiral teeth inside. You hammer one over a rounded hex bolt head or nut and turn it with a ratchet, and the teeth bite harder as you turn. They're for heads you can get around the outside of, not for screw recesses.

Which one do you need?

• A stripped or rounded screw head (Phillips, Torx, hex): a double-ended extractor bit.
• A rusted screw that's started to round off: a double-ended bit, after penetrating oil (see how to remove a rusted screw).
• A bolt snapped off with no head: a left-hand drill bit, then a spiral or straight-flute extractor.
• A rounded hex bolt head or nut: a bolt extractor socket.
• Tiny screws in a laptop, phone or glasses: a precision kit.

What to look for in a set

• A size range that matches your screws. Most household jobs fall between 3 and 8 mm. Check the size chart.
• Hard steel. High-speed steel (HSS) handles ordinary screws. Very hard bolts need cobalt or carbide tools.
• A hex shank if you'll use a drill or driver, so it doesn't slip in the chuck.
• A case. You'll need these once or twice a year, and they need to be where you left them.

Written by Backout. We sell double-ended extractor bits, and we've said which jobs need a different tool.

Questions