How to use the Essential Electronics Toolkit

It's pretty difficult to remove screws without the correct screwdriver. Our Essential Electronics Toolkit includes 16 different bits—standard Phillips, Torx and flathead bits along with special Pentalobe, Torx Security and Tri-Point bits. Naturally, it also includes a fitting bit driver handle. Feel free to check out our Screwdriver Best Practices guide for some helpful tips.

This tool looks like a black stick, and—as a matter of fact—that's what our buddies over at Apple call it. We didn't think that was very original, so we opted for something better: spudger. It’s one of the most versatile tools you'll find in your toolkit. The flat end can be used for prying and separating, while the pointed tip is good for poking and prodding. Since it's ESD-safe, a spudger is the tool you should be using as a prying tool around connectors and circuit boards, not a flathead screwdriver.

The delicate cousins of the spudger are the iFixit opening tools. Beautiful and blue, iFixit opening tools are the go-to prying tool when you are especially concerned about scratching or breaking your device. Originally made for iPods, which had tight tolerances and easy-to-scratch outer cases, these opening tools will take a beating so that your device doesn't have to. iFixit opening tools, like spudgers, are ESD-safe and approved for disconnecting cables and ZIF connectors.

When you need to pry open a device but the iFixit opening tools aren’t enough prying power, the iFixit opening picks can be inserted into the edges of the device to help speed up the process. The picks are incredibly useful for prying open displays and screens.

If you just can't seem to wedge your way into a device using the standard array of pry tools, it might be time to phone a friend. That friend's name is Jimmy. Jimmy's flexible steel blade slips between the tightest gaps in the toughest devices, and the ergonomic handle makes it easy to "jimmy" devices open. Spudgers and iFixit opening tools are made of softer materials, and are somewhat less likely to cause cosmetic damage—but when all else fails, Jimmy is your man.

Some devices, for whatever reason, do not like being taken apart. It is a problem that pesters repair aficionados on the regular. Luckily, though devices may try to trick us with small, hard-to-reach parts, tweezers work wonders at removing small parts. Be careful! These are sharp.

This is a light-duty suction cup with a 45 mm (1.875 inch) diameter and a folding plastic handle for removing phone and tablet glass panels.

The lid of the easy-to-open magnetized case works as a built-in sorting tray.