People Are Loving This Just-Launched Item from MoMA Design Store (It’s a DIYer’s Dream!)

There are a few basic tools — think: hammer, screwdriver, pliers — you should have if you want to do minor repairs and projects, like hang artwork, tighten loose knobs, or swap out your light switch plates. Are these items necessarily “fun” to buy? No. Are they pretty? Also no. At least, that’s what I thought until I saw this cool electric screwdriver at the MoMA Design store. 

It’s no surprise that an institution that celebrates design would sell maybe the chicest home repair tool I’ve ever seen — and one that will make some of my least favorite DIY jobs easier at that.

The HOTO Electric 3.6V Cordless Screwdriver is a compact size, cordless, and comes in an aesthetic colorway. Even better, it has a built-in LED light to illuminate your subject, which will help you tackle fixes in tight corners or dim crannies, like the back of your television or the interior of a drawer. Not only do I love this screwdriver, but it’s a favorite of many MoMA Design Store employees, too.

“I finally got around to hanging some prints and picture frames at home and tightening up a wobbly closet rod,” the store’s associate product manager, Moon Cho-Li, says. “The LED light was especially helpful in the dark corners of my closet.”

MoMA sells the blue colorway, but the HOTO brand website also sells the screwdriver in a second bold colorway: bright red, and it’s on sale on their site for $50. 

“The design really sets this screwdriver apart from anything else on the market, which is pretty consistent with other HOTO tools,” Emmanuel Plat, MoMA Design Store’s director of merchandising, says.

Because of its price tag, it’s worth noting that you don’t necessarily need a screwdriver this fancy if all you’re doing is tightening loose knobs and swapping out batteries in devices from time to time, but I think it’s worth the splurge for several reasons.

1. If you live in a small apartment, the compact size of this tool will appeal to you. It’s small-but-powerful and comes with a zip-up pouch for easy storage.  “It is extremely easy and comfortable to use and feels great in the hand,” Platt says.
2. It has an easy user interface. “Just slide the button up (install) or down (reverse), then press the trigger to power on and off,” Cho-Li says. “I love that it is so easy to use.”
3. If you tackle multiple DIY projects per month, or if you’re planning a move involving flat-pack furniture, an electric screwdriver is the way to go. In 2023, I asked a Taskrabbit tasker, Vanessa Garcia (who has assembled over 170 pieces of flat-pack furniture), for her most-recommended tool, and she said an electric screwdriver to speed up assembly jobs.
4. The battery lasts a long time. In fact, the HOTO screwdriver can screw in up to 300 screws before needing a recharge!
5. If aesthetics are important to you, or if you keep your DIY materials out on display, this screwdriver is a front-runner and would look especially chic on a desk, workbench, or a pegboard. 

After seeing this screwdriver at MoMA, I can’t get enough of HOTO’s tools in general — I also have my eye on their hot glue gun and electric scrub brush for upcoming projects. Très chic!