10 Best Drywall Anchors in 2022
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Drywall anchors might be small, but they are one of the only reliable ways to mount drywall panels into position. They come in all different shapes, sizes and designs, but all serve more or less the same purpose and are specially designed to work better than nails when it comes to setting up, replacing, or expanding drywall structures and surfaces.
In most cases, they are supposed to get around the problem of the drywall being too soft to use regular mounting methods on – but it depends on the design and size of each anchor, with some being meant for specific jobs or drywall types.
Below are ten of the best drywall anchors we could find, in no particular order, along with some reasons why they might be perfect for your next project involving drywall panels.
Related: Drywall Lift Review.
View the Best Drywall Anchors, Below.
- Qualihome Plastic Self Drilling Drywall Anchors
- Leanking Plastic Drywall Wall Anchors Kit
- Qualihome Drywall and Hollow-wall Anchor Assortment Kit
- Toggler Snaptoggle Drywall Anchor
- Screw-it Drywall and Hollow-Wall Anchor Kit
- Swpeet Assorted Toggle Bolt and Wing Nut
- TOGGLER SnapSkru Self-Drilling Drywall Anchor
- Qualihome Ribbed Plastic Drywall Anchor Kit
- TOGGLER Toggle TB Residential Drywall Anchor
- Glarks Molly Bolt Hollow Drive Wall Anchor kit
1. Qualihome Plastic Self Drilling Drywall Anchors
These high-quality drywall anchors come with a set of screws that are perfectly designed to fit them, meaning that you can start using them straight away without having to root through your toolbox. Each anchor is made out of durable plastic that won’t wear down or degrade easily. Each one uses a deep-thread shape that helps keep a tight connection to a range of drywall thicknesses, especially between 3/8 inches and 5/8 inches in thickness. When used correctly, they are also much easier to insert than a standard anchor.
If you are dealing with a thin drywall and need a quick set of anchors to get it mounted, this might be the perfect option.
Check Price on Amazon ➞2. Leanking Plastic Drywall Wall Anchors Kit
This set of 300 anchors and screws contains everything you need to deal with multiple different drywall types and sizes, giving you different anchor and screw sizes ranging from 25mm to 80mm. They are perfectly designed for screwing a wide range of different objects and surfaces into one another, and the included screws have a high level of stress strength to prevent them from breaking or slipping. The ribs on each anchor also add plenty more stability once they are inside the drywall, ensuring they won’t come apart easily or start to wear down from heavier weights.
This set offers some of the best drywall anchors you can get for home use, as well as matching screws to make it even more convenient.
Check Price on Amazon ➞3. Qualihome Drywall and Hollow-wall Anchor Assortment Kit
These multi-colored anchors use a special ribbed design that stops them from moving or turning while you are trying to get them positioned inside drywall. Each size is designed to provide a good amount of support in hollow drywall surfaces or thin walls, with each different shape being perfect for a different kind of situation or thickness. Not only that, but they each come with relevant screws, meaning that you can use them as an 'emergency kit' to have support ready in any situation, regardless of what you are currently working on.
This set contains everything you need to quickly and easily set up new supports or mounts on drywall, no matter how thick it is.
Check Price on Amazon ➞4. Toggler Snaptoggle Drywall Anchor
These large anchors are perfect for creating secure, semi-permanent connections and mounts between surfaces, and are even designed to work in blocks of concrete or other solid materials if necessary. The channel part of the anchor will stay in place even if the internal bolt is removed, allowing you to easily swap them out without having to repeat the entire process over again. Its high tensile strength means that it can hold two surfaces together even under high pressure, and won’t snap due to sudden weight changes, even if it is used in a board as thin as 3/8 inches.
These anchors are large, strong and easy to use, providing an excellent hold on almost any drywall-related surface while being strong enough to work alongside concrete.
Check Price on Amazon ➞5. Screw-it Drywall and Hollow-Wall Anchor Kit
These zinc anchors take the standard plastic design and expand on it, giving you a much more durable and heavy-duty choice for situations where you need top-quality connections on your drywall. They can work on any panel thickness between 3/8 inches and 5/8 inches and offer two different sizes: Large and Mini. Large can support up to 50 lbs each, while Mini can hold 40 lbs, giving you two different ways to hang up or secure different objects together. The kit also comes with 50 screws to fit both sizes, meaning that you can use them straight away if necessary.
These anchors use zinc instead of plastic, making them some of the best drywall anchors for situations where you need extra support and strength.
Check Price on Amazon ➞6. Swpeet Assorted Toggle Bolt and Wing Nut
This bolt and wing nut set comes with all the parts you need to create a durable and reliable mount in drywall, using a screw-based system that unfolds on the other side of a surface to create a nearly-unbreakable hold. This also means that they will take a huge amount of force to break and won't slip out if they are rotated or pulled in a certain way. The durable zinc used in their design also helps them endure regular wear and tear, as well as preventing them from breaking down due to old age or constant pressure.
This kit is an excellent choice for anybody who needs as much supporting strength as possible, especially if you are hanging up heavy decorations or items.
Check Price on Amazon ➞7. TOGGLER SnapSkru Self-Drilling Drywall Anchor
These plastic anchors are simple yet effective, providing an excellent level of strength while securing objects without being overly-complicated. No drilling is required to use them properly, and they can fit a surface of between 3/8 inches and 5/8 inches thick with ease, creating a bond or mounting point that is resistant to vibrations and sudden impacts. Due to their design, you can also easily remove them at any time, making them suitable as both a long-term and temporary solution depending on the situation.
Going back to basics can sometimes be a good solution to a problem, and these are some of the best drywall anchors in terms of simplicity and ease of use.
Check Price on Amazon ➞8. Qualihome Ribbed Plastic Drywall Anchor Kit
These ribbed plastic anchors are a simple, lightweight solution to a range of drywall issues, giving you 100 individual anchors and 100 matching screws (as well as a drill bit) – everything you might need to quickly set up a new mounting point or combine two pieces of drywall together. Thanks to the ribs on each anchor, they won’t slip out or rotate easily, providing a slightly more reliable hold than non-ribbed designs and giving you more control over how it’s positioned when you connect different items or surfaces together.
The drill bit that comes with this kit is perfectly sized for the anchors and screws, making it an excellent choice for people handling drywall for the first time.
Check Price on Amazon ➞9. TOGGLER Toggle TB Residential Drywall Anchor
This anchor and screw set comes with simple, easy-to-use pieces that can work on any drywall between 3/8 inches and 1/2 inches in thickness, giving you a decent range to work within any situation. They can easily be installed by one person with no extra pieces or products needed, and their high tensile strength means that they can hold quite a lot of weight without showing any signs of damage, stress, or looseness. Not only that, but thanks to their expanding shape, they are perfect for hollow panels that are mostly empty space inside.
These anchors combine a strong expanding mounting system with light and durable materials, making them some of the best drywall anchors in terms of relative strength to weight.
Check Price on Amazon ➞10. Glarks Molly Bolt Hollow Drive Wall Anchor kit
These metal bolt-based wall anchors are perfect for creating a tough, durable and long-lasting mounting point in any kind of drywall, using an expanding body that relies on strong metals to keep the anchor in a stable position. This kit contains six different sizes, each with their own particular uses and recommended thicknesses – they are all made out of tough steel and plated with durable zinc to avoid corrosion, rusting and other types of long-term damage, making them suitable as a permanent solution to mounting something on drywall.
These anchors are great for mounting up heavy objects and creating strong connections between objects, as well as allowing for plenty of extra weight to hang off them.
Check Price on Amazon ➞Drywall Anchors Buyer’s Guide
Drywall anchors look similar to screws, and they are often used directly alongside them, but buying them isn’t as simple as choosing a certain size or shape. You need to know what kind of expansion designs, ribs, and other features it might have, as well as the materials it is made from and the overall amount of weight it can hold.
If you are dealing with drywall or other soft, thin materials, make sure you do your research and understand what is important before you start spending money on anchors you don’t need.
Size
Size is obviously the single most important part of buying any item or tool like this, especially when it comes to woodworking, so it is a good idea to understand the kind of measurements you will need to work with. While many drywall anchor kits come with screws, not all of them do, and you might need a specific type of screw head that is not included in the kit.
Anchors that are too large will leave plenty of room for the screw to fall out or roll around, creating a much less reliable mounting point that could fall apart or unscrew at almost any moment. However, if it is too tight, it won’t fit properly and the screw will likely end up damaging the anchor, or potentially even damage the hole it is supposed to fit in.
Type
There’s a lot of different drywall anchor types, each with their own specific uses and purposes, so tracking down the exact type you need is important if you want to be sure that everything works correctly. Even if two designs are the same general shape, they can actually be wildly different, especially when it comes to things like the expansion method or the amount of weight they can hold.
Expansion Anchors
The first (and most widespread) type is expansion anchors, which are focused around using an expanding section that creates a stronger hold on the inside / other side of the drywall surface. This can be anything from expanding plastic arms to a metal frame that blooms out in every direction. They are often made of plastic, zinc-coated metal or a similar material, and generally the most affordable type on the market.
These anchors are fairly strong and can hold a wide range of object materials, and can be quickly and easily installed during other DIY jobs as a temporary measure. However, some of them are actually also able to work as a permanent mounts or connections if they are made with durability in mind, which can be a cheaper option for somebody who doesn’t want to buy more expensive mounts if they don’t need them.
However, they are also some of the hardest to use as ceiling mounts, since certain designs can slip out from the downwards force.
Threaded Anchors
Threaded anchors are often referred to as “self-drilling,” which is accurate – they don’t need a hole to be pre-drilled, and are generally made of hard materials such as tough metals or reinforced nylon. The fact that they don’t need a drill means that you can easily push them through soft materials, making them a much faster option for most DIY and home improvement projects.
Because of their design, they are often stronger than expansion anchors but still aren’t safe to use on ceilings. The simple overall design makes them great for quickly setting up a mounting point for heavier objects.
Sleeve-Type Anchors
These sleeve-type hollow wall anchors are built with one key feature in mind – the ability to remove and replace them at any time. They are essentially an extension to the original hole that allows the screw to be safely removed without ruining the surface or making the hole wider, allowing you to re-use it over and over again for different purposes.
They work slightly differently, but they are installed in a similar way – once the screw is inserted, it causes the metal tips inside the anchor to pierce into the material, keeping it there even if you remove the screw at a later date.
Toggle Anchors
Toggle anchors are usually used alongside metal bolts rather than screws and have a different design as a result. They require the hole to be drilled larger than the bolt itself, but the metal “wings” at the tip expand once it is inside, stopping it from moving outwards and keeping it properly in line with the hole.
These toggle bolts are able to hold quite a lot of weight, even on ceilings, and don’t break or fall out easily once they are in position. However, they can take a while to actually set up and aren’t recommended for complete novices.
Material
Like all tools, your chosen materials make a gigantic difference in how effective different anchors are. Plastic is generally the weakest, but different plastics are still likely to change the weight limit, effectiveness and reliability depending on what they are actually made from. In some cases, you might find that plastic is only a small part of the anchor, with the rest being metal or another strong material instead.
Metal is generally seen as the superior option, but it can cost more and isn’t always going to be as easy to handle, especially since the parts are more solid and don’t have as much flexibility. Metal won’t necessarily be the main component, either, with some plastic designs having a metal core or metal plating to reinforce them.
The main reasons you’d want to think about the material is their overall strength, durability, and resistance to damage. Not all plastics and metals are equal, and some will be able to endure things like constant pressure, water damage, rust and corrosion better than others. Zinc is often used as plating on metal anchors for exactly this reason since it is resistant to many of these problems and doesn’t add much extra weight and stress.
Weight Limits
The weight limit of your chosen anchors affects how much it can reasonably hold, as well as changing the kind of situations it is best for. A higher weight limit allows you to attach more to the mounting point, but you will often have to pay slightly more or spend more time attaching it to the drywall so that it doesn’t slip out.
Different materials and designs will have different weight limits, and it can vary on a manufacturer-to-manufacturer basis, so you will sometimes find one anchor that can hold more than another. In other cases, two anchors might have identical weight limits but wildly different designs.
Expert Tip
Some anchor kits come with the necessary drill bits to install them properly, meaning that you don’t need to buy them separately – this is great for first-time users and newcomers to DIY.
Did you know?
You don’t need to use anchors separately – like nails, many people use them two or three at a time for heavier objects, especially those with no set hanging points (like items hung up on a string or bar).