A device for reversing the direction of rotation and/or for adjusting the carbon brushes for a reversible electric motor, in particular for an electric hand tool, with a base and with a mount, which is mounted pivotably on the base and on which brushholders for the carbon brushes wiping over the collector of the electric motor are arranged. The electric motor can be driven by means of power electronics, such as a pulse width controller, a phase gating controller, a phase chopping controller or the like. The power electronics are arranged on the base and/or on the mount. The device furthermore has fixed contacts and switching contacts, which interact with alternate contact-making for reversing the direction of rotation of the electric motor as the mount is pivoted.