Drill bits are a bit like shoes. You need the correct drill bit for the correct scenario, otherwise, the entire exercise ends up being a disaster. You wouldn't go hiking in stilettos in the same way you shouldn't drill through bricks with a drill bit meant for timber. The other commonality drill bits have with shoes, is that they are a vital accessory. No toolbox is complete without drill bits, in the same way that no wardrobe is complete without shoes. A drill is paralysed without bits, and humans are immobile without shoes.
With the analogy conveyed, let’s focus solely on drill bits. There are drill bits designed for specific materials, and drill bits designed for specific jobs on specific materials. But many of these are quite specialist and not something we come across in the regular DIY landscape.
Related: The best cordless drills under £100
Here, we move through a range of common materials such as wood and masonry and then explain the various drill bits that you use. That way, you will get a sound understanding of certain drill bits and their function. In order to make things easier still, we have recommended top products in order to save you time trawling through the thousands of (and frequently rubbish) options.
Hold on, are there any all-round drill bits for all materials?
In a word, no. In three words, to a point. Twisted High-Speed Steel (HSS) bits are designed primarily for drilling into metal because they are made from high-strength and heat-resistant alloys. But they can also be used for wood and plastic.
Durable and value for money
This Metabo HSS-G set (1-10mm sizes) is a great value option, but the bits are also hardy because in the manufacturing process they are ground (hence the G in HSS-G). You might see HSS-R bits around too, which are rolled forged (hence the R in HSS-R). HSS-R bits are cheaper but donu2019t perform quite as well.
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One of the other types of HSS bits youu2019ll find consist of a small percentage of cobalt. This additive makes the drill bit even more durable and heat resistant. But as you can see, also noticeably more expensive. For general DIY, HSS-G bits are ideal. Bosch set: 1 to 10mm sizes.
Related: The best tools for DIY
Drill bits for wood
In addition to the HSS bits that drill simple, small holes, sometimes you may need to bore neater or bigger holes into timber - you may need a hole for cables, for example. There is a range of options here.
Brad bits look similar to regular twisted HSS bits, but you will notice they feature a centring point on the tip to help with drilling exactly where you want it. They are ideal for both hard and soft wood.
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Contents: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 10mm bits.
Auger bits have a very exaggerated spiral and drill a very precise, neat hole into wood. Therefore, auger bits are great when a hole is going to be on show. They remove the wood shavings as they work, so they are very enjoyable to watch as you use them. Just don’t lose focus. They come in an extremely wide variety of diameters and lengths.
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Contents: 6, 8, 13, 16, and 19mm. Comes in a plastic case. For use in hard and soft wood, even plasterboard.
Spade bits don’t create such a refined hole as auger bits do. They quickly bore out a rough hole when appearance doesn’t matter. They come in fairly large diameters but be warned, while they are effective, they frequently cause splintering in timber.
Contents: 10, 12, 16, 19, 22, 25, and 32mm.
Related: The best impact drivers
Drill bits for masonry
Also with a similar appearance to twist drill bits, common masonry bits have a blunt arrow-shaped head which grinds away brick and stone. If you have bigger jobs at hand, larger, heavier rotary hammer drills (you can hire these) with large SDS drill bits may be needed to save time and wear on your DIY drill. But for smaller jobs, masonry bits attached to your combi/hammer drill will be fine.
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Contents: 3 x 3mm, 3 x 4mm, 3 x 5mm, 2 x 6mm, 2 x 8mm, and 2 x 10mm.
Related: The best socket sets
Drill bits for steel and plastic
We have partially covered steel bits already with HSS bits. There are a number of specialised bits for metal, but for home, HSS bits are all you need. HSS bits can be used on plastics, too.
Rather than cobalt, these guys have a titanium nitride (TiN) coating. It helps reduce friction and therefore heat when drilling through metal. Contents: 1 to 10mm.
Contents: 1 to 10mm.
If you want to drill larger holes into steel or plastic, a conical/stepped drill bit is handy to have. They have a number of diameters you can drill which makes them versatile, and while you may need to drill a pilot hole first, they drill a clean hole. They can also be used for enlarging existing holes. They come in a range of sizes. This Sealey bit below can be had in 4mm-22mm or 4mm-30mm sizes, for example.
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Comes in a plastic case.
Related: The best cordless screwdrivers
Drill bits for tiles and glass
Bits designed for tiles and glass are noticeably different from the others. They look like little spears and are made from tungsten carbide or diamond in order to cope with the severe friction and heat that comes with drilling into hard and brittle glass, porcelain, or ceramics.
Drilling through tiles or glass can be very tricky and also something that may very well come up in a DIY job. But you can certainly do it, with care. Drilling guides are very helpful in stopping the drill bit from sliding over the surface and scratching it. We also recommend you brush up on wet tile drilling, too, before you get started.
Contents: 4, 5, 6, 8, and 10mm.
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Compatible with 5, 6, 8, 10, and 12mm bits. Use for wet or dry drilling. Easy to place onto tiles for precise drilling.
Related: The best ratcheting screwdrivers
Holesaws
These are similar to spade bits in that they cut a rough circle in timber. But some holesaws such as the Makita set below can also be used on metal or plastic. Because they are a bit more versatile, we would recommend them over spade bits. However, one of the advantages spade bits do have over holesaws is that they gauge out a hole rather than cut a circle. Spade bits can be used to create a cavity or partial hole in a piece of wood.
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Contents: holesaw arbor, 20, 25, 32, and 35mm diameters.
General drill bit kits
Before you ask, there certainly are sets that feature bits for all uses. The sets below are all of a superb standard and value.
Made up of wood bits, steel bits, masonry bits, and screwdriver bits, this is a great bit set containing the basics.
Contents: 5 x wood drill bits 4-8 mm, 5 x HSS metal drill bits 2-5 mm, 5 x masonry drill bits 5-8 mm, 3 x socket wrenches 7/8/10 mm, 1 x adapter for socket wrench, 1 x magnetic universal holder, 1 x countersink bit, 13 x 25mm screwdriver bits.
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High-quality drill bits only. A set ideal for people who already have screwdriver bits.
Contents: 5 x Masonry Drill Bits: 4mm, 5mm, 6mm, 8mm & 10mm, 5 x Brad Point Drill Bits: 4mm, 5mm, 6mm, 8mm & 10mm, 13 x HSS-R Drill Bits: 1.5mm, 2mm, 2.5mm, 3mm, 3.2mm, 3.5mm, 4mm, 4.5mm, 4.8mm, 5mm, 5.5mm, 6mm & 6.5mm
All the basics wrapped in a Makita hard case: wood, steel, masonry bits; screwdriver bits; even a couple of spade bits and holesaws.
Contents: Magnetic bit holder 2 x holesaws (32 and 38mm), Holesaw arbor, Countersink, 3 x wrench bits (6, 8 and 10mm), 2 x flat wood bits (12 and 16mm), 6 x HSS drill bits (2, 2 x 3, 4, 5 and 6mm), 7 x 3-point wood drill bits (2 x 3, 4, 2 x 5, 6 and 8mm), 4 x masonry drill bits (2 x 6, 7 and 8mm), 12 x 50mm screwdriver bits (5 x Philips (PH1, 3 x PH2 and PH3) 5 x Pozi (PZ1, 3 x PZ2 and PZ3) and 2 x Torx (T20 and T30)), tic-tac tub containing 25 x 25mm PZ2 bits and 36 x 25mm screwdriver bits (6 x Torx (T10, T15, T20, T25, T30 and T40), 7 x Philips (2 x PH1, 3 x PH2 and 2 x PH3), 4 x slotted (4, 4.5, 5 and 7mm), 4 x Hex (4, 5, 6 and 7mm) and 15 x Pozi (2 x PZ1, 11 x PZ2 and 2 x PZ3).
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A comprehensive starter kit that includes some extra goodies beyond the wide range of drill bits.
Contents: 18 x HSS-TiN steel drill bits - Ø 1/1,5/2/2/2,5/3/3/3,5/4/4/4,5/5/5,5/6/6,5/7/8/10mm, 7 x TC-masonry drill bits - Ø 3/4/5/5.5/6/7/8mm, 7 x wood drill bits - Ø 3/4/5/6/7/8/10mm 3 x titanium flat wood bits - Ø 16/22/32mm, 40 x 25mm titanium screwdriver bits, 1 each of Philips 0/0/1/1/2/2/2/3/3/3 1 each of Pozidriv 0/0/1/1/2/2/2/3/3/3, 1 each of Slotted 4/4/6/6/7/7, 1 each of Hexagon 3/4/5/6, 1 each of torx 10/10/15/15/20/20/25/25/30/40, 8 x sockets 5/6/7/8/9/10/11/13, 4 x depth stops Ø 3/5/8/10mm, 4 x HCS hole saws Ø 32/38/45/54mm, diameter gauge, spring level, countersink, Allen key, universal holder, magnetic socket adapter, hammer nose plier, slip joint plier, combination plier.