Best drill bits for metal and wood

Drill bits are useful for anyone who needs to do any kind of building, construction, repair, or DIY work.

There are so many different drill attachments you can use in your Makita, Dewalt, Milwaukee cordless hammer drill to drive screws and drill different-sized holes in different building materials like glasses.

If you do a lot of drilling, you will probably be going through drill bits like crazy. Consider valuing the worth of spending more on the best quality drill bits you can discover.

Even though some bits are more expensive, superior quality cobalt steel lasts longer, so you won’t have to buy new bits too often.

Don’t forget to get a first class, sturdy case as well. While a case will keep you from losing bits, a nice container will also help you transport your drill bits making life easier when needing to find the right type or sized bit.

If you are going through a lot of bits you might want to get a drill doctor to resharpen the tip when blunt.

1. Consider the brand.

Irwin and Milwaukee drill bits are among the best-made and most reliable drill bits available.

Most Irwin drill bits are perfectly suited for drilling into metal, and the best are even able to penetrate hardened steel fairly easily.

The cobalt alloy construction is resistant to heat and abrasion and retains a  sharp tip for a longer time.

Milwaukee matrix carbide drill bits are equally durable and are especially resistant to impact.

These drill bits are designed to absorb peak torques, which prevents the build material from wearing out too quickly.

2. Have you got bits that are durable enough?

The materials from which the drill bits are made have a lot to do with their durability. Cobalt is an especially reliable and hardy material, and you will find that drill bits made from this material are extremely hard and long-lasting.

Cobalt also dissipates heat quickly, which reduces the risk of overheating when drilling through metal.

Consider purchasing drill bits with a black oxide coating. These are resistant to corrosion and will bore through most any material efficiently.

Titanium-coated drill bits are even more resistant to friction and stay sharp longer even with frequent use.

For maximum longevity though, carbide-tipped drill bits are among the most durable you can buy.

3. Is the drill bit long enough?

The length of your drill bit will affect how efficient and how effective it is for specific tasks.

Shorter drill bits tend to be stronger than long bits, and are less likely to go off-center when drilling. However, short bits may not provide the depth needed for certain drilling jobs.

4. Have you got a range of widths and sizes in a kit?

Size is an equally important factor. Drill bit size is usually measured in fractional inches, wire sizes, letter sizes, and metric decimal millimeters.

A phenomenal idea is to get drill bits in a few different sizes so you can drill holes of varying diameters right when you need to.

Drill bits also come in different tip styles. Twist drill bits usually come with standard drill points, which are suitable for most general drilling tasks. You may also see twist drill bits with split drill points, which ensure more stable operation and better penetration.

Then there are V-point bits, which are used for drilling thru-holes in sheet metal, brad point bits, which are useful for drilling blind holes, fishtail bits, which are perfectly suited for drilling at an angle, and taper point bits, which are used for drilling tapered holes.

Counter-bore drills come with tips that have flat blades that extend from the center to the outer edge. The bits may come fitted with outer spurs or “teeth” which help prevent chipping and splintering.

Countersink drill bits also have similar flat blades that extend from the center to the outer edge. These have angles that range from 60° to 120°.

Metal drill bits are the only serious choice, whether you are a hobbyist/DIY’er, or a professional chippy/steelworker.

Standard wood-only drill bits work for drilling wood and plastic but will be useless for anything else like soft and harder metals.

On the other hand, metal drill bits will work equally well for softer materials and steel, so you can use the set for pretty much anything.

There are a few different varieties of metal drill bits. The most popular are made of cobalt, which can carve through aluminum and stainless steel.

There are also drill bits that have black oxide coatings. These are durable, stay sharp for longer, and can bore through almost any type of material.

Titanium-coated drill bits are also durable and produce little friction.

For sheer strength and durability-though, carbide-tipped drill bits are hard to beat. And stay sharp for much longer than any other type of drill bit material.

Irwin 3018002

The Irwin 3018002 is a 29 piece-set of heavy-duty drill bits, each designed to drill into the toughest materials.

Made of 8% industrial-grade cobalt alloy, these drill bits can bore through-hardened steel and be an experience like cutting through hot butter.

The set includes drill bits in various sizes, ranging from 1/16” to 1/2”. This gives you a first class range of options in hole sizes, which are suitable for woodworking and even metal fabrication.

The set comes with a rugged over-molded case made of rubber, which keeps your drill bits secure and organized.

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TTP bits

I found that the TTP bits have excellent heat and abrasion-resistant properties and are equipped with tips that penetrate steel readily.

You don’t have to push hard to penetrate through the material you are working with, and the drill remains steady and centered on the drilling point.

I like having a unique set that not many people know about yet.

#1 Step drill

The Milwaukee 48-89-9257 Impact Step Drill Bit Set is a 3-piece set of high-speed steel drill bits that have a unique futuristic design.

Made of Titanium-Aluminum-Nitrite, made to have 5X longer life than its competitors. The Rapid-Strike-Tip™ and dual spiral flute are made to also drill 2X as faster than its competitors.

These drill bits are tough enough for electricians. The Titanium Aluminum Nitride (TiAlN) coating further enhances edge retention and ensures the long life of the bits.

The unique design of the Milwaukee step drill bits enables you to drill a wide variety of differently-sized holes, even with a fairly modest number of tools.

The shanks are compatible with chucks and impact drivers. So you have a great deal of flexibility with regard to the drills that you will operate with.

Step drill bits have non-walking tips that help you keep the tip centered when drilling on slick and glossy surfaces such as steel and aluminum sheets.

I like how these drill bits are also equally effective on plastic, and a variety of other materials, although the material should be thinner than the height of each step on the drill bits.

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Irwin’s Speedbor Max set offers high performance and precision in an affordably-priced set. Consisting of ten 6-inch long drill bits in sizes ranging from ½” to 1 ¼”.

Three of the bits are fitted with three cutting spurs that enable you to drill holes faster and cleaner, with reduced risk of a breakout. This design also ensures a longer drilling life.

The drill bits have full screw-point tips that enable self-feeding, making drilling faster and more efficient. The tapered tri-flute design helps eject chips faster and reduces incidences of binding.

Speedbor Max drill bits have ¼” quick-change shanks that prevent slipping when used with standard chucks.

I like how these bits are compatible with all ¼” quick-change chucks in impact drivers and can be used in standard cordless drills as well.

The Irwin speed bore drill bits will save the wear and tear on your main drill bits and will instantly drill through timber-like butter.

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A cheaper option is the Irwin Speedbor set of 16 spade bits plus a canvas case. The bits range in size from ¼” to 1 ½”, giving you a wide range of options for drilling holes of various sizes.

The Speedbor bits are designed for durability and enhanced cutting performance.

This drill bit design attributes a patented “Blue-Groove” design that clears away chips from the drilling surface as you are working, improving speed, and enhancing efficiency.

The bits also have shanks that are 25% larger than that of other brands’ drill bits. This makes the bits more resistant to heavy use and helps increase their usable life span.

A thicker cutting edge works for better performance and the double-cutting spurs help you drill cleaner holes in any material.

Irwin spade bits are a cheaper must-have that let you drill and bore holes for checkouts in timber framing for cables, pipes, and wires quicker than setting up any Makita or Bosch wood router.

No matter how strong and durable your drill bits are, everything will get dull at some point, particularly if you often work with steel or other hard materials.

You can use an ordinary bench grinder for sharpening, but something like a Drill Doctor is a more convenient and fail-proof solution.

The best models can sharpen any type of drill bit and are easy to use without prior experience.

Sharpening your drill bits will spare you the expense of having to buy a new set of drill bits every time yours wear out.

Over time, you can save a considerable amount of money by purchasing a bit sharpener.

The Drill Doctor 750X can save you a great deal of time and money when your drill bits inevitably get dull.

A convenient and effective solution that will save you the expense of having to purchase new drill bits every few weeks, the Drill Doctor is quick and simple to use, yet provides professional quality results.

The 750X accommodates a wide range of drill bit sizes, ranging from 3/32” to 3/4”. Ideally suited for sharpening frequently used bits, a drill bit sharpener can also restore the original edge on broken bits that you would otherwise throw away and not re-use.

The 750X is so versatile and powerful that this monster can sharpen almost any type of drill bit. From high-speed steel bits to cobalt bits, and masonry and titanium-tip bits, the Drill Doctor does it all with consistently excellent results.