The best drill bit sets
Shelves, pictures, curtain poles and flat-pack: drill bits for wood, masonry and metal in one case, most with screwdriver bits as well.
A good mixed set saves a trip to the shop every time a job needs a different hole. Three kinds of bit do most of the work: masonry bits, with a hard tip for brick and plaster walls; high-speed steel (HSS) bits for metal, which cut wood and plastic too; and brad-point wood bits, whose centre spike stops them skating across the grain. Some sets have titanium-coated metal bits, which makers say cut heat and friction.
Most sets add screwdriver bits and nutsetters, so the drill drives the screws as well as making the holes. Check the size range against the fixings you use (a packet of wall plugs says which masonry bit it needs), and look at the case: one with every size marked makes the right bit quick to find.
What matters
- Bit types: metal (HSS), masonry and wood, and whether screwdriver bits come too.
- Size range: the smallest and largest hole each set drills.
- Metal bits: plain HSS or titanium-coated.
- A case with every size marked and held in place.
#1 of 5
Best overall
Bosch X-Line Classic Drill and Screwdriver Bit Set (34 pieces)
£17.40 RRP
Fifteen drill bits for wood, masonry and metal, plus the screwdriver bits and nutsetters most jobs around the house call for, in a case small enough for a kitchen drawer. Wall plugs for a shelf, pilot holes for flat-pack, a new curtain pole: it has them covered.
What owners say: Owners like how much fits into such a small case, and find it covers most drilling and screwing around the house.
A closer look: For a neat hole in metal, start with a small bit and step up a size or two, with a drop of oil to keep the tip cool. The universal holder takes the screwdriver bits and nutsetters, so the same drill drives the screws once the holes are done.
- 5 HSS metal bits, 2–5mm
- 5 masonry bits, 5–8mm
- 5 wood bits, 4–8mm
- 13 screwdriver bits and 3 nutsetters
- Magnetic holder and countersink
Best for: Everyday jobs round the house
- Pieces
- 34
- Drill bits
- 5 metal, 5 masonry, 5 wood
- Drill sizes
- 2–8mm
- Metal bits
- HSS
- Screwdriver bits
- 13, plus 3 nutsetters
#2 of 5
Runner-up
Makita B-49373 Drill and Screwdriver Bit Set (75 pieces)
£20–£30 Price range
Nineteen titanium-nitride-coated metal bits from 1mm to 8mm, and 36 screwdriver bits in two lengths: the 50mm ones reach screws the 25mm bits can’t get to.
What owners say: Owners like having separate bits for wood and steel alongside the drivers, and say the case holds every size a home job needs without being bulky.
A closer look: Reach for a 50mm bit when a screw sits deep in a corner or behind a hinge, where the chuck can’t get close. Tap the centre punch on a pencil mark before drilling metal: the small dent stops the bit wandering off the spot.
- 19 HSS-TiN metal bits, 1–8mm
- 5 masonry and 4 wood bits
- 20 x 25mm and 16 x 50mm screwdriver bits
- 8 nutsetters, 5–11mm
- Countersink and centre punch
Best for: A wide mix, two bit lengths
- Pieces
- 75
- Drill bits
- 19 metal, 5 masonry, 4 wood
- Drill sizes
- 1–8mm
- Metal bits
- HSS, titanium nitride
- Screwdriver bits
- 36, plus 8 nutsetters
#3 of 5
Best premium
DeWalt DT71569 Drill Drive Set (100 pieces)
£30–£50 Price range
Screwdriving is the strength here: 69 bits, with plenty of spare PZ2 and PH2 heads, plus four hole saws from 32 to 54mm and a tough case that slots into a DeWalt TSTAK drawer.
What owners say: Owners find it has everything the drill and driver need in one box, and like how it sits in their TSTAK storage.
Heads up: The masonry bits are made for percussion drilling, so switch the drill to its hammer setting for brick and concrete.
A closer look: There are no dedicated wood bits in the box: the HSS metal bits drill pilot holes in timber, and the hole saws cut the bigger round openings. Inside the clear lid, the bars of bits can be moved around to suit the job, and each bit clicks firmly into place.
- 69 screwdriver bits, 25mm
- 12 HSS metal bits, 1.5–7mm
- 8 masonry bits, 4–10mm
- 4 hole saws, 32–54mm
- Case fits a TSTAK drawer
Best for: Lots of screwdriving
- Pieces
- 100
- Drill bits
- 12 metal, 8 masonry, no wood
- Drill sizes
- 1.5–10mm, hole saws 32–54mm
- Metal bits
- HSS
- Screwdriver bits
- 69, plus 5 nutsetters
#4 of 5
Best budget
BLACK+DECKER A7188 Drill and Screwdriver Bit Set (50 pieces)
£10–£20 Price range
Twenty drill bits for wood, masonry and metal, 20 screwdriver bits and six nutsetters, from the company that patented the electric drill with a pistol grip and trigger switch in 1917.
What owners say: Owners say the mix of drill and screwdriver bits handles all sorts of jobs, and the compact case keeps it tidy.
A closer look: Brad-point wood bits have a sharp centre spike that sits right on a pencil mark, which helps with holes for hinges, shelf pins or dowels. The screwdriver bits sit on a flip-out bar in the case, so the one needed is easy to pick out.
- 9 titanium-coated HSS bits, 1.5–6mm
- 6 masonry bits, 4–10mm
- 5 brad-point wood bits
- 20 screwdriver bits
- 6 nutsetters and a magnetic holder
Best for: A first set for less
- Pieces
- 50
- Drill bits
- 9 metal, 6 masonry, 5 wood
- Drill sizes
- 1.5–10mm
- Metal bits
- HSS, titanium-coated
- Screwdriver bits
- 20, plus 6 nutsetters
#5 of 5
Most drill bits
Hi-Spec Drill Bit Set (130 pieces)
£20–£30 Price range
Drill bits only, and lots of them: 78 titanium-coated metal bits, 26 brad-point wood bits and 26 masonry bits with carbide tips, from 1mm to 10mm, so there’s a spare to hand when a thin bit snaps.
What owners say: Owners like the wide spread of sizes and the neat case, and report plenty of clean pilot holes in plywood and brass.
Heads up: The metal bits are made for aluminium, mild steel, wood and plastic rather than hardened steel, so take tough metal slowly and let the bit cool between holes.
A closer look: Use the masonry bits with the drill on its hammer setting and the metal bits without it. Each size has its own labelled slot, so a bit goes straight back where it came from and the next one needed is easy to find.
- 78 titanium-coated HSS bits, 1–10mm
- 26 brad-point wood bits, 4–10mm
- 26 masonry bits, 4–10mm
- Carbide-tipped masonry bits
- Labelled storage case
Best for: Plenty of drill bits
- Pieces
- 130
- Drill bits
- 78 metal, 26 masonry, 26 wood
- Drill sizes
- 1–10mm
- Metal bits
- HSS, titanium-coated
- Screwdriver bits
- None (drill bits only)
How they compare
| Feature | #1Bosch X-Line 34 | #2Makita B-49373 | #3DeWalt DT71569 | #4BLACK+DECKER A7188 | #5Hi-Spec 130 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Runner-up | Best premium | Best budget | Most drill bits | |
| Picked Rating | 9.4 | 9.3 | 9.2 | 9.1 | 8.6 |
| Price | £17.40 RRP | £20–£30 Price range | £30–£50 Price range | £10–£20 Price range | £20–£30 Price range |
| Pieces | 34 | 75 | 100 | 50 | 130 |
| Drill bits | 5 metal, 5 masonry, 5 wood | 19 metal, 5 masonry, 4 wood | 12 metal, 8 masonry, no wood | 9 metal, 6 masonry, 5 wood | 78 metal, 26 masonry, 26 wood |
| Drill sizes | 2–8mm | 1–8mm | 1.5–10mm, hole saws 32–54mm | 1.5–10mm | 1–10mm |
| Metal bits | HSS | HSS, titanium nitride | HSS | HSS, titanium-coated | HSS, titanium-coated |
| Screwdriver bits | 13, plus 3 nutsetters | 36, plus 8 nutsetters | 69, plus 5 nutsetters | 20, plus 6 nutsetters | None (drill bits only) |
| Best for | Everyday jobs round the house | A wide mix, two bit lengths | Lots of screwdriving | A first set for less | Plenty of drill bits |
| Check price | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon |
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