Top 5 compared
The best drill bit sets
The right size bit for every hole a house needs: shelves, pictures, curtain rods and furniture kits.
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The top 5 at a glance
A drill bit set is a case of bits in graded sizes, so there’s one for each hole a job needs. High-speed steel (HSS) twist bits drill metal, wood and plastic and cover most jobs around a house; masonry bits, with a hard carbide tip, are for brick and concrete, and brad-point bits make the cleanest holes in wood. Mixed sets add screwdriver bits and nut drivers, so one case covers drilling and driving.
A box of wall anchors says which bit it needs, so it helps to have a set in the same sizes as the hardware you use, inch or metric. Bits for an impact driver need a 1/4-inch hex shank to click into its quick-change chuck; round and 3-flat shanks go in an ordinary drill.
What matters
- A split or pilot point, so the bit starts without skating.
- A titanium or black oxide coating, for less heat and wear.
- Sizes stamped on the shanks, to find the right bit fast.
- Doubles of the smallest sizes, which snap most easily.
#1DEWALT Black and Gold Drill Bit Set, 14 Pieces (DWA1184)
$10–$20
Fourteen HSS bits from 1/16 to 1/2 inch, with a 135° split point that bites where it’s placed, a 3-flat shank that won’t spin in the chuck on the bigger sizes, and the size stamped on every shank. The 1/8-inch bit, the one that gets the most use, comes twice.
What owners say: Owners say the bits go through hard steel and keep their edge, and the case holds every size a household needs. Some had a bit or two break in use.
A closer look: Run small bits fast and large ones slow, and back the bit out every few seconds in deep holes to clear the chips; a drop of oil helps in steel. Clamp thin sheet metal to a scrap of wood so the bit doesn’t grab it on the way through.
- Tip starts where it’s placed
- Sizes stamped on every shank
- Spare 1/8 in bit
Best for: Metal, wood and plastic around the house
- Pieces
- 14
- Drill bits
- 14 twist (metal, wood, plastic)
- Drill sizes
- 1/16–1/2 in
- Metal bits
- HSS, black and gold
- Screwdriver bits
- None
- Shank
- 3-flat
#2DEWALT Titanium Nitride Pilot Point Drill Bit Set, 21 Pieces (DW1361)
$20–$30
A step up in coating and sizes: 21 titanium-nitride-coated bits from 1/16 to 1/2 inch, with doubles of the five smallest, and pilot points that start on contact without a center punch.
What owners say: Sharp points and clean cutting win owners over; one found it went through plywood and 2x4s easily. Some report broken bits, and a few find them stiff to snap in and out of the case.
A closer look: Pilot points shine in wood and thin metal, where a clean exit hole matters, as with hinges, brackets and cabinet hardware. The thinnest bits snap if the drill tilts, so keep it square to the work and let the bit cut at its own pace.
- Clean exit holes in wood
- Starts without a center punch
- Five smallest sizes come twice
- Tough carry case
Best for: Cleaner holes and spare small sizes
- Pieces
- 21
- Drill bits
- 21 twist (metal, wood, plastic)
- Drill sizes
- 1/16–1/2 in
- Metal bits
- Titanium nitride coated
- Screwdriver bits
- None
- Shank
- No-spin
#3Makita B-49373 Drill and Screwdriver Bit Set (75 pieces)
$30–$50
A metric drill-and-drive set: 19 titanium-nitride-coated metal bits from 1 to 8 mm, brad-point wood bits and masonry bits, and 36 screwdriver bits in two lengths, with the 2-inch ones reaching screws the short ones can’t.
What owners say: Owners point to how complete it is, with bits for wood, steel and masonry alongside the drivers, and a case that keeps everything in order. A few had Phillips bits break early.
Heads up: The drill bits are metric (1 to 8 mm), handy for metric hardware; for anchors and screws sized in inches, an inch set is the easier match.
A closer look: Reach for a 2-inch bit when a screw sits deep in a corner or behind a hinge, where the chuck can’t get close. Tap the center punch on a pencil mark before drilling metal: the small dent stops the bit from wandering off the spot.
- Long 2 in screwdriver bits
- Magnetic bit holder
- Countersink and center punch
- Brad-point wood bits
Best for: Drilling and driving metric hardware
- Pieces
- 75
- Drill bits
- 19 metal, 5 masonry, 4 wood
- Drill sizes
- 1–8 mm
- Metal bits
- HSS, titanium nitride
- Screwdriver bits
- 36, plus 8 nut drivers
- Shank
- Round
#4BOSCH MS4091 Drilling and Driving Mixed Set, 91 Pieces
$30–$50
Thirty drill bits in inch sizes, from 1/16 to 3/8: titanium-coated ones for metal, carbide-tipped masonry bits for brick and concrete, and brad points for wood. Add 49 screwdriver bits, eight nut setters and a ratcheting screwdriver, and one case covers most jobs in a house.
What owners say: Owners value how complete the assortment is, with plenty of the small sizes, and one finds it handy for service calls. Bits can be hard to pull from their holders, and opinions on durability vary.
A closer look: The magnetic extension pen picks a dropped screw out of a wall cavity or from under a cabinet. The masonry bits want the drill’s hammer mode in concrete; in drywall, drill gently without it so the hole stays the size the anchor needs.
- Ratcheting screwdriver included
- Magnetic extension pen
- Carbide-tipped masonry bits
- One- and two-inch insert bits
- Countersink and bit holder
Best for: Inch sizes for every material
- Pieces
- 91
- Drill bits
- 11 metal, 11 masonry, 8 wood
- Drill sizes
- 1/16–3/8 in
- Metal bits
- HSS, titanium-coated
- Screwdriver bits
- 49, plus 8 nut setters
- Shank
- Round
#5Makita Impact GOLD Titanium Drill Bit Set, 14 Pieces (B-65399)
$20–$30
Fourteen titanium-nitride-coated bits on 1/4-inch hex shanks, rated for impact drivers, so they click straight into a quick-change chuck. Makita says they drill stainless steel and cast iron as well as wood, plastic and mild steel.
A closer look: With hex shanks the bits click into an impact driver as easily as a screwdriver bit, so drilling and driving can share one tool on a job. Ease off the trigger as the bit breaks through the back of the work, so it doesn’t grab and twist the tool in your hand.
- Drills stainless steel, cast iron
- Spare 1/8 in bit
Best for: Impact drivers and quick bit changes
- Pieces
- 14
- Drill bits
- 14 twist (metal, wood, plastic)
- Drill sizes
- 1/16–1/2 in
- Metal bits
- Titanium nitride coated
- Screwdriver bits
- None
- Shank
- 1/4 in hex
How they compare
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| Feature | #1DEWALT DWA1184 | #2DEWALT DW1361 | #3Makita B-49373 | #4Bosch MS4091 | #5Makita Impact GOLD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best for impact drivers | ||||
| Picked Rating | 9.5 | 9.4 | 9.3 | 9.0 | 8.8 |
| Price | $10–$20 | $20–$30 | $30–$50 | $30–$50 | $20–$30 |
| Pieces | 14 | 21 | 75 | 91 | 14 |
| Drill bits | 14 twist (metal, wood, plastic) | 21 twist (metal, wood, plastic) | 19 metal, 5 masonry, 4 wood | 11 metal, 11 masonry, 8 wood | 14 twist (metal, wood, plastic) |
| Drill sizes | 1/16–1/2 in | 1/16–1/2 in | 1–8 mm | 1/16–3/8 in | 1/16–1/2 in |
| Metal bits | HSS, black and gold | Titanium nitride coated | HSS, titanium nitride | HSS, titanium-coated | Titanium nitride coated |
| Screwdriver bits | None | None | 36, plus 8 nut drivers | 49, plus 8 nut setters | None |
| Shank | 3-flat | No-spin | Round | Round | 1/4 in hex |
| Best for | Metal, wood and plastic around the house | Cleaner holes and spare small sizes | Drilling and driving metric hardware | Inch sizes for every material | Impact drivers and quick bit changes |
| Buy now | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
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