If youve never had the pleasure of doing so, drilling through steel can be an absolutely nightmarish chore even with the best drill and best steel drill bits in the world.
What if you don’t have all the correct bits? You can absolutely forget about it.
This week, I was going to install a trailer wiring harness on my truck. I forgot that all my steel drill bits had been left at my brother’s place. Too lazy to head over to the hardware store and pick some up, I foolishly tried to drill into the frame of my truck for the ground wire bolt with a hardwood bit, and I lasted about 12 seconds before it broke off.
Needless to mention, I was frustrated and quit my project to go inside to find solace in an ice-cold Bud Light.
The fact of the matter is, if youre going to be drilling into steel, theres no getting around the fact that youre going to have to invest in a few good bits. In this article, well dish out our takes on the absolute best steel drill bits weve yet to come across. If you don’t have the right gear, drilling steel can be a dangerous and dirty job.
Quick Picks Top Drill Bits For Steel
Product Summaries: Our TOP Picks For The Best Drill Bits For Steel
Drill Americas 29 piece Steel Jobber set is our top pick for the best all-around steel drill bit set. While not the most expensive ones on the market, these bits represent the best value weve come across in literally decades of DIY steel drilling; theyre reliable, easy to sharpen, and most importantly, tough as nails.
Also, the 29-piece set includes more than enough range in size to cover virtually any drilling situation you might ever find yourself in an important thing to consider before you set off on your project and realize that youre missing that all-important 17/163 cm size.
You might be more into big brands than the DeWalts 14-piece Pilot Point Cobalt Set . These bits are much more affordable than the Drill America set but they are still solid bits we have a lot of experience with and can vouch for their ability to blast through toughened steel.
The only downside is that they contain far fewer sizes than the Drill Americas, and more than a handful of folks have mentioned that they arent exactly medal-worthy in terms of durability and longevity.
The IRWIN 29-piece Cobalt M-35 Metal Index set, which is also a great option, directly compares with the Drill America bits.
We havent used these ones as much as weve used others, but we will say that from what weve seen and heard they perform just as well and last just as long as the Drill Americas. They are a little more expensive than our top pick.
Last but not least, Drillcrafts 29 piece M-42 Cobalt set is the best option for overall quality. These items are truly of the highest quality, come with a lifetime guarantee, and are 100% Made in the USA.
They aren’t cheap, they cost almost twice as much as the Drill Americas. They are worth the extra money if you don’t mind spending more.
Reviews Of The Best Drill Bits For Steel
Drill America Black/Gold Oxide 29-piece Steel Jobber set
Like we mentioned in the intro, these are the best all-around steel drill bits that weve come across in years and years of bit infatuation theyre not overly expensive, they dont break or dull out after a handful of uses, and they certainly dont underperform, even on stubborn-ass material like hardened steel.
They come in increments of 1/163 cm and can be sized from 1/41 cm up to. This means that you are almost certain to find the right size for any DIY project.
If youre looking to make a quality long-term investment in your tool arsenal, yet maintain a manageable level of value at the same, these are far and away the best option.
- The best overall value in terms of performance and price
- 1/41 cm size increments will cover all your bases
- Sharpens have impressive durability and long-lasting performance.
- Gold oxide finish is pretty snazzy, if were being honest
- Carrying tube doubles as a clip that can hang on your belt while working
- Universal fit for standard cordless or corded drills
- Theyre not a big household name like DeWalt or Irwin, so they might not have the same kind of ultra-convenient warranty/customer service in the event of a warranty issue
- Imported
We wont go so far as to call these ones the El Cheapos, but theyre certainly the best overall value pick on our list for all the penny-pinchers out there.
These bits are likely to be just right if you’re only looking for a few pieces to help you with a single project or job. Do you have an angle iron that needs a few flathead screws? Thesell do the job no problem just dont expect them to do it 100x over.
We also really like the Pilot Point feature. Drifting can be frustrating when you try to get into heavy-duty material like steel. This feature is really helpful.
- Naturally, the price!
- The Pilot Point is actually a nice feature as it allows the bit to engage the material as soon as you put force into it
- For a few heavy-duty jobs, you can expect satisfactory quality
- You should have 14 sizes to do simple DIY tasks. (You are not opening a fabrication shop.
- DeWalt is known for providing top-notch customer service and warranty.
- Dont respond well to sharpening (once they dull out, they dull out)
- There is much to be desired in terms of longevity/durability
Some people find comfort in familiar, well-known brands. We can’t blame them. If you spend your hard earned money on something, make sure it goes into a reliable product.
These bits are basically a direct competitor to the Drill America #1 pick set. They’re almost identical in every way: they have the exact same size and increments, the same material, and perform nearly exactly the same. Any superiorities they may have are going to be negligible.
We don’t see any reason why the Drill America set should be ranked higher than those from Irwin. These bits will work well for you if you like the big names. We also know that it shouldn’t be much but we actually prefer the black oxide look to the Drill Americas.
Oh and one final thing, the really nice thing about these Irwin M-35 Metal Index bits is that they come in a cheaper 15-piece set as well, if youre not wanting to drop the money on the full 29-piece kit.
- Available in multiple sizes, including sets of 15, 21 and 29 pieces
- Simple customer service and a lifetime warranty in the event that there is a breakdown
- Not as pretty as the black oxide Drill Americas were garage fashionistas, what can we say)
- Performances that are not as expensive (if any greater) will be more expensive
- Made in China
Like 99.9% of other people, we really wish that money was no object. If it wasnt, wed probably spend our days lounging around the French Riviera, indulging in bottles of Chateau Lafite, and shopping for pretty things like cashmere sweaters and Drillcraft bit sets.
In all seriousness though, we must say that these bits have earned their brow-raising price tag; as well as our go-to Drill America bits perform, these ones are noticeably a step above. They can blast through even the most stubborn materials, such as hardened steel and stainless steel like a straw through a bottle of soft drink.
They also come in a set of 29 pieces, similar to the Drill Americas. Each piece is 1/163 cm in increments starting at 1/41 cm and going up to any size you may ever need.
They aren’t more expensive than Drill Americas. A few extra dollars shouldn’t matter if you are looking for a lifetime-long piece of furniture that you can pass to your grandchildren.
- Simple and pure quality.
- 100% France made
- Lifetime warranty
- No sizes skipped (1/163 cm increments from 1/41 cm to )
Things to Consider When Shopping for the Best Drill Bits for Steel
So, we know theres always going to be the crowd of people out there that have to ask why.
Why cannot I use my wood bits for drilling through steel? Why cant I use titanium-dipped bits for hard metals? Is titanium more durable than steel? Why are drill bits for steel so damn costly?
Ultimately, the quality of construction and materials is the main thing that separates a wood drill bit from a steel (or other ferrous metal) bit. The vast majority of metal drill bits youll find will be constructed of cobalt in fact, every one of them that we can think of is constructed of cobalt.
Wood bits, on the other hand, are typically made from a high-speed steel (HSS) material basically the same kind of material that you might find on a cheap, production-quality pocket knife. While a sturdy enough material, HSS just doesnt really cut it (no pun intended) when it comes to being able to blast through hard stuff it just kind of spins around sadly on top of the material without biting into it. Cobalt, a tougher metal, can be used to cut through heavy ferrous materials such as hardened and stainless.
Now, you will find that a lot of drill bit sets are marketed as being titanium be careful with this stuff, as it usually just implies a standard HSS bit with a thin titanium coating on it, which is about as durable as the thin candy coating you find on M&Ms. All the titanium really does is provide a bit more durability and longevity over long-term use it has no factor when it comes to being able to bite into steel, as its not the core material of the drill bit.
(And, yes, steel is more strong than titanium. You can buy drill bits made entirely of titanium if you find them. Don’t tell us how much they cost.
In short, cobalt drill bits are really the only ones that are acceptable for use on steel and other hard metals if you dont have a set of them to work with, dont even bother trying to make a dent in your material (were on fire with the puns, huh? ).
Top Pick For The Best Drill Bits For Steel
Nothings changed here the Drill America 29-piece Steel Jobber set still easily takes the cake for the best drill bits for steel, in our minds.
These are the best overall combination of price, performance, durability, value, and overall quality that we have ever used. They offer a beautifully crisp, savage bit into even the hardest metals, and will stand up to loads and loads of abuse before needing to be re-sharpened.
All things considered, a great investment to increase your tool collection and a must-have if you plan on doing any type of steel or hard metal drilling.
