A well-chosen set saves money over buying loose sizes one at a time, but only if the bits inside earn their keep. The best drill bit sets combine the right material, a sensible size range and a case that keeps every bit exactly where you can find it. Here is how to judge real value without paying for sizes you will never touch.
What to Look For
Start with the material. High-speed steel handles most wood, plastic and mild steel, while cobalt alloy resists heat when you drill harder metals. Next, check the size range and the increments between bits. A fractional-inch set that steps in sixty-fourths gives you far more usable sizes than one that jumps in sixteenths, which means fewer moments where the hole you need sits between two bits. Finally, look at the case. An index that clearly labels each size and grips the bit firmly stops the guesswork and the rattling. Bits that roll loose in a pouch are the ones that go missing first, and a lost size erases the saving a set was meant to deliver.
Our Top Pick
For all-round value, choose a fractional-inch jobber-length set in high-speed steel or cobalt, housed in a labelled metal or moulded index. It covers the widest slice of everyday drilling and gives you spares of the sizes you break most often. American-made sets tend to hold their ground geometry longer, so the value shows over years of use rather than a handful of weekends before the edges give up.
- Material: HSS for general work, cobalt if metal is frequent.
- Range: pick a set that steps in small increments for real coverage.
- Case: a labelled index protects the bits and speeds size selection.
- Point: a 135° split point self-centres and reduces walking.
Match the Set to Your Work
A general workshop is well served by a broad fractional set plus a small number of pilot sizes for screws. If you tap threads, a set paired with the correct clearance sizes removes a lot of measuring and second-guessing at the drill press. Metalworkers who regularly drill stainless or hardened stock should lean toward cobalt from the start, because replacing a whole HSS set after a few tough jobs wipes out any saving the cheaper option promised. When you are unsure which increments you actually need, our size guide walks through the decision before you commit any money.
Getting the Most From a Set
Run the correct speed for the size and material, keep the flutes clear of chips and use cutting fluid on metal. A set that is treated well outlasts two or three neglected ones, which is the honest definition of value. Store the index closed and dry so the cutting edges do not knock together or corrode between jobs, and a decent set will serve you for many years.