Drill bits are the consumable nobody thinks about until they're standing on a ladder with a bit that won't cut through a sheet metal screw hole. Cheap bits dull after 20 holes, walk on hard surfaces, and snap when they hit a nail. Good bits stay sharp, start clean, and last long enough to justify the upfront cost. We bought 6 drill bit sets from $20 to $80 and drilled over 500 holes through mild steel, hardwood, softwood, and concrete block. We tracked sharpness degradation, walking tendency, and breakage. The price difference per hole tells the real story.
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| # | Product | Rating | Price | Best For | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Milwaukee SHOCKWAVE Impact Duty Drill Bit Set (48-89-4631) Best Overall | 9.3/10 | $69 | Best Overall | Check Price → |
| 2 | DeWalt FLEXTORQ Drill Bit Set (DWA1240) Best for Steel | 9.0/10 | $55 | Best for Steel | Check Price → |
| 3 | Bosch CO14B 14-Piece Cobalt Drill Bit Set Best Budget | 8.7/10 | $38 | Best Budget | Check Price → |
The Milwaukee SHOCKWAVE set is built for how contractors actually use drill bits — in impact drivers, at full speed, through whatever material is in front of them. The Variable Helix geometry reduces walking on start, and the Cobalt Red Helix coating held an edge through 500+ test holes better than anything else. After 200 steel holes, these bits were still cutting clean where competitors were grinding and smoking. The case is decent — click-lock holders keep bits organized. The set covers every common size from 1/16" to 1/2" in 29 pieces. Impact-rated means no snapping when your impact driver kicks.
The DeWalt FLEXTORQ set punches above its price on steel. The Pilot Point tips started cleaner than any other bit in the test — zero walking on steel plate, even without a center punch. Edge retention through 500 holes was excellent, trailing only the Milwaukee by a small margin. The CNC-ground flutes clear chips efficiently, which matters when you're drilling deep holes in hardwood. The ToughCase+ storage is the best case design in the test — magnetic lid, clear organization, and it survives drops. At $55 it's $14 less than the Milwaukee with 95% of the performance.
Bosch's cobalt set delivers legitimate cobalt steel performance at a budget price. Cobalt bits run cooler than HSS, which means they last longer in steel and hardwood — and these proved it, maintaining cutting performance well past where the cheap sets died. The 135-degree split point tips start cleanly on most surfaces. 14 pieces means you don't get every oddball size, but the selection covers the most commonly used diameters. Edge retention was good through our test, though the thinner bits (1/16", 3/32") showed wear faster than the Milwaukee. At $38, these are real cobalt bits for HSS prices.
Each set was tested through a standardized drilling sequence: 50 holes in mild steel plate (1/8"), 100 holes in oak hardwood, 200 holes in SPF framing lumber, and 50 holes in concrete block (masonry bits only). We measured hole quality (clean vs ragged edges), bit walking on start (deviation from center punch), and sharpness retention (time to drill through steel after 100, 200, and 500 holes). We also tracked breakage — any bit that snapped during normal use was a failure.
The Milwaukee SHOCKWAVE set is the winner. The Impact Duty rating means these bits are engineered for impact drivers (which is how most contractors actually drill), and the edge retention through 500+ holes was the best in the test. The DeWalt FLEXTORQ is a close second with excellent steel-cutting performance and a marginally better case design. Bosch CO bits are the budget play — legitimate cobalt steel at a price that doesn't sting when you lose one. Stop buying the $15 sets. You'll spend more replacing them than you saved.