The SHDIATool core bit excelled in our tests. To extend its useful life, users can spray the surface of the material they’re drilling with water, which will help keep the bit cool and reduce friction. This is the bit to have for drilling larger holes in concrete.

Before selecting the concrete drill bit sets we wanted to test, we researched more than 20 sets, looking for high-quality bits made from steel with carbide tips. We considered brand to an extent—after all, manufacturers like Bosch and Makita have top reputations for producing high-end power tools and accessories. Still, we didn’t automatically eliminate smaller or niche manufacturers if their masonry drill bit sets were highly rated by customers.

This is the second set of Bosch drill bits to make our lineup, and we found these bits highly efficient. Their four-flute design excelled at ejecting dust and debris as we drilled, which made the drilling process smooth and quick. Their pointed tips kept the bits centered as we started the holes. We were able to drill clean holes in concrete, brick, and even dense stone without problems.

These are slotted drive shaft (SDS) bits, meaning they will fit SDS-plus hammer drills, so we used a cordless Milwaukee rotary hammer drill for testing. This set has five pieces, including a 3/16-inch, 3/8-inch, and 1/2-inch bit and two 2¼-inch bits of different lengths. The carbide tips are rugged, and we could easily drill through concrete, brick, and stone.

In terms of drilling, the number and type of holes to be made is generally the key determinant for opting to use replaceable-tip tools, according to Allied’s Pisorn. The more holes (from 1,000 to 50,000 or more) and the shallower (up to 13×D) the better.

We liked the pointed tips on this set of bits as they kept the bit from skittering across the material when we started drilling, which made the process much easier. If you need to drill different size holes in masonry, these Bosch Bulldog bits are just the ticket.

On the larger side, Iscar’s LogIQ-3-Cham is a three-flute, interchangeable-head drill in 14-23.9 mm diameters, in 0.1-mm increments and bodies in 1.5×D, 3×D and 5×D. “Eventually, the line will include all head sizes from 12-25.9 mm. The three-flute design will provide extended tool life and/or increased feed rates,” mostly for ISO-P and ISO-K materials, Ewing said.

Image

Glenda Taylor is a BobVila.com staff writer with a background in the residential remodeling, home building, and home improvement industries. She started writing for BobVila.com in 2016 and covers a range of topics, including construction methods, code compliance, tool use, and the latest news in the housing and real estate industries.

While there is no single chuck or drill head for concrete bits, many concrete bits have a slotted drive system (SDS), which means they have slots on the ends of the shanks for use in rotary hammer drills. SDS bits came out decades ago, and today, an improved version (SDS-plus) is standard on bits for hammer drills. You can still find smooth-shank bits for standard drills and hex-shank bits that will fit standard drills and impact drivers.

To cover all bases, we tested bits that fit standard drills and impact drivers, as well as rotary hammer drills. We also tested a hole bit that fits a grinder. Ahead, learn which factors to consider when shopping for a cement drill bit, and find out how the following products earned a spot in our lineup of the best drill bits for concrete.

Sharpening drill bits manually with a file or bench grinder is a complicated process. You need a machine specially designed for drill-bit sharpening to do it yourself. It’s usually easier to buy new drill bits.

Fabricators seeking smaller diameters can look to Iscar’s SumoCham line, now available down to 4 mm in up to 5×D applications, said Craig Ewing, national product specialist for Iscar Metals.

Masonry drill bits come in several variations, including rotary percussion, double flute, and saw drill bits. All bit types use large carbide tips that can penetrate stone. Some bits have spear-shaped tips that allow for precision drilling, while others feature a crown-shaped tip that can efficiently grind through masonry.

Replaceable-tip tools can also provide users with a significant reduction in setup times, Loughney added, for instance on transfer lines for automotive manufacturing. And, with the ever-pressing shortage of experienced manufacturing labor, quick and easy tool switchouts instead of more intensive setups help ease that burden.

YG-1 touts its 7×D drill as the only one of its type on the market, Pulvermacher noted. “People really like it because 8×D gives up so much rigidity.”

To more than double the depths of cut previously available in its Multi-Master line of end mills, Iscar Metals Inc., Arlington, Texas, added replaceable-tip mills capable of reaching depths up to 1.5×D, said Tom Raun, chief technical officer.

At Mitsubishi Materials U.S.A. Corp., Schaumburg, Illinois, the company’s DIAEDGE STAW indexable drills “are unique in that they have cutting edge geometry that is the same as the edge geometry on our DIAEDGE WSTAR solid-carbide drill,” said Barry Griggs, assistant business development manager of cutting tools. “The wave designed cutting edge and center point gash is aimed at improving machined hole accuracy.”

Start by drilling a small guide hole at a low-speed setting for very hard concrete. Once you’ve established a 1/8-inch hole, remove the bit, blow the dust out of the hole, and use a larger bit at medium speed while applying steady pressure. It’s also a good idea to wear hearing protection—concrete drilling can be loud.

Another inventory factor to consider: Shops that routinely send solid-carbide tools for regrinding must keep an adequate supply of solid tools in reserve to maintain production, said Patrick Loughney, a product manager at Sandvik Coromant, Fair Lawn, N.J.

“These screw-in heads are available from 8 mm up to 32 mm in diameter and can be mounted on extensions of various lengths,” he explained. “The smaller diameters have replaced solid-carbide tools in many instances. The advantages of both the replaceable-tip drills and modular, indexable end mills are similar: lower replacement costs, because instead of the entire tool being composed of carbide, only the portion actually doing the cutting contains carbide; less variability in position after indexing; the ability to easily change grades or geometries when cutting different workpiece materials; and less downtime when replacing worn tools.” However, he added, solid-carbide tools still provide better rigidity, deep-hole drilling and greater depth of cut capabilities when milling.

When buying any type of drill bit, it’s important to consider its compatibility with the drill. Not all drill bits fit all drills. A 1/2-inch-size drill will fit drill bits with a shank up to 1/2 inch in diameter, while a 3/8-inch-size drill will only fit drill bits with shanks up to 3/8 inch in diameter.

“Some smaller sizes come in smaller shank diameters and shorter OAL (overall length) without a flange for Swiss lathe and live tool applications,” he added. “There are also drill bodies with integrated chamfering inserts.”

The following drill bits are well suited for drilling into concrete and other masonry materials. They withstood rigorous hands-on testing, and each set of bits performed well enough to make our list. You’ll find different sizes and types that fit different drills. There’s sure to be one for your concrete-drilling project.

For most standard bits, you don’t need to use water. However, if you’re using a large hole bit, spraying the surface of the concrete with water can reduce friction and help keep the bit cool as you drill.

The bits feature SDS-plus shanks, and users will need a hammer drill to use them. The set comes with seven bits, ranging in size from 3/16 inch to 1/2 inch in diameter, making this a highly versatile set of masonry bits.

When weighing the choice of replaceable-tip mills and drills or solid-carbide tools, consider this succinct statement from one industry expert: carbide equals cost.

Slated for release midyear is YG-1’s I-One drill. “We’re performing extensive testing with it in the energy industry, with very good success,” Pulvermacher noted. It will exist alongside the company’s well-established I-Dream drill, which currently has several geometries: Dream Drill General for general purpose (carbon steel, iron); one for stainless (Inox); Dream Drill Alu (aluminum), High Feed (carbon steel, iron); and High Hard (up to 70 HRC).

With carbide tips and a fluted design that bores through masonry, these Bosch Bulldog drill bits are some of the best on the market. Their four-flute design brought concrete dust up and out of the holes as we drilled, making the process smooth and quick.

The Owl Tools bits have standard smooth shanks to fit a regular drill. We didn’t notice any of the bits slipping as we applied pressure while drilling, as some smooth-shank bits tend to do.

The modular part of the system “is that there are indexable insert heads that also mount onto the two drill bodies,” said Ewing. They are offered in eight metric sizes (33-40 mm) and two inch sizes (1.375" and 1.5") and use standard SOMX inserts from the DR Twist line. “They also use guide pads from the BTA Deep Drill line. The drilling depth of this system is in the 16.5-17" [419-432 mm] range.”

In addition to drilling through masonry, we tried out this set of bits on dimensional lumber and 8-gauge sheet metal. They were slightly slower on masonry than some of the dedicated bits we tried, but they still did the job. They excelled as drill bits for metal as long as we drilled nice and slow. It’s not every day you can pick up a set of good metal drill bits and use them to drill a hole in brick or concrete, but it’s possible with the EZArc bits.

Image

Repeated drilling through dense concrete and stone puts drill bits to the test, often wearing them down quickly. While these drill bits from Makita are more expensive than some masonry drill bit sets, in our tests, their thick tungsten carbide tips held up well for drilling several holes.

But what about performance? Ultimately, using replaceable-tip drilling tools generally does not mean sacrificing much penetration rate or tool life—to a point—experts assert.

Carmex recently introduced new coatings for its Slim MT line. “This nano coating can handle temperatures 30 percent higher than TiAlN and is 25 percent harder than other coatings typically used for indexable cutters,” said White. “These coatings outperform others in high-temperature alloys like inconel and titanium.”

A durable hard-plastic carrying case keeps the bits organized and easy to transport to the worksite. It was one of the better cases we saw, as it held the bits securely and came with a sliding lock. This is an all-around great little set of drill bits for anyone who regularly needs to drill into concrete or other masonry materials.

PVD coatings are most common for smaller diameter tools, he added, “because they help maintain sharper edges than thicker CVD coatings. Kyocera’s R&D efforts in PVD coating technology have resulted in our Megacoat coatings. With high oxidation temperatures and high hardness, they are ideal for running at higher speeds, resulting in reduced cycle times.”

This set comes with five bits, ranging in size from 3/16 inch to 1/2 inch. An included plastic bit case provides convenient storage.

With extra-wide U-shaped flutes, these drill bits from WorkPro effectively ejected masonry dust as we drilled in concrete, brick, and stone. The bits have Luxembourg carbide tips that are made to be tough, hard, and durable, and they drilled quickly in our tests.

These drills are being used heavily in structural steel applications like beams and bracketing in areas such as bridge towers, Pisorn said. Planetary gears with flanges might feature 20 to 50 shallow holes; bearing rings for wind energy can feature 50-100 holes. Tube sheets for heat exchangers is another sound application. And, a filtration system plate for the paper industry might feature thousands of shallow holes.

Spending money on specialty concrete bits that see infrequent use may not be the most economical way of expanding one’s collection of drill bits. This EZArc multipurpose bit set offers an excellent alternative. The bits’ design and carbide tips make them suitable for drilling through tile, concrete, and stone plus metal, wood, and even plastic.

Allied’s new GEN3SYS XT Pro drills feature dual gundrills with four outlets for increased coolant flow and material-specific inserts with coatings developed in-house. “A unique connection design offers superior torsional loads while still allowing the convenience of insert swaps while the tool remains in the spindle,” Pisorn said.

Replaceable-tip cutting tool suppliers offer numerous examples of how those tools surpassed solid-carbide versions. For instance:

We tried out a 1-inch hole bit, although these bits are available in several sizes to suit your specific needs from just under 3/4 inch to 4 inches in diameter. This is a diamond-coated drill bit; tiny diamond shards are laser welded to the tip, making it easy to drill through concrete and other types of masonry.

As a result, the DIAEDGE STAW demonstrates “excellent chip disposability and achieves high-efficiency machining,” Griggs noted. “STAW replaceable carbide tips/inserts are designed for extreme sharpness, precision, positioning and rigidity in our unique clamping system. The wavy edge design delivers a sharp peripheral edge to enhance cutting performance, complemented by a strong center point geometry for initial cutting at entry. A high helix offers a low-resistance drill pocket design that improves chip breaking for superior chip disposal.” The STAW’s clamping system has more material behind the tip for added strength and durability.

For large-diameter applications, true helical flutes are the key to the success of the SRH series of replaceable mills by Carmex, said White. Helical flutes cut freer than straight-flute tools, he explained, although “solid thread mills are still the most efficient choice for anything under 1" (25.4 mm) thread diameter because you get more flutes in the cut and the geometry allows for higher cutting speeds and faster feed rates.” The SRH has been most successful in the oil and gas market, threading buttress and Acme threads in large diameters, he added.

If you have additional questions about how to drill into concrete or choosing a drill bit for concrete or a drill bit for brick, you’ll find answers here.

“Clearly, a small replaceable insert or tool head made of carbide costs less than an entire solid drill of the same diameter,” noted Andrew Pisorn, solid carbide product manager at Allied Machine & Engineering Corp., Dover, Ohio. And, by extension, using a range of replaceable-tip tools with a smaller number of steel body holders greatly improves operational and cost efficiencies by cutting down on one’s inventory of unique solid-carbide tools. “If your shop can minimize the amount of carbide in your tool cribs and drawers, you’re minimizing inventory costs.”

Masonry drill bits come in a variety of sizes to suit a broad range of needs. The smallest masonry bits are around 3/16 inch in diameter, with larger bits topping out at the 1/2-inch size. Hole saw bits have sizes that go up to 4 inches or more.

“Various grade options allow better flexibility and optimization vs. solid carbide tools” and feature proprietary Sumo Tec PVD post-coating technology that provides “improved toughness, improved flaking, and chipping resistance, which in turn provides very reliable and repeatable results.” Those grades are:

When purchasing and using a drill bit for masonry, there are several important guidelines to follow to ensure a successful outcome.

“For example, if I would expect to get a thousand inches of tool life with a solid, then I would expect the same from a modular tool—but of course exceptions apply,” said Bill Pulvermacher, director of marketing for YG-1 Tool Co., Vernon Hills, Illinois. “I would expect the overall penetration rate of the solid to be just a little bit higher.” Furthermore, some users say replaceable-tip drills over 0.5" (12.7 mm) tend to perform better in lathe applications “because they are much more tolerant of the misalignment that lathes tend to have.”

When drilling difficult-to-machine materials like stainless steel or titanium, steel bodies for replaceables might torque too much, Pulvermacher cautioned. For that reason, fabricators have tended to split their use of solid and replaceable tools for those materials about 50-50, depending on the diameter. For that to change, he said, replaceable-tip tools would have to outperform solid in the 0.5-0.75" (12.7-19.05 mm) range. Replaceable-tip drills might get the nod in larger diameters, where solid drills could cost up to $750; however, replaceables struggle under 7/16" (11.11 mm) because they are somewhat expensive relative to solids—and the small tools, screws and inserts tend to get lost.

This kit includes eight bits, ranging from 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch in diameter. The bits have SDS-plus shanks, so the user will need a rotary hammer drill to use them.

Masonry drill bits are specifically designed to tackle stone and can bore through these hard surfaces with ease. Often featuring tungsten carbide tips that can endure drilling through hard stone surfaces, masonry drill bits have wide flutes that allow them to pull away large amounts of material as they drill to prevent debris from jamming the bit. Some bits even use diamond-encrusted blades to cut through this material. They come in a wide range of sizes to suit different needs.

Toolholding is vital to precision holemaking with replaceable-tip drills, he continued. “You have to remember that you have collective tolerances—of the body itself and then a tip on top of it.”

We’re committed to testing and reviewing products so you can make an informed decision. Advertising does not influence our product reviews and it never will. We always focus our coverage on standout products and never hesitate to mention their flaws and quirks. By using our affiliate links, you’re supporting our work and helping us continue to provide expert analysis. Find out more about our product evaluation process.

Another drill that’s been on the market a while is the CoroDrill 870 series by Sandvik Coromant. But since its introduction in 2012, numerous refinements have been made. “We found that the body material was wearing, so we made it more wear-resistant, making the drill more rigid,” explained Loughney.

Like higher-end bits, this set of Owl Tools bits comes with pointed tips to help keep the bit positioned when starting the hole. We tested the bits by drilling into brick, concrete, and stone, and they fared well. We felt they were just slightly slower than some of the other bits we tested, but drilling into masonry isn’t something to hurry along. We mainly wanted to see if they could withstand repeated drilling without breaking, and they did.

Each bit has a wide spiral flute that bores evenly through stone, concrete, and brick. These bits will easily handle tough concrete-drilling jobs, but you’ll want to use a good drill for concrete—and it will need to be a rotary hammer drill with a minimum 7/8-inch chuck. We drilled several holes in quick succession, and the Makita bits performed flawlessly.

Image

The option of smaller diameter, high-feed end mills is “a popular option for harder tool and die steels, especially in the aerospace and mold industries,” Wilshire continued. “Customers tend to run the replaceable-tip drills and indexable end mills faster than their solid-carbide counterparts to shorten cycle times because the replacement costs are less and the time to index is shorter.”

Most masonry drill bits are used in hammer drills or standard drills, but not all. The SHDIATool core bit is designed for use with an angle grinder, and we were impressed at how well it drilled.

The initial release of the I-One will feature a single grade for the energy industry, with general-purpose grades and geometries to follow. I-One’s multilayer coating is geared to high or low speeds and is designed to tolerate heat and abrasion and prevent sticking. It is fully coolant-through.

“The biggest thing we’ve done is introduced new grades optimized for steel, stainless steel and cast iron,” he continued. “Our Zertivo technology uses a PVD process, and we are able to achieve better bonding between the substrate and coating to where we have significant improvements in edge line security—resulting in longer, predictable tool life.” Grades include –PM 4334 for low alloyed and carbon steels, –MM2334 for stainless and –KM3334 for cast iron. While there is no grade specifically for heat-resistant materials, Loughney added, “we can cross over our geometries into those areas” for multiple industries.

A durable hard-plastic storage case keeps the bits organized and protected when in a tool box or on the workbench. Thanks to the visual holes in the holder that show the exact size hole each bit will drill, we found it easy to pick the correct-size bit at a glance. If you regularly drill into any type of masonry, you won’t go wrong with this set.

This set from Owl Tools includes 10 drill bits at an affordable price point. With its broad range of sizes, this set can handle most concrete drilling needs; bit sizes range from 1/8 inch to 1/2 inch in diameter, and we found them all to be durable and of good quality.

The current crop of replaceable-tip milling and drilling tools features a host of new substrates, geometries, PVD coatings and coolant solutions geared for a range of applications across numerous industries and materials. As always, the decision to use a particular tool is application specific.

SumoCham is available from 4-32.9 mm diameter in 0.1 mm increments, Ewing explained. Heads are offered in 10 geometries for various material groups and applications, and bodies are offered in 1.5×D, 3×D, 5×D, 8×D and 12×D through most of the diameter range. Each body accepts a range of head diameters: from 4-14.9 mm, bodies come in 0.5 mm increments, and from 15-32.9 mm, bodies come in 1-mm increments.

You can drill as soon as the concrete is completely hardened, but pros often wait a couple of days to ensure the concrete is ready. Unlike needing to wait before painting or applying a sealer, you don’t have to wait 28 days to drill.

Drilling through masonry can be tough, requiring special drill bits for concrete that will hold up to the job. We recently tested seven different types of concrete drill bits in various sizes—using them to drill holes in concrete, brick, and stone.

Meanwhile, Kyocera Precision Tools Inc., Hendersonville, N.C. is noting increased demand for smaller, modular indexable end mills, said Technical Center Manager Brian Wilshire.

Inserts are available in sizes from 10-18.1 mm, and the VP15TF and DP5010 PVD coated grades feature tough carbide substrates and proprietary crystal coating technology. For machining a wide range of materials, from alloy steels to various types of stainless steel and cast iron, the VP15TF grade ranges from 100-400 sfm, Griggs added. “The drill body is made resistant to corrosion and abrasion by using a superior high-heat resistance alloy and a special surface treatment suitable to counter new hard-to-machine work materials.”

Jim White, national sales manager for Carmex Precision Tools LLC, Richfield, Wis., concurred. “The reason most customers go with indexable is versatility—using one holder for multiple pitches—or cost,” he said, adding that “indexable thread mills are more cost effective in large-thread diameter applications or low-volume jobs where cycle time is not a consideration.”

Also for hard-to-machine materials, Sandvik Coromant’s recently introduced CoroMill 316 exchangeable milling heads are optimized for titanium and nickel-based metals. For titanium, grade 1745 with its 1.5×D cutting edge “is a little bit longer of a replaceable-tip end mill compared to our standard 316s,” explained Scott Lewis, aerospace industry specialist for Sandvik Coromant. To be released in the near future is grade 1710 for nickel alloy, which will also have 1.5XD capabilities. Both grades feature unique substrates and geometries and are currently available in the company’s solid-carbide end mills. These replaceable-tip end mills “can run, cutting data wise, quite close to what a solid is, with a solid being perhaps more rigid because it is shorter—a stouter setup,” Lewis said. “We also have very short, stout adapters for our 316s.”

However, any time an operator makes changes in the machine, something can always go wrong. For instance, they must take care not to drop wrenches and screws into the machine while replacing tools.

The Mini-Mill series of tools—including Nanmill, Nan3feed, Heli4mill, Heli3mill and Micro3feed—complement Iscar’s solid-carbide tools with diameters starting at 0.312-0.75" (7.92-19.05 mm) with multi-edged inserts for 90o milling and fast-feed milling, he explained.

Masonry drill bits need to be hard enough to endure the rigors of drilling through concrete. With that in mind, most masonry drill bits have steel shafts with a cutting tip made of tungsten carbide, which is much harder than steel and can grind through stone without dulling quickly. Some drill bits use diamond particles, which are welded to the cutting edge to chew through hard surfaces such as marble and granite.

Our favorite, thanks to its four-flute design and carbide tips, is the five-piece Bosch Bulldog Carbide Set for use in hammer drills, which are often used as masonry drills.

Some drill bits have coatings to improve their performance. Black oxide coatings are more durable than high-speed steel, as they resist rust and corrosion. Tungsten carbide coatings enhance the drill bit’s strength, enabling it to bore through stone and concrete.

For deeper, large-diameter applications, the Iscar ModuDrill is a combination of replaceable head and indexable insert drills in larger diameters for depths beyond 12×D. The ChamIQ 700 family is offered in a diameter range of 33-40 mm in 0.5 mm increments and “some common fractional-inch increments,” he said. “The HFP carbide blades, which look more like a spade drill, fit into a range of steel adapter heads (MD-DFN), which also mount onto a long steel drill body (MD-BODY). A combination of two drill bodies and seven adapter heads cover the entire diameter range.”

Glenda Taylor is a product tester and writer specializing in the construction, remodeling, and real estate industries. She and her husband own a general contracting company, and Taylor is experienced in both residential and commercial building applications. She tests a wide range of power tools as well as other home improvement, household, and lawn-and-garden products.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service.

For drilling jobs that require drilling through concrete or other stone surfaces, it’s important to use a drill bit that’s strong and sharp enough to bore through especially hard, dense material. Read on to learn about materials, bit type, drill compatibility, and other crucial factors to consider when choosing a masonry drill bit.

XT Pro carbide inserts have a combination of substrate coating and geometry engineered to survive the wear of high-penetration drilling, which “inherently produces significant heat,” Pisorn noted. “Combating that heat well is critical to extending tool life and increasing drilling rates. We have worked closely with our coating team and partners to develop several new material-specific, proprietary, multilayer coatings designed to withstand increased heat thresholds.”

In actual testing, we drilled through concrete, stone, and brick to see how well the drill bits fared. We used a standard DeWalt drill and a Milwaukee rotary hammer drill (depending on the individual drill bit shanks), and we drilled dozens of holes. We noted how well the bits performed and awarded points based on a rubric. After testing, we averaged the points to determine our best overall pick, and then we categorized the rest of the drill bits by their best usage.

In addition to carbide tips, the EZArc bits have multigrind sharp edges and double-flute design, which make them well suited for drilling in various materials. A hex shank adds even more versatility—these bits are compatible with standard drills and impact drivers. The kit includes five bits: 5/32 inch, 3/16 inch, 1/4 inch, 5/16 inch, and 3/8 inch.