Our best Cobalt drill bits for metal drilling are made from an alloy of 8% cobalt (M42). You can also find these bits with a 5% cobalt blend (M35). Since the cobalt is blended into the steel, it doesn’t wear away like a titanium or black oxide coating. That also means you can sharpen them with something like the Drill Doctor 750X drill bit sharpener before having to replace them. This helps save money when you buy these more expensive bit sets. Cobalt bits are our go-to for drilling through metal—particularly hardened steel and stainless steel.

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Bosch CO21B 21pc Cobalt M42 Metal Drill BitFor Pros looking for a reliable kit that should last a long time while providing plenty of options, this 21-piece kit delivers.

One of our resident Bunnings D.I.Y. experts in @EricL will be back on the site later today and I'm sure he would be happy to recommend some products for you to consider. Do you have a budget in mind?

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Start with a very gentle touch on the trigger until the bit digs into the concrete, then you can start to drill at full speed, also make sure the hole you are

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Clearly, the best drill bits for hardened metal or steel come with a cobalt blend. These cobalt drill bits use an alloy including 5%–8% cobalt. This cobalt makes up part of the steel blend, so the hardness of the bit doesn’t wear off with a coating (like titanium bits). It runs throughout the entire bit.

The bits feature the expected 135° split point, which gives you a nice, steady, and productive drilling speed. The jobber length bits work perfectly in cordless drills for onsite drilling. They come manufactured to the National Aerospace Standard 907. Because of how hard they are, you can drill up to 30% faster than you can with conventional M2 high-speed steel bits. Drill America also doesn’t grind down the shafts on its larger bits—so you get more rigidity, but you also need a 1/2-inch chuck to drive them.

Bear in mind that if you want strong fixings, go for something like Dyna-bolts, not a whole heap of Rawl-plugs and screws.

DeWalt puts out tons of new products every year, covering everything from core contractor tools to specialty trade-focused ones. It […]

That’s okay! We know personal preferences take a front seat in determining the best drill bit, and every Pro is different. Do Pro Tool Nation a favor and tell us what your top pick is and why you love it. Feel free to put it in the comments below or on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!

If you want to drill steel reliably, avoid anything made with low-carbon steel. Even generic high-carbon steel tends to work well for a little while—but quickly dulls and requires sharpening.

You can also sharpen these bits—another huge advantage. That matters once you realize cobalt drill bits cost significantly more than other types of twist drill bits. Unlike black oxide or titanium bits, you want to reserve these bits for when you need them.

I've read the article recommended by @Jason (thanks!!) and he mentioned that Ryobi 18V ONE+ HP Brushless Compact Hammer Drill is a good one for cement walls.

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One other thing to remember, when drilling into a concrete wall, don't go too deep, there is no need to do this and it could compromise the wall structure itself.

The 90 degrees is a little bit of a problem. I saw in YouTube some people using a piece of wood and putting it close to the drill bit to ensure 90 degrees. I've made one but I need to use both hands to hold the drill so I don't have a way to keep the piece of wood nearby the drill bit

I've uploaded the drill I have. The drill bit You see in the pic was recommended to me by the clerk of hw store. Clerk told me the bit is for cement walls.

The Ryobi 18V ONE+ HP Brushless Compact Hammer Drill is perfect for your needs. It has a brushless motor and is designed to drill into hard materials such as brick and concrete. Because it is part of the ONE+ system the battery you are using will work with this drill. Please remember to switch to hammer mode so that you can drill into concrete.

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You can find many types of drill bits made with an equally diverse amount of coatings and compositions. When it comes to the best drill bits for metal, however, only a few materials hold up well over time.

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However, whatever differences there are between the outer look or chemical composition, both hardened steel and stainless steel are quite difficult to drill into. Using a drill press is often the best way to get quality results.

Stainless steels are steel alloys consisting of at least 10.5% chromium and there are different grades. As a low-carbon steel, stainless steel has a natural hardness that comes without traditional hardening. Because of rust and stain resistance, good luster, and low maintenance, it has many commercial uses including cookware, cutlery, home appliances, construction fasteners, and surgical instruments.

We already wrote our opinions on the best drill bits overall—covering wood, metal, concrete, and more. In this go-around, we wanted to identify the best drill bits for metal applications. That includes hardened steel, stainless steel, aluminum, and more. We even wanted to see which drill bits worked well for drilling out hardened bolts as you might find in an engine block. People also ask us about bits that handle drilling through rebar. These are the bits we turn to and should steer you in the right direction.

Many less expensive cobalt drill bits use M35 steel which has a 5% cobalt blend. M42 steel uses an 8% cobalt blend. This gives it a greater hardness. It also lets you drill at higher speeds than the M35. Irwin sells an M35 cobalt set as well if you don’t plan to drill hardened steel.

To make it even better, you get a nice kit with clearly labeled bit sizes. The largest bits also feature the DeWalt Pilot Point which presents walking at the start of drilling.

I'm putting up a lot of shelves systems around the house. The walls are all in cement and my Ryobi is not able to make holes. It's fitted with an impact function but I suspect that the vattage is a far cry from what I need with my walls.

Black oxide drill bits also tend to dull quickly. We also recommend avoiding inexpensive steel drill bits that lack any sort of coating. While those bits may do well in softer steel, they can quickly dull and require frequent sharpening to continue to perform. In most cases, you get what you pay for.

Are these concrete walls? You could be hitting the steel reinforcement bars, which is an issue in itself. I'm keen to check out your current drill and the drill bits you're using.

Irwin gives these bits a Speedpoint tip. It helps get the hole started quickly and reduces wandering. We also have to admit these became our best step bits for metal in part because Irwin laser-etched the measurements right on the inside of the flute. They don’t wear off quickly like other bits we’ve used.

Listed in our best drill bits article, Milwaukee Red Helix cobalt bits use a variable flute design that clears away debris quickly. How quickly? About 30% faster than most other 135° split-tip bits we tested against. Their unique design not only helps them drill efficiently, but it also aids in cooling. The trade-off is that these bits thin out more towards the tip. Milwaukee countered this by making them a bit shorter than some others we’ve seen. However, they also extended the flutes lower towards the shaft. The result is a more compact bit with a similar drilling depth.

Our team grabs Irwin Unibit Cobalt Step Bits for any quick thin metal drilling applications. The cobalt blend gives these bits a much longer life. Since step bits are both expensive and extremely difficult to sharpen, we like them to last as long as possible.

Which brings us to the case. If you do a lot of drilling—the case your bits come in matters. Accessing bits can be frustrating (we’re talking to you Milwaukee!) or hugely successful—like with this Irwin three-tier swing case. We love the easy-access bits, and you can easily tell the sizes from the front of each bit. Overall, this $179 kit gives you the best drill bits for metal applications of all kinds.

When drilling a hole with a cobalt bit, add a drop of oil on the metal to keep the cutting edge cooler as it cuts. You also want to consider placing some wood underneath the steel if possible. This lets you cut cleanly through the material and not strike a surface below which might dull the cutting edge.

Because they work effectively in both metal and wood, any Pro looking for a general-purpose set of hole saws should quickly fall in love with their productivity. It vastly outperforms bi-metal blades and tackles those materials carbide wood hole saws can’t (or shouldn’t) touch. You can buy kits from $105-$190

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When it comes to the best value pick, we wanted a set of bits for basic metal drilling. The DeWalt DWA1240 14-pc Cobalt Drill Bit Set employs a nice cobalt blend that gives these bits more capability over titanium-coated bits. You get a nice set of 14 bits ranging from 1/16-inch to the commonly-used 3/8-inch.

thank you for the tip around the drill speed!!!. I was struggling with the bit wondering around the target but then I did as you suggested and it's much better now.

Any chance you can show us the drill you're using? As @MikeTNZ has mentioned, an impact drill will struggle and requires a very specific drill bit to work on masonry. Switching to a hammer drill will work, but once again, you'll need masonry drill bits.

If you plan on drilling hardened metal or steels, we love the Irwin 29-piece M-42 Cobalt bit kit as our best metal drill bit set. Honestly, it’s not the fastest drilling bit that gets it our nod. It has to do with the use of M42 high-speed steel and its excellent case.

The Milwaukee Hole Dozer with Carbide Teeth really wins for metal drilling. It can tackle stainless steel and certainly anything softer or milder than that. These are the best hole saws for metal drilling that electricians, HVAC, and/or MRO Pros can use.

The easiest way to prevent this from happening, is to take your fixing, hold it against the drill bit and wrap a couple of rounds of PVC tape around the bit, when the tape is against the wall, you have drilled deep enough.

These bits drill quickly through concrete then continue right through rebar. You really can’t find much else on the market that competes at this point, so it’s an easy recommendation for productivity. We believe in charging your accessories to the job—so if a simple bit can save you time and money, it’s a huge win in our book. Pricing goes anywhere from $6–$206.

When he's not playing with the latest power tool, Clint DeBoer enjoys life as a husband, father, and is an avid reader—especially the Bible. He loves Jesus, has a degree in recording engineering, and has been involved in multimedia and/or online publishing in one form or another since 1992.

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When we talk about drilling in hardened steel, we mean medium or high carbon steels typically made using a heat-treatment and tempering process. Hardened steels are durable and can be wear-resistant, corrosion-resistant, and abrasion-resistant. Much of the steel materials that we see used in mechanical engineering, energy generation, and transportation are basically hardened steel. The best drill bits for metal could be designed for these hardened steel applications or they might be optimized for speed in softer carbon steels.

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stainless can actually harden up as it heats—so drilling slowly often helps you get through the material more efficiently. Use cutting oil or similar lubricant when drilling into stainless and apply enough pressure to see a steady removal of material. Even the best drill bits for stainless steel heat up over time, so be prepared to monitor heat buildup.

Spyder uses a proprietary Mach-Blue plating on its drill bits. Likely a form of Titanium Nitride and Aluminum (TiAlN) coating, it helps retain sharp cutting edges and reduce heat build-up. This should deliver faster cuts and help extend the life of the bit.

If that model number reads R18DDP2 then that drill doesn't appear to have a hammer function which is required for drilling into masonry. It looks like you have a standard masonry bit designed for cement, but this bit is for use in a drill with a hammer function. You could use your current drill for masonry, but you'd need to use a multi-material bit. These bits can be fairly slow going in cement, and typically a hammer drill will drill holes at a much faster speed.

When you use a Rotary hammer drill, it turns as well as forces the drill through the material, where as an Impact drill only impacts and rotates.

The 135° split point tip helps when starting your hole and larger sizes feature a Chip Breaker—a groove at the midpoint of the cutting edge that further reduces heat buildup. We love how quickly these bits drill and also how well they remove steel in tight, efficient spirals. The combination of the unique cutting head and the flute design landed these as our best drill bits for steel—particularly carbon steel.

Thanks to the cobalt steel blend, plan on sharpening these when the tips grow dull from use. The value of this kit makes these the best drill bits for steel.

Ryobi 22pc Titanium Twist Drill Bit KitHomeowners should get a lot of use from this set—and the hex shanks work well with impact drivers.

Drill America makes M42 cobalt bits that held up really well in drilling through anything we threw at them. After testing with a multitude of materials, we selected their jobber bits as our best drill bits for hardened steel.

High-Speed Steel (HSS) Drill Bits present an upgrade over older carbon steel bits. Able to hold up better to excessive heat and wear, they make up a majority of drill bits sold on the mass market. You can use these bits for just about anything—so they serve as a jack-of-all-trades for both wood and metal applications. HSS dulls very quickly when used on more abrasive material.

Use these bits when drilling tough, high-tensile strength materials like stainless steel—or even titanium. We opted for the D/A29J-CO-PC kit. It includes 29 bits in a shatterproof case. The round case makes it simple to remove the exact bit you need.

Also, when you first touch the bit to the concrete wall and start the drill, if you go full speed at the start, the drill bit will wander all over the place.

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Looking at the best-selling metal drill bits on various trusted retailers helps when shopping. You often run into the best value, and we find the less expensive kits often find themselves at the top of these lists. We dropped links to what was at the front at the time we were writing, but they change often, so be sure to click the buttons to see what’s hot right now.

Sometimes you need to drill through steel…but that steel is buried in concrete. For those applications, you need something like the Diablo Rebar Demon SDS-Max and SDS-Plus bits. We like the design better than Bosch Rebar Cutters because you use the same bit to drill the hole and penetrate the rebar. With Bosch, you drill using rotary hammer mode, switch to the Rebar Cutter in rotary-only mode, and then return to your original bit to finish the hole.

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Drill bits made with a Titanium nitride coating resist corrosion and friction. It beats black oxide because it increases surface hardness and does a better job reducing heat while drilling through metal. For metal drilling, we recommend these as the bare minimum.

With titanium nitride, you have to remember it only coats the bit. As the coating wears off the cutting edges, you pretty much have to replace them. Don’t use these bits for drilling hardened steel or stainless—not if you want them to last.