The 7 Best Drill Bits for Wood of 2026

A brad point solves a specific wood problem: the tiny center spur sits in the mark and keeps the bit from walking, while the outer lips score the wood before the flutes lift the chip. That is why this six-piece DEWALT set is the one we pick for visible faces, dowel joints, and trim, where a wandering twist bit leaves a ring around the hole. The bits run up to 1/2 inch, enough for common dowel and hinge-scale work.

What you give up is range and storage. Six pieces will not replace a full twist set, and the bits arrive without a case, so you need a small box or bit index to keep them together. The brad point is the reason to buy it: on cross-grain cuts it gives a cleaner entry than the general-purpose set, and the point stays where you put it.

We also check these for straightness before trusting them with a deep hole. Roll each bit on a flat surface; a wobble at the shank turns into an oversized hole at the tip. For shallow, accurate work in softwood and hardwood, we still like the design enough to keep the set in the joinery drawer.

When the hole is three-quarters of an inch or larger, a spade bit is the fastest route through a stud, and the Bosch Daredevil set is the one we reach for. The full-cone threaded tip pulls the bit into the wood, so you are guiding less and letting the point do the work. The contoured paddle clears chips quickly, and the hex shank has a power groove to reduce slipping in the chuck.

The 13-piece set covers the sizes that matter for running cable, pipe, and dowel stock, and the pouch keeps them together without taking up a drawer. We like the spur and reamer tips for cleaner edges than a bargain spade bit leaves, though this is still a fast-boring tool, not a finish tool. If you are cutting visible joinery, step up to a Forstner bit.

The aggressive feed is the thing to manage: keep the drill speed down and let the threaded tip pull. Hitting a knot or a buried nail is where a spade bit complains. For rough framing and remodeling, we accept that because the speed is the point.

A Forstner bit is the only bit here that leaves a flat-bottomed hole with a clean rim, which is why it belongs in a cabinetmaker's kit. The IRWIN Marples set uses a brad-point center and sharp cutting teeth to shear across end grain and face grain rather than tear it. The reduced shank fits a 3/8-inch or larger drill, so it works in a drill press or a full-size hand drill.

The 14-piece range covers the popular furniture sizes, and the teeth leave a cleaner rim than a spade bit in soft maple and pine. It is slower than a spade bit and costs more, but the result is a hole you do not have to hide under a plate. For hinge recesses and inlays, that matters.

The teeth are fine enough that a dull bit will burn instead of cut; keep the speed moderate and clear the chips. This is also a slower bit than a spade, so it rewards a patient feed. For a shop that checks its cuts, those are easy habits.

We reach for this set when the hole is going to be seen or when a hinge has to sit flush. It is not the set for general drilling or for a job where you need speed above all. But if flat-bottomed holes are the requirement, this is the Forstner set we trust, and the clean rim is worth the slower pace.

The Makita Impact Gold set is built around a 1/4-inch hex shank, which is the connection an impact driver actually uses. The bits are impact rated, so the repeated rotational jolts do not loosen the bit in the chuck the way a round-shank bit can. The 135-degree split point is there to start without walking, and the titanium nitride coating is meant to stretch edge life.

We like this set for decking, fencing, and quick carpentry where the impact driver is already in your hand. The 14-piece range goes up to 1/2 inch, and the hex shank makes changes fast when you are moving between pilot holes and clearance holes. It is not the set for a drill press or a finish-cut mortise, but it is the one that stays in the impact driver's case.

The bits are still twist bits, and the small sizes will not tolerate a lot of side load or heat. Keep the driver straight, clear the chips, and do not use them as a pry bar. For the driver-first workflow, the convenience is worth it, and the impact rating is the reason to choose this over a round-shank set.

The CRAFTSMAN set is the cheapest way here to get a labeled range of gold oxide twist bits, and that is exactly how we treat it: a starter kit for a garage drawer, a first apartment, or a second set for the truck. The split point helps the bit start without a center punch, and the 14 pieces cover the small sizes most household jobs call for. The case keeps them sorted, which matters more than it sounds when you are hunting for a 3/16-inch bit.

We don't put this set in the same class as the DEWALT or Makita bits. The coating is a thin gold oxide, not a premium titanium finish, and the set is built to a price. For softwood, drywall anchors, and occasional furniture assembly, it gets the job done. For a deck build or a cabinet project, step up.

The upside is that the set is inexpensive enough to keep as a spare, and the case is a useful organizer even after a bit goes missing. Buy it as a convenience, not as the last drill-bit set you will own. If you need clean entry on finished wood, spend more for a brad-point set.

Six sizes from 3/8 to 1 inch cover the large holes that come up in a weekend project: running a hose through a planter, passing cable through a stud, or opening a hole for a PVC fitting. The COMOWARE set uses a self-centering spade tip and a titanium coating, and the flat paddle clears chips as it cuts. It is a simple, low-cost kit rather than a cabinetmaker's tool.

We reach for this set when the hole is rough and the material is forgiving. In softwood and PVC, the bits cut quickly and the sizes are easy to identify. The titanium coating helps, but this is still a budget spade set; do not expect it to leave a finish-ready rim.

The real caveat is straightness. A bent shaft or an off-center tip makes the drill wobble, and a wobbling spade bit cuts an oversized, ragged hole. Check each bit by rolling it on a flat surface before the first cut, and return the set if a shaft is visibly out of true. For occasional use, the six sizes are still a handy thing to have.