The best drilling and cutting oils, compared.
Top pick: Tap Magic EP-Xtra 4 oz Best value: OB41 cut tap drill fluid, twin pack – About £13.72 with 4.7 from 94 reviews for steels including stainless. The foam clings, then drips. Cheaper tins without that review sample do not qualify. Updated 22.10.2026.
Drilling and cutting oil is a small-pack metalworking fluid you buy so a drill, tap or saw edge does not weld and burn. In a UK shed it is a neat oil, an aerosol or foam, a water-based paste, or a wax. Home metalworkers use it for a few holes in mild steel or stainless. Match the film to the job before the tin size. One hole or a hand tap needs a paste, a wax or a foam that clings. A pillar drill used often can take a neat oil brushed on. A sump needs a fluid the machine is meant to pump, which a paste is not. Stainless and high-tensile steel call for an extreme-pressure film. Aluminium and brass need a non-staining check, because active sulphur can tarnish them. In Great Britain the hazard label is GB CLP, and Northern Ireland stays on EU CLP. Stop mist and skin contact where you reasonably can. Cling against a spray is set out in the [paste or spray guide](/hub/diy-supplies/drilling-and-cutting-oil/sub/drilling-and-cutting-oil-paste-vs-spray).
Drilling and cutting oil is a small-pack metalworking fluid you buy so a drill, tap or saw edge does not weld and burn. In a UK shed it is a neat oil, an aerosol or foam, a water-based paste, or a wax.
38 products checked · 62 hrs invested · +24,100 readers
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
What is the job?
Tap Magic EP-Xtra, part 10004E, is a 4 oz spout-top liquid at about £21.50, and it is not a spray. The star line is 5.0 from a single review in July 2025 that says the buyer is happy and gives no metal and no fault. A bullet says the fluid suits drilling, tapping and milling on all metals, which is a wide claim sitting on one comment. The page asks about a spray nozzle, and the bullet answers with a spout top. The chemistry behind EP-Xtra is not listed, and there is no flash point on the listing. At about £21.50 for 4 oz you pay a high price per litre for a bottle this comparison barely describes. A five-star line with one review is not a stainless result.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a small spout bottle and you already trust Tap Magic from another tin you have used.
Less suitable: A first stainless hole, or anyone reading 5.0 as a large UK sample.
Specifications
Common questions
Does it include a spray nozzle?
The page asks. The bullet says a 4 oz spout top. It does not describe a spray nozzle.
How many reviews are on the listing?
The star line is 5.0 from 1 review. That review says the buyer is happy and gives no metal or fault.
Anchorlube part 3010 is an 8 fl oz water-based paste at about £18.75, sold as oil-free, and the title names stainless. Across 579 amazon.co.uk ratings the line is 4.8, which is the largest sample in this set. One UK buyer drilled many 10 mm holes in 6 mm mild steel on one cheap bit, and other reviews say a little product stays on the drill better than a liquid they had used. Milling is called messy, and reviewers say you should clean taps and dies afterwards. A bullet says water-based and non-hazardous, which is not a GB CLP class and not a food-safe or UK approval. The listing gives no mix ratio. This is the top pick for an occasional stainless or steel hole if you will wipe the residue off. It is the wrong buy if you wanted a flood oil for a machine sump.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Occasional holes in stainless or mild steel, including a hand tap, when you will wipe the paste off afterwards.
Less suitable: A pumped sump, a reader who will leave water-based residue on steel, or someone who needs the longer metal list on part 3011.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this the same bottle as the other 8 oz Anchorlube?
No. This ASIN is part 3010 at about £18.75. Part 3011 is a different ASIN at about £28.12 in the same set of listings, with a longer metal list.
Will it smoke?
The listing says smokeless with easy clean-up. Reviews report low smoke and also say milling is messy. That is buyer comment, not a fume test.
Does the listing say it is non-toxic?
A bullet says water based and non hazardous. The page asks if it is non-toxic. There is no GB CLP classification on the listing.
Lubri-Cut is a 10 fl oz wax paste of beeswax and cutting oils at about £36.44, made in the United States, with 4.8 from 303 reviews. The listing names alloy steel, aluminium, copper, iron and stainless. Reviews say it stays in the flutes and on taps, and that it is stiffer than a soft grease, including in a warm room. One buyer found it only adequate on very hard plate and changed fluid, and another found the cap loose and could not tell whether the tub was new. A bullet says no chlorine, which is a claim on this tub rather than a finding about every UK cutting oil. It is the wax you choose when you want a film that stays and you will pay more than the water-based 8 oz paste. The bullets say it is made in America, not in the United Kingdom.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a beeswax paste that stays in a flute or on a saw tooth, and the higher tub price is acceptable.
Less suitable: A buyer who wants a cheap spray, a UK-made tin, or a water-based paste they can wipe off like the 8 oz paste.
Specifications
Common questions
Is Lubri-Cut made in the UK?
The page asks. The bullets say the paste is made in America. They do not say the United Kingdom.
What went wrong in reviews?
One buyer found the cap loose and could not tell if the tub was new. Another found it only adequate on very hard plate and changed fluid. Most comments praise cling.
The 16 fl oz Anchorlube, part 3116, is about £27.99 with 4.8 from 173 reviews. Bullets claim no chlorine, fluorine, lead, sulphur, phosphorus or silicone, and a Timken four-ball weld of 250 kg, which is the maker’s figure rather than a test we ran. Reviews say it clings, including on stainless, and that a wipe leaves less oily residue than a cutting oil. One review says steel rusted slightly when residue was left on, so you wipe it off the same day. The unit-count field says 16.0 millilitre and the weight is listed at 269 g, the same figure as the 8 oz bottles, so treat 16 fl oz as the fill. A US meat-inspection P-1 line is not a UK food approval, and one UK comment calls the jar pricey. It is the larger jar when you will use the same paste often, at a lower price per ounce than part 3010 here. It is still a paste you wipe off, not a fluid for a sump.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You will use the same water-based paste often enough that 16 fl oz is the sensible jar, and you will wipe steel afterwards.
Less suitable: Three holes a year, a sump, or a buyer who will leave the paste on bare steel.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the 16 oz listing claim to be chlorine-free?
Yes. The bullets say no chlorine, fluorine, lead, sulphur, phosphorus or silicone, and they state a Timken four-ball weld of 250 kg. That is the maker’s claim.
Can you leave it on the steel?
A review says steel rusted slightly when residue was left on. The listing does not claim rust prevention for this ASIN. Wipe it off.
Is the P-1 line a UK food approval?
The listing cites a US federal meat and poultry inspection programme. The listing does not show a UK food-contact approval.
The OB41 twin pack is two 400 ml tins at about £13.72, and the amazon.co.uk line is 4.7 from 94 reviews. Bullets name cast iron and steels, including high-tensile and stainless, and they claim less tip welding. Reviews say the foam holds on a horizontal edge, then dissipates and drips, and two reviews say the jet coats the bench because it is not directional. One bullet mentions a carburettor cleaner while the included-components line says cut tap drill fluid, so the pack contents are not clean on the listing. Aluminium, rust prevention and flammability are asked on the page and not answered, and chlorine and sulphur are not stated. It is the best value here when you want a reviewed spray for steel and you can live with a later drip. It is the wrong can when the hole is vertical or overhead and the film has to remain after the foam collapses.
Pros
Cons
Best for: General steel holes on a bench where you can reapply and a drip is acceptable.
Less suitable: Vertical or overhead holes that must keep a film after the foam collapses, or an aluminium-only job.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the foam stay on the drill?
Reviews say the foam holds on a horizontal edge, then dissipates and drips. Two reviews say the jet coats the bench and is not directional.
Which metals does the listing name?
Bullets name cast iron and steels, including high tensile and stainless. Aluminium, rust prevention and flammability are asked on the page and not answered.
What is in the pack?
The title is a pack of two 400 ml tins. One bullet says a carburettor cleaner. The included-components line says cut tap drill fluid. Both lines are on the listing.
Part 3011 is the other 8 fl oz Anchorlube, water-based and oil-free, at about £28.12 with 4.7 from 41 reviews. The compatible-material list is longer than part 3010 and names stainless, high carbon, high chrome, Monel, cast iron, carbon steel, brass and aluminium. Reviews say it stays on the tap and that a little goes a long way, and one buyer compared it with Tap Magic EP-Xtra on aluminium plate. A review says it stains metal if you do not wipe it off, and another says most of the contents leaked from the plastic container in transit. Here it costs more than part 3010 for the same 8 oz, and the listing does not explain that gap beyond the longer metal list. You buy it when that metal list is the point.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want the longer metal list, including brass and aluminium, on an 8 oz water-based paste and you will wipe the work.
Less suitable: An occasional stainless hole that part 3010 already names, if you are only trying to spend less.
Specifications
Common questions
Why is this 8 oz bottle dearer than part 3010?
Here part 3011 is about £28.12 and part 3010 is about £18.75. The 3011 listing names a longer metal list, including brass and aluminium. The listing does not explain the price gap.
Does it stain?
A review says it stains metal if you do not wipe it off. The listing does not promise a stain-free finish.
Did anyone report a leak?
One review says most of the contents escaped the plastic container in transit and had to be scraped back. That is one delivery report.
This row is titled as a 500 ml cutting and tapping spray at about £11.37, with 4.6 from 22 amazon.co.uk reviews. A bullet names Action Can CT-90 as a 400 ml foam, the manufacturer field says Signet, and the weight field says 7.53 kg, which is not a credible weight for one spray. Four UK reviews say it makes metal cutting easier, and one buyer would not start drilling without a squirt, yet none of them names a metal, a foam life, or a fault. The page asks about aluminium, rust and flammability and does not answer. You cannot treat this ASIN as a separate non-drip compound. The star line is a real sample of 22, and the identity of the tin on the same listing is not settled.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You already know which tin this seller ships and only want a general spray that those short reviews call helpful.
Less suitable: Anyone who needs a named metal, a stable fill volume, or a non-drip compound as a separate product.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this the CT-90 compound?
A bullet names Action Can CT-90 as a 400 ml foam. The title says a 500 ml spray, and the weight field says 7.53 kg. The listing does not support merging it with another ASIN.
What do the reviews say?
Four UK reviews, against a 4.6 rating from 22, say it makes metal cutting easier. They do not describe a fault, foam life, or a metal list.
SIP’s 5 litre ISO 23 neat cutting oil is about £51.95, about £10 a litre on this one price, with a stated flash point of 180 °C and the United Kingdom as the country of origin. The listing calls it a pale neat oil from highly refined oils, with non-staining extreme-pressure additives, and it names ferrous and non-ferrous metals including brass and bronze. Named machines include bandsaws, circular saws, grinders, linishers and pillar drills. One UK review from December 2014 says it does the job as cutting fluid, which is not a workshop verdict. The listing does not give a water-mix ratio, so you do not dilute it into a soluble coolant. A viscosity field that says 23 SAE Grade should not be rewritten as ISO VG 22, and the flash point is not an aerosol mark. This can earns its price when the same machine is used often enough to finish 5 litres, and it is a poor buy for three holes a year.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A pillar drill or bandsaw you use often enough to finish 5 litres, applied with a brush.
Less suitable: Three holes a year, a hand tap that needs paste in the flute, or anyone planning to add water.
Specifications
Common questions
Do you mix this with water?
The listing calls it a neat cutting oil made from refined oils. It does not give a water-mix ratio. Do not treat it as soluble coolant.
Will it stain brass?
The bullets say non-staining extreme-pressure additives and name brass and bronze. That is the maker’s claim. The listing has one short review and no stain test.
What is ISO 23 here?
The title and bullets say ISO 23. A viscosity field says 23 SAE Grade. The listing does not equate that with ISO VG 22.
Tap Magic part 10016E is a 16 fl oz can of liquid cutting fluid at about £29.69, and the listing has no star line and no review text. The listing gives a flash point of 150 °C and sells it for metal cutting and machining, without an alloy list. It does not describe a spray nozzle, so this is a can of liquid rather than an aerosol, and that flash point is not an aerosol flammability mark. A viscosity field says SAE 30, which reads as schema noise beside a cutting fluid. Specific uses say prevent corrosion, and the page questions on rust and flammability are otherwise unanswered. You are paying about £29.69 for a larger Tap Magic bottle with a printed flash point and no buyer comments on this listing.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You already use Tap Magic liquid and want the 16 oz can, with the flash point printed and reviews still missing.
Less suitable: A first buy, a spray, or a stainless hole that needs a reviewed paste.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this an aerosol?
The listing calls it a 16 oz can of liquid cutting fluid and gives a flash point of 150 °C. It does not describe a spray nozzle. There is no CLP statement on the listing.
Are there reviews?
The listing has no star line and no review text. The price stored for this comparison is about £29.69.
The ECO SERVICE ML 400 is a 400 ml cooling-lubricant spray at about £6.43, and the amazon.co.uk listing gives it no star line and no review text. The recommended-uses field points at aluminium cutting and heavy duty, while the material field only says aluminium, which may describe the can. A specific-uses line says it resists very high pressure and prevents corrosion, but the viscosity field is the word Alta, which is not a grade. Chlorine, sulphur and a flash point are absent, so you cannot tell how the film behaves on steel from this page. It is the cheapest tin in the set, and that price buys an aluminium wording rather than a reviewed cutting paste. You would be guessing if you used it on stainless or on a hole that has to keep a film.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You already cut aluminium and want the cheapest spray in this set, accepting that nobody has reviewed it here.
Less suitable: Stainless, high-tensile steel, or any hole where the film has to stay and you need buyer comments before you pay.
Specifications
Common questions
What metal does the listing name?
The recommended-uses field says aluminium cutting and heavy duty. The material field says aluminium. There is no review text on the listing.
How large is the tin?
The listing says 400 ml and a weight of 360 g. The viscosity field is the word Alta, which is not a grade.
Sealey’s SCSCF400 is listed as a 500 ml tapping and cutting fluid at about £12.60, with a stated weight of 468 g, and the listing has no star line. The part code contains 400, while the title, the included-components line and the weight say 500 ml, so the fill to trust on this page is the 500 ml title. Bullets cover tapping, cutting, machining and drilling, and they claim high viscosity without a number. They do not name stainless, aluminium or brass, and there is no review text to fill that gap. A delivery note says some addresses outside mainland UK are confirmed only at checkout. You get a known tool brand and a half-litre bottle, without evidence of which metal it suits or whether the film clings.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a Sealey liquid for general machining and you will read the metal on the tin when it arrives.
Less suitable: A stainless hole, a cling decision, or a buyer who needs reviews before paying.
Specifications
Common questions
Is the bottle 400 ml or 500 ml?
The title, the included-components line and the 468 g weight say 500 ml. The part code SCSCF400 contains 400. The listing does not replace the 500 ml title.
Which metals does Sealey name?
The bullets say a wide range of machining and drilling. They do not name stainless, aluminium or brass. There is no review text.
Shelf prices and stars are the amazon.co.uk listings stored for this comparison on 21 October 2026. This is not a laboratory test, not a drill-life trial and not a safety rating. Each score is four integers: stars, the size of the review sample, listing clarity, and the limits named in reviews. The highest score is the top pick. Best value is a different listing: at least 20 reviews, a named job, a score of 75 or more, then the lowest shelf price. A missing star line is not scored as zero stars. A claim such as non-hazardous or no chlorine does not add points.
Amazon stars
40%If the listing has a star line, the score is the amazon.co.uk rating divided by 5, then multiplied by 40, and rounded. If there is no star line, this block is 8. A missing line is not treated as zero stars.
Review sample
25%No reviews scores 0. One review scores 4. Larger samples score higher, up to 25 at 579 reviews. One review, or none, cannot outrank a large sample.
Listing clarity
20%Start at 20. Subtract points if the bullets do not name a metal, if volume, weight or identity conflict on the same listing, or if a viscosity field is schema noise. A stated flash point on a neat oil is kept. It is not an aerosol mark.
Review limits
15%No review text scores 6. A single comment with no metal and no fault scores 7 or 8. Praise plus a repeated limit, such as drip, mess, wipe-off, a leak or a loose cap, scores 10 to 12.
Buy the job before the tin size. Drilling and cutting oil is a neat oil, an aerosol or foam, a water-based paste, or a wax, used so a drill, tap or saw edge does not weld and burn. A few holes need cling. A machine you use often can take a neat oil and a brush. A paste is not a pumped sump fluid. Match the metal, then read the hazard label on the tin.
Drilling and cutting oil on amazon.co.uk is a small-pack metalworking fluid: a neat oil, an aerosol or foam, a water-based paste, or a wax. You use it so a drill, tap or saw edge does not weld and burn. UK buyers are shed and garage users drilling steel or stainless, and small workshops that want a larger can for a pillar drill or bandsaw. Quality, on this shelf, is whether the film stays on the cut, whether the label matches the metal, and whether residue is wiped off. Start with the job.
A household drip oil is not a cutting fluid. The edge still needs a film so it does not weld and burn. Bearing grease is a different product.
A 4 oz bottle can cost more per litre than a 5 litre can and still be the right buy for occasional stainless work. A large neat-oil can earns its price when the same machine will finish it.
Water-based, no chlorine and non-staining are listing claims. GB CLP and the tin are the hazard label in Great Britain. A star rating is not a safety rating, and a stated flash point is not an aerosol mark.
The first check is the job. One hole or a hand tap needs cling: a paste, a wax or a foam. A pillar drill or bandsaw used often can justify a neat-oil can and a brush. A pumped sump needs a fluid the machine is meant to circulate. The pastes in this comparison are not that fluid. The metal is next. Stainless and high-tensile steel are the reason people buy an extreme-pressure paste. Aluminium and brass need a non-staining check, because active sulphur can tarnish them.
Water-based, no chlorine and non-staining are listing claims. They are not a GB CLP class and not a UK food-contact approval. In Great Britain the hazard label is GB CLP. Northern Ireland stays on EU CLP. Aerosols follow the Aerosol Dispensers Regulations 2009 for flammability class. A stated flash point on a neat oil, such as 180 °C or 150 °C on a liquid can, is not an aerosol mark.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You drill or tap mild steel or stainless now and then, and you need a film that stays on the bit. The Anchorlube 8 oz paste, part 3010, is the top pick at about £18.75, with 4.8 from 579 reviews. The title names stainless. Reviews say a little stays on the drill. Wipe the residue off. It is the wrong buy for a pumped sump.
You use a pillar drill, bandsaw or similar machine often enough to finish a can, and you will brush a neat oil on. The SIP 5 litre ISO 23 oil is about £51.95, with a stated flash point of 180 °C and the United Kingdom as the country of origin. The star line is 4.0 from one review in December 2014. Do not add water.
You want a spray for general steel holes on a bench, and a later drip is acceptable. The OB41 twin pack is best value at about £13.72, two 400 ml tins, with 4.7 from 94 reviews. The listing names cast iron and steels, including stainless. Reviews say the foam holds, then drips, and that the jet coats the bench. It is the wrong can for a vertical hole that must keep a film.
The top pick is the Anchorlube 8 oz paste, part 3010, at about £18.75. It scores 9.3 out of 10, the highest here: 4.8 from 579 reviews, a water-based paste sold as oil-free, and stainless in the title. Reviews say a little stays on the bit. You wipe it off. It is not a fluid for a pumped sump. Best value is the OB41 twin pack at about £13.72, score 8.1, with 4.7 from 94 reviews for steels including stainless. The foam clings on a horizontal edge, then drips. A cheaper spray with no star line does not take the value badge.
OB41 cut tap drill fluid, twin pack
About £13.72 with 4.7 from 94 reviews for steels including stainless. The foam clings, then drips. Cheaper tins without that review sample do not qualify.
Editorial
Peter F. is the editor for DIY & tools at productscompared.co.uk. Comparisons in this category are checked against amazon.co.uk listings, review evidence and public UK sources.
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
Public UK sources and the amazon.co.uk listings compared on this page. Updated 22 October 2026.
This page contains affiliate links. If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk figures already stored for this set. This is not a laboratory test.
