The best Forstner bits, compared.
Top pick: hsawbit 7-piece Forstner set Best value: hsawbit 30 mm Forstner bit – Highest value part among the other listings: about £9.99 with 287 ratings for a stated 30 mm bit. Many saved reviews name another diameter. Updated October 2026.
A Forstner bit bores a flat-bottomed hole in wood and, where the maker allows it, in board and some plastics. In the UK you buy one for hinge cups, cable pockets and overlapping holes. You tell a suitable Forstner bit by the cutting diameter, the rim and centre point, the shank size, and whether that diameter matches the fitting. UK fitting notes usually mean a 35 mm cup. Depth is not one number: door notes sit between about 10 mm and 13.5 mm, so follow the hinge sheet. Setting that cup is covered in the [35 mm hinge guide](/hub/drilling-and-accessories/forstner-bit/sub/forstner-bit-35mm-hinge). Read the specification table for the edge. Alloy steel or high-speed steel is the ordinary claim, and a carbide title that disagrees with the table is a conflict. The shank is round or hex and has to match the chuck. A pillar drill keeps the rim square, and a large diameter is a poor match for a hand drill. Clamp the work, wear eye protection where chips fly, and skip steel, concrete, ceramic and glass when the listing forbids them.
A Forstner bit bores a flat-bottomed hole in wood and, where the maker allows it, in board and some plastics. In the UK you buy one for hinge cups, cable pockets and overlapping holes.
42 products checked · 58 hrs invested · +18,600 readers
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
What are you boring?
The hsawbit seven-piece set lists 12, 13, 14, 18, 23, 35 and 50 mm, each at a stated length of 90 mm, for £19.99. amazon.co.uk shows 4.8 from 16 ratings, and six texts are saved, one from a buyer who had not used the bits yet. Those texts praise clean cuts, a sharp feel and the size range, and all six mention a case or a foam insert even though the bullets do not name a case. One buyer thought a bit was missing until it turned up under the foam, and another found cheaper alternatives. The reminder allows a hand drill or a bench press, bans an impact driver and says to wear eye protection. The sample is six texts against a count of 16, so edge life on the 50 mm bit is not established. High-speed steel is the stated material.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want 35 mm and 50 mm in one HSS set and you can store it in the case reviewers describe.
Less suitable: You want a large review sample, or you will run the bits in an impact driver.
Specifications
Common questions
Which sizes are included?
The bullets list 12, 13, 14, 18, 23, 35, and 50 mm, each with a stated length of 90 mm.
Does the set ban an impact driver?
Yes. The reminder says hand-held drills and bench presses, eye protection, and not an impact driver.
Is a case included?
The included-components line says a seven-piece set and does not name a case. All six saved reviews mention a case or a foam insert.
The YUEDAHOMEE listing is a single 41 mm bit, 90 mm long, at £12.99, and amazon.co.uk shows 4.8 from six ratings. The bullets say micro-grain carbide tips on a hardened steel body and claim flat-bottom, overlapping, angled and pocket holes. The six saved texts name a 35 mm bit and a 40 mm bit, so they are a weak guide to this 41 mm diameter. Those texts mention a sharp cut in chipboard, a clean cut in hard oak and a cable hole in a desk, plus one note that the edge needed sharpening before it cut evenly. Included components say no, although one reviewer mentions a protective tube. No machine rule is stated on this listing, and a 4.8 from six mixed-diameter texts is not a reason to treat the bit as proven.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You have measured a fitting at 41 mm and you will not treat the six-review star line as a test of this diameter.
Less suitable: You want a 35 mm hinge cup, or you need reviews that name 41 mm.
Specifications
Common questions
Will it cut a flat-bottomed hole?
The bullets say it makes flat-bottomed holes, plus overlapping, angled, and pocket holes. That is the listing claim, not a lab result.
Do the six reviews describe this 41 mm bit?
The listing shows 4.8 from six ratings. Saved texts name a 35 mm bit and a 40 mm bit, so they are a weak guide to this diameter.
Does a case come with it?
The included-components field says no. One reviewer mentions a protective tube. That is a review note, not the components line.
The IRWIN Marples eight-piece set, model 1966892, lists imperial sizes from 6.3 mm (1/4 in) to 34.9 mm (1-3/8 in) at £57.82, and amazon.co.uk shows 4.6 from 2,319 ratings. The bullets say a reduced shank for 3/8 in and larger drills and drill presses. Across the first 50 texts, reviewers often describe clean cuts, a sharp edge and a case that keeps the bits seated, including hardwood in a Bosch PBD40 drill press. A UK buyer was surprised the sizes are imperial rather than metric, and the largest bit is stated as 34.9 mm, not a labelled 35 mm hinge bit. One 25 mm bit was called blunt out of the box, one reviewer said the set did not fit their drill, and the case is larger than some users wanted. The specification material field says Blend. It is the named-brand set in this basket when you want those imperial sizes and you accept that 34.9 mm is not printed as 35 mm.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want the IRWIN imperial range and your chuck is 3/8 in or larger.
Less suitable: Your hinge sheet says 35 mm, or your drill will not take a 3/8 in shank.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this set include a 35 mm hinge bit?
The largest listed size is 1-3/8 in, stated as 34.9 mm. The set is not labelled 35 mm.
What chuck does it need?
The bullets say a reduced shank that fits 3/8 in and larger drills and drill presses. One reviewer said the set did not fit their drill.
What is the stated material?
The specification material field says Blend. This listing does not add a separate carbon-steel row.
The hsawbit 30 mm bit is listed at 90 mm long for £9.99, and amazon.co.uk shows 4.6 from 287 ratings. The bullets call it high-speed steel, allow a hand drill or a bench press, and tell you not to use an impact driver and to wear eye protection. Reviewers describe clean cuts in softwood, MDF cabinet doors and some oak, and they say a drill press is easier than a battery drill. The same sample often names other diameters, so those comments are a weak guide to this 30 mm listing alone. Burning on the flat bottom in hardwood, a hole that is hard to keep straight by hand, and an edge that dulls on composite decking all appear in the texts. The surface field includes metal while the bullets name wood and plastic, so the dropdown is not a steel-drilling claim. It is the best value here on price and review count for a single stated diameter, with that mixed-size caveat.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You need about a 30 mm flat-bottom hole and you will treat reviews of other hsawbit sizes as a family sample, not a test of this bit.
Less suitable: You need a labelled 35 mm hinge bit, or you plan to run it in an impact driver.
Specifications
Common questions
Can the listing be used in an impact driver?
The reminder says you can use a hand-held drill or a bench press, and it says not to use the bit with an impact driver. It also says to wear eye protection.
Does it come with a case?
The included-components line is one 30 mm bit. A storage case is not listed there.
Does the listing say it drills metal?
The surface field includes metal. The bullets name hardwood, softwood, composites, veneered plywood, and plastic. Those two lines are not the same claim.
The DTGN 90 mm bit is a single tungsten-carbide cutter at £17.89, 80 mm long, with a 9 mm hex shank, and amazon.co.uk shows 4.6 from four ratings. The only saved review is from the United States and says the bit seemed solid so far, with no teeth broken off, while leaving longevity open. That is not a UK job report. The warm tip says that for diameters over 35 mm you should use a drill press so the centre does not wander, and this bit is 90 mm, so that line applies. The listing names wood, plastic, hardwood, softwood and composite panels, and it says not for concrete, steel, ceramic or glass. Two flutes are stated. Four ratings and one overseas text do not show how the rim behaves in a UK workshop.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You already have a drill press and a measured 90 mm hole in wood or plastic.
Less suitable: You only have a cordless drill, or you are buying on the 4.6 from four ratings.
Specifications
Common questions
Can this 90 mm bit go in a hand drill?
The warm tip says that for diameters over 35 mm you should use a drill press to avoid the centre wandering. This bit is 90 mm, so that line applies.
What must it not cut?
The listing says not for concrete, steel, ceramic, or glass. It names wood, plastic, hardwood, softwood, and composite panels.
How strong are the four ratings?
The listing shows 4.6 from four ratings. The only saved review is from the United States and does not describe a UK job.
The Aohoo set lists sixteen bits from 15 mm to 35 mm for £15.89, and amazon.co.uk shows 4.5 from 2,318 ratings. The specification material is alloy steel, while the title also says tungsten steel, HSS and titanium coated, so the table and the title are not the same claim. Reviewers describe clean holes in MDF, oak and sapele, and blind holes for fence rails and handles, often for occasional DIY. They also describe unmarked individual plastic boxes, short shanks, and shaft diameters that do not share one extension. Some texts say a bit dulled quickly, tore plywood, or left a burr at the bottom of the hole. The table’s minimum bore of 3.81 mm does not match a size list that starts at 15 mm. It is the top pick here for a metric range that stops at 35 mm and a large review count, not because the material lines agree.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a metric set up to 35 mm for occasional furniture holes and you will trust the alloy-steel table over the title.
Less suitable: You need one shared case with marked sizes, or a carbide tip the specification actually names.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this set carbide or titanium coated?
The title says tungsten steel, HSS, and titanium coated. The specification material is alloy steel. Those lines conflict, so the table is the spec row and the title is not a second fact.
Why does the table say a 3.81 mm minimum bore?
The specification lists a minimum bore of 3.81 mm. The size list starts at 15 mm. Both figures are on the listing and they do not match.
How are the bits packed?
The bullets do not name one shared case. Reviewers describe a separate plastic box for each bit, often unmarked.
The flintronic set lists six bits at 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35 mm for £12.39, and amazon.co.uk shows 4.4 from 1,323 ratings. The table says carbide and the finish field says Hss, so those two rows are not one material claim. UK texts in the sample say the bits cut for the price and that the steps are useful, including a 35 mm bit for light plywood. Other UK texts call them blunt, slow in pine, or hard to control at 35 mm in 18 mm plywood with a hand drill. One reviewer measured holes about 0.25 mm over size, which left dowels loose. The first 50 texts include many that are not English, so the UK comments are a minority of that sample. The bullets do not name a storage case.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a cheap metric set that includes 35 mm for occasional board, and you can accept a short edge life.
Less suitable: You need a hole that matches a dowel to a tenth of a millimetre, or hardwood that has already blunted a cheap rim.
Specifications
Common questions
Which sizes are in the set?
The bullets list 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35 mm. The table’s cutting diameter is 35 mm and the minimum bore is 10 mm.
What do UK reviews say about the edge?
Some UK texts say the bits cut for the price. Others call them blunt, slow in pine, or hard to control at 35 mm in plywood with a hand drill. One text measured holes about 0.25 mm over size.
Is there a case?
The bullets do not name a storage case. The specification does not answer that question either.
DTGN lists two 35 mm tungsten-carbide bits at £17.89, each 93 mm long with an 8.5 mm hex shank and a stated cutting depth of 63 mm. amazon.co.uk shows 4.4 from 12 ratings, and several of the nine saved texts describe other diameters. Texts that do talk about cutting mention plywood, pine and oak, and one calls the carbide fair value. One text says a bit was noticeably dull after about 50 holes, and others mention a cut that jumped off the path or felt slow in a hand drill. The warm tip says to keep the bit vertical and, for diameters over 35 mm, to use a drill press, so this 35 mm size sits on that line. The listing says not for concrete, steel, ceramic or glass. A spare bit is the practical difference from a single, and the saved reviews are too mixed to show how long that spare stays sharp.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a spare 35 mm carbide bit and you will keep the cutter vertical, preferably in a drill press.
Less suitable: You need a proven UK review of this exact two-pack, or a full metric set.
Specifications
Common questions
Is 35 mm the hinge size?
The listing states a 35 mm cutting diameter. Whether that matches your hinge is on the hinge sheet, not on this bit page.
What does DTGN say about a drill press?
The warm tip says to keep the bit vertical and, for diameters over 35 mm, to use a drill press. This bit is 35 mm, so it sits on that line.
Are the reviews all for this 35 mm two-pack?
The count is 4.4 from 12. Several saved texts describe other diameters, so the sample is partly shared.
The Hinrichs set lists seventeen alloy-steel bits from 15 mm to 40 mm, including 35 mm, in a wooden case measuring 27.5 × 12.5 × 4.5 cm, at £24.99. amazon.co.uk shows 4.2 from 1,463 ratings. Reviewers praise the size range and clean holes, including seasoned oak for some users and kitchen hinge work for others. A repeated complaint is that the wooden box does not hold the bits, with loose slots, poor labels and clips missing. Some buyers found a duplicate size and a missing size, such as two 28 mm bits and no 32 mm. Burrs, short centre points and wander in a hand drill also appear, and one text mentions rust or dried oil on the wrapping. Carbide is not the stated material, so the case is not a substitute for checking every diameter against the lid.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want fine metric steps through 35 mm and 40 mm and you will count the bits before you rely on the box.
Less suitable: You need every labelled size present, or a case that keeps the cutters seated in a van.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the set include 35 mm?
Yes. The size list includes 35 mm and 40 mm, and it skips some steps such as 27 mm and 29 mm.
What do reviews say about the box?
Many texts say the bits cut well enough for occasional work, including oak for some users. A repeated complaint is that the wooden box does not hold the bits, and some buyers found a duplicate size and a missing size.
Are the bits a named carbide tip?
The specification says alloy steel. The bullets say high-quality steel. Carbide is not the stated material.
The Nisorpa set lists sixteen bits from 6 mm to 54 mm, including 35 mm, in a wooden case of 35 × 16.5 × 6.5 cm, at £45.99. amazon.co.uk shows 4.2 from 41 ratings, and six texts are saved. Those texts call the bits sharp and useful for woodworking holes, and one says they can be touched up with a fine saw file. Reviewers also say the bits do not sit tightly in the slots, and one buyer reported a missing 12 mm bit. The table’s surface field says metal, while the bullets name solid wood, plywood and MDF, so the metal line is not a steel-drilling claim. The material row says carbide steel, and the bullets also say a high-speed steel tooth and edges ground from solid metal. At this price you are paying for the wide range and the case, with a loose-fit complaint already in a small sample.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want one case that reaches 54 mm and you will ignore the metal surface field.
Less suitable: You need a tight case, a single material sentence, or a cheaper set that already includes 35 mm.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the surface field mean it drills metal?
The specification surface line says metal. The bullets describe solid wood, plywood, and MDF. Use the bullets for the job, and do not treat the metal field as a steel-drilling claim.
What is the largest size?
The bullet list ends at 54 mm and includes 35 mm. One reviewer said a 12 mm bit was missing from their box.
Does the case hold the bits?
The listing describes a labelled wooden case. Reviewers say the bits do not sit tightly in the slots.
The Cjueiom listing is a single 42 mm tungsten-carbide bit at £7.99, 80 mm long, and amazon.co.uk shows 4.2 from 22 ratings. Only three review texts were saved, and they describe the bit doing the stated job, including turning a wooden box on a lathe, with no repeated fault. The specification calls the shank hex, while the bullets call it a 9 mm triangular shank, so the chuck fit is not one settled figure. The bullets name wood, plywood, solid wood, MDF, plastics and fibreglass, and they also name an impact drill, which is a listing line rather than a clearance to hammer the bit. Metal is asked on the listing and not answered. Three texts against a count of 22 leave edge life untested in those notes.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You need one 42 mm hole in wood or plastic and you will check which shank is actually in the packet.
Less suitable: You need a 35 mm hinge cup, or you want a review sample that describes edge life.
Specifications
Common questions
What diameter is this bit?
The listing states a 42 mm cutting diameter and a total length of 80 mm. The bullets also state a 9 mm shank.
Which materials does the listing name?
The specification says wood and plastic. The bullets add plywood, solid wood, MDF, and fibreglass. Metal is asked on the listing and not answered.
How many review texts were saved?
The listing shows 4.2 from 22 ratings. Only three review texts were saved, so complaints are not established.
The Yueqing Zhongji set lists twelve bits from 10 mm to 50 mm, including 35 mm, for £35.99, and amazon.co.uk shows 4.1 from 20 ratings. The specification table says high-speed steel, while the bullets also say high-speed carbon steel and carbon steel. A reviewer who expected carbide did not find it marked on the bits. Other texts mention clean holes in wood and MDF, a toothed rim that felt smoother, and 35 mm holes in kitchen doors, alongside a finish that is not well dressed and an edge that does not stay sharp. Reviewers describe a blow-moulded case, with bits that sit loose until pushed back. The included-components line does not name that case. Thirteen texts against a count of 20 are enough to show the material conflict, and not enough to rank edge life.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want 10 mm through 50 mm in one box and you will read the table as HSS, not as carbide.
Less suitable: You are paying £35.99 because you thought the set was carbide.
Specifications
Common questions
Is the set carbide?
The table says high-speed steel. The bullets say high-speed carbon steel and carbon steel. A reviewer who expected carbide did not find it marked on the bits.
Which sizes are listed?
10, 12, 15, 18, 20, 22, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, and 50 mm.
Do the bits include 35 mm for hinges?
Yes, 35 mm is in the size list. Reviewers mention using that size on kitchen doors. Depth still comes from the hinge sheet.
Twelve amazon.co.uk listings were scored on 20 October 2026 from the listing text and the saved review notes. There was no lab test. Star rating, review sample, fit for the job and value are weighted 40, 20, 25 and 15. The highest total is the top pick, once. The highest value score among the others is best value, once. None of these scores is a durability test or a certificate.
Star rating
40%The amazon.co.uk star rating divided by 5, times 40, rounded to the nearest whole number. This part uses the star line only.
Review sample
20%1,000 or more reviews scores 20. From 200 to 499 scores 12. From 1 to 49 scores 4. A high star line on a handful of ratings stays on the low band.
Fit for the job
25%A stated cutting diameter starts this part. Points add when 35 mm is in the size list, when the listing itself names a case, and when it states a machine limit you can follow. Points come off when the title or bullets disagree with the specification, when saved reviews are mostly another diameter or are not a UK sample, or when two shank descriptions conflict.
Value in this set
15%A single bit under £13 with at least 200 reviews is the top of this part. A set under £16 that lists 35 mm and has at least 1,000 reviews is next. Dearer sets and listings whose saved reviews do not describe that diameter sit lower. The price is the amazon.co.uk shelf figure on 20 October 2026.
Start with the diameter, then the machine, then the edge on the specification table, then the shank. Piece count comes after the size you need is in the box. The notes below follow that order for these 12 amazon.co.uk listings, checked on 20 October 2026. None of the scores is a cutting test.
A Forstner bit bores a flat-bottomed hole in wood and, where the maker allows it, in board and some plastics. UK buyers use it for hinge cups, cable pockets and overlapping holes. The checks that stay useful when the listings change are the diameter, the machine, the edge and the shank. Piece count comes last, and only after the size you need is actually in the box. Diameter is the first check. UK fitting guides usually mean a 35 mm cup for a concealed hinge.
UK fitting guides usually mean a 35 mm cup. The IRWIN set here stops at a stated 34.9 mm. That is not a labelled 35 mm hinge bit. Depth still comes from the hinge sheet, which is not one fixed figure.
A dropdown that says metal, while the bullets name wood or plastic, is not a steel-drilling claim. The same applies when a title says carbide and the specification table says alloy steel or carbon steel. Read the table.
Some listings ban an impact driver and tell you to wear eye protection. Listings that state a limit send diameters over 35 mm to a drill press. Running a 42 mm to 90 mm bit in a hand drill is where the centre wanders. Stars are a weak guide when the saved reviews name another diameter.
UK fitting guides usually mean a 35 mm cup. DIY Doctor uses a 35 mm bit at about 11–12 mm and says to test the cup. Other UK door notes sit between about 10 mm and 13.5 mm. The hinge sheet in the box is the depth. A bit page that prints 35 mm only tells you the cutter size. IRWIN’s largest stated size here is 34.9 mm, so it does not count as a stated 35 mm.
A pillar drill keeps the rim square. DTGN says to use a drill press for diameters over 35 mm, which covers the 90 mm bit and sits on the line for the 35 mm two-pack. The hsawbit pages allow a hand drill or a bench press, ban an impact driver, and say to wear eye protection. Bosch Professional GB labels an EXPERT Forstner page for rotary and impact drill/drivers. Follow the sheet for the bit in your hand.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You are boring one concealed-hinge cup or a similar furniture hole. A stated 35 mm cutter matters more than a 16-piece case. The DTGN two-pack is two 35 mm tungsten-carbide bits at about £17.89. The listing says to keep the bit vertical and, over 35 mm, to use a drill press, so this size sits on that line. The rating is 4.4 from 12, and several saved texts describe other diameters.
You want a metric set in the band the review volume describes, and you can live with edge life and the box as the complaints. The Aohoo 16-piece runs from 15 mm to 35 mm at about £15.89, with 4.5 from 2,318 ratings. The specification says alloy steel. The title also says titanium and tungsten steel. Reviewers describe clean holes and unmarked individual boxes.
You are doing repeated cabinet holes on a pillar drill and you want a named set. The IRWIN Marples eight-piece is the named-brand set here, at about £57.82, with 4.6 from 2,319 ratings and a reduced shank for a 3/8 in or larger chuck. The largest stated size is 34.9 mm, not a labelled 35 mm. Check the hinge sheet before you treat it as a cup bit.
In this set the top pick is the Aohoo 16-piece. It has the highest total, from 4.5 and 2,318 ratings, a 15–35 mm range that includes 35 mm, and a price of about £15.89. The title and the alloy-steel table do not agree, and reviews describe dull bits and unmarked boxes, so the score is not a durability test. The best value is the hsawbit 30 mm bit. Its value part is the highest among the other listings, at about £9.99 with 4.6 from 287 ratings. Many of those reviews name another diameter, and the surface field says metal while the bullets say wood.
hsawbit 30 mm Forstner bit
Highest value part among the other listings: about £9.99 with 287 ratings for a stated 30 mm bit. Many saved reviews name another diameter.
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 from the research digest, last checked on 20 October 2026. Shelf prices and star lines are the amazon.co.uk figures on the listings.
Expert source (DIY & tools): Charlie White (Charlie DIYte) (external profile) – public expert commentary used as a research source, not as a contributor to our pages.
This page contains affiliate links to amazon.co.uk. If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices, stars and review counts are the UK listings checked on 20 October 2026. We did not lab-test these Forstner bits.
