The best 40 mm Forstner bits, compared.
Top pick: FBBEVWBK 40 mm, round shank Best value: TA-VIGOR 40 mm, carbide tip – Highest value part among the other listings: about £9.46 with carbide and 40 mm agreed in the bullets and the table, after a 28-review sample and no stated cutting depth. Updated October 2026.
A 40 mm Forstner bit bores a flat-bottomed hole in wood, plywood or MDF, about 1 9/16 inch across. In the UK you buy one for a tea-light recess, a shallow pocket, or a round cut that should leave a flat floor. It is the wrong default for a concealed cabinet hinge, because those cups are a smaller diameter. A suitable listing names the same cutting diameter in the title and in the specification table. The shank has to match the chuck you own, whether that is a round shank near 10 mm or a hex shank. At this diameter a drill press, or work held in a vice, is the stable setup. An impact driver is the wrong machine, and eye protection matters because the rim throws chips. No British Standard in these sources certifies a general listing of this size. What to check before you order is in the [40 mm Forstner bit buying guide](/hub/drilling-and-accessories/forstner-bit-40mm/sub/forstner-bit-40mm-buying-guide).
A 40 mm Forstner bit bores a flat-bottomed hole in wood, plywood or MDF, about 1 9/16 inch across. In the UK you buy one for a tea-light recess, a shallow pocket, or a round cut that should leave a flat floor.
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
What hole do you need?
This is the cheapest single bit in the set at £8.68, with a 40 mm cutter, a 9.5 mm round shank and three flutes in the table. The bullets say a carbide-tipped, heat-treated edge and name wood, plywood, MDF and plastic, plus a hand drill, a bench drill or a vertical drill. The listing line is 5.0 from 1 rating. That one text is about a citronella candle holder, and the review title is Not happy, while the body does not describe a fault. Overall length and cutting depth are missing from the table. A 5.0 star line with a single mismatched review is not evidence the edge will last. The bullets also say the bit is for hinges, but the diameter on the page is 40 mm.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A one-off candle or pocket hole if you are buying on the spec lines and will check the edge on scrap.
Less suitable: Oak, a run of holes, or any choice that depends on a review trail.
Specifications
Common questions
How many people have reviewed it?
The listing line is 5.0 from 1 rating. The only review text is about a candle holder, and the review title says Not happy.
What shank does it use?
The bullets say a 9.5 mm round shank and a 40 mm drilling diameter.
Can it drill MDF?
The bullets say wood, plywood, MDF and plastic. There is no separate test in the file.
YUEDAHOMEE lists a 40 mm round-shank bit, 90 mm long, at £12.99, with micro-grain carbide tips in the bullets and 4.8 from 6 ratings. Five of the six texts praise a clean oak cut, a neat recess against a flat wood bit, and a protective tube. One of those six says the bit ordered was 35 mm, for worktop bolts in chipboard, so you cannot treat every review as evidence for the 40 mm title. Another buyer needed to dress the edge before it cut evenly. The included-components line says no case, while a review mentions one. Shank diameter and cutting depth are not given, and the bullets do not name a chuck size. Six ratings are too few to carry a 4.8 score against listings with hundreds of reviews.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A buyer who will check the diameter on arrival and only needs a few flat-bottom holes.
Less suitable: Anyone treating 4.8 from 6 ratings as a settled record, or a hinge cup that must be a known diameter without measuring.
Specifications
Common questions
How many reviews are there?
The listing line is 4.8 from 6 ratings. The saved listing has six review texts, and one of them says the bit ordered was 35 mm.
Is a case included?
The included-components field says no. One review says a protective case was supplied.
What is the shank?
The title and the size bullet say a round shank. No shank diameter is given.
TA-VIGOR’s 40 mm bit is £9.46 on amazon.co.uk, with 4.7 from 28 reviews, and both the bullets and the table name a tungsten carbide tip. The nine review texts in the file praise a clean flat bottom, hardwood cut with ease, and carbide that stayed sharper than ordinary steel in MDF and plywood. One buyer used it for a candle hole in pallet wood. The usage line lists a bench drill, a vertical drill and a CNC router, and it does not list a hand drill. It also tells you to inject water on hardwood, which no review in the file confirms. Shank diameter, overall length and cutting depth are all missing from the table. It is the best value here because the price is under £10 and the diameter and tip lines agree, though 28 reviews is a thin sample next to bits with hundreds of ratings.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A bench-drill or CNC job when you want a cheap 40 mm carbide bit and can accept a short review trail.
Less suitable: A hand-held drill only, or a buyer who needs a stated cutting depth before ordering.
Specifications
Common questions
Can I use a hand drill?
The usage bullet lists a bench drill, a vertical drilling machine and a CNC router. It does not list a hand drill.
Does it need water?
The listing says inject water when drilling hardwood or other hard materials. That is a listing instruction, not confirmed by a review in the file.
Is it for a 35 mm hinge?
The design bullet mentions concealed hinges, but the diameter is 40 mm.
HSAWBIT’s hex-shank bit is listed at 40 mm and 90 mm overall for £12.99, with 4.6 from 287 reviews, and the listing shows rank 1 in Forstner Bits. It allows a hand drill or a bench press, tells you not to use an impact driver, and tells you to wear eye protection. Reviewers in the sample report a straight cut through 2x1, a tidy plywood hole, cabinet pockets in MDF doors, and an oak door handle recess. The same file says the flat rim burns and dulls in hardwood, leaves fluffy fibres that need sanding, and that soft steel needed a diamond plate before use. Softwood jumped in a hand drill for one reviewer, who preferred a pillar drill. Several of the first 50 texts name other diameters on the same listing, so the 287 count is not a 40 mm-only tally. The minimum-bore line says 39 mm.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Softwood, plywood or MDF at low speed, with eye protection, when a hex shank suits the chuck you already have.
Less suitable: Hardwood at speed, an impact driver, or a hole that must ignore the 39 mm minimum-bore line.
Specifications
Common questions
Can it be used in a hand drill?
The listing says hand-held drills and bench presses. It also says do not use an impact driver, and it tells you to wear eye protection.
Is the diameter only 40 mm?
The cutting diameter is 40 mm. The minimum bore line says 39 mm.
What is it made of?
The bullets say high-speed steel with a tooth-shaped rim. The table does not name a material.
OUZHOU’s hinge-cutter title is 40 mm at £9.99, with 4.6 from 41 reviews, a 9.5 mm round shank and two flutes. Eleven texts in the file include size as advertised and holes that stayed smooth after several hours on mixed materials. One reviewer could not cut oak without heavy downward pressure and suggested a dearer bit for that job. The bullets say a carbide edge and the table says carbon steel, so the tip claim is not settled on the page. The title says hinge cutter, but the diameter is 40 mm, not the 35 mm cup used by many concealed cabinet hinges. A tea-light hole in the reviews does not test that cup. A hand drill is allowed in the listing, with no press rule for this diameter.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Softwood or MDF at 40 mm when you can push the feed and you do not need the steel lines to match.
Less suitable: Oak without a press, or a concealed hinge that needs a 35 mm cup.
Specifications
Common questions
Is the cutter carbide?
The bullets say a carbide-tipped edge. The specification table says carbon steel.
Does it suit oak?
One review says it was not sharp enough to cut oak without a lot of downward force. Another says the size matched the listing.
Is this a 35 mm hinge bit?
No. The title, bullets and table say 40 mm.
The silver DTGN bit is £9.19, listed at 40 mm, two flutes, an 8.5 mm hex shank and 80 mm overall, with tungsten carbide in the bullets and a sandblasted finish. The listing line is 4.6 from 4 ratings. The only review text in the file is from the United States. It says the body feels solid so far, and it mentions a two-pack that does not match this one-pack title. The warm tip says use a drill press above 35 mm so the centre does not wander, and the page excludes concrete, steel, ceramic and glass. Cutting depth is not stated, and the table does not name a material. Four ratings with no UK review text make this a spec purchase, not a record of edge life.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A press user who wants a short hex-shank 40 mm bit and will judge the edge on the first holes.
Less suitable: A hand drill, or a buyer who wants UK review texts before paying.
Specifications
Common questions
Should I use a drill press?
Yes, for this diameter. The warm tip says use a drill press over 35 mm so the centre does not wander.
What must it not cut?
The listing says not concrete, steel, ceramic or glass.
How many UK reviews are in the file?
The listing line is 4.6 from 4 ratings. The only review text in the saved listing is from the United States.
Flintronic is £8.99 with 4.5 from 171 reviews, a 9.6 mm round shank and a plastic case in the bullets. The title says 40 mm. The bullet and the cutting-diameter line say 41 mm, and one review says the bit in hand was 40 mm even though a drawing said 41 mm. Praise in the file covers clean edges, a standard chuck and a cupboard hinge hole. Criticism is bluntness: dull after two holes in softwood, rough manufacture, and a non-UK report of a violent grab when the drill was slow. Many texts are not United Kingdom reviews, and some name other diameters. Treat the case and the price as the clear part of the listing, and measure the rim before you commit a layout to 40 mm.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A low-cost spare with a case, if you can measure the rim and you only need a few holes in softwood.
Less suitable: A layout that fails if the hole is 41 mm, or a job that needs the edge to stay sharp past a couple of cuts.
Specifications
Common questions
Is it 40 mm or 41 mm?
The title says 40 mm. The bullet and the cutting-diameter line say 41 mm. One review says the bit was 40 mm even though a drawing said 41 mm.
Does it include a case?
Yes. The bullets say a plastic storage case is included.
Will it stay sharp?
UK reviews in the file include dulling after two holes in softwood and a bit that went blunt quickly. Other reviews say it cut cleanly.
The green DTGN bit is £13.99, with three flutes, an 8.5 mm hex shank, 93 mm overall and a stated 64 mm cutting depth. Tungsten carbide appears in the bullets and in the table. The listing line is 4.4 from 12 reviews. The one UK text says it cut plywood easily with good chip clearance. A US text describes a smooth wall and a square bottom in pine, oak and plywood. Other texts say a hand drill at about 1.5 inch needed a lot of force and jumped off the path, and one review of half-inch holes went dull after about 50 holes, which is not this diameter. The warm tip says use a drill press above 35 mm. It is the fuller of the two DTGN listings on depth, at a higher price and a still-small sample.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Plywood or similar sheet on a drill press when you want a stated depth and three flutes.
Less suitable: A hand drill, or a shopper who wants dozens of UK reviews at this price.
Specifications
Common questions
How is this different from the silver DTGN bit?
This one has three flutes, a 93 mm overall length and a stated 64 mm cutting depth. The silver listing is two flutes and 80 mm overall.
Do I need a drill press?
The warm tip says use a drill press for diameters over 35 mm.
Is there a UK review?
One UK review says it cut plywood with good chip clearance. Other texts in the file are from the United States or Canada, and some name other diameters.
Across 2,476 amazon.co.uk reviews at 4.3 stars, this carbide-tipped 40 mm bit is the listing here that states both a 60 mm drilling depth and a 10 mm round shank on a 93 mm body, at £11.89. Reviewers describe an accurate size, a clean tea-light recess, and a cut through a solid oak worktop, and one found it quicker than a hole saw. The same sample says the rim is hard to start and can dance on the surface. One reviewer dropped a hand drill after a single grab and moved to a press, which matches the listing’s line that sizes above 40 mm belong in a fixed machine or a vice. Another reviewer says a hand drill was easy, so the file does not agree with itself. The minimum-bore line prints 1.56 inches beside a 40 mm cutter. It is the top pick here because the review trail and the carbide-plus-depth spec are the strongest pair in the table, not because a hand drill is risk-free.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A workshop with a pillar drill or a vice, when you want one 40 mm carbide bit and a large review sample.
Less suitable: You only have a hand drill and no way to clamp the work, or you need a 35 mm concealed-hinge cup.
Specifications
Common questions
Can I use it in a hand drill?
The listing says smaller bits suit a hand drill, and that sizes above 40 mm are better in a fixed machine. Reviews both warn of grab and say a hand drill was fine.
How deep can it drill?
The size bullet says drilling depth 60 mm and overall length 93 mm.
Does the listing agree on diameter?
The cutting diameter is 40 mm. The minimum bore line says 1.56 inches.
HPHOPE is £14.99, with 4.2 from 748 reviews, a 40 mm cutter and 90 mm overall, and a storage case in the bullets. That review count is the second largest in this set. Reviewers describe a clean first cut in 18 mm plywood, tea-light recesses, and low-speed work on a drill press. One reviewer says the serrated side teeth sit lower than the face, so it behaves more like a flat bit than a Forstner, and then bought a different bit after a rough hole. Acrylic left rough edges on the back in another text. The bullets say high-speed steel and the table says carbon steel. A warranty is mentioned with no length. You are paying the highest single-bit price here for a long review trail and a case, not for a carbide tip the page can agree on.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Softwood or plywood tea-light and pocket work when you want a case and a long review trail.
Less suitable: You need the listing to name one steel, or you want a scored Forstner wall in hardwood or acrylic.
Specifications
Common questions
Does it come with a case?
Yes. The specification bullet says it is equipped with a storage case.
Is it high-speed steel?
The bullets say high-speed steel. The specification table says carbon steel.
Is it a true Forstner bit?
One reviewer says the serrated side teeth sit lower than the face, so it behaves more like a flat bit. Other reviewers report a clean hole in plywood.
YOKOCUT’s six-piece set is £18.72, with 4.2 from 148 reviews, hex shanks, and sizes 30, 35, 40, 45, 50 and 60 mm. The 35 mm piece is the usual concealed-hinge cup, so the set covers the hinge size a 40 mm search often misses. The bullets name YG8 tungsten carbide spurs, and the table says tungsten carbide and high-strength carbon steel. Reviewers like the spread of large sizes, and one still called them sharp after 18 months. The same file says they went blunt in 18 mm MDF, were slow in 2 inches of oak, and walked in a hand drill until the buyer moved to a pillar drill. The 60 mm bit arrived with a chipped edge for one buyer. The table’s cutting-diameter line prints 60 mm because this is a set, not a single 40 mm cutter. At 720 g you are buying six bits.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A shed that needs both a 35 mm hinge cup and a 40 mm hole, used in a pillar drill.
Less suitable: One 40 mm hole only, or hand-held drilling of the 50 mm and 60 mm pieces.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the set include 40 mm?
Yes. The sizes are 30, 35, 40, 45, 50 and 60 mm.
Does it include the usual hinge size?
Yes. 35 mm is in the set. A 40 mm bit is a different hole from a 35 mm concealed-hinge cup.
Are the larger bits for a hand drill?
One reviewer moved them to a pillar drill because they walked. Another would not use the larger bits in a hand-held drill, and reported a chipped 60 mm edge.
Eleven 40 mm Forstner bits on amazon.co.uk were scored from listing facts and review notes, read on 20 October 2026. No lab test. Stars, review sample, fit for a 40 mm hole and value in this set are weighted 40, 20, 25 and 15. The highest total is the top pick, once. The highest value part among the others is best value, once. A very small review count caps the bargain even when the shelf price is the lowest. None of these scores is a durability test or a certificate.
Stars
40%Amazon.co.uk star rating divided by 5, then multiplied by 40, and rounded. The star line is the UK listing figure, not a lab score.
Sample
20%1,000 or more reviews score 20, 500–999 score 16, 200–499 score 12, 50–199 score 8, and 1–49 score 4. The count is a sample size. Some review texts name other diameters, so it is not always a 40 mm-only tally.
Fit for a 40 mm hole
25%The score starts from whether the title and the cutting-diameter line both say 40 mm, then adds for carbide that the bullets and the table both name, a stated depth, a stated shank, a case, and a machine rule for this diameter. It subtracts when the steel lines disagree, when the minimum bore clashes with 40 mm, or when a review describes a different diameter.
Value in this set
15%Under £10 with agreeing diameter and carbide lines scores higher when the review count is not tiny. The cheapest single bit does not take best value, because one rating caps the bargain. The top pick does not also take this award.
Confirm the hole is 40 mm, then check that the title and the specification table agree, then match the shank and the machine. A 40 mm bit is not a 35 mm hinge cup, and a carbide bullet is not carbide if the table says carbon steel. The notes below follow that order for these eleven amazon.co.uk listings. None of the scores is a lab test.
A 40 mm Forstner bit cuts a flat-bottomed hole in wood, plywood or MDF. The nominal size is about 1 9/16 inch. You use it for a tea-light recess, a shallow pocket or a round cut that should stop on a flat floor. A concealed cabinet hinge is usually a 35 mm cup about 13 mm deep, so a 40 mm bit is the wrong default for that cup. A 26 mm cup is for light doors. A 50 mm bit is a different size and is not in this set. Read the title, the bullets and the specification table together.
A concealed cabinet hinge of the kind on the UK pages used here is a 35 mm cup about 13 mm deep. A 40 mm title that says hinge cutter is still a 40 mm hole. The only listing in this set that also contains 35 mm is the six-piece set.
Charts for this diameter sit near 250 rpm in hardwood and about 500 rpm in softwood. That is a rule of thumb, not a certificate. Smoke means slow down and clear the chips. A 1,000–1,500 rpm note for a 35 mm cup does not transfer here.
HPHOPE says high-speed steel in the bullets and carbon steel in the table. OUZHOU says carbide in the bullets and carbon steel in the table. A blank table under a carbide bullet is a claim, not a matched line. One to six ratings do not settle it.
The hole size is the first check. Confirm you need 40 mm, not a 35 mm concealed-hinge cup and not a 26 mm cup for a light door. A title and a cutting-diameter line that both say 40 mm start the fit score. A set that includes 40 mm among other sizes starts lower, because you are not buying one measured cutter. A title and a table that disagree start lower still. Carbide counts when the page is consistent. ASNOMY, TA-VIGOR, the green DTGN and YOKOCUT name carbide in the bullets and the table.
A 40 mm rim needs a stable machine. The score adds a little when the listing gives a rule for this diameter: a press above 35 mm or 40 mm, bench or CNC only, or a ban on an impact driver. ASNOMY prefers a fixed drill or a vice above 40 mm. Both DTGN bits say use a press above 35 mm, and they exclude concrete, steel, ceramic and glass. TA-VIGOR does not list a hand drill. HSAWBIT allows a hand drill and forbids an impact driver.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You have a pillar drill or a vice and you need one 40 mm flat-bottom hole in softwood, plywood or similar. The ASNOMY carbide-tipped bit is about £11.89, with a stated 60 mm depth, a 10 mm shank and 4.3 from 2,476 reviews. The listing still prefers a fixed machine above 40 mm, and reviews include a hand-drill grab.
You will use a bench drill, a vertical drill or a CNC router, and you want carbide at a lower shelf price. The TA-VIGOR bit is about £9.46, with carbide in the bullets and the table, and 4.7 from 28 reviews. Shank diameter and cutting depth are not in the table, and a hand drill is not in the usage line.
You need the usual concealed-hinge cup as well as a 40 mm hole, and you can use a pillar drill. The YOKOCUT set is about £18.72, with sizes 30, 35, 40, 45, 50 and 60 mm, and 4.2 from 148 reviews. Reviews include blunt MDF and a chipped 60 mm edge. A 40 mm bit alone does not drill a 35 mm cup.
In this set of eleven amazon.co.uk listings, the top pick is the ASNOMY 40 mm carbide-tipped bit, about £11.89, with 4.3 from 2,476 reviews, a stated 60 mm depth and a 10 mm shank. The listing still prefers a fixed drill or a vice above 40 mm, and the minimum-bore line prints 1.56 inches. The best value is the TA-VIGOR 40 mm bit at about £9.46, with carbide named in the bullets and the table, and 4.7 from 28 reviews. The usage line is a bench drill, a vertical drill or a CNC router, and shank diameter and cutting depth are not stated. The other nine have no award. None of these scores is a lab test, and none of them is a claim to be the best 40 mm bit in Britain.
TA-VIGOR 40 mm, carbide tip
Highest value part among the other listings: about £9.46 with carbide and 40 mm agreed in the bullets and the table, after a 28-review sample and no stated cutting depth.
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 in the product display for this comparison.
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 from the UK listings used in this comparison, checked on 20 October 2026. We did not lab-test these 40 mm Forstner bits.
