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Best hole saw set

Updated: 2026-10-23

You want one hole saw set for the weekend, and the star lines disagree because the jobs disagree. A 4.6 from a few hundred wood cuts is not the same evidence as a 4.5 from thousands of mixed jobs, and a 5.0 from three reviews is not a winner. The best hole saw set here is the listing that names your material and a real limit. Prices and counts are the amazon.co.uk lines in the [hole saw set comparison](/hub/drilling-and-accessories/hole-saw-set), checked on 19 October 2026. Products Compared did not run a lab test. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

You want one hole saw set for the weekend, and the star lines disagree because the jobs disagree.

Our top picks

On this page

Why the star line is the wrong winner

Stars on these pages mix plasterboard, plywood and the odd attempt at steel. Gunpla’s carbon-steel set is 4.6 from 459 reviews at £14.98, for wood and plastic out to 152 mm. That is a wood line, not a stainless score. TOOLMAYS is 5.0 from 3 reviews at £69.99, the texts are marked Canada, and the listing excludes metal. Ribowri at £79.90 has no customer-review line. A higher star on a carbon box does not beat HYCHIKA bi-metal’s 4.5 from 4,347 when the hole is in thin steel. The carbon HYCHIKA is 4.4 from 7,282 and is not for metal. Mollom is 4.3 from 3,360, names stainless, and has reviews of teeth leaving the cup. The order of those checks is the hole saw set buying guide.

Top pick for mixed wood and thin soft metal

The top pick is the HYCHIKA bi-metal set, eleven cups from 19 mm to 68 mm, at £19.99. It states a 40 mm cutting depth, two mandrels on 9.5 mm and 11 mm shafts, and a case. The materials line says soft metal, wood, PVC, plastic and gypsum board. It does not say stainless. That is a grommet, thin soft metal, plasterboard up to 68 mm, or timber inside that range. Skip it for a 75 mm fitting, stainless, or timber with nails. One review says the larger cups do not fit a standard drill. The title says 17 pieces while the box line is 11 blades plus fittings. The style name starts at 20 mm and the size list starts at 19 mm.

Best value when 20–68 mm is enough

The best value pick is the Amazon Basics HSS-M3 set at £12.49, with 4.4 from 607 reviews. Six cups: 20, 25, 35, 40, 51 and 68 mm. The 1/4 in hex arbor covers 14–30 mm and the 7/16 in covers 32–152 mm, so the 68 mm cup uses the larger arbor. A case is named. The first bullet names mild steel, aluminium, plastic and plasterboard. The compatible-material field says plastic only. No cutting depth is stated. Reviews include a rounded pilot, a snapped saw and fast wear on metal. The small mandrel can tighten and may need a wrench after a cut. Skip it for stainless, for anything above 68 mm, and for a 40 mm deep cut you can point to on the page.

Who should skip both

Skip both for 75 mm, 102 mm or 152 mm in plasterboard or soft wood if you will not touch steel. HYCHIKA carbon runs to 152 mm at £19.99, states 25 mm, and says not hard board. Gunpla runs to 152 mm at £14.98 and is carbon steel. Oudtinz stops at 127 mm and says not metal. Those star lines are not a metal test. Skip both for thin stainless at only 20, 25 or 32 mm. BULLITT states M42 with 8% cobalt and a 1.6 mm limit, at £25.99, with 4.4 from 121 reviews. UK reviews split: some cuts work, one new 20 mm cutter did not cut stainless, and the ejector spring pops out. Mollom names stainless from 16 mm to 54 mm at £59.39. Bosch and Milwaukee trade kits on the same search are not in these 12 listings.

Common questions

Which hole saw set is the top pick here, and for whom?
The HYCHIKA bi-metal set at £19.99, 4.5 from 4,347 reviews, for soft metal, wood, PVC, plastic and plasterboard inside 19–68 mm and a stated 40 mm depth. Skip it for stainless, nails and any cup above 68 mm.
Which set is the best value, and what is too much for it?
Amazon Basics at £12.49, six HSS-M3 cups from 20 mm to 68 mm, 4.4 from 607 reviews, with a case and two hex arbors. It is too little when you need a stated depth, stainless, or a diameter above 68 mm. The spec’s compatible-material line says plastic only, against a bullet that names mild steel and aluminium.
Why is 5.0 from three reviews not the winner?
TOOLMAYS is 5.0 from 3, and the texts are marked Canada. The listing excludes metal. Three non-UK reviews are a thinner sample than 4.5 from 4,347. Gunpla’s 4.6 is a carbon-steel wood score.
When should I skip the 152 mm carbon sets?
Skip them for mild steel, stainless or nail-embedded timber. Use them for soft wood, plasterboard and thin plastic when you need a diameter past 68 mm. HYCHIKA carbon says not hard board, and UK reviews include cups that cut small.
When should I skip the £59 to £80 listings?
Skip Mollom for plasterboard or tile, and TOOLMAYS for metal. Skip Ribowri if you want reviews before £79.90. A 20–32 mm stainless knockout is BULLITT’s 1.6 mm sheet limit, with the spring complaints attached.
Does 4.4 from thousands beat 4.6 from a few hundred?
It depends on the material. HYCHIKA carbon’s 4.4 from 7,282 is the deeper wood sample. For thin soft metal, HYCHIKA bi-metal’s 4.5 from 4,347 matches the job. A higher star on the wrong tooth does not win.

Related pages

Sources

Public UK sources from the research digest, last checked on 19 October 2026. Shelf prices and star lines are the amazon.co.uk figures checked on 19 October 2026.

  1. HSE: PUWER overview (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  2. HSE: wood dust (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  3. RS: hole saws guide (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  4. RS PRO bi-metal hole saw datasheet (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  5. Starrett UK: bi-metal speeds (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  6. Approved Document P (2013) (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  7. LightHub: downlight cut-out sizes (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  8. Electrical Safety First: drills (retrieved 19 October 2026)