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SDS plus drill bit set

Updated: 2026-10-23

You have a compact SDS rotary hammer and a tub of wall plugs, and the next order is the bit that has to match those plugs. An SDS plus drill bit set is the usual first basket, though a pack of one diameter is the better buy once the same hole comes up every week. Start with the diameter on the plug sheet, confirm the shank is SDS plus, then treat the large number on the box as total length. Prices and the ten kept amazon.co.uk listings are on the [SDS plus drill bit comparison](/hub/drilling-and-accessories/sds-plus-drill-bit). A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

You have a compact SDS rotary hammer and a tub of wall plugs, and the next order is the bit that has to match those plugs.

Our top picks

Makita Makita E-15730, 6-piece

Best overall

Makita Makita E-15730, 6-piece
8.6/10about £9.59
View offer
Bosch Bosch PRO SDS plus-5X, 5-piece

Rank 2

Bosch Bosch PRO SDS plus-5X, 5-piece
9.4/10about £10.92
View offer
WORKPRO WORKPRO 8-piece SDS plus set

Alternative

WORKPRO WORKPRO 8-piece SDS plus set
8.2/10about £16.99
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Match the bit to the plug, not the screw
  2. 2.Read length as total length
  3. 3.Set, spares, or chisels
  4. 4.When a cross tip is the point of the purchase

Match the bit to the plug, not the screw

The hole you drill is the plug's hole. Rawlplug's UNO sheet sets the substrate hole equal to the plug, at 5, 6, 7, 8 and 10 mm. fischer's DuoPower 6 × 30 asks for a 6 mm bit and a hole at least 40 mm deep. Red, yellow and brown are a shop habit for 5, 6 and 7 mm, and BuildWiz is clear that this is not a British Standard. A screw gauge can sit in more than one plug. The WORKPRO eight-piece, £16.99, prints a 7 mm. Makita's E-15730, £9.59, states 5–10 mm and does not list the six diameters. Meccion's six-piece, £21.99, leaves them off too. The best SDS plus drill bits page says who each box is for.

Read length as total length

The large number on an SDS box is the whole bit, shank included, so a 210 mm bit does not give a 210 mm hole. Bosch publishes working length for the PRO SDS plus-5X family at 50 mm or 100 mm. The amazon.co.uk listing, part 2608833910 at £10.92, does not print those lengths. £21.59 including VAT is Bosch's own GB shelf price. Rawlplug's UNO range lists minimum hole depths between 34 mm and 46 mm by plug size. A cavity wall is where a 160 mm bit runs out. YSDINTAI's 14 mm title says 200 mm, the bullet says 210 mm, and the part number is 14x210mm.
Makita Makita E-15730, 6-piece

Testsieger

Makita Makita E-15730, 6-piece
8.6/10about £9.59
View offer

Set, spares, or chisels

A mixed set covers the first SDS drill: Makita's six-piece at £9.59, and the WORKPRO eight-piece at £16.99, which is the one that prints a 7 mm. A single-size pack is the spare once you know the hole. hsawbit's five 6 mm bits and MOXPIFY's three 7 mm bits are both £9.99, both at 210 mm. SALI's ten 5.5 mm bits are £14.99, and two UK reviews describe a ten-pack that arrived bent. Chisels change the job. Bosch's 11-piece at £24.95 and WORKPRO's 17-piece at £31.99 need chisel mode. A case does not straighten a bit that arrived bowed.

When a cross tip is the point of the purchase

A two-cutter tip is the ordinary carbide plate for brick or block. A four-cutter is the geometry Bosch specifies for reinforced concrete on the PRO SDS plus-5X, with a claim of up to 1.5 times a Bosch SDS plus-1 bit. That sentence belongs to the plus-5X, not to Meccion or the YSDINTAI 14 mm bit. The WORKPRO eight-piece says it is not for tile. UK reviews mention tips that leave the steel, and small diameters that snap when levered. Screwfix lists a Bosch Plus-3 eight-piece at £18.99 including VAT, which is not one of the kept listings.

Common questions

What size SDS plus bit do I need for a red wall plug?
Red often means a 6 mm plug, and yellow and brown often stand in for 5 mm and 7 mm. None of those colours is a British Standard. Take the diameter on the plug. fischer's DuoPower 6 × 30 asks for a 6 mm drill and a hole at least 40 mm deep.
Is 5.5 mm useful, or should I buy 6 mm?
Useful when the sheet, or a soft block, allows a tighter hole. The SALI pack is ten 5.5 mm bits at 160 mm, £14.99. It is the wrong spare when the sheet says 6 mm. In a first mixed set, 6 mm belongs.
Does 210 mm mean I can drill a 210 mm hole?
No. On these listings 210 mm is total length, and part of the shank sits in the chuck. Bosch's plus-5X page separates working length at 50 mm or 100 mm. Mark the depth from the fixing sheet.
Should I buy a mixed set or five bits of one size?
Buy a mixed set for a new hammer and a mix of plug sizes: Makita at £9.59 or the WORKPRO eight-piece at £16.99. Buy one diameter when you know the hole, such as the hsawbit 6 mm or MOXPIFY 7 mm pack, both £9.99. A piece count that hides the sizes helps neither choice.
Do I need a four-cutter bit for ordinary brick?
No. A two-cutter tip is enough for ordinary brick if the diameter matches the plug. Bosch's four-cutter claim is for the PRO SDS plus-5X in reinforced concrete, up to 1.5 times a Bosch SDS plus-1 bit. It does not transfer to every cross-tip listing.
Why do reviews talk about a different diameter from the title?
Amazon often keeps one review block across several sizes, so an 8 mm comment can sit under a 6 mm title. On the YSDINTAI 14 mm page and the MOXPIFY 7 mm page, many reviews describe other diameters. Read a review only when it names the size you are buying.

Related pages

SDS plus drill bit for concrete

SDS plus vs SDS max

SDS plus drill bit

Best SDS plus drill bits: who each listing is meant for

How to use an SDS plus drill bit in brick or block

Sources

Public UK sources from the research digest, retrieved for the page dated 22 October 2026. Shelf prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk figures in the display file.

  1. HSE CN3, drilling with hand-held rotary tools (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  2. HSE CIS36, construction dust (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  3. Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005, regulation 4 (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  4. Bosch Professional GB, PRO SDS plus-5X (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  5. PGM on ISO 5468 (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  6. Rawlplug UNO universal plug (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  7. fischer DuoPower 6 × 30 (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  8. Hilti GB TE-Y adapter (retrieved 22 October 2026)