The best step drills, compared.
Top pick: xiluuyou 4–20 mm straight flute Best value: YOKOCUT 4–22 mm HSS 4241 – 4.6 from 305 reviews at about £5.12, with a printed 4 mm metal limit, a stainless exclusion and an 8 mm tri-flat. Updated October 2026.
A step drill is a conical metal bit with several finished diameters on one shank. In the UK you buy one to drill or enlarge holes in thin sheet, plastic, PVC and some wood, instead of working through a twist-drill index. A suitable bit is the largest marked step you need, in millimetres, plus the thickness the listing allows for that material. High-speed steel suits mild steel, aluminium and plastic. A cobalt grade is for hotter cuts, and only inside that listing’s thickness. A gold coat is a coating, not a different steel. The shank has to fit the chuck: a 1/4 in hex suits most cordless drills, a shank about 9.5 mm across the flats can miss a 10 mm chuck, and a 10 mm tri-flat needs a 13 mm chuck. Two flutes are usual. Four flutes are a different cut. A cone is the wrong tool for masonry, glass, tile, deep holes and plate thicker than the step. Those checks are set out in the [step drill buying guide](/hub/drilling-and-accessories/step-drill/sub/step-drill-buying-guide).
A step drill is a conical metal bit with several finished diameters on one shank. In the UK you buy one to drill or enlarge holes in thin sheet, plastic, PVC and some wood, instead of working through a twist-drill index.
42 products checked · 64 hrs invested · +24,100 readers
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
What are you cutting?
The xiluuyou cone is a single 4–20 mm bit in nine steps, with a straight flute and a 1/4 in hex, listed at about £3.79. Both amazon.co.uk reviews are short: one cut a plastic electrical socket without cracking the casing, and the other calls it a good bit for the price. Neither review describes a hole in steel, aluminium or copper, although the listing names thin steel and those metals, plus PVC and softwood. No HSS grade number and no millimetre thickness cap are printed. With only two ratings, the 5.0 line is not a sample you can lean on for metal, which is why it does not take the best value place. There is no case in the file.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A cheap hex cone for a plastic socket, if you will not treat two five-star lines as proof on steel.
Less suitable: Sheet steel, or a review count large enough to judge the edge.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this bit a good match for metal?
The listing says thin steel, aluminium and copper, plus plastic, PVC and softwood. The two UK reviews describe a plastic socket and the price. Neither review reports a metal hole.
Which drills does the shank fit?
It is a 1/4 in hex. The title names cordless drills and impact drivers, and the bullets add electric screwdrivers and quick-change holders.
DeWalt DT5026-QZ is listed at about £19.89 with a title range of 4–12 mm and a 1/4 in hex. The amazon.co.uk line is 4.7 from 126 reviews. Reviewers say it holds an edge longer than cheap gold bits, that the steps come in 1 mm, and that the hex works in an impact driver, with clean holes in aluminium and stainless sheet when cutting fluid is used. The bullets say a titanium coat and thin wall up to 3 mm, while the specification table says high carbon steel, uncoated, a minimum bore of 4 centimetres, and six pieces. DeWalt’s UK page titles the same model as 6–12 mm. One UK review says the item received was not a genuine DeWalt. That review is not proof the listing is fake, and the brand name is not proof it is genuine. A report of more than 50 holes at 12 mm in 5 mm steel is thicker than the 3 mm bullet and is not the rating. Check the packet against the maker’s page.
Pros
Cons
Best for: 1 mm steps in a small range, if you match the packet to DeWalt’s UK page before you drill.
Less suitable: Holes above 12 mm, or a buyer who needs the specification table to agree with the title.
Specifications
Common questions
What materials can it drill?
The bullets say construction steel, ferrous and non-ferrous metals, plastic, and thin-walled materials up to 3 mm.
Does it come with a case?
Included components list a user manual. No case is named.
Is the spec table the same as the bullets?
No. The table says high carbon steel and uncoated, and a minimum bore of 4 centimetres. The bullets say a titanium coat. The title says 4 mm to 12 mm.
The YOKOCUT M35 cone runs from 4 mm to 32 mm in even 2 mm steps, with an AlTiN coat and a 10 mm tri-flat, at about £27.50, the highest price in this set. The amazon.co.uk line is 4.6 from 309 reviews. One detailed review reports eight 30 mm holes in 4 mm galvanised plate, with a slow speed, cutting fluid and a pilot, and says the edge was still sharp. Others describe stainless sheet with oil, including one 3 mm report, plus holes in a van door and for heating pipes. The title says 6% cobalt and the bullet says 5%, and there is no millimetre sheet cap even though stainless and hard metal are named. Life on stainless is uneven: one hole in 2 mm stainless and then finished, worn washers, a blunt edge after a single hole, and a snap in 4 mm mild steel even with lubricant. There is no depth stop, so it is easy to pass the step you wanted. The 66–69 HRC line and the speed multiple are listing claims, and no case is included.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Stainless or galvanised sheet, with a 13 mm chuck, a slow speed and cutting fluid.
Less suitable: A 10 mm chuck, a first cheap cone for plastic boxes, or an expectation that the price guarantees a long life in stainless.
Specifications
Common questions
What materials can it cut?
The bullet names stainless steel, steel, sheet metal, iron plate, aluminium, ducts, wood, PVC and plastic.
Does it come with a case?
Included components name the 4–32 mm cobalt bit only.
Is it cobalt steel?
The bullet says M35 with 5% cobalt. The title says 6% cobalt. Both figures are on the listing.
This HSS 4241 cone covers 4–22 mm on an 8 mm tri-flat shank and is listed at about £5.12. Across 305 amazon.co.uk reviews the line is 4.6, which is why it is the best value row: a printed limit, a usable sample, and a low shelf price. Reviewers report clean holes in plastic pattress boxes, planters and a water butt, and one describes 3 mm steel opened from 6 mm out to 15 mm. The listing caps iron, copper and aluminium at within 4 mm, and wood or PVC at within 5 mm, and it says the bit is not for stainless, glass, tile or walls. Several reviews say you should start with a pilot in metal. Other buyers found the edge soft, including one who switched to another bit and one who called it blunt in about 20 minutes. The titanium line is a coat on 4241, not solid titanium, and no case is included. The about £3.79 cone has a higher star line from two reviews and does not take this place.
Pros
Cons
Best for: One cone up to 22 mm for plastic boxes and thin non-stainless sheet, if your chuck takes an 8 mm shank.
Less suitable: You need stainless, or three ranges in one pouch.
Specifications
Common questions
Is the bit made of solid titanium?
No. The material line is high-speed steel 4241 with a titanium finish.
Does it include a case?
Included components list the 4–22 mm bit only. No case is named.
Will it drill stainless steel?
The listing says it is not suitable for stainless steel, glass, tile floors or walls.
This single HSS 4241 cone is listed at 4–42 mm for about £8.93, with a titanium coat and a 9.5 mm tri-flat. The amazon.co.uk line is 4.6 from 61 reviews. Reviewers wanted a wider cone than their old bits and report oil-drum holes, a metal table, a BBQ probe grommet and a water butt. The page caps iron, copper and aluminium at within 3 mm, which is tighter than the 4 mm line on the smaller YOKOCUT 4241 bits, and it excludes stainless. One reviewer says it would not cut 1.5 mm stainless and was only useful in plastic. Another found the large diameters at the limit of a hand-held drill. The set name says Set of 4 while the included line is one bit, and the model number matches the 5–35 mm YOKOCUT listing. A review mentions a plastic tube, which is not a hard case.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Occasional holes past 32 mm in thin non-stainless sheet, if you can hold a large cone square.
Less suitable: Stainless, a 10 mm chuck, or a box whose piece count must match the set name.
Specifications
Common questions
Will it drill stainless?
The listing says it is not suitable for stainless steel, glass, tile or walls. One review says it would not cut 1.5 mm stainless.
Does it include a case?
Included components name the 4–42 mm bit. A review describes a reusable plastic tube. The set name says Set of 4.
How thick a metal sheet does the listing allow?
Within 3 mm for iron, copper and aluminium plate, and within 5 mm for wood, PVC and insulation board.
This HSS 4241 bit is about £8.53, with 4.5 from 1,204 amazon.co.uk reviews, the second-largest count in the set. Reviewers describe staged holes with oil, plastic socket boxes, cladding, a water butt, and enlarging holes for glands and a tap cut-out. The title says 5–35 mm and the cutting-diameter field says 32 mm, so the last step is not settled on the page. UK reviews say 9.5 mm is across the flats and the corners are over 10 mm, so the shank misses a 10 mm chuck and fits a 13 mm chuck. The listing allows within 4 mm on iron, copper and aluminium and excludes stainless. A snapped tip, an edge that went before the hole was finished, and a stall between 10 mm and 11 mm all appear in the file. One review of 27 mm in 7 mm mild steel is thicker than the 4 mm line and stays an anecdote.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A 13 mm chuck, if you treat 32 mm and 35 mm as an unresolved clash on the listing.
Less suitable: A 10 mm chuck, stainless, or a hole that must match the title’s 35 mm exactly.
Specifications
Common questions
Will the shank fit a 10 mm chuck?
UK reviews say 9.5 mm is across the flats and the corner diameter is over 10 mm, so it misses a 10 mm chuck and fits a 13 mm chuck.
Can it be used on PVC?
The listing allows PVC sheet within 5 mm. It excludes stainless, glass, tile and walls.
Is the range 35 mm?
The title says 5–35 mm. The cutting-diameter field says 32 mm. Both are left as listed.
The ss shovan two-flute set is three HSS cones, 4–12, 4–20 and 4–32 mm, on 1/4 in hex shanks, with a fabric pouch, at about £11.99. The amazon.co.uk line is 4.4 from 5,620 reviews, the largest sample in this comparison, which is why it is the top pick for plastic and thin non-stainless sheet. Reviewers use the set on electrical plastic, unhardened metal, 2 mm steel, thin steel boxes, a car wheel arch and a camper. The listing says not to drill thicker than 8 mm, and to use cutting fluid and a low speed on hard metal. Stainless is named in the bullets; the steel line does not say cobalt. A pilot around 5 mm comes up because the cone does not start cleanly on its own. One review received two blunt bits, another drilled an extra hole because the three cones are different lengths, and one long-term user snapped a bit on 5 mm steel after years of use. The best-seller line is identical to the four-flute set, so that rank is shared. It is not a lab result.
Pros
Cons
Best for: One pouch for plastic boxes and thin steel up to the stated 8 mm, on a cordless drill.
Less suitable: You need cobalt for stainless, or you treat the shared rank as proof this set is uniquely first.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the set include a case?
The bullet includes a fabric carry pouch. That is a bag, not a hard case.
Is there a thickness limit?
The listing says do not drill thicker than the recommended 8 mm, and to use cutting fluid and a low speed on hard metal.
Will the hex fit a cordless drill?
The listing says the 1/4 in hex fits cordless drills, impact drivers and pillar drills.
This is the four-flute ss shovan set at about £14.99: the same 4–12, 4–20 and 4–32 mm ranges, in HSS 4341 with a titanium coat, 1/4 in hex shanks and a canvas bag. The amazon.co.uk line is 4.4 from 413 reviews. Reviewers praise a sharp cut in mild steel with cutting paste, the quick-change hex and the bag. One report describes countersunk holes in 5 mm stainless with cooling fluid; others say the edge wore quickly on stainless. The largest cone’s tip has snapped, sometimes blamed on a crooked drill. An owner of both ss shovan sets found the four-flute less smooth in plastic than the two-flute version. Two reviews bought it to split logs, which the listing does not claim. The bullet says 118° and the angle field says 135°, and no millimetre thickness cap is printed. The best-seller line matches the two-flute set, so it is not a separate number-one rank.
Pros
Cons
Best for: The four-flute cut in mild steel, if you already keep cutting paste with the drill.
Less suitable: Plastic boxes, firewood, or stainless you expect to last for many holes.
Specifications
Common questions
Is it high-speed steel?
Yes. The bullet says HSS 4341 with a titanium coat. It does not say M35 cobalt.
Can it be used on wood?
The bullet names wood, plastic, aluminium, copper and sheet metal. Two reviews bought it to split logs, which the listing does not claim.
Does it have a hex shank?
Yes. 1/4 in (6.35 mm) hex, for drills, impact drivers and a drill press.
The YOKOCUT M2 is sold as a fully ground 4–32 mm cone with 15 steps, a spiral flute, a 118° split point and a 10 mm tri-flat, at about £7.79. The amazon.co.uk line is 4.2 from 53 reviews. UK reviewers describe clean holes after a fine pilot, readable size marks, a Neutrik socket in a project box, and 1 mm sheet on a cordless drill. The page allows within 4 mm on iron, copper and aluminium, and within 5 mm on wood or PVC, and it excludes stainless. One buyer measured the steps as 4–18 mm rather than the titled 4–32 mm, so check the cone before you rely on the title. The finish field says aluminium while a bullet says titanium. A drop down an electrical riser broke one bit. A review that claims 10 mm steel sits outside the 4 mm iron line and is an anecdote, not the rating.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A 13 mm chuck, if you measure the largest step before you plan a 32 mm hole.
Less suitable: A 10 mm chuck, stainless, or a listing whose range you do not want to check on the cone.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this high-speed steel?
Yes. The listing says fully ground HSS M2 with a 118° split point.
Does it come with a case?
Included components name the 4–32 mm bit only.
Can it drill stainless?
The listing says it is not suitable for stainless steel.
Rarapop sells two M35 cones for about £16.99: 4–12 mm in 1 mm steps and 4–20 mm in 2 mm steps, with an AlTiN coat, two spiral flutes and a 1/4 in hex. The amazon.co.uk line is 4.2 from 21 reviews. UK reviewers describe clean cuts in wood, plastic and sheet metal, laser-marked steps and junction boxes. One review mentions stainless brackets without much heat, and another a 3/8 in mild-steel plate for a gate lock. The listing names stainless but does not print a millimetre cap; a review line of up to 5 mm is not the product page. The bits did not lock into an impact driver for one buyer, despite an impact-resistant bullet. There is no case on the included line, and the 89 HRC figure is a listing claim rather than a measurement in this file. It is easy to overshoot a step if the drill is not held square.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Cobalt and 1 mm steps up to 12 mm, if you check the impact-driver lock before you rely on it.
Less suitable: Holes past 20 mm, or a purchase you are making because of the hardness number.
Specifications
Common questions
Is it cobalt?
The listing says M35 cobalt high-speed steel with an AlTiN coat.
Does it come with a case?
Included components say step drill bit. No case is named.
Which materials does the listing name?
Stainless steel, aluminium, copper, wood and plastic board.
DURI’s three HSS cones are 4–12, 4–20 and 4–32 mm, with a titanium nitride coat and a 1/4 in hex, at about £8.54. The amazon.co.uk line is 4.0 from 26 reviews. Buyers praise neat holes in plastic, acrylic, PVC, wood and aluminium, and a pouch that reviews mention even though the included line lists only the three bits. The surface list includes stainless and sheet metal, but no millimetre cap is printed and the steel grade number is missing. Several metal reviews are blunt: tips snapped in 5 mm mild steel, all three burnt out on 1 mm plate, and one set was blunt after four holes. Hammer mode is excluded on the listing. A claim of up to six times the life of standard bits is a seller line, not a measurement in this file.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Three hex cones for plastic and thin aluminium, if you accept a thin, mixed record on steel.
Less suitable: Mild steel or stainless, where these reviews already describe snapped tips and burnt edges.
Specifications
Common questions
Can it drill aluminium?
Yes. Aluminium is on the surface list, with sheet metal, stainless, plastic, PVC, wood, plasterboard and acrylic.
What is it made of?
The listing says high-speed steel with a titanium nitride finish. No grade number such as M2 or M35 is given.
Does it come with a storage case?
Included components list the three bits only. Reviews mention a Velcro pouch, which is not on that line.
QWORK’s three-piece set is M35 with a stated 5% cobalt and a TiAlN coat, sized from 1/8 in to 7/8 in, on 1/4 in hex shanks, in a carrying case, at about £20.99. There is no Customer Reviews line on the amazon.co.uk capture, so there is no star rating and no UK review theme to quote. That empty line is not a zero-star rating. The listing says stainless steel under 1 mm, and it also names aluminium, copper and PVC. It tells you to use cutting oil or water while you drill. The steps are not listed in millimetres, so a 20 mm or 25 mm gland is a conversion you do yourself. The best-seller line sits in Drill Bit Sets rather than in Step Bits. Without reviews, the cobalt percentage and the case are listing text only.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Inch steps, if you accept a cobalt set that has no reviews on this capture.
Less suitable: Metric markings, a star line, or stainless thicker than 1 mm.
Specifications
Common questions
Is cooling required?
The listing says to apply cutting oil or water cooling during use.
What is in the case?
Included components say the three-piece set, and the bullet says a carrying case. Individual step sizes in millimetres are not listed.
What sizes does it cover?
1/8 in to 7/8 in across three pieces. The listing does not give a metric step list.
Twelve step-drill listings on amazon.co.uk were scored from saved extracts, not from a drilling test. The score starts from the star rating times 14, then adds for the review count and for a printed thickness cap, a steel grade code and a stated shank. A title that clashes with the cutting-diameter field, or a specification table that contradicts the bullets, is marked down. A missing Customer Reviews line scores as an empty sample, not as zero stars. No laboratory ranking was done.
Hole range
22%The largest hole you need should be a marked step, in millimetres. Common sets are 4–12, 4–20 and 4–32 mm. A single smaller cone is enough when you never need the large step. An inch-only range is left in inches.
Material and thickness
22%The listing’s own thickness cap and exclusions decide the job. A review of thicker plate is an anecdote, not a new rating. Stainless, glass, tile and masonry stay out unless that page allows them.
Steel and coating
20%HSS, 4241 or M2 is read as the grade for mild steel, aluminium and plastic. M35 is the grade sold for hotter cuts. TiN, TiAlN or a gold coat is a coating, not cobalt.
Shank fit
18%A 1/4 in hex suits most cordless drills. An 8 mm tri-flat needs a chuck that opens to 8 mm. A 9.5 mm hex across the flats, or a 10 mm tri-flat, needs a 13 mm chuck.
Review evidence
18%A large amazon.co.uk review count outweighs a 5.0 from two reviews. No Customer Reviews line means there is no star rating to quote. The score is not a lab test.
Pick the largest marked step you need, then the thickness the listing allows, then the steel words, then the shank. A gold coat and a high star line from two reviews do not replace those four checks. The notes below follow the research digest for UK sheet, plastic and stainless, using public sources and twelve amazon.co.uk extracts. None of the scores is a drilling test.
A step drill is a conical metal bit with several finished diameters on one shank. In the UK it is used to drill or enlarge a hole in thin sheet, a plastic enclosure, PVC and some wood, so you chuck the bit once instead of stepping through a twist-drill index. A single cone covers one range, such as 4–22 mm or 4–32 mm. A three-piece metric set is usually 4–12, 4–20 and 4–32 mm. A two-piece cobalt set in this category is 4–12 mm in 1 mm steps and 4–20 mm in 2 mm steps.
TiN, TiAlN or a gold finish is a coating. HSS 4241 and M2 pages in this set exclude stainless. M35 is the grade sold for hotter cuts, and only inside the thickness that listing prints.
Stay out of hammer mode. Use a low speed and cutting fluid on hard metal, and stop on the step you wanted. A review of plate thicker than the printed cap is not the rating.
9.5 mm across the flats can be over 10 mm across the corners. A 10 mm tri-flat needs a chuck that opens to 13 mm. A 1/4 in hex suits most cordless drills.
Start with the largest hole you actually need, and make sure it is a marked step in millimetres. Common sets are 4–12, 4–20 and 4–32 mm. A single 4–22 mm cone is enough for small holes in plastic and thin sheet. One set in this comparison is sized 1/8–7/8 inch, so a metric gland is a conversion you do yourself. Then read the thickness the listing allows for that material.
Read the steel as words, not as the colour of the coat. HSS, 4241 or M2 is the grade sold for mild steel, aluminium and plastic. M35 is the grade sold when the job is stainless or the cheaper bits have already burnt, used at a slow speed with cutting fluid, and only inside that listing’s thickness. TiN or TiAlN is a coating, not cobalt. Where a title says one cobalt percentage and the bullet says another, both figures stay on the page. A hardness number on a bullet is a seller claim.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You want one cone for plastic boxes and thin non-stainless sheet, and your chuck takes an 8 mm shank. The YOKOCUT HSS 4241 bit is 4–22 mm at about £5.12, with 4.6 from 305 reviews, a printed 4 mm metal limit and a stainless exclusion. It is the best value row here.
You want 20–32 mm in plastic or thin steel on a cordless drill, with three ranges in one pouch. The ss shovan two-flute set is 4–12, 4–20 and 4–32 mm on 1/4 in hex, about £11.99, with 4.4 from 5,620, and a printed limit of 8 mm. It is not a cobalt set.
You cut stainless or galvanised sheet, you have a 13 mm chuck, and you will use a slow speed and cutting fluid. The YOKOCUT M35 cone is 4–32 mm in 2 mm steps at about £27.50, with 4.6 from 309 reviews. The title says 6% cobalt and the bullet says 5%. There is no printed millimetre cap.
On these twelve amazon.co.uk listings, the top pick is the ss shovan two-flute set: 4–12, 4–20 and 4–32 mm cones, a 1/4 in hex and a fabric pouch, about £11.99, with 4.4 from 5,620 reviews. That is the largest sample here, and the listing says not thicker than 8 mm. The score is for plastic and thin non-stainless sheet. It is not a lab result, not a cobalt bit, and the best-seller line is shared with the four-flute set. The best value is the YOKOCUT HSS 4241 cone, 4–22 mm, about £5.12, with 4.6 from 305 reviews, a 4 mm limit on iron, copper and aluminium, and an 8 mm tri-flat. The about £3.79 cone has a higher star line from two reviews and does not take that place.
YOKOCUT 4–22 mm HSS 4241
4.6 from 305 reviews at about £5.12, with a printed 4 mm metal limit, a stainless exclusion and an 8 mm tri-flat.
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 22 October 2026. Shelf prices and star lines are the amazon.co.uk figures in the saved listings 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 the amazon.co.uk figures in the saved listings. We did not drill with these bits or run a lab test.
