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Step drill vs hole saw

Updated: 2026-10-23

A step drill vs hole saw choice is three tools: a cone, a hole saw or a screw-down punch. The cone wins for several diameters in thin sheet or plastic when the largest step covers the hole. The hole saw wins when the stock is thicker than that bit’s cap, or you already own the arbor. The punch wins on thin mild steel when the die fits behind the panel and you do not want swarf in the box. That split uses UK fitter notes, Rapid’s Q-max notes and the ranges in our [step drill comparison](/hub/drilling-and-accessories/step-drill), 22 October 2026. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

A step drill vs hole saw choice is three tools: a cone, a hole saw or a screw-down punch. The cone wins for several diameters in thin sheet or plastic when the largest step covers the hole.

Our top picks

YOKOCUT YOKOCUT 4–22 mm HSS 4241

Best overall

YOKOCUT YOKOCUT 4–22 mm HSS 4241
8.6/10about £5.12
View offer
YOKOCUT YOKOCUT 4–42 mm HSS 4241

Alternative

YOKOCUT YOKOCUT 4–42 mm HSS 4241
7.8/10about £8.93
View offer
ss shovan ss shovan 3-piece, 2-flute

Rank 3

ss shovan ss shovan 3-piece, 2-flute
8.8/10about £11.99
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.What each tool is for
  2. 2.Diameter and thickness decide it
  3. 3.Enclosures, swarf and a populated box
  4. 4.A simple rule

What each tool is for

A step drill stacks finished diameters on one shank. It suits thin sheet, and it is a poor tool for deep holes, masonry and plate thicker than the listing allows. Most cones here stop at 32 mm. One YOKOCUT is titled 4–42 mm and still caps metal at 3 mm. QWORK stops at 7/8 in, about 22 mm. A hole saw is one diameter on an arbor. Ultimate Handyman points it at material thicker than a step drill’s usual sheet. It throws swarf, and the slug has to leave the cup. A Q-max punch screws a die through a pilot and shears a disc. Rapid rates metric punches up to 16 gauge mild steel, about 1.6 mm, not a figure we measured. You need the die behind the panel. It does not fling chips into a box.

Diameter and thickness decide it

A 25 mm cable entry sits with 20 mm and 32 mm. A step drill does it only if that size is a marked step and the sheet is inside the cap. Many cones jump by 2 mm and end at 32 mm. The ss shovan sets reach 32 mm. The DeWalt title stops at 12 mm. The about £5.12 YOKOCUT stops at 22 mm. The caps do not swap. DeWalt says up to about 3 mm. Several HSS 4241 pages say within 4 mm of iron. The two-flute ss shovan set says not thicker than 8 mm. QWORK says stainless under 1 mm. Checker plate at 4.5 mm is outside the 4–42 mm listing, which caps metal at 3 mm. Gauge by listing is the point of step drill for sheet metal.
YOKOCUT YOKOCUT 4–22 mm HSS 4241

Testsieger

YOKOCUT YOKOCUT 4–22 mm HSS 4241
8.6/10about £5.12
View offer

Enclosures, swarf and a populated box

The same hole changes when the box already has conductors in it. Some fitters prefer a step drill for a smooth edge, some a hole saw for a repeated size, and some a Q-max punch so swarf stays out of a populated enclosure. Do not drill a live consumer unit. Isolate, prove dead, and leave it if that is not your job. On an empty gland plate the cone is convenient: one bit, several sizes, a light burr. With no room for a die, use a cone or a saw. A busbar in the way means the punch cannot close.

A simple rule

Stay with a step drill when you need more than one diameter, the sheet is inside that bit’s cap, and the largest step covers the hole. Leave it for one large size, for stock thicker than the cap, or when 32 mm is not enough. Choose a hole saw when you know the diameter and a slug is acceptable. Choose a punch when the steel is within Rapid’s 16 gauge mild-steel line and the die fits behind the panel. No access favours the saw or the cone. A box that must stay free of chips argues against both cutters that throw swarf. If the cone won, range and shank are on the step drill bit buying guide, and the sequence is on how to use a step drill bit.

Common questions

Is a step drill better than a hole saw?
It is better when you want several sizes from one shank in thin sheet or plastic, and the listing’s thickness line covers the panel. A hole saw is better for one larger or thicker hole, especially if you already own that diameter. Better without a diameter and a thickness is not a result you can use.
What about a 20, 25 or 32 mm gland hole?
A cone that has the step, in sheet inside its cap, will cut 20, 25 or 32 mm. A hole saw of that size is the alternative when you repeat one diameter or the sheet is too thick. A punch is the alternative when the die fits behind the plate. The DeWalt and the 4–22 mm YOKOCUT do not reach 32 mm.
When is a Q-max punch the better tool?
When the panel is mild steel within about 16 gauge (about 1.6 mm as the usual sheet equivalent), you can get the die on the inside, and you want a quiet hole without a cup of swarf. You still drill a pilot and turn a key. It is not a tool for thick plate, for stainless just because a cone failed, or for a panel you cannot reach behind.
Can I use a step drill in a consumer unit that already has cables in it?
Not as a casual cut. A cone throws chips, and chips in a populated enclosure are why fitters move to a punch after a pilot. This page does not describe work inside a live unit. If you are not competent to isolate and prove the equipment dead, do not open it to try a bit.
What if the hole is bigger than 32 mm?
Most of this set stops at 32 mm. The 4–42 mm YOKOCUT is the exception on diameter, and its metal line is within 3 mm, so a large hole in thicker plate is still a hole-saw job. QWORK’s largest step is 7/8 in. A 50 mm opening is outside every cone here.

Related pages

Best step drill bit UK

Step drill

Step drill bit buying guide: hole, steel and shank

Step drill for sheet metal: thickness, grab and burrs

How to use a step drill bit on thin sheet and plastic

Sources

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.

  1. HSE, PUWER overview (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  2. HSE, PPE types (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  3. HSE CN3, silica and concrete drilling (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  4. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 9 (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  5. GOV.UK, General Product Safety Regulations 2005 (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  6. BSI, BS 328-1 twist drills (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  7. DeWalt UK, DT5026-QZ (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  8. Ultimate Handyman, drilling metal (retrieved 22 October 2026)