Best universal drill bit
Updated: October 2026
You have a combi drill, a few red wall plugs, and three amazon.co.uk listings that all sound like a best universal drill bit. One is a carbide hex bit, one is a gold high-speed steel set, and one is a Bosch case of separate pieces. Best here means the right type for a named job, not the row with the most stars. This page is that shortlist: who each kept listing is for, and who should skip it. Prices move. The full table is on the [universal drill bit comparison](/hub/drilling-and-accessories/universal-drill-bit).
You have a combi drill, a few red wall plugs, and three amazon.co.uk listings that all sound like a best universal drill bit.
You have a combi drill, a few red wall plugs, and three amazon.co.uk listings that all sound like a best universal drill bit. One is a carbide hex bit, one is a gold high-speed steel set, and one is a Bosch case of separate pieces. Best here means the right type for a named job, not the row with the most stars. This page is that shortlist: who each kept listing is for, and who should skip it. Prices move. The full table is on the universal drill bit comparison.
Our top picks
| Badge | Product | Bit type | Size range | Materials claimed | Note | Price | Offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall |  Bosch Bosch 34-piece X-Line | Mixed specialist set | Metal 2–5 mm; masonry 5–8 mm; wood 4–8 mm | Separate bits for wood, masonry and metal | 8.4 | about £10.63 | View offer |
 fischer fischer D-U Hex 6 mm | Carbide multi-material | 6 mm (title mark 6/60/100) | Brick, wood, tiles, plastics, steel, concrete | 9.0 | about £3.48 | View offer | |
| Alternative |  fischer fischer D-U Hex set 5–12 mm | Carbide multi-material | 5, 6, 8, 10, 12 mm | Wood, tiles, plastics, aluminium, steel, brick, concrete, limestone | 7.9 | about £19.35 | View offer |
On this page
What best is allowed to mean
A carbide multi-material bit, an HSS set and a mixed case share the word and cut different things. One is a single tip. One is steel twist bits for wood, plastic and soft metal. One is separate masonry, wood and metal pieces. A large star sample on a Bosch case is confidence in a home kit, not a lab score, and we did not run one. Bosch Professional’s EXPERT HEX-9, and a Milwaukee multi-material set at a UK trade counter, are not the ASINs in this table. Match the type first. The rules sit on the multi-material buying guide.
One carbide bit for mixed materials
The universal bits we kept are the fischer pair: one 6 mm bit when the plug is that common size and the hole may cross materials, and the 5–12 mm set when you need those diameters. A 14 mm or 16 mm anchor is a different purchase. Do not confuse either bit with fischer’s Ultimate Drill D-U, which is described for tiles, ceramics, glass, plastics, wood and sheet, with water cooling and impact off. The D-U Hex listing says rotary and impact. toolant’s five-piece carbide set is the other carbide row, and a hammer-mode clash in the reviews means it is not the fischer bit.
A case of separate bits
Choose a Bosch X-Line when you want specialist bits in a case, not one tip left in the chuck. The 34-piece is the best value as that home kit. The 50-piece is the larger case. Neither box is a universal bit, and neither figure is a lab score. Extra ratings do not prove the masonry bit inside the 34-piece will outlast a carbide bit on a week of blockwork. A Screwfix page files a Bosch 50-piece set as separate HSS, carbide masonry and wood bits. Use that as a description of the object, not as the amazon.co.uk price. The 103-piece set adds hole saws and is still not one tip.
Who should skip the HSS sets
Skip Amtech, Blue Spot and the Amazon Basics 14-piece set when the hole is brick. UK pages sometimes use universal for wood, plastic and soft metals only, which is how a gold HSS set enters the search. A titanium nitride coat does not add a carbide tip. Those sets can be a fair buy for pilot holes and light timber. They are the wrong stand-in if the fischer bit is out of stock and the wall is brick. Thirteen small HSS bits do not equal one carbide 6 mm bit.
Written by the Products Compared editorial team, updated 15 October 2026, from the kept amazon.co.uk listings and public UK pages. We did not run a lab test. A qualifying purchase through our links can earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.
Common questions
Which listing is the actual universal bit?
The carbide universal bits here are the fischer D-U Hex 6 mm and the 5–12 mm fischer set. Bosch 34-piece, 50-piece and 103-piece cases hold separate wood, masonry and metal bits. Amtech, Blue Spot and Amazon Basics are HSS sets for wood, plastic and soft metal. toolant at £9.99 is a carbide masonry-style set, not the fischer bit. A high star count does not change which object you bought.
Is the highest review count the best bit?
No. The Bosch 34-piece has 4.7 from 28,187 ratings, far more than the fischer 6 mm at 4.7 from 360. That volume means many people were content with a home kit of separate bits. It does not mean the case was tested as one universal tip, and it is not a lab score. Match the type to the material first, then use the review count as a confidence check.
Who should buy the single 6 mm fischer bit?
Buy the fischer D-U Hex 6 mm, £3.48 with 4.7 from 360 reviews, when the hole is a common 6 mm plug and may include brick, wood or tile. It is the top pick for that single diameter. Skip it for several diameters, or for a 14 mm or 16 mm anchor, because the listing is one bit. A second size means a second purchase.
Who should buy the five-piece fischer set instead?
Buy the 5–12 mm fischer set, £19.35 with 4.7 from 160 reviews, when you want those diameters of the same carbide hex bit. Skip it if you only need 6 mm, or you pay for four bits you may not use. The review sample is smaller than the Bosch 34-piece, so the stars are a thinner guide to wear. It is a set of plug sizes, not a better 6 mm bit by default.
Is the fischer Ultimate Drill the same as the D-U Hex?
No. fischer UK’s Ultimate Drill D-U is a different bit, for tiles, ceramics, glass, plastics, wood and sheet, with water cooling required and impact off. The D-U Hex listing says rotary and impact. Do not copy the glass and water rules onto the hex bit. If the packet says Ultimate Drill, follow that packet. If it says D-U Hex, follow the hex listing.
Related pages
Sources
Public UK sources and the amazon.co.uk listings for these ten ASINs. Retrieved 16 October 2026.
- fischer UK, universal drill bit D-U Hex (retrieved 16 October 2026)
- Bosch DIY, guide to drills (retrieved 16 October 2026)
- B&Q, how to choose the right drill bits (retrieved 16 October 2026)
- Screwfix, guide to types of drill bits (retrieved 16 October 2026)
- ITS, types of drill bit explained (retrieved 16 October 2026)
- HSE, CN3 construction dust and silica (retrieved 16 October 2026)
- GOV.UK, asbestos in buildings (retrieved 16 October 2026)
- Electrical Safety First, DIY and cables (retrieved 16 October 2026)