How to choose a multi material drill bit
Updated: October 2026
You are about to buy a bit because the title says universal, and you cannot tell whether that means carbide, high-speed steel, or a mixed case. A multi material drill bit, as UK trade pages use the idea for mixed jobs, is a carbide tip sold for several materials. A gold HSS set and a Bosch box of separate bits often wear the same word on amazon.co.uk. Read the tip and the not-suitable line, then match the shank to the drill you own. Prices stay on the [universal drill bit comparison](/hub/drilling-and-accessories/universal-drill-bit).
You are about to buy a bit because the title says universal, and you cannot tell whether that means carbide, high-speed steel, or a mixed case.
You are about to buy a bit because the title says universal, and you cannot tell whether that means carbide, high-speed steel, or a mixed case. A multi material drill bit, as UK trade pages use the idea for mixed jobs, is a carbide tip sold for several materials. A gold HSS set and a Bosch box of separate bits often wear the same word on amazon.co.uk. Read the tip and the not-suitable line, then match the shank to the drill you own. Prices stay on the universal drill bit comparison.
Our top picks
| Badge | Product | Bit type | Materials claimed | Shank | Note | Price | Offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall |  Bosch Bosch 34-piece X-Line | Mixed specialist set | Separate bits for wood, masonry and metal | Cylindrical and hex | 8.4 | about £10.63 | View offer |
 fischer fischer D-U Hex 6 mm | Carbide multi-material | Brick, wood, tiles, plastics, steel, concrete | Hex | 9.0 | about £3.48 | View offer | |
| Alternative |  Amazon Basics Amazon Basics 14-piece HSS set | HSS set | Soft metals (iron, copper, aluminium), wood, plastic | Straight | 5.9 | about £9.12 | View offer |
On this page
Three products share the word universal
Three objects share the word. A carbide multi-material bit is one tip for a list that can include steel, wood, masonry, uPVC and concrete. B&Q calls that multi-use and still prefers a specialist when the job is one material. Screwfix separates HSS multi-purpose bits from carbide multi-material bits, and one FAQ limits universal to wood, plastic and soft metals. A combination case is the third object: separate wood, masonry and metal bits, which is what the Bosch mixed sets are.
A 6 mm red plug in brick is the usual Screwfix size. A cheaper gold set can still be HSS. Who should skip it is on the best universal drill bit page.
The tip, not the colour
Gold is the usual misread. Titanium nitride is a coating on high-speed steel. It does not become a masonry tip. B&Q describes a masonry bit as a carbide arrow tip for brick and concrete, and HSS for metal and hardwood. If the listing never says carbide, do not plan a brick hole with it.
Milwaukee’s UK range writes the claim as a tungsten carbide tip for concrete, brick, tile, thin metal, wood and PVC. Those bits are not our ASINs. They show the type. In this table the fischer bullets are the carbide claim, and a Bosch masonry piece is not one tip for the whole box. One carbide bit saves a chuck change from timber to brick, and it is still a compromise beside a specialist for one hard material, which is B&Q’s limit.
Match the shank to the tool you own
A shank is not an impact rating. A 1/4 inch hex fits an impact-driver collet. A straight shank belongs in a three-jaw chuck. Fitting the holder does not mean the bit may be hammered into brick.
UK advice clashes, so do not average it. Screwfix says an impact driver drives fasteners, not metal or masonry. Toolstation says a combi is the drilling tool. Milwaukee UK sells impact-rated carbide hex bits for brick and concrete. The bit maker has to say whether that bit is impact rated. Some anchors need 14 mm or 16 mm, and none of these sets cover that. A red plug is commonly 6 mm.
What to ignore until the type is right
Piece count, star volume and a case are the wrong first sort. A 103-piece lid can still be separate specialist bits. A large review count does not measure carbide against HSS in brick. Price comes last. A cheaper HSS set suits pilot holes in timber and plastic, and it is a waste if you needed masonry. A case does not repair an exclusion line.
Written by the Products Compared editorial team, updated 15 October 2026, from amazon.co.uk listings and public UK guides. No lab test. A qualifying purchase through our links can earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.
Common questions
What is a multi-material drill bit?
In UK tool guides it is a carbide-tipped bit sold for several materials, such as steel, wood, masonry and concrete. B&Q calls that multi-use and still prefers a specialist bit when the job is only one material. It is not an HSS set for wood, plastic and soft metal, and it is not a mixed case of separate bits. Marketplace titles collapse the three into universal. Trust the tip and the material line.
Hex shank or straight shank: which do you need?
Use a 1/4 inch hex for an impact driver or a quick-change holder, and a straight shank for a three-jaw combi chuck. The shape only solves the fit. It does not rate the bit for hammer in masonry. The fischer D-U Hex listing states rotary and impact use. The Amtech hex listing does not. Read the sentence on the bit you are buying.
If it fits an impact driver, is it impact rated?
Not by the fit alone. Screwfix says an impact driver is for fasteners, not for metal or masonry. Toolstation says a combi is the drilling tool and an impact driver is a poor masonry choice. Milwaukee UK sells impact-rated carbide bits for brick, which is the other side of that clash. In this batch the fischer D-U Hex listing states impact use. A hex HSS set can fit the collet and still be unrated.
When is a mixed case better than one carbide bit?
Buy the mixed case when you want separate wood, masonry and metal bits, plus screwdriver bits, and you will change bits with the material. Buy one carbide bit when a short job crosses those materials and you do not want to swap. The case is the worse buy if you only needed a 6 mm multi-material hole. Piece count does not turn the case into one universal tip.
What must the listing say before you trust universal?
Look for a carbide tip, a material list that includes what you will drill, and a line on what is not suitable. A hex shank matters only if your drill needs it, and impact use has to be stated. Ignore piece count and review totals until those lines match. If masonry is excluded, or the tip is only HSS, universal is not a brick claim. Check the plug diameter against the sizes in the box.
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)