Universal drill bit vs masonry drill bit
Updated: October 2026
You drill brick often enough to wonder if a multi-material bit is a false economy, or you have one shelf to put up and the hole crosses tile, timber and brick. A universal drill bit vs masonry drill bit is that fork, not a catalogue of brands. A universal bit can make a masonry hole. A masonry bit is still the better buy when masonry is the only job. There is no lab test of the ten amazon.co.uk listings against each other behind this page. Prices and the full rows stay on the [universal drill bit comparison](/hub/drilling-and-accessories/universal-drill-bit).
You drill brick often enough to wonder if a multi-material bit is a false economy, or you have one shelf to put up and the hole crosses tile, timber and brick.
You drill brick often enough to wonder if a multi-material bit is a false economy, or you have one shelf to put up and the hole crosses tile, timber and brick. A universal drill bit vs masonry drill bit is that fork, not a catalogue of brands. A universal bit can make a masonry hole. A masonry bit is still the better buy when masonry is the only job. There is no lab test of the ten amazon.co.uk listings against each other behind this page. Prices and the full rows 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 |  toolant toolant 5-piece carbide set | Carbide masonry-style set | Concrete, brick, glass, ceramic, tile, cement | Brace (as printed) | 7.8 | about £9.99 | View offer |
On this page
Two bits, two jobs
A masonry bit is a carbide tip, arrow-shaped, sold for brick and concrete and used with hammer. B&Q and Ryobi UK describe it that way. A multi-material bit is the carbide tip for a mixed list, and Bosch DIY still says a specialist is better where you can use one. The masonry bit repeats a hole in brick, block or concrete. The universal bit is so you do not change bits when the materials change in one short job. Used the other way round, a masonry bit is a poor wood bit and a poor bit for a screw hole in steel. B&Q’s multi-use bit is not a replacement for every masonry bit you own.
The job that decides it
ITS draws the line. Mostly brick and block: buy a masonry bit. Tile, timber, plastic and masonry in one job: buy the multi-construction bit. Using that bit for constant heavy masonry is named as a common mistake. A masonry bit usually lasts better on repetitive walls, as advice from a seller of both, not a time we measured. Five identical plug holes in a party wall are the masonry bit. A shelf that starts in ceramic tile and ends in brick, then a plastic bath panel, is the universal bit if you change mode with the layer. That technique is the brick and tile guide. Owning one does not cancel the other.
Combi, hammer, SDS
A straight or hex masonry bit fits a three-jaw combi. An SDS bit fits an SDS hammer, and the two do not interchange. Screwfix calls SDS the heavy tool and a combi the home all-rounder. The fischer D-U Hex is a hex bit. It is not SDS, even though one amazon.co.uk category label says SDS-Shank Bits. SDS-Max is not the chuck on most household hammer drills. Reinforced concrete is the moment for an SDS drill or a professional.
What this does to the listings we kept
Amazon Basics, Amtech and Blue Spot are HSS, so they are outside this fork. The fischer D-U Hex pair and the toolant set can stand in for a mixed hole in brick. They are not a masonry bit for a week of blockwork, and nothing here timed them against one. A Bosch case may already hold a separate masonry bit.
This page was written by the Products Compared editorial team and updated on 15 October 2026, from public UK tool guides and the kept amazon.co.uk listings. No lab test. A qualifying purchase through our links can earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.
Common questions
When is a universal bit enough for brick?
A universal or multi-material bit is enough when the brick is part of a short mixed job, or when you only need light masonry and the listing names brick. Bosch DIY still prefers a specialist bit where you can use one. ITS says a masonry bit usually lasts better and works faster on repetitive wall drilling, as advice rather than a time we recorded. If every hole this month is the same brick, the universal bit is the compromise, not the tool you meant to buy.
Does a universal bit replace an SDS bit?
No. An SDS bit uses an SDS chuck on an SDS drill. A hex or straight multi-material bit fits a combi or a hex holder, and it will not lock in an SDS hammer. Homebuilding and Screwfix put SDS on heavier work: wider holes, breaking concrete, stone and reinforced concrete. A combi plus a carbide bit covers ordinary plug holes. It does not become an SDS kit because the bit says it can drill brick.
Will a masonry bit drill wood or a screw hole in steel?
Treat it as the wrong bit for both. Bosch DIY’s guide prefers a specialist bit where you can use one, and a masonry tip is the specialist for brick and concrete, not for timber or steel. Trade notes such as Heamar make the same warning. Carbide does not mean multi-material. If the hole has to cross wood and then brick, that is the universal bit’s job, or two bits, not one masonry bit forced through the timber.
Does a mixed Bosch case already solve this?
Partly. The Bosch cases we kept hold separate masonry bits next to wood and metal bits, so the masonry side of a home kit may already be in the box. That masonry piece is still a masonry bit, not a universal tip. You change bits when the material changes. A mixed case solves wanting one box. It does not solve wanting one tip for tile, timber and brick. Add a multi-material bit only if that second job is real.
Is there a test that says one lasts longer?
Not in the sources behind this page. Nobody here lab-tested the ten listings against a masonry bit and published a life in holes or minutes. ITS says a masonry bit usually lasts better and works faster for repetitive wall drilling, and that remains their advice. Bosch DIY says use a specialist when you can. Choose on the job in front of you, then read recent amazon.co.uk reviews for the listing you buy, knowing those reviews are not a controlled comparison.
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)