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Best wood drill bits UK

Updated: 2026-10-23

You already own a drill. The best wood drill bits UK buyers can pick are the ones whose tip and diameter match the hole, not the packet with the most pieces. A brad point suits a clean edge up to about 10 mm. A spade bit suits a faster, rougher hole from about 6 mm to 32 mm. The [wood drill bit comparison](/hub/drilling-and-accessories/wood-drill-bit) lines up the amazon.co.uk listings. Saved prices on 22 October 2026 run from about £5.55 to £14.79. Products Compared has not run a lab test, and a qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

You already own a drill. The best wood drill bits UK buyers can pick are the ones whose tip and diameter match the hole, not the packet with the most pieces. A brad point suits a clean edge up to about 10 mm.

Our top picks

SHALL SHALL 8-piece spade bit set

Best overall

SHALL SHALL 8-piece spade bit set
8.1/10about £10.99
View offer
Bosch Bosch PRO 7-piece brad point set

Best value

Bosch Bosch PRO 7-piece brad point set
8.0/10about £6.12
View offer
METOTY METOTY 16 mm x 155 mm auger

Alternative

METOTY METOTY 16 mm x 155 mm auger
6.7/10about £6.99
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Match the bit to the hole
  2. 2.Length and shank
  3. 3.What the pack actually contains
  4. 4.What not to buy it for

Match the bit to the hole

A brad point has a centre point and two spurs that score the rim before the chip lifts. UK dowels sit on 6, 8 and 10 mm, so a pack that stops at 5 mm misses an 8 mm dowel. BuildWiz puts this tip at about 13 mm and under, and rotary only. A spade bit is faster and tears the exit. The sets here list 6 mm to 32 mm. DIY Doctor is clear that you cannot enlarge a hole that is already open. That finish split is the brad point versus spade page. Buy an auger only for thicker timber. A Forstner bit is the flat 35 mm cup, and carbon steel near £15 is not carbide near £60.

Length and shank

Brad-point sets here run about 60–120 mm, enough for a shelf and short of a deep joist. Spade sets that print a length are 150 mm or 152 mm. One auger is 6 mm by 300 mm. Another is 16 mm by 155 mm. A 35 mm Forstner pair is 90 mm overall. If the length is blank, measure the bit. A round shank needs a three-jaw chuck. A 1/4 inch hex fits many combi drills, and that fit is not an impact rating. Armeg says its own hex flat bits are rotary only. One auger listing here mentions impact drivers. The spade listings do not. A 10 mm Forstner shank needs a chuck that opens to 10 mm. HRC figures and five times the life stay seller claims. On one Bosch brad set the material field says wood, while Screwfix calls that family an HSS tip.
SHALL SHALL 8-piece spade bit set

Testsieger

SHALL SHALL 8-piece spade bit set
8.1/10about £10.99
View offer

What the pack actually contains

A 24-piece listing here is only 3, 4 and 5 mm. A 36-piece listing is the same three diameters plus depth rings. Neither contains 6, 8 or 10 mm. A seven-piece set whose components line lists 3 to 10 mm covers more real holes. Its item-type name mentions 9 mm and the components line does not. Another Bosch title says seven pieces, the bullets list eight diameters, and a pieces field says 1. Eight spade pieces from 6 mm to 32 mm are a small number and a wide job. The Bosch flip case is a repeated complaint. A pouch does not clean the exit. The seven-piece set is saved at £6.12, while Screwfix lists £7.99 and Bosch Professional GB lists £9.81 for the same part.

What not to buy it for

These bits are for timber, board, and a plastic the listing names. They are not for brick or steel, and hammer mode is for masonry. BS 328-1 is a twist-drill dimension standard, not an approval these listings claim. A ten-pack of 3 mm bits is a refill, not a general set. A spade bit will not leave the flat bottom a hinge cup needs. On a joist, a beam or an I-joist, the structural rule comes before a longer cutter.

Common questions

Which bit makes a clean hole under 10 mm?
A brad point. The centre point locates the hole and the spurs score the rim, so plywood tears less than it does with a twist bit. The useful spread here is 3 mm to 10 mm, and UK dowels sit at 6, 8 and 10 mm. A pack of only 3, 4 and 5 mm will not drill those dowels. Stay in rotary mode, because hammer action is for masonry.
When is a spade set the right buy?
When the hole is about 16–32 mm and a rough exit is acceptable, such as a cable, a pipe or lock furniture. The sets here list 6 mm through 32 mm on a 1/4 inch hex, around 150–152 mm when a length is printed. They are a poor buy for a show face, and they will not open a hole that is already drilled.
Do I need an auger as well?
Only when the timber is thicker than the bit you have. A 60–120 mm brad bit crosses a shelf. A 300 mm auger is for a deep 6 mm hole, and a 155 mm auger is a shorter 16 mm hole. The screw can stall the drill if the flutes pack, so clear the chips rather than leaning harder.
What is a 35 mm bit for?
Usually a cabinet hinge cup. A Forstner bit leaves a flat bottom and a spade bit does not. The pair here is carbon steel, 90 mm overall, with a 10 mm shank, and one UK review says it did not cut hardwood. The bullets mention a drill press for diameters over 35 mm. This pair is 35 mm, so a hand drill is a control problem rather than a printed ban.
Does 24 pieces mean 24 sizes?
No. That listing is only 3, 4 and 5 mm, with duplicates so a snapped bit can be replaced. The 36-piece listing is the same three diameters plus depth rings. A seven-piece set from 3 mm to 10 mm covers more real holes. Read the components line, not the number in the title.
Will a 1/4 inch hex fit my combi drill?
It fits a three-jaw chuck or a quick-change holder, and that fit is not an impact rating. Armeg says its own hex flat bits are rotary only. Read an impact line only on the listing that prints one. A 10 mm round shank is separate, because the chuck has to open that far.

Related pages

Drilling holes in joists

How to drill a clean hole in wood

Wood drill bit

Best wood drill bit set for the hole you are drilling

Brad point vs spade bit: which hole you are drilling

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 on the listings.

  1. HSE: wood dust (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  2. HSE: PUWER overview (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  3. HSE: WD0, wood dust (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  4. HSE: cutting and sanding wood (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  5. LABC: notches and holes in solid timber joists (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  6. NHBC Standards 2024, section 6.4.18 (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  7. GOV.UK: General Product Safety Regulations 2005 (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  8. BSI: BS 328-1:1986 twist drills (retrieved 22 October 2026)