Drill Bit Types Explained: Which Bit Should You Use?

Quick choice guide

Start here, then read the section for the bit that seems closest. Exact suitability depends on bit design, material, tool, manufacturer guidance and application.

1. Twist drill bit

The familiar twist bit has a pointed tip and spiral flutes running up a cylindrical body. The cutting edges at the tip shear material; the flutes provide space for chips to move back out of the hole.

“Twist bit” describes a shape, not one universal material specification. Bits are made with different base materials, heat treatments, coatings and point geometries. A suitable twist bit is useful for general drilling, but use one intended for the material and job. A bit designed for steel is not automatically the best choice for clean woodworking, and a wood bit is not a metal-drilling bit.

2. Brad-point wood bit

A brad-point bit is made for woodworking. Its sharp center spur helps locate the hole; the outer spurs score the circumference before the inner cutting edges remove material. That combination helps the bit start at the mark and defines the edge of the hole.

A general twist bit can wander before its cutting lips settle, especially on a smooth surface. The brad-point’s center helps resist that wandering. It is useful when starting accurately and getting a clean, well-defined wood hole matters, but it is not automatically the best choice for every wood hole or every material.

3. Spade bit

A spade bit is a flat paddle with a sharp center point and broad cutting edges. The point locates the cut while the edges remove wood quickly, making this style useful for relatively large holes where speed matters more than a furniture-grade finish.

The exit side can splinter as the point and cutting edges break through. When the layout allows, clamp a sacrificial backing board behind the work, or stop when the point just emerges and finish from the opposite face. Those methods can reduce breakout; they do not guarantee a perfect edge.

4. Forstner bit

A Forstner bit uses a circular rim and internal cutting edges to define and remove material. Depending on the design, a center spur or other guidance feature helps locate the cutter. The rim guides the circumference, which is why the bit can make controlled larger holes and recesses in wood, including partial-depth work with a relatively flat-looking bottom.

That bottom is not mathematically identical across every bit: the center guidance and cutter geometry leave their own mark. The useful difference is control and a clean-sided recess, not a promise that every design leaves a perfectly flat floor.

Why a Forstner bit feels different

A larger cutting diameter puts more edge into contact with the work. More edge engagement can mean more cutting load on the drill and more reaction at your hands. Secure workholding and controlled speed and feed become increasingly important as the cutter gets larger.

For a large Forstner bit or demanding cut, use equipment and a setup appropriate to the diameter and task. A drill press can be a better fit for some work; not every Forstner operation belongs on a handheld cordless drill.

5. Masonry bit

A masonry bit has a spiral body but a specialized cutting tip that is visibly different from the sharpened point of an ordinary metal twist bit. Many common masonry bits use a carbide-based or carbide-tipped cutting edge to work on compatible masonry materials.

Match the bit and setup to the material. Whether rotation-only or hammer action is appropriate depends on the bit, material, tool and manufacturer instructions. Do not select hammer mode automatically just because the wall is masonry; fragile tile, brittle material or a particular bit may call for a different approach.

6. Step drill bit

A step bit has a cone-shaped body with a series of cutting steps. Each step corresponds to a progressively larger diameter. It can make or enlarge several hole sizes with one cutter, which is especially useful in suitable relatively thin sheet materials.

Use only within the bit’s intended material and thickness range. A step bit is not a universal replacement for a conventional drill bit in thick stock or every hole-making job.

7. Countersink bit

A countersink cutter makes a conical recess around an existing hole so a compatible countersunk screw head can sit flush with or below the surface. The basic sequence is:

Fastener standards use different head geometries and angles, so do not assume one countersink angle fits every screw. Match the cutter to the actual fastener and follow the relevant specification.

8. Hole saw

A hole saw is a toothed cylindrical cup on an arbor. Where its design includes one, a pilot bit helps start and guide the cut. The teeth remove a ring of material around the circumference, leaving a central plug rather than turning the whole hole into chips.

Hole saws are useful for larger-diameter holes when the cutter is made for the material and application. Speed, secure workholding and the tool’s capacity matter. If the toothed cup catches, a large cutter can produce substantial reaction torque—support the tool, keep a firm grip and use any required side handle or setup from the tool maker.

Start with the material

The same hole size can call for different tools in different materials. The image below is a reminder to choose for the cut; its examples are not universal prescriptions.

There is no universal “best drill bit.” Ask: best bit for what material and what hole?

Bit material and coatings

Shape is only part of the story. Base material, heat treatment, coating, cutting geometry, manufacturing quality and intended work material all affect how a bit performs.

• High-speed steel (HSS): a common family for general metal-drilling bits, with designs that vary by material and duty.
• Cobalt-alloy HSS: cobalt is part of the alloy rather than just a surface color; some grades are chosen for particular harder or heat-sensitive drilling applications.
• Carbide or carbide-tipped cutters: used in specific bit families and applications, including many masonry bits.
• Coated bits: surface treatments vary and should be identified by the maker’s specification.

A gold finish alone does not prove a bit is titanium-coated or tell you what it is suited to. Check the maker’s actual material and application details.

Round shank vs hex shank

Many conventional drill bits have a round shank intended for a drill chuck. Some bits and accessories have a 1/4-inch hex shank for compatible quick-change holders. Shank shape tells you about the holder, not necessarily whether the cutting end suits your material.

Compatibility and suitability are separate questions: a bit can fit an impact driver and still not be appropriate for impact loading. For more on tool holders and when each tool makes sense, read Cordless Drill vs Impact Driver: What’s the Difference?

How to choose the right bit

1. What material? Identify wood, metal, masonry or another material—and any coating, surface layer or reinforcement.
2. What hole? Is it a small through-hole, pilot hole, large opening, partial-depth recess, countersunk screw seat or sheet-material hole?
3. What finish matters? A rough utility opening and a clean visible woodworking hole do not ask the cutter to do the same job.
4. What tool are you using? Consider the drill/driver, drill press, hammer drill or compatible impact-driver accessory, plus its limits.
5. What does the bit maker specify? Check intended material, diameter, depth, speed guidance and any tool or mode requirements.

Size matters

A larger diameter generally means more cutting edge engaged and more material being removed. That can affect speed, feed pressure, heat, tool load, reaction torque and how firmly the work must be secured.

There is no one RPM chart that covers every bit. The right speed depends on cutter type and diameter, material, tool and cutting conditions. Follow the bit and tool makers’ guidance; if the cutter binds, overheats or behaves unexpectedly, stop and reassess.

Common beginner mistakes

• Choosing a bit because it physically fits the chuck
• Using a bit unsuited to the material
• Continuing with a dull, bent or damaged bit
• Holding loose work by hand instead of securing it
• Forcing the drill or using excessive speed
• Starting out of alignment or ignoring chip evacuation
• Letting heat build up rather than following material-specific guidance
• Using an impact driver with accessories not suited to impact loading
• Assuming every gold-colored bit has the same material or coating
• Treating masonry, metal and wood drilling as identical operations
• Forgetting that a spade bit may break out at the back of wood
• Using a large cutter without considering reaction torque and workholding

Work safely

• Wear task-appropriate eye protection and secure the workpiece.
• Keep loose hair and clothing controlled, and hands clear of rotating cutters.
• Inspect and install the bit correctly; stop the tool before adjusting it.
• Consider reaction torque with larger cutters and use the setup or handle the tool maker specifies.
• Follow both tool and bit manufacturer guidance.

Avoid loose gloves around exposed rotating cutters where they could catch and pull a hand into the tool.