Drilling stainless steel is a nasty piece of work if you do not have the right tools. This metal can really chew through bits, rendering them useless in no time at all.
But not when you get the best drill bits for stainless steel.
Should you use high-speed bits, cobalt or titanium bits? This is just one of the questions that most people ask. Stainless steel is hard to cut and that is why a regular drill bit will not do the job.
Therefore, you need a bit that is made for cutting through such material.
High-speed drill bits can be used on soft stainless steel metal. However, when drilling harder stainless steel material, you will need a cobalt alloy drill bit, or a titanium one.
We also have carbide bits that are for the hardest drilling jobs and they should never be used with a hand-held drill.
As you can see here, there are so many drill bit choices to choose. For a beginner DIY enthusiast, this can be daunting.
However, in this article, we have narrowed the choices to just 5 of the best bits that can drill through stainless steel material.
| Image | Title | Price | Prime | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Neiko 10193A Titanium Step Drill Bit Set, High Speed Steel | 3-Piece Set | Total 28 Sizes | PrimeEligible | Buy Now | |
 | DEWALT Cobalt Drill Bit Set with Pilot Point, 14-Piece (DWA1240) | PrimeEligible | Buy Now | |
 | Bosch 21 Piece Cobalt Metal Drill Bit Set CO21 | PrimeEligible | Buy Now |
Reviews For Best Drill Bits For Stainless Steel
Here are five of the best stainless steel drill bits. We believe these will help you get the job done without breaking.
1. Neiko 10193A Titanium Step Drill Bit Set
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You will get a total of three bits in this drill bit set. However, while they are only three, they are step drill bit types where you will get 28 different sizes.
This is just about enough for your daily drilling needs if you run a workshop.
As step drill bits, you can use them for a number of activities. For example, you can use them to drill wood, regular steel and plastic in addition to stainless steel.
If you have some pre-drilled holes in your stainless steel material, you can use these drill bits to enlarge them.
These are high-speed bits but they have been coated with titanium for durability. In addition, the titanium coating helps them to last through the hard drilling of stainless steel. You may also use these bits on copper and aluminum.
The bits have a special 2-flute design. What this means is that when you drill, the bits gets the chips out easily so the hole that you are drilling is never clogged.
With the 28 steps, you can get the drill to stop at the step that denotes the size that you want for your hole. Therefore, there is no risk of making your holes bigger than necessary.
What we like
- The steps make them 28 sizes in just 3 bits.
- Can last a long time of regular drilling.
- Double flute design for more control.
What we don’t like
- Steps may not be true to size, check carefully.
2. DEWALT DW1263 – 14 Cobalt Drill Bits
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
You will notice the strong plastic case that contains these drill bits, but there is more to these ones than just looks. First, this is DEWALT, which is pretty much one of the most renowned hand tool makers in the world.
As a result, it is always exciting to find out what features their products come with. First, you will get 14 drill bits made of cobalt alloy. This makes them resilient enough when drilling holes in stainless steel. Their sizes range from 3/8-inch to 1/16-inch.
The drill bits have a pilot point tip. This has many benefits. One of them is that you do not need to pre-drill a hole for guidance.
Since the bit does not “walk” you just need to get down to drilling immediately. Pilot point also means that the holes you drill are going to be accurate and there is no lockup when you break through.
We all need drill bits that we can use to drill holes in different materials. As it turns out, you can use these cobalt drill bits from DEWALT on stainless steel, aluminum, copper, wood, plastic and other things.
However, you should not use them on ceramic as that can consume the bits out fast.
What we like
- High quality plastic case for storage and traveling.
- Good price for a set of 14.
- Anti-stick design.
What we don’t like
- Regular use on metal will dull their edge faster.
3. Bosch CO21 Cobalt Metal Drill Bit Set Of 21
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With this purchase, you are going to get drill bits of different sizes. When you have the need to make clean holes in stainless steel material, you can trust these drill bits to do the job for you.
The way that the bits are designed, they do not lock on metal even after drilling through.
These drill bits are tough and resilient. After all, they have been made with cobalt alloy. They will drill through stainless steel without a struggle and without getting dulled every so often.
In addition, sometimes, you might need to drill at an angle. The good thing is that these bits will help you make steeper holes as compared to many bits in the market.
You get split points with all of these bits. This helps you to start drilling straight away since the bits do not stray on the surface that you are drilling.
Since you get accurate starts all the time, you can save time and drill faster.
Since this set has 21 drill bits, you will get almost all the sizes that you need. They start at 1/16-inch and go all the way to ½-inch.
The bit diameter is clearly etched on the surface of the bit itself so you cannot make a mistake.
What we like
- Designed in a three-flat shank design for better grip and control.
- Can handle high drilling temperatures.
- Nice plastic casing.
What we don’t like
- When drilling stainless steel or aluminum, you have to sharpen from time to time.
4. Amoolo Cobalt Drill Bit Set of 13
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Iron sharpens iron, so they say. Therefore, it makes sense that a steel and cobalt drill bit should be used to drill stainless steel. That is what you get with the Amoolo set of 13 drill bits.
The inclusion of cobalt makes the bits quite durable and heat-resistant, something that you will find very useful when drilling metals such as aluminum and steel.
In this set, you are going to get 13 bits of varying sizes from 1/16-inch to 1/4 inch. You will use these bits for cutting through different material such as cast iron, aluminum, copper, stainless steel, wood and plastic.
However, it is important that you do not use these bits to drill ceramic or glass as such materials need a diamond bit.
The full groove of the bits gets all chips out of the way fast when you are drilling. Therefore, the hole that you are drilling will not clog with chips, something that helps to enhance accuracy.
The tips of these bits come in the design 135 degrees point split. This makes it easy to start drilling right away as the bit does not stray on the surface that you are drilling.
What we like
- Tolerates heat very well.
- Sold with a warranty of 90 days.
- A faster drilling experience.
- Very good price.
What we don’t like
- Does not come with a covered case for traveling.
5. Irwin Industrial Tools Drill Bit Set of 21
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For an affordable amount of money, you will get these drill bits from Irwin Industrial, all 21 pieces of them at varying sizes. This set is one of the best drill bits for stainless steel that you are likely to find in the market.
However, quantity is good, only if it is accompanied by quality. These are cobalt drill bits, which, as far as we have seen here is better than titanium. They resist heat well and they will retain their sharp edge for a good long time.
Every feature of these bits oozes quality. For example, the spiral chutes do a good job of getting the chips out of the holes that you drill. At the same time, the 135-degree split point tip ensures that the drill bit does not stray.
Therefore, you can start drilling immediately without the need for a pilot hole. The cutting lips are a bit shorter, which helps a lot since you do not have to apply too much force to get the bit to start cutting.
What we like
- Drills even hardened steel.
- Good for high speed drilling.
- Retains their edge for a long time.
What we don’t like
- It is an expensive set.
Wrapping Up
If you have a project that requires you to drill through stainless steel, you know that regular drill bits will not cut it.
What you need is a set of drill bits meant for stainless steel. Simple research will show you that cobalt alloy bits perform better than the titanium ones.
These bits contain at least 5 percent cobalt while the rest of the metal is steel. The benefit of using cobalt is to enhance the heat resistance of the bits.
We hope these reviews of five bits for stainless steel will help you find one for your needs.
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