Short answer: both have their place.
A set gives you the range to hand. Buying by the size gets you exactly what the job needs.
Most people do both — start with a set for the common sizes, then top up individual sizes as they wear out or a job calls for an odd one.
It’s one of the most common questions we get on the trade counter: buy a set, or buy the sizes on their own? Neither is “right” — it depends on the work. Here’s how to choose, and exactly how we sell each type.
When a set makes sense
A drill bit set is the sensible default for most people, and it’s comfortably our most popular choice — for good reason:
- The whole range to hand. You’ve got the common sizes ready, so you’re not stopping mid-job to order one.
- Best value per bit. If you’ll use the range, a set is the cheapest way to own a spread of sizes.
- You’re not sure what you’ll need. General repairs, van stock, a new toolbox — a set covers the bases.
- One purchase, sorted. Metal, masonry or wood — grab the right set and you’re away.
We do sets for metal, masonry and wood, plus hole-saw sets and tap sets.
When to buy by the size
Buying individual sizes wins when you know exactly what you’re after:
- You know the size. No need for twenty-three others to get the one you want.
- Replacing a worn or snapped size. Top up the 6.5 mm without buying a whole new set.
- Drilling one size, over and over. Production or repeat work through a single diameter.
- An odd or precise size a set skips. We hold HSS in 0.1 mm increments up to 11 mm and 0.5 mm steps to 20 mm, so you can get 6.4 or 6.6 mm, not just the whole and half sizes a set includes.
How we sell each type
Worth knowing before you order — “by the size” doesn’t always mean a single bit:
| Type | How you buy it |
|---|---|
| HSS, cobalt (M35 & M42) & titanium twist drills | By the size, in trade packs of 5 or 10 of that size (the larger sizes, above 13 mm, singly). Small twist drills snap easily, so a pack keeps you working. HSS 0.4–20 mm in 0.1 mm increments to 11 mm; cobalt in the common sizes, 1–13 mm. |
| Masonry, SDS & concrete | Single bits — buy the one size you need. |
| Wood drill bits — auger, Forstner, flat | Single bits. |
| Step, glass & tile | Single bits. |
| Sets | An assorted range of sizes in one case — metal, masonry or wood. |
So for twist drills, buying “individually” means the single size you need (in a small pack), rather than a whole assorted set. For masonry, wood and specialist bits, it really is one bit.
The best of both
Honestly, most trade customers do both: a set for everyday sizes, then top up the individual sizes they burn through or the odd diameters a set never includes. Start with the set, keep the gaps filled by the size — you get the range and never get caught short.
Sets or single sizes — dispatched today
Drill bit sets for metal, masonry and wood, plus HSS by the size in 0.1 mm increments and cobalt in the common sizes. Over a million bits in stock, free next-working-day UK delivery on orders over £50.
Shop sets · HSS by the size · Cobalt by the size · Drill Bit Finder
Frequently asked questions
Do you sell single drill bits?
Masonry, SDS, wood (auger, Forstner, flat), step, and glass & tile bits are sold as single pieces. HSS, cobalt and titanium twist drills are sold by the size in trade packs of 5 or 10 of that size (the larger sizes singly) — because small twist drills snap easily, a pack keeps you going. Either way, you only buy the size you need, not a whole assorted set.
Is a drill bit set better value?
Per bit, yes — if you’ll use the range. A set is the cheaper way to own a spread of sizes and it’s our most popular choice. If you only need one or two sizes, buying by the size costs less and wastes nothing.
Can I buy odd or precise drill sizes?
Yes. We stock HSS from 0.4 mm to 20 mm — 0.1 mm increments up to 11 mm, 0.5 mm steps above — so you can get the exact diameter — not just the whole and half sizes a set tends to include.
Should a beginner buy a set or individual bits?
For general work, start with a set so you’ve got the common sizes to hand, then top up the individual sizes you wear out or need in odd diameters.
What’s usually in a drill bit set?
A range of the most-used sizes for a material — for example a metal HSS set covering 1–10 mm, a masonry set, or a wood set. We offer sets for metal, masonry and wood, plus hole-saw and tap sets.
UK Drills has supplied drill bits to UK trade and industry since 1985, from our trade counter in Hindley, Wigan. Not sure whether a set or single sizes suits your work? Email info@ukdrills.com — we’re happy to advise.
