best hole saw kit

The Best Hole Saw Kits for Metal & Wood 2024

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Finding a reliable set of hole saws can tough with so many options.

A wide choice of sizes, depth of cut, and features in their construction must all be considered.

Choosing the wrong set could end up wasting your time and hard earned money.

We’ve put together this list of some of the top models on the market today…


Quick Picks

Here's 3 products we picked out that thought you would be interested in depending on your budget...

Best Pick
LENOX Tools Bi-Metal Speed Slot Hole Saw
Lenox is one of the top producers of hole saws and this big daddy 26 piece kit will cover pretty much every job you require. If you're a trade professional this will likely be the choice for you.
Best Value
DEWALT D180005
There’s a lot of versatility packed into this kit from DeWalt with 11 different hole saws for almost every purpose imaginable. At this price point, this hole saw kit will be a great choice for almost all users.
Best Budget
Tacklife 16-piece Hole Saw Kit
If you’re looking for an excellent choice for a hole saw kit but your budget won’t stand a pricier model, this is the kit for you. This kit is versatile enough to be valuable to anyone.

The Best Hole Saw Kit with Reviews 2024

Here's a list of the best hole saw kits we found:

1. LENOX Tools Bi-Metal Hole Saw Kit

  • 26 Pieces
  • Hole sizes from ¾” to 4 ¾”
  • Modified tooth geometry
  • Made of “Bi-Metal”
  • 20 Hole sizes
  • Cuts: Metal & Wood

Pros

  • Patented “Speed Slot” design makes removing plugs easier
  • Taller design allows cleaner cuts through thicker material
  • Thicker walls to help prevent loss of saw teeth

Cons

  • Paint on saws is quickly ground away, impacting the look of the saws
  • Only two arbors included
  • Only covered by a 90-day warranty

Overview

This impressive hole saw kit dominated the competition. Lenox has long been known as a quality tool manufacturer, but they may have topped themselves here.

With a wide selection of 20 different size saws to choose from, this kit will handle almost any job you can think of.

The saws are constructed of bi-Metal, which is said to increase the life of the tool by 50% over more traditional materials.

Lenox has also introduced their “Speed Slot” hole saw design that helps prevent plugs and material from clogging the saw. It makes it much easier to remove these obstructions once cutting is done.

These saws also feature a new tooth design that cuts both wood and metal with speed and ease.

This one wasn’t even close. The Lenox Tools Bi-Metal Speed Slot Hole Saw Kit is our Best Pick for anyone who wants reliability and versatility.

2. DeWalt D180005 Heavy Duty Bi-Metal Hole Saw Set

  • Made in the USA
  • 14 Pieces
  • Hole sizes from ¾” to 2 ½”
  • Double-tooth design
  • Stainless steel
  • 11 Hole sizes
  • Cuts: Metal & Wood

Pros

  • Highly rated
  • Ideal for plumbing, electrical, and door-lock installation tasks
  • Saws are marked with both Imperial and Metric measurements
  • Compact carrying case

Cons

  • You can’t use one saw to enlarge a hole
  • Smaller variety of saw sizes than some kits
  • Limited amount of hole sizes

Overview

The DeWalt D180005 hole saw set represents the best value for money.

While this kit might not have the widest range of hole sizes available, it is still ideal for plumbing, electrical, and door-lock installation tasks and will still allow you to get most jobs done for less than a quarter of the price you would pay for other options.

It offers the versatility that an average user will need.

Yes, you’re sacrificing some of the helpful features of higher-priced kits, but if you want to get the job done without taking a hit to your pocketbook, the DeWalt D180005 is a wise choice.

3. Tacklife Hole Saw Kit

  • 16 Pieces
  • Hole sizes from ¾” to 5”
  • High-speed steel teeth
  • Heat treated Carbon steel
  • 12 Hole sizes

Pros

  • Extremely low price
  • Small storage case for ease of transport
  • Includes many popular hole sizes

Cons

  • There are gaps in the range of hole sizes offered of an inch or more
  • Not meant for cutting metal
  • Not able to cut harder woods

Overview

For a DIY project, you most likely aren’t looking for the best of the best hole saw kit. A low-priced choice that can get your job done is all you want or need.

The Tacklife Hole Saw Kit isn’t intended for professionals, as the versatility and product life would not be a good match to the demands of heavy use.

Also, this hole saw kit will not cut through metal and will struggle with harder woods. The teeth will be ruined if you use it on harder materials than it’s designed to tackle.

However, if you need to put a hole in soft wood, plastic, or PVC piping and nothing else, the Tacklife Hole Saw Kit is exactly what you need. At a price you won’t believe, it comes it as our Best Budget choice.

4. LENOX Tools Bi-Metal Speed Slot Hole Saw

  • 17 Pieces
  • 2X more durable with 50% longer life than previous LENOX hole saws
  • Optimized tooth design penetrates metal with ease
  • Larger, sharper teeth for faster cutting and SPEED SLOT staircase design for easy plug ejection
  • An advanced coating helps extend tool life

Pros

  • Recognized as one of the top manufacturers in hole saws
  • Highly durable saws which are known to last
  • Patented “Speed Slot” design makes removing plugs easier
  • Taller design allows cleaner cuts through thicker material
  • Increased wall thickness improves durability and minimizes tooth loss

Cons

  • Not many complaints found

5. Milwaukee Wood & Metal Hole Saw Kit

  • 13 Pieces
  • Hole sizes from ¾” to 2 ½”
  • “Ice Hardened” optimized tooth design
  • Bi-metal construction
  • 9 Hole sizes

Pros

  • Saws hardened with intense cold, providing a much longer saw life
  • Precision-ground tooth design to speed cutting
  • Easy plug access

Cons

  • Sized in Metric
  • A low range of size options
  • Suited only for wood and soft plastic

Overview

If there were such a thing as a hole saw “starter kit,” this offering from Milwaukee would fit the bill.

It comes with a very small selection of saw sizes compared to other kits, which also limits the available sizes.

It’s still built with Milwaukee’s proprietary “Ice Hardened” system, but the small size of this kit knocked it down the list.

For DIY people who are looking to handle a few simple projects around the home, this kit may be a good choice.

For anyone with more demanding needs for their hole saw kit, the small selection is most likely going to cause you problems.

6. Freud DHS17SPL Plumbing Set

  • 17 Pieces
  • Hole sizes from 1” to 4 ½”
  • Variable tooth design
  • Bi-metal construction
  • 11 Hole sizes

Pros

  • Snap-lock system makes it quick and easy to change saws
  • One mandrel fits all saws in the Diablo line up to 6”
  • Faster and easier boring with variable tooth design

Cons

  • Specialty hole saw kit
  • A low range of size options
  • Not suitable for most metals or concrete

Overview

This set from Freud deserves mention on this list because the Diablo name is a trusted one in tools. It remains true since this really is a quality set.

That said, a few things knocked it out of contention for our “Best” awards. The most obvious issue being the fact that this is another specialty kit, designed with plumbers in mind.

While plumbers may find this kit suitable for their needs, there are many sizes that are common for other jobs that aren’t included due to the focus on plumbing.

Also, this hole saw kit isn’t suitable for thicker metals, although it will do the job on most if not all woods.

If you’re a plumber, this is a kit worth trying out. For those with more general needs, there are better hole saw kits on the market.

7. Diablo DHS14SGP Hole Saw Set

  • 14 Pieces
  • Hole sizes from 7/8” to 2-9/16”
  • Variable tooth design
  • Bi-metal construction
  • 10 Hole sizes

Pros

  • Quickly change saws with the Snap-lock system
  • One mandrel fits all saws in the Diablo line up to 6”
  • Designed to cut through everything from plastic to stainless steel

Cons

  • Unusual size range of saws
  • A low range of size options
  • May not include some sizes you might need

Overview

Another Diablo hole saw kit, with a smaller selection of sizes and more uncommon sizes included. This kit features the quality Diablo construction you’re most likely familiar with, but it has some downsides.

While this kit boasts a cutting life 20 times longer than others and claims a cutting speed 10 times faster, the selection and size choices make this a lower-tier choice for most people.

This hole saw kit may be the answer to your prayers, however, if you need some of the saw sizes included that are harder to find.

As a choice for an overall hole saw kit, this may not be the best choice, mostly due to the less-than-common sizes included.

If you do not have these unique needs, a different kit with common pieces would be a better option.

8. Bosch HB25M Master Bi-Metal Hole Saw Kit

  • 25-Piece set
  • Sizes from 3/4" to 3"
  • Cuts: Wood, Metal, Stainless Steel, Plastic
  • CONVENIENT: The Bosch HB25M Hole Saw Kit works with standard or quick change arbors. The pilot bit easily snaps into mandrel for wood and metal applications
  • PRECISION: The hole saw cuts faster and more precisely with alternating teeth sizes. The threadless design prevents seizing up in the mandrel
  • STRENGTH: The hole saw features a reinforced shoulder for added strength and longer life while the positive lock is designed to minimize wobble
  • RESISTANT: Made of 8% cobalt alloy, the HB25M hole saw kit is built for higher heat resistance and a longer life

Pros

  • A complete assortment for general-purpose applications
  • Patented Quick Change Universal Hole Saw System
  • Works with any brand of tool or hole saw

Cons

  • Largest hole saw size is only 3"

Buyer’s Guide

Consider Your Needs

There are some impressive innovations in hole saw design, but do these latest gizmos help you take on a project? Sometimes, these options don’t replace a good, wide selection of sizes that can handle many scenarios.

Make sure the kit you’re looking at gives you the options you need.

Compatibility

Will the kit you’re looking at fit your drill?

Not all kits will fit all drills. In fact, many manufacturers’ hole saw kits are made to specifically be used with their own drills.

Unless you’re in the market for a new drill, make sure your current drill is compatible before investing in a new kit.

Can it handle the materials you need to cut?

As you know, all hole saws are not created equal. While some can cut through everything up to steel, others are only suitable for soft wood and plastics.

If you need a tool that can handle cutting through metal doors, some kits will be a large disappointment when they’re not able to do the job. Other kits may be overkill for your DIY taks, which will only waste your hard-earned money.

Knowing what materials you need to cut through will most likely eliminate some kits from your list, helping you narrow down the best choice.

FAQs

How many sizes do I need?

It depends. The truth is that not everyone needs every size available on the market, therefore there are many different kits from which to choose.

If you’re going to be using your kit for a specific type of job only, a specialty kit may be perfect since it doesn’t encumber you with useless pieces.

Need to do a wide variety of jobs? You’re most likely going to need a kit with a broader range of saw sizes.

Do I need every size possible?

Most likely not. If you’re a DIY kind of person, a smaller kit will probably serve you well. Larger kits are designed with professionals in mind.

Contractors, electricians, plumbers and other professions have very specific needs when it comes to hole saw kits. Larger kits and specialty kits are designed specifically to meet those needs.

Unless you have professional-level demands to place on a kit, a basic kit might be the correct option for you.

Is there a standard size for hole saws? Do I need to make sure everything’s compatible?

There is not a standard size, so look at the tools you have to see if everything will work together.

While there are many kits for sale that are useable with almost any drill, there are others that can only be used with a drill manufactured by the same company.

This proprietary adapter feature can cause a lot of frustration if you don’t check before ordering a hole saw kit to make sure it will work with your favorite drill.

Will any hole saw kit be able to do the job I need to do?

No. That is not how they are designed. Different hole saw kits perform various jobs at varying levels of success.

Do you need to cut metal or just soft wood and plastic? Do you need multiple sizes or sizes that are less common than others? What are your exact needs in a hole saw kit?

Again, your choice of hole saw kit is best determined by the jobs you will be doing. Answer that question, and it becomes much easier to find the best kit for you.

Wrapping it up

Hole saw kits range from small and simple to large and complex kits that pack many features.

While most kits offer the common sizes that are needed, this isn’t always good enough. It pays to invest in a hole saw kit that will anticipate your needs and have the exact size and capability ready when you need it.

If you have a unique problem or profession, a more tailored kit could be your diamond in the rough.

Most people, however, only need versatility and reliability.

For this reason, our Best Pick is the LENOX Tools Bi-Metal Speed Slot Hole Saw. The wide variety of saw sizes, ease-of-use features, and durability all combine to make this the best overall choice of hole saw kits on our list.

About Jacob Hanson

Jacob is the Editor at Toolsfirst.com. He used to be the owner of a local construction company with over 20 years experience in the trade. He now enjoys thoroughly researching DIY tools as well as publishing guides to help readers.

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