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Oftentimes, electricians, plumbers, HVAC techs, carpenters, hobbyists, and other tradesmen encounter tasks that need drilling circular holes through material to make rounded fittings. For example, as an electrician, you may want to make a circular hole on a junction box to fit conduits. As a carpenter, you may need to cut holes in wood doors to install door locks. A plumber may also want to make a hole in stainless steel metal sink to install a faucet. All these tasks require nice clean circular holes that can only be made easily and professionally with the right set of hole saw kit.
A typical hole saw kit usually includes multiple hole saw cutters for drilling holes of different sizes. In this article, we provide a detailed review of the top 4 hole saws kits for wood, metal, and plastic. Each of the kits comes with at least 10 annular saws of standard sizes.
Table of Contents
| Milwaukee Hole Dozer 28 Piece 49-22-4185 | Lenox Big Daddy 26-piece Set | DEWALT D180005 14 Piece Master Hole Saw Kit | Bosch 25-piece Master Bi-Metal Hole Saw Kit HB25m | |
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| Users' Ratings | ||||
| Buy from Amazon | Buy from Amazon | Buy from Amazon | Buy from Amazon | |
| Features |
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Specifications | ||||
| No. of Pieces | 28 | 26 | 14 | 25 |
| Parts Included |
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| Hole Saw Sizes | 3/4 in, 7/8 in, 1 in, 1-1/8 in, 1-1/4 in, 1-3/8 in, 1-1/2 in, 1-3/4 in, 2 in, 2-1/8 in, 2-1/4 in, 2-1/2 in, 2-5/8 in, 3 in, 3-1/4 in, 3-3/8 in, 3-5/8 in, 3-3/4 in, 4-1/8 in, 4-1/4 in, 4-1/2 in, 4-3/4-in | 3/4 In., 7/8 In., 1 In., 1-1/8 In., 1-3/8 In., 1-1/2 In., 1-3/4 In., 2 In., 2-1/8 In., 2-1/4 In. 2-1/2 In., 2-11/16 In., 3In., 3-1/4 In., 3-3/8In., 3-5/8 In., 3-3/4 In., 4-1/8 In., 4-1/2 In.,4-3/4 In. | 3/4 In., 7/8 In., 1In., 1-1/8 In., 1-3/8 In., 1-1/2 In., 1-3/4 In., 2In., 2-1/8 In., 2-1/4 In., 2-1/2 | 3/4 In., 7/8 In., 1 In., 1-1/8 In., 1-3/8 In., 1-1/2 In., 1-3/4 In., 2 In., 2-1/8 In., 2-1/2 In., 3 In.; |
| Package Dimensions | 16.5 x 9 x 4.5 inches | 8 x 12 x 4 inches | 3 x 9.8 x 7.3 inches | 5 x 8.6 x 9.7 inches |
| Weight | 14.4 pounds | 7.74 pounds | 4.9 pounds | 6.4 pounds |
| Country of Manufacture | United States | United States | United States | Germany |
| Warranty | Limited Lifetime Tooth Break Warranty | 90 Days Warranty | 3-Year Limited | |
| Buy from Amazon | Buy from Amazon | Buy from Amazon | Buy from Amazon | |
Detailed Review of Best Hole Saw Kits
Milwaukee Hole Saw Kit Review (28-piece) – Best Overall
At the top of the list is the Milwaukee 49-22-4185 28-Piece All Purpose Professional Hole Dozer Ice Hardened Hole Saw Kit. The kit includes a total of 22 circular drill bits that are ice-hardened and nicely packed in a compact plastic carrying case together with other accessories.
The ice hardened hole saws feature the latest and strongest tooth-form in the industry known as the RIP GUARD™. The saws also have a Limited Lifetime Tooth Break Warranty so that you can drill with confidence.
However, the warranty on the teeth does not mean they are weakly designed. As a matter of fact, each tooth is built with more steel along with 8% cobalt behind the cutting edge for added strength. This guarantees increased productivity on the worksite as well as good hole quality. The hole saw blades can be used to drill large holes as wide as 4-3/4 inch and small holes of up to 3/4 inches in diameter.
The hole saw blades in this Milwaukee 28 piece kit are of different sizes. You can use them to drill large holes as wide as 4-3/4 inch and small holes of up to 3/4 inches in diameter.
When it comes to drilling holes in wood, disappointment is not unusual. If you are a regular hole saw user, you will attest that one of the most time-wasting activities is removing a stuck plug from a hole saw. This happens mostly when cutting through a thick wood.
On average, you can lose 20 seconds trying to remove a stuck woodcut. When you sum up the lost seconds in every cut they become minutes and minutes become hours, and hours become days of no productivity.
The Milwaukee hole dozer kit is designed with your productivity in mind. The hole saws have an all-access slot design. This is the big slot on the side for allowing you to access and remove stuck wood plugs effortlessly with a screwdriver.
Pros
- The set contains all standard hole saw sizes below 4-3/4″ a technician would need.
- Works with drills from other manufacturers.
- Rated to last 50% longer than the competition
- The built-in gullets on the hole saws make removing jammed debris easy
- Easy plug removal because of the all-access design
- Quick change mandrels make it easy to change hole saw blades
- Easy plug removal and hole saw change increase productivity by reducing downtime
Cons
- Does not cut metal as fast as wood
- Impossible to nest small cutters inside larger holesaws
- Wears quite fast on steel.
Bottom line, the 28 pieces all-purpose Milwaukee hole dozer is a contractor-grade hole saw kit for metal and wood. You can use it to drill shallow and fairly deep holes in wood (hard and soft), aluminum, plastic, and thin stainless steel sheets without frustration. The saws are rated to last 50% longer than the competitor.
However, if you break a tooth on any of these bi-metal hole saw blades, Miluwakee has you covered. The company provides an unrivaled lifetime warranty cover on the hole saw teeth provided you have been drilling holes in the materials prescribed for this kit.
Therefore, this 28 piece Milwaukee hole dozer kit is the best for all technicians. Most importantly, it is a must-have for plumbers, HVAC techs, and electricians. The kit has all the holesaw sizes for all kinds of pipes that you may encounter in typical plumbing or electrical work.
The only major disappointment you will encounter is the hole cutters becoming ugly when the white paint on them scratches off after several uses. Otherwise, the kit is a worthy investment for professional users and DIY techs.
Lenox Hole Saw Kit Review (Big Daddy Set) – Best for metal
Packed in a nice little molded-plastic blue and white carrying case, the LENOX Tools Big daddy hole saw set contains 20 pieces of commonly used bi-metallic hole saws among other accessories. The sizes of the circular saws span between 3/4 inches and 4-3/4 inches.
Unlike the Milwaukee hole dozer saws that multiple have slots all round, the lenox hole cutters have only one slot. They call it the speed slot. It has a copyrighted staircase design that allows you to easily pry out stuck wood plugs with an ordinary flat-blade screwdriver. This unique design makes the removal of plugs easy and fast.
All the saws have large sharp teeth that are optimized to cut more efficiently and last for many cuts. They are also constructed with a thicker wall for increased strength and durability. As far as cutting speed is concerned, the hole saws boast the T3 technology in their construction. This technology makes them cut through metal more easily while guaranteeing a life twice as long as the previous generations.
The big daddy set also includes an assortment of three snap-back arbors (1L,2L, & 6L). The arbors have a 1/2 inch shank. The package also includes different types of pilot drills.
Pros
- The hole saw blades are deep for making deep holes
- Quick change arbors for easy installation and removal of hole saws
- Hole saws feature a speed slot that has a stair case design that enables quick removal of debris
- Bi-Metal construction for longer life
- Can drill up to 2 inches deep holes
Cons
- The white paint scratches off making the hole saws look ugly
- Nesting not possible
Bottom line, although quite expensive, the lenox hole saw kit is a nice addition to an electrician’s tool stock. It is also useful to plumbers and carpenters. This heavy duty set of bi-metal hole saws is strongly built to cut deeply through metal and wood with ease. The staircase design of the speed slot makes it easier to convert an unproductive hole saw to an unplugged one in seconds, thereby minimizing downtime.
Furthermore, the ability of the Lenox T3 technology circular saws to cut holes in heavy gauge steel electrical junction boxes makes it an ideal metal cutting hole saw for electricians whose work involves installing conduits in metal and plastic material. This 26-piece big daddy set is worth every dime!
Dewalt D180005 14 Piece Master Hole Saw Set
Primarily designed to drill holes into wood, plastic, and very thin metal sheet, the DeWalt hole saw kit packs 11 holes saw cutters of different sizes together with other accessories. You can use them to drill large holes up to 3 inches wide and not smaller than 3/4 inch in diameter.
This Dewalt hole saw assortment includes 2 tool-free mandrels that accommodate the different sizes of hole saws. The first four smaller sizes hole cutters fit onto the small mandrel by simply screwing them on. The other larger sizes use the mandrel that has two injector buttons. Both mandrels have hex shanks of different sizes. The shank of the larger mandrel is 7/16 inches in size while that of the smaller arbor is 3/8 inches.
The two injector buttons or prongs on the larger mandrel keep the large hole saws in place for more secure operation. Both mandrels have a tool-free quick attach and release mechanism. So, to install a dewalt hole saw, you first need to pull back the mandrel, attach the hole saw, and release. For the large hole cutters, you need to snap the injector buttons into the two holes on the hole saw to lock it in place.
All these dewalt circular cutters and accessories are packed nicely in a fantastic molded-plastic carrying case that is compact on your workbench. The plastic storage case also has a handle for easy transportation of the hole saws.
Pros
- You dont need any tool to connect hole saw to mandrel.
- The tool teeth double design increases strenght and durability of the hole saws.
- The carrying case is compact, sleek, and sturdy and nothing jiggles inside
- Thick and deep for boring deep holes into wood and metal sheets
- Saws are marked with inches as well as mm
- Hole saw sizes are listed on the top of the hole saw kit box
- Fairly priced
Cons
- You cannot nest one hole saw inside another to enlarge an already cut hole
- Holesaws are not labeled
- Yello paint on the threaded portion of hole saws makes it difficult to thread them onto the mandrel
Bottom line, if you are an electrician or a plumber or a woodworking hobbyist looking for a budget hole saw kit that has all the convenient sizes for your tasks, the Dewalt D180005 14 Piece Master kit is a perfect choice. It is an ideal door lock hole saw kit that can be used to cut lock holes on wooden doors with ease. It can also be used by plumbers to bore holes on plastic and PVC.
Unfortunately, the hole saw blades in the Dewalt D180005 kit are not well-tempered for heavy duty applications on thick metal. Therefore, if your work involves a lot of drilling holes in metal, the kit may disappoint you. Its teeth of the saws get stripped easily by hard metal such as steel, which makes this fairly priced hole saw set only good for drilling holes in wood and plastic, not metal!
Bosch Hole Saw Set Review (HB25M Bi-Metal 25-Piece) – Best DIY Set
Albeit quite bulky, the Bosch 25-Piece Master Bi-Metal Hole Saw Kit HB25M contains so many items including 11 different sizes of hole saw blades. The sizes of the hole cutters span from 3/4 inches to 3 inches.
Unlike other ordinary hole saws that burn their way into wood producing loads of smoke, the Bosch HB25M holesaws are made from 8% cobalt alloy that makes them heat-resistant thus resulting in less or no smoke during operation. The alternating sizes of the teeth otherwise called the progressor tooth design, allow the saws to cut a lot faster with more precision. The large teeth are optimized for fast clean cuts in thick materials while the short ones are optimized for thin materials.
In addition to the hole saws, there are 4 small adapters and washers, 7 larger adapters, a quick change mandrel, and 2 pilot bits in the kit. The adapters are for installing onto hole saws so that you can use them with the quick change arbor.
One beautiful thing about Bosch’s hole saws design is that the saws can be used with standard arbors from other brands. All you need to do is to remove the adapter and install the hole saw directly onto the standard mandrel and you are good to go. You can also use the mandrel with other standard circular hole cutters, provided you use the bosch adapters. This increases the versatility of the kit.
Pros
- Has a heavy duty hex shank that snaps easily into mandrel
- The steel hole saw pilot bit is designed for high speed operation.
- The mandrel allows you to change any type or size of hole saw in seconds.
- The positive lock design prevents wobble
- The PCM38 mandrel offers easy plug removal and fits all major brands
- Hole saws are compatible with other brands
- Exceptionally affordable
Cons
- The steel pilot drill is not as effective on metal as it is on wood.
- Pilot bits appear short on the deep saws
- White paint scratches off after some heavy usage.
- Won’t cut through steel metal sheets thicker than 1/4 inch
Bottom line, If your work involves occasionally cutting standard size circular holes into wood and thin metal sheets, the Bosch HB25M Hole Saw kit is the set for you. It is budget friendly and ideal for less intense applications such as installing shower doors or stainless steel piping.
The Bosch hole saws have a universal design that makes them useful with other standard mandrels from other manufacturers. However, the pilot bits might stand short when used with the deep throat saws.
That being said, this set will more than satisfy your needs if you are a DIYer or finish carpenter. It cuts holes quickly and cleanly and the quick release is really handy. The slot on the side also makes removing stuck wood plug quite easy.
How to Assemble a Hole Saw (5 Easy Steps)
1. Select the proper size hole saw
Choose the round hole cutter that is appropriate for the size of the hole you intend to make.
2. Pick the right arbor /mandrel
Select the mandrel that properly fits the size of the hole saw. Normally, there are different mandrels for different ranges of hole saw sizes.
3. Screw the hole saw onto the mandrel
If your hole saw arbor is threaded, just screw the circular hole cutter onto it using the following procedure.
How to quickly tighten a hole saw onto a threaded mandrel
- Take two open-end wrenches: one the size of the arbor shaft and another one that can hold tight the hole saw on its flat grooves at the bottom.
- While holding the wrenches firmly, turn them in opposing directions to tighten the hole saw onto the mandrel. Ensure the saw is tight enough so that it does not come loose when drilling.
If it the mandrel is a quick change style, just place the hole saw onto the mandrel through the drive pin holes and lock it in place.
4. Attach hole saw to drill
Insert the assembled hole saw into the chuck of the drill of your choice. Then attach the mandrel of the hole saw to the drill and tighten it.
5. Hole saw is ready to use!
You are now ready to start drilling nifty circular holes with your hole cutter! Repeat the above steps to change the hole saw and/or mandrel.
How To Cut a Hole With a Hole Saw
Once you attach the hole saw to drill, the next step is to cut holes. Drilling holes with a hole saw might seem like a simple task but surprisingly many people do it the wrong way.
Follow these 6 steps to make sure you operate the circular saw effectively and safely.
Warning: Make sure you wear protective clothes, eyeglasses, and a heavy-duty pair of gloves before you begin to drill holes.
Time for drilling hole in wood sheet: 2 minutes
Step 1: Identify where you want to drill
The first step is to identify where you want to make a hole. You can mark the center with a pencil to avoid drilling the wrong place. Also, make sure you clamp the workpiece in place firmly to keep it from moving.
Step 2: Drill a pilot hole
Fit the drill bit to your drill and make a pilot hole into the mark you just made with a sharpie.
Step 3: Attach the hole saw and mandrel to the drill
Remove the drill bit and fit the hole saw and arbor assembly into the drill chuck. Ensure that the pilot bit sticks out further than the hole saw itself.
Step 4: Position the drill
Direct the drill perpendicularly onto the material you want to drill through.
Step 5: Begin to drill
Start to operate the drill. Start slow and increase the speed progressively. The pilot bit will guide the drill and keep it from wobbling.
Step 6: Flip the material
If you are a making hole in a thick sheet of wood that you can turn, such as particleboard, just drill about halfway through and flip it over. The pilot hole will give you a perfect index to finish the cut nicely and cleanly.
Tip: Drilling from both sides gives you a clean cut that does not have any tear-out.
As you operate the hole saw drill, be careful not to twist your wrist. Hole saws larger than 3″ tend to grab when you start to cut in. That pull may cause strain or even a twist on your wrist. For such cases, use a drill that has a handle on it so that you can have both the drill and the handle against your body to keep it from twisting.
