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Drill bit sets have been a Black Friday staple for as long as I have been shopping for tools and scouting out Black Friday tool deals – maybe 16 years now.
I can understand why – drill bits are consumable products, and they’re used by very broad types of users, from beginner DIYers to seasoned pros.
This year, there are now 3 different Dewalt Black Friday 2021 drill bit deals that are priced at or under $10. Let’s take a look at the differences, and which you should buy.
Dewalt 14pc Drill Bit Set (DWA1184)
This set comes with 14 bits ranging in size from 1/16″ to 1/2″. The drill bits have a black and gold coating, 3-flats on the larger bits to prevent spinning in a drill chuck, and 135° split point tips.
There are two 1/8″ drill bits – it’s a common practice to include doubles of one or more smaller-sized drill bits in case they break.
Price: $9.98
Free Prime shipping or over $25+
Dewalt 13pc Drill Bit Set (DW1163)
This Dewalt drill bit set comes with similar drill bits, ranging from 1/16″ to 1/4″. There are (2) each of 1/16″, 3/32″, and 1/8″ drill bits.
Price: $7.97
Free Prime shipping or over $25+
Dewalt 10pc Drill Bit Set (DWA1180)
This Dewalt 10pc drill bit set includes sizes from 1/16″ to 5/16″, with a duplicate 1/16″ and 5/64″ bits.
Price: $7.97
Free Shipping, no minimum
Deal Analysis
Alright, let’s take a closer look at what you get.
| Sizes | 14pc Set DWA1184 | 13pc Set DW1163 | 10pc Set DWA1180 |
| 1/16″ | (1) | (2) | (2) |
| 5/64″ | (1) | (1) | (2) |
| 3/32″ | (1) | (2) | (1) |
| 7/64″ | (1) | (1) | (1) |
| 1/8″ | (2) | (2) | (1) |
| 9/64″ | (1) | (1) | |
| 5/32″ | (1) | (1) | |
| 3/16″ | (1) | (1) | (1) |
| 7/32″ | (1) | (1) | |
| 1/4″ | (1) | (1) | (1) |
| 5/16″ | (1) | (1) | |
| 3/8″ | (1) | ||
| 1/2″ | (1) | ||
| Buy via Amazon | Buy via Amazon | Buy via Home Depot |
Are there reasons why you might want to buy each of these sets? Sure. But if you’re looking for the best selection and value, go for the 14pc set. It costs $2 more than the other Black Friday promo sets, but offers larger drill bit sizes.
Let’s say you break a smaller drill bit. It’s going to cost much less to pick up additional smaller sizes than to buy 5/16″, 3/8″, or 1/2″ drill bits to expand the range of either of the smaller sets.
Saving $2 now can cost you much more later on.
Let’s say you buy a smaller set and find yourself needing a 3/8″ drill bit for use with wall anchors. While not apples to apples, Dewalt’s 3/8″ titanium split point drill bit, which is as similar to the one included in the 14pc set as I could find, is priced at $9.18 on Amazon.
The $10 set is the best buy here, period.
Should you spend more? You could, but only if you know exactly what you’re looking for. For instance, if you need impact-rated drill bits with 1/4″ hex shanks, Milwaukee’s 15pc drill bit set will be better suited for your needs. Similarly, you can buy larger drill bit sets, which come with greater size selection.
Do you need greater size selection? If you cannot answer that question, the 14pc set is a good starting point.
The appeal of the 14pc set – I of course bought one too the last time it went on sale for this price – is that it offers a useful selection of sizes, whereas the 10pc and 13pc sets are much more limiting. None of these are the best drill bits, but they’re decent and even excellent for the price.
