Milwaukee Tool has a reputation for robust, professional-grade power tools, but the brand also makes other useful hardware gear, including basic Milwaukee tools that are essential for any handyman or homeowner. Other useful products made by Milwaukee are accessories for its tools, such as its line of Cobalt drill bits. Milwaukee Cobalt bits come in several various-sized sets, with different bits designed to drill into specific materials, including wood, PVC, copper, aluminum, sheet metal, stainless
steel, cast iron, and more.
Unlike Milwaukee's line of Shockwave bits for impact drivers and Carbide bits for hammer drills, Milwaukee Cobalt bits are made to fit the brand's drill/drivers, which make up some of Milwaukee's best drills for homeowners, DIYers, and tradespeople. They come in multiple shanks and many different sizes, including 1/16-inch, 11/32-inch, 27/64-inch, ½-inch, and more. Since Milwaukee drills use the same shank sizes as standard power drills from other brands, you can attach its Cobalt bits to the chucks of all kinds of drill/drivers, including ones you may already own. Cobalt drill bits are not explicitly impact-rated, so you won't want to use them on any impact drivers — even if they can technically fit.
Many of Milwaukee's Cobalt drill bits are built with its proprietary Red Helix design. These sport a Variable Helix construction that starts at a steep 35-degree helix angle for faster debris removal, before tapering down to 15 degrees. Some Cobalt sets are Packout-compatible, and you can buy certain bits individually. Like many premium Milwaukee products, Cobalt drill bits can cost more than those from other brands.
Read more: Every Major Cordless Impact Wrench Brand Ranked Worst To Best
Users Find Milwaukee's Cobalt Drill Bits To Be Sharp And Durable
After testing many different options, Pro Tool Reviews named Milwaukee Red Helix Cobalt Drill Bits the best drill bits for steel and praised the Quad Edge Tip design that allows bits to cut faster and stay sharp for longer. Home Depot customers appear to be in agreement with this professional take, as the 29-piece Cobalt Red Helix Drill Bit Set has a strong 4.5 out of 5 overall score based on over 4,000 user reviews, with 4 out of 5 surveyed customers recommending the kit.
When combing through the positive reviews written by users, you'll find frequent praise for the sharpness of the pieces and their capacity for drilling through metal. Some even found that the case that comes with some Cobalt sets is as durable as the bits themselves. One 5-star reviewer praised the bits for how long they lasted, and suggested using them as stocking stuffers during the holidays. Another highlighted the durability of the bits, saying they had always been more reliable than other brands.
On r/MilwaukeeTool, a metalworker recommends Milwaukee's Cobalt bits and proudly mentions that they own four sets, saying they work better for them than other similar bits on metal. In another thread, Redditors provide similar feedback, with one commenter saying the bits saved them time and money.
Some Users Mention The Bits Are Brittle, Dull, And Can Run Hot
Even Milwaukee enthusiasts will point out flaws in the brand's products when they find them, which is why user reviews are a great way to determine which Milwaukee products are worth buying and which are worth avoiding. That's why, even if just a minority of reviews for Milwaukee's Cobalt drill bits are negative, they're worth looking at and taking seriously. Leaving a 1-star review for the Cobalt 15-piece set, one user mentions that the bits got hot as they drilled and even snapped, saying that titanium drills worked better for them. One seemingly baffled user on r/Milwaukee Tool prefaces their negative feedback for the bits by saying they loved Milwaukee, but found the drill bits dull and subpar compared to other lines, though they also only drilled harder steels.
Some users who really like Milwaukee's Cobalt bits say that it's better to save them for metal work and other harder materials because they're overkill for softer pieces like wood. They argue there's no point in wearing down more premium bits when you don't have to, preserving their sharpness for materials other bits can't handle. One Redditor says that they only try to use their Cobalt bits when it makes sense, even though the bits can do basically anything they need them to. They also noted that the Cobalt bits seem to be more brittle than others and can't handle flexing, warning users that they're easy to snap if you aren't drilling a straight hole.
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