Drilling Tips, Guides & How To's

Do you want to learn how to drill safely? Looking for a new drill to buy? Check out our expert tips and buying guides to help you take your drilling skills to the next level.

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A worker creates holes in the wall for subsequent drilling

How to Drill Into Concrete Without a Hammer DrillOnly own a regular drill? A carbide bit and patience get you through.

Man scanning a wall with a stud finder while holding a drill in the other hand

Best Stud FindersDrill with confidence, not a prayer. Find the framing before you hit a wire.

Fixing a stripped screw hole

How to Fix a Stripped Screw HoleA screw that just spins? Rebuild its grip with what is in your drawer.

Man holding a wooden gate while unscrewing the rusty screws from a lock bolt.

How to Remove a Stripped ScrewYour driver just spins and the head is toast? Here's how to back it out.

Different Types Of Drills

31 Types of Drills and How to Use EachToo many drills, one job? Here is how to pick the right one.

A set of nibbler attachments

Best Nibbler Drill AttachmentsTurn your drill into a sheet-metal cutter. Here are the picks that cut clean.

A set of cobalt drill bits

Best Cobalt Drill BitsTired of bits that smoke and snap in hard steel? These cobalt sets bite back.

Forstner bits

Best Forstner Bits for Clean Flat-Bottomed HolesStop fighting ragged holes. The 7 Forstner sets that actually bore clean.

Drill doctor sharpener

Best Drill Bit SharpenersDone buying new bits? Here are the sharpeners that bring a dull edge back.

A 12V Impact Driver

Best 12V Impact DriversSmall enough for tight cabinets, strong enough for deck screws.

Man holding a Makita drill

Best Makita DrillsCut through Makita's huge lineup and find the right drill for your work.

Carpenter drilling hole in wooden bar with a drill driver

Best Budget DrillsReliable power without wrecking your wallet. Five drills worth the cash.

Man working with a floor drill press

Best Floor Drill PressesBig, heavy, and built to last: find the floor drill press worth bolting down.

Carpenter tightening screws with screw gun

Best Screw GunsSink every screw flush, no torn paper. Pick the gun for your job.

Man building a cabinet with a cordless screwdriver

Best Cordless ScrewdriversSkip the sore wrist. Find the screwdriver that fits your hand and your jobs.

Industrial hammer drill

Best Cordless Hammer DrillsNeed to drill concrete or brick? These cordless drills do the hard part.

Removing rivets with a drill

How to Remove Rivets With a Drill BitRivets are meant to be permanent. Here is how to win that argument anyway.

Man drilling into wood with an impact driver

Best Impact DriversStop stripping screws. Find the impact driver that matches your work.

Senior male artisan working on industrial drilling press

Best Drill PressesTired of crooked, wandering holes? Meet the press that drills them dead straight

Removing a stripped bolt with a wrench

How to Remove a Stripped BoltRounded the head and your wrench just spins? There's still a way out.

Woman working with a benchtop drill press

Best Benchtop Drill PressesSquare holes, every time. Find the benchtop drill press built for your bench.

Man drilling through metal with an electric drill

Best Drill Bits for MetalSteel laughing at your drill? Match the right bit and bore straight through.

Man drilling into a lock with a cordless drill

Best Cordless DrillsCut the cord without losing the muscle. Here are 10 drills worth buying.

Man drilling into a wall with a corded hammer drill

Best Corded DrillsNo battery to charge, no power to fade. Just plug in and pull the trigger.

Electric drill against a brick wall

How to Drill Into BrickBrick only feels intimidating until you pick up the right bit.

Man drilling through tile

How to Drill Through TileOne cracked tile means replacing the whole thing. Here's how to avoid it.

Man drilling living room wall with drill

Drill vs. Hammer Drill: When to Use EachHit a wall your drill can't crack? Here's when to switch to a hammer.

Man holding a battery powered impact wrench

Impact Driver vs. Impact WrenchGrab the wrong one and you strip screws or snap bolts. Here's which is which.

Woman drilling through the wall with an impact drill

Impact Driver vs. Drill: When to Use EachTwo tools, one aisle, and a lot of stripped screws if you grab the wrong one.

Drill bit set

Best Drill Bits for Wood, Metal, and MasonryThe right bit does the drilling, not the drill. Here's how to pick the one your job needs.

Man working with a hammer drill

Best Hammer DrillsTired of your drill stalling on concrete? These ten do the hard part for you.

A full hole saw kits

Best Hole Saw KitsCutting glass, steel, or studs? Match the kit to the material first.

Man drilling on a door lock

How to Drill Out a LockKeys gone and no spare? Here's the last-resort way back inside.

Man drilling into concrete wall with a hammer drill

How to Drill Into ConcreteYour regular drill will lose to concrete. Here's the setup that wins.

Drilling holes in acrylic glass

How to Drill a Hole in GlassTurn a bottle into a lamp without shattering it. The trick is heat, not force.

Man working on a lock with a screw gun

When to Use a Screw Gun vs. a DrillOne tool hangs a whole room of drywall; the other does everything else.

Man drilling on wood with an impact driver

Impact Driver vs. Hammer DrillLook alike, act nothing alike. Here's which one belongs in your hand.

Brushed and brushless drill

Brushless vs. Brushed DrillsOne sparks and wears out, the other runs on a tiny computer. Which do you need?

Sharpening drill bits by hand

How to Sharpen Drill BitsDull bits smoking instead of cutting? Get the bite back in a few minutes.

A hand drill and drill bits

20 Types of Drill BitsGrabbed the wrong bit and snapped it? Here's how to pick the right one.