The Best Drill Bits for Tile of 2023

Jun 28, 2023

Drilling in glass tiles is more straightforward than it might seem—a good carbide-tipped blade is essential, as is using a slow drill speed. The four-piece bit set from Bosch excelled in our glass-drilling tests.

The set comes with bits ranging from ⅛ inch to ⅝ inch in diameter and from 2 inches to 2¼ inches long. Each bit features a spear tip with a sharp point the manufacturer claims will keep the bit from wandering. Unfortunately, we found each one of the bits tended to wander on the glass tiles unless we used masking tape—an easy fix that didn't detract from the bits’ performance and durability. Wandering is common when drilling through tiles, so everyone should be prepared to use tape.

After 10 holes, we inspected the bits. The largest one showed a slight amount of wear on the edges of the spear blades, while the others looked nearly new. They all went on to drill 30 more holes apiece, but toward the end, they made slower progress, and we had to exert more pressure on the drill. Fortunately, we didn't have any cracked glass tiles after all the drilling. That's largely due to the sharpness and durability of the bits, but we also give a little credit to anold computer mouse pad that we placed beneath some of the tiles as we drilled, which absorbed some of the vibrations and may have helped prevent cracking.

While our main objective in testing these bits was to determine their performance on glass, we also tried them afterward on a marble tile and a travertine tile. At this point, the bits were slightly worn down but still drilled through both materials cleanly, albeit slowly.

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Get the Bosch drill bits for tile at Amazon (tile-cutting blade included), Ace Hardware , or Overstock .