Irwin vs DeWalt Drill Bits 2026: Which Drill Bit Brand Lasts Longer?

The IRWIN Drill Bit Set M35 Cobalt Alloy Steel 29-Piece (3018002) is IRWIN's professional metal drilling set—M35 cobalt steel (5% cobalt in the high-speed steel alloy) that provides the heat resistance necessary for drilling hardened steel, stainless steel, and other hard metals without the bit losing temper and dulling after a few holes. The split-point tip (135-degree angle) starts drilling without the walking that standard 118-degree tips produce on hard surfaces. IRWIN's cobalt bits hold a competitive edge against non-cobalt HSS bits in hard material applications: drilling into hard plate, through bolts, and into stainless fixtures that would rapidly dull standard titanium or black oxide bits. The 29-piece set covers the full fractional inch range from 1/16 to 1/2-inch for complete drilling coverage. Against DeWalt on this page, IRWIN Cobalt and DeWalt Cobalt are the direct comparison in the professional metal drilling segment. IRWIN's cobalt bits are the more established professional recommendation; DeWalt's cobalt bits benefit from the brand's tool reputation in the same distribution channels as their power tools. Both perform competently in metal drilling applications.

The IRWIN Marples 1966893 Forstner Bit Set (14-Piece, Carbon Steel) is a different drill bit category—Forstner bits for clean flat-bottomed holes in wood, used for cabinet making, hinge mortising, and furniture construction where the hole's flat bottom and clean sidewalls are required. Forstner bits are distinct from twist drill bits: they cut with a rim cutter and flat blade rather than a helical flute, producing larger-diameter holes with clean edges that twist drills tear out. IRWIN Marples is IRWIN's woodworking brand—the professional woodworking tool line targeting cabinet makers, furniture builders, and finish carpenters who need precision wood boring tools. The 14-piece set covers the standard Forstner bit size range from small (9.5mm for small hinges) to large (60mm for large mortises). On an IRWIN vs DeWalt drill bits page focused primarily on metal twist bits, IRWIN Marples Forstner bits represent IRWIN's woodworking specialty line. As a standalone product: for woodworkers who need Forstner bits, IRWIN Marples is the standard recommendation in the professional woodworking channel. Against Kreg, CMT, and Freud Forstner bits, IRWIN Marples competes as the accessible professional brand rather than the premium carbide alternatives.

The DeWalt DWA1240 Cobalt Pilot Point 14-Piece Industrial Drill Bit Set is DeWalt's professional cobalt metal drilling set—the Pilot Point tip is DeWalt's proprietary 3-flat tip geometry that prevents walking on hard surfaces more aggressively than standard split points. The 14-piece set covers a targeted size range rather than the comprehensive 29-piece IRWIN set, focusing on the most commonly used sizes for trade and DIY metal work. The cobalt alloy provides the same heat-resistant metal drilling capability as IRWIN's M35 specification. DeWalt's industrial designation reflects the higher cobalt content and manufacturing quality above their consumer-tier titanium bits. Against IRWIN's 29-piece set at similar total pricing, DeWalt's 14-piece covers fewer sizes at higher per-bit quality focus. For buyers who know which bit sizes they use most frequently in metal work, DeWalt's focused set covers those sizes without paying for sizes that sit unused. For buyers who want comprehensive coverage for new metal drilling projects with unknown size requirements, IRWIN's 29-piece provides the full range.

The DeWalt DW1361 Titanium Pilot Point 21-Piece Drill Bit Set is DeWalt's entry-to-mid range wood and light metal drilling set—titanium nitride coating (gold-colored bits) that provides a surface hardness upgrade over standard HSS without the full cobalt alloy of the DWA1240. Titanium coating extends bit life in wood and soft metal (aluminum, brass) applications; for hard steel drilling, cobalt alloy outperforms titanium coating significantly. The 21-piece set covers the standard fractional size range with the Pilot Point tip that prevents walking on hard surfaces. At $20–30, it's the accessible entry to DeWalt's bit line for homeowners who primarily drill in wood and occasional soft metal rather than the professional hard metal applications where cobalt is necessary. Against IRWIN's cobalt set on this page, DeWalt's titanium set is the value tier for standard drilling versus IRWIN's premium tier for hard metal drilling. For general homeowner use (wood, drywall, occasional aluminum), the DeWalt titanium set provides adequate performance. For metalworkers and contractors who drill into steel regularly, IRWIN's cobalt provides the durability that titanium coating can't match in hard material applications.