A drill is one of the most important tools in any household. To get your job done the way it should, your drill bits need to be sharp and in good shape. However, drill bits tend to wear down, become dull and accumulate rust after being used for several times. Instead of replacing them each time, a more economic and sustainable solution would be to extend your bit’s life by using a good drill bit sharpener.
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At a Glance: The 5 Best Drill Bit Sharpeners to Buy
In the comparison table below, we’ve highlighted some of the most important features of each product. You’ll find more detailed information about each product later in the article.
| PICTURE | NAME | RATING | SHOPS |
|---|---|---|---|
 1 | Drill Doctor 750X Drill Bit Sharpener for High-speed Steel Show more | ||
 2 | Woodstock D4144 Drill Sharpener Show more | ||
 3 | Drill Doctor 350X Drill Bit Sharpener Show more | ||
 4 | Kruger Home Professional Drill Bit Chisel Sharpener Show more | ||
 5 | Drill Doctor 500X Drill Bit Sharpener, Professional Design Show more |
In attempt to help you with this, here is our review for some of the best drill bit sharpeners out there, together with features to look at when buying one.
Key Considerations
A few things to consider when buying a drill bit sharpener:
Safety- With this type of mechanical machine, always remember that your safety comes first. Check products for sturdiness and see if they contain special safety features such as non-slip bases or safety shields. Read the instructions carefully and make sure you are comfortable with the machine and know how to use it.
Size- While you might care about having a small and compact size sharpener, what really matters the most is the size of the drill bit slots it offers. You want to make sure it can sharpen all your drill bits, so you need to check what drill bit sizes it supports. Most sharpeners for casual use maximum out at 1/2 inches, with some products going further with size up to 3/4 inches, and others having very limited size range.
Performance- A well performing machine is one that performs the job according to your needs. Therefore, there is no standard set for performance that you should look at. What you need to look for is features required to meet your demand. For example, if you want to make back-cut angles in your drill bit, then you should look for a sharpener that does that for you.
Cost- While the cost of good drill bits can vary significantly based on the features they offer, make sure you are paying just for what you need. There are plenty of high-end sharpeners that offer incredible features at a premium price. You may be attracted by the number of add-ons a specific machine can offer; however, if you have just started out, or are a casual user, you may be able to find a step-down product that offers exactly what you need at a lower price.
Warranty- Warranty is important, as it can make the whole difference between buying a product or not,
especially if you have never used or heard of it before. At least a one-year warranty is what you need to look for.
Top 5 Best Drill Bit Sharpeners of 2018
- Multiple Bit Materials
- Versatile Design
- Custom Angle settings
- Industrial-Strength
- Warranty
- Some customers found that the set up can be difficult to use, but that is common with all bit sharpeners, especially for first-timers
- Multiple Bit Materials
- Versatile Design
- Custom Angle settings
- Industrial-Strength
- Warranty
- Some customers found that the set up can be difficult to use, but that is common with all bit sharpeners, especially for first-timers
You will notice that three out of five of the drill bits sharpeners on our product list are by Drill Doctor. This company is an industry leader specialized in manufacturing drill bit sharpeners for over 40 years. It is known for providing high quality products with different options for different
needs.
It is also designed with versatility and flexibility in mind. This product can handle a variety of bit sizes, ranging from 3/32 inch to 3/4 inch. Moreover, it gives you full control to adjust the amount of material taken off while the bit is being sharpened. It also works with English, metric and letter gauge bits. No need to worry about whether it will work with any of your bits.
In terms of angle settings, It allows you to set a custom angle between 115 and 140 degrees for added durability, and comes with the option to create a back-cut split-point. This feature makes your bit’s chisel point extra narrow allowing it to penetrate materials easier and making it safer to use.
Like other drill bit sharpeners, this one comes with an industrial-strength diamond sharpening wheel. However, this one is durable, maintains its shape over time and remains so for lots of sharpening to be done. We also found it super easy to use and replace; unlike other products, this one does not require any special key to lift it up and you can simply replace it with your hands.
Another nice feature is a 3-years warranty you get with purchasing the product. This shows that the company is backing up their product with confidence, no need to worry about service in case of any problem with it. When you purchase the product, you also get a carrying case that makes it easier for you to carry around wherever you go.
- This drill bits sharpener works very well with wood and allows you to sharpen bit sizes ranging from 1/8 inch to 3/4 inch
- Although this sharpener comes with several nice features, its main drawback is that it contains poorly-written instructions
- This drill bits sharpener works very well with wood and allows you to sharpen bit sizes ranging from 1/8 inch to 3/4 inch
- Although this sharpener comes with several nice features, its main drawback is that it contains poorly-written instructions
Next on our list is the Woodstock D4144, a decent sharpening jig that you can install next to your vertical bench grinder to sharpen your bits. It is very popular for being in the range of affordable sharpeners.
If you exclude the bench wheel, the sharpening tool comes in a comfortable size that can be placed on the palm of your hand.
- Although it comes in a simplified design, the 350X sharpener comes with great value for money as it works with a wide range of materials including high-speed steel, carbide, masonry and tin-coated bits
- Unlike the other Drill Doctor’s sharpeners on this list (750X and 550X), the 350X offers only one cutting angle at 118 degrees
- Although it comes in a simplified design, the 350X sharpener comes with great value for money as it works with a wide range of materials including high-speed steel, carbide, masonry and tin-coated bits
- Unlike the other Drill Doctor’s sharpeners on this list (750X and 550X), the 350X offers only one cutting angle at 118 degrees
The 350X model is the most basic bit sharpener offered by Drill Doctor. This doesn’t make it a low-quality product in any way; in fact, it is an excellent value-priced product to consider for beginners as well as casual users. It is stripped of all complex features that may be unnecessary for new users. However, it still has great features that will let you complete a basic job decently.
- This drill bit sharpener comes with three heads: a drill bit sharpener, a knife head sharpener and a chisel sharpener. The drill bit sharpener features 16 slots for different bit sizes ranging from 3 to 10mm
- This product can be tricky to master. You must be prepared to practice several times to master it, but this is the case with almost any other sharpening tool out there
- This drill bit sharpener comes with three heads: a drill bit sharpener, a knife head sharpener and a chisel sharpener. The drill bit sharpener features 16 slots for different bit sizes ranging from 3 to 10mm
- This product can be tricky to master. You must be prepared to practice several times to master it, but this is the case with almost any other sharpening tool out there
This sharpener is on our list because it offers you great value, with 3 interchangeable sharpening heads for different tools. This means you can use it to get high quality sharpening for your dull drill bits, but you can use it to sharpen other tools as well.
- This model also works on most types of materials such as high-speed steel, masonry, carbide and tin-coated bits. So, if you are not a heavy user, it should be enough to cover all your drill bits
- Most of the folks using this product found it excellent, and some even say it made their bits better than when they got it from the factory
- This model also works on most types of materials such as high-speed steel, masonry, carbide and tin-coated bits. So, if you are not a heavy user, it should be enough to cover all your drill bits
- Most of the folks using this product found it excellent, and some even say it made their bits better than when they got it from the factory
This is model is a step down from the Drill Doctor 750X we’ve seen at the top of this list. This is a good choice if you don’t often do heavy drill work that requires sharpening your bits frequently. It will not give you all the functionalities available in the step-up 750X model, but it
can still give you great benefits.
Final Thoughts
Some people still prefer to sharpen their drill bits by hand, but it can be dangerous, and it might never work for you. A better choice is to get yourself a good drill bit sharpener that will not only save you time and get the job professionally done, but will also save you money as it pays for itself after some time, instead of buying new bits each time they wear out. Our list of the best drill bit sharpeners is a good place to start hunting for a drill bit sharpener, that will help you say goodbye to dull drill bits and gets your job done perfectly.