Best drill bits for the $$?

[Grumpy Grampy]

As far as a brand name, I prefer Irwin. They don't really cost that much more than dewonts and perform much better while lasting longer.

 

[all riders]

HUOT(brand) very good but not cheap. As with any bit, cutting oil, cutting oil, cutting oil. As stated above. speed of bit is important and the speed of bit actually should change as you go into the metal---there are charts that show appropriate speeds for bit size and metal thickness---but generally smaller bits=faster, big=slower. You want to find the speed where you get a continuous ribbon (Spiral) of metal rather than a bunch of chips. Avoid chatter! You are essentially running a lathe, but the cutter is turning and the workpiece is stationary and, as on a lathe, a long ribbon is a sign of efficient cutting. did I mention cutting oil? BTW I've gotten long life out of cheap bits by these methods