Drill Hole Saws Price Comparison
Compare 688 drill hole saws from Bosch, Makita, FEIN and more — find the best price across top UK retailers, from 3 £ to 85 £.
Drill Hole Saws price comparison UK
Hole saws are one of those tools that look deceptively simple — a toothed cylinder on a shank — yet the difference between a cheap one and the right one can mean the difference between a clean, precise cut and a ruined workpiece. We've analysed 688 products across this category, and the spread tells a clear story: prices range from 3 £ for a basic single Draper Tools cup right up to 85 £ for professional FEIN or RUKO sets designed for continuous industrial use.
Bosch dominates by sheer volume, with 163 references averaging around 16 £ — their bi-metal range is a solid all-rounder for tradespeople cutting through wood, plastic and mild steel. Makita sits at a noticeably lower average price point and offers excellent value for occasional use. At the other end, FEIN commands a premium that's genuinely justified: their carbide-tipped saws last significantly longer on abrasive materials, making the cost-per-hole calculation far more favourable on a busy site. RUKO is the outlier here — a specialist brand with the highest average price in the category, aimed squarely at metalworking professionals who need precision and longevity above all else.
Draper Tools is the most widely stocked brand across UK retailers, which explains why their individual saws dominate the most-compared products on this page. You'll find them at Screwfix, B&Q, and Amazon.co.uk, often with next-day delivery. They're perfectly adequate for DIY and light trade work — just don't expect them to hold an edge through stainless steel or fibre cement. For that, you're looking at the 15 £-and-above bracket, where carbide and bi-metal construction genuinely earns its keep.
One thing worth flagging: kits look attractive on paper, but check the diameters included before buying. A 13-piece set full of sizes you'll never use is worse value than three individual saws in the diameters you actually need. For most domestic jobs — fitting door locks, running cables through joists, installing recessed lights — a 25 mm, 51 mm and 68 mm saw will cover the vast majority of tasks. If you're cutting sheet materials with a circular saw as well, it's worth comparing the full jigsaw and reciprocating saw blade range for complementary cutting tools. Tradespeople working with metal frameworks may also want to cross-reference the diamond blade section for harder substrates.
Black Friday and the January sales are historically the best moments to stock up on hole saw kits — Bosch and Makita sets regularly see 20–30% reductions at Currys and Amazon during these periods. If you're not in a rush, setting a price alert is a smart move before committing to a full kit at full price.
How to Choose the Right Drill Hole Saw
With prices spanning from 3 £ to 85 £ and materials ranging from softwood to stainless steel, picking the wrong hole saw is an easy mistake. The key isn't just diameter — it's matching the tooth geometry, shank type and blade material to what you're actually cutting. Here's what actually matters.
Cutting diameter for your application
This is the non-negotiable starting point. Common sizes for domestic work are 25 mm (door locks, small cable runs), 51 mm (standard back boxes), 68 mm (recessed downlights) and 76 mm (soil pipe fittings). Tradespeople should measure twice — a 1 mm error in diameter means the fitting won't seat correctly. If you're buying a kit, verify every diameter listed, not just the headline count.
Blade material matched to what you're cutting
This is where most buyers go wrong. HSS (high-speed steel) saws handle wood, plasterboard and thin plastic adequately and sit at the lower end of the price range. Bi-metal construction (HSS teeth on a flexible steel body) is the sweet spot for mixed-material work — wood with embedded nails, thin sheet metal, plastic conduit. Carbide-tipped saws, as found in the FEIN and RUKO ranges, are for abrasive or hard materials: fibre cement, stainless steel, ceramic tiles. Using an HSS saw on stainless will blunt it within a single hole. Don't skimp on this match.
Shank compatibility with your drill
A hole saw is useless if it won't fit your drill's chuck. The vast majority of consumer and trade drills accept a standard hex (6.35 mm) or round shank arbor, which covers most Bosch, Makita and Draper kits. If you're using an SDS-Plus rotary hammer for masonry work, you'll need a dedicated SDS arbor — check before buying. Some premium sets include multiple arbors; budget sets often don't include one at all, so factor that cost in.
Pilot drill: present or absent
A central pilot drill guides the saw onto the mark and prevents it skating across the surface on start-up — critical on tiles, metal and painted surfaces. Most quality saws include one; some budget individual cups don't. If yours is missing, you'll need to centre-punch and pre-drill a pilot hole manually. For occasional DIY use, manageable. For repetitive trade work, a missing pilot drill is a genuine productivity problem.
Kit vs. individual saws: the value calculation
Kits look like better value, and sometimes they are — particularly the Bosch 11-piece sets, which cover the most-used diameters in a single purchase. But a kit priced in the 10 £ to 15 £ range that includes eight sizes you'll never use is worse value than two individual saws at 7 £ each. Be honest about which diameters you'll actually reach for. Professionals who cut the same size repeatedly every day are often better served by a single high-quality cup than a budget multi-pack.
Longevity and cost-per-hole on demanding materials
A Draper Tools saw at 3 £ might cut 50 clean holes in softwood before the teeth dull. A FEIN carbide cup at ten times the price might cut 500+ holes in fibre cement without losing edge. Do the maths for your use case. For a one-off DIY job, the cheap option wins. For a plumber or electrician cutting 20 holes a day, the premium tool pays for itself within a week. RUKO's average price is the highest in this category precisely because their target customer understands this calculation.
- Budget picks (From 3 £ to 7 £) : Mostly individual Draper Tools cups in common diameters. Fine for occasional DIY in wood and plasterboard. Don't expect longevity on harder materials, and arbors are often sold separately. Good for a one-off job where you won't need the saw again.
- The practical sweet spot (From 7 £ to 10 £) : Where Makita and mid-range Draper sets sit. Bi-metal construction starts appearing here, making these saws genuinely useful for mixed-material trade work. Individual Bosch bi-metal cups also fall in this bracket. Our recommendation for most DIYers and light tradespeople.
- Serious trade territory (From 10 £ to 15 £) : Multi-piece Bosch and Makita kits, plus entry-level LENOX saws. Expect proper bi-metal or early carbide construction, included arbors, and noticeably better finish quality. Worth the step up if you're cutting regularly or need consistent results across different materials.
- Professional and specialist (Over 15 £) : FEIN, RUKO and large Bosch professional kits. Carbide-tipped, built for longevity on abrasive and hard materials. The cost-per-hole maths works out in favour of these on a busy site. Overkill for DIY — but if you're cutting stainless, fibre cement or ceramic daily, there's no real alternative.
Top products
- Draper Tools 71982 drill hole saw (Draper Tools) : The most widely compared individual cup in this category — solid for DIY wood and plasterboard work, but don't push it on anything harder. Best value when you only need one specific diameter.
- Draper Tools 99326 drill hole saw (Draper Tools) : The priciest Draper entry in the top products and likely a set or larger-diameter cup. A step up from the entry-level cups — worth comparing if you need a bigger cut without jumping to Bosch prices.
- Bosch 2 608 900 447 drill hole saw 11 pc(s) (Bosch) : The standout kit in this top 15. Eleven pieces covering the most-used diameters, Bosch bi-metal quality, and available across major UK retailers. Expensive upfront but genuinely the best all-in-one option for tradespeople. Overkill for a one-off DIY job.
- Draper Tools 34867 drill hole saw (Draper Tools) : One of the cheapest entry points in the category with six competing offers — ideal if you need a small-diameter cup for a single job and don't want to overspend. Manage expectations on longevity.
- LENOX 10507836 drill hole saw 1 pc(s) (LENOX) : The only non-Bosch, non-Draper product in the top 15 by offers — LENOX's reputation for bi-metal quality is well-earned. Noticeably pricier than Draper, but the edge retention on mixed materials justifies the gap for regular users.
Related categories
Frequently Asked Questions
What size hole saw do I need for a standard UK back box?
A 51 mm hole saw cuts the correct opening for a standard single UK back box. Double back boxes typically require a 76 mm cut. Always check the back box manufacturer's specification, as some slim-profile boxes have slightly different requirements. Using the wrong size means either a gap around the fitting or, worse, a hole that's too small to seat the box flush.
Can I use a wood hole saw on metal?
No — using a wood-rated HSS hole saw on metal will blunt it almost immediately and risks overheating the blade. For cutting through mild steel or aluminium, you need a bi-metal hole saw at minimum. For stainless steel, a carbide-tipped saw is the only sensible choice. The material rating is usually printed on the cup itself; if it isn't, treat it as wood-only.
Do hole saws come with an arbor, or do I need to buy one separately?
It depends on the product — kits almost always include an arbor, but individual cups frequently do not. Budget Draper Tools cups, for example, are sold without an arbor as standard. Check the product listing carefully before buying. A standard quick-release arbor for hex-shank drills costs very little, but it's an annoying extra purchase if you weren't expecting it.
What's the best hole saw brand for professional use in 2026?
FEIN and RUKO are the standout choices for professional, high-frequency use — particularly on hard or abrasive materials. FEIN's carbide-tipped saws are widely trusted by electricians and plumbers for their longevity. RUKO commands the highest average price in this category and is aimed at metalworking specialists. For general trade work across mixed materials, Bosch bi-metal remains the most practical balance of performance and availability at UK retailers like Screwfix and Toolstation.
Should I avoid cheap hole saw kits from unknown brands?
Yes — unbranded or very cheap kits are a false economy for anything beyond a single one-off job. The teeth on budget cups often lose their set after just a handful of cuts, and the arbors can be poorly machined, causing wobble that ruins the hole finish. Stick to known brands: even Draper Tools, which sits at the budget end of the named-brand market, offers far more consistency than generic imports. If the kit price seems too good to be true, the steel quality almost certainly is.
How do I stop a hole saw from wandering when I start cutting?
The pilot drill is your first line of defence — make sure yours is sharp and properly centred in the arbor. On slippery surfaces like tiles or painted metal, centre-punch the start point before drilling. Start at low speed (under 500 rpm for larger diameters) and apply steady, even pressure rather than forcing the saw. On tiles specifically, masking tape over the surface reduces skating significantly at the start of the cut.
What cutting speed should I use for different materials?
As a rule, larger diameters and harder materials require lower speeds. For wood with a 25–50 mm saw, 1,000–2,000 rpm is typical. For metal, drop to 500–1,000 rpm and use cutting fluid. For ceramic tiles, go even slower — under 500 rpm — and never use a hammer action. Running a hole saw too fast generates heat that destroys the teeth and can crack brittle materials. Most quality saws have the recommended speed range printed on the cup or in the packaging.