The 7 Best Glass Drill Bits
Updated by · How we research
Carbide spear points, diamond core bits and rotary-tool bits for glass, mirror and tile, compared on clean holes, sizes and bit life. The Bosch GT2000 leads. When users buy our independently chosen editorial selections, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
Tempered glass can't be drilled at all: it shatters, so shower doors, glass tabletops and oven doors are off limits unless the holes were made at the factory. Plain glass, mirror, bottles and tile are fine with the right bit, a slow drill and some water. This list is for hanging a mirror, building a bottle lamp or drilling sea glass.
Editor's Notes
October 23, 2026, by Ezvid Wiki Admin:
The Bosch GT2000 moves to the top because it's the one glass bit set we found that a reviewer ran through glass tile in a real test, and it held up through dozens of holes. Six old picks are gone. The Celynd, HomeIdol and Drillpro hole saw sets and the Johouse masonry set are no longer sold, the Blendx Diamond has vanished, and the SE Diamond Burrs are grinding points rather than drill bits.
The Bosch GT3000, Neiko 00823A and Drilax 24-Piece stay. New are the Milwaukee Diamond MAX hole saws, the Tavire Dry Diamond set and the low-cost YLYL 12-Piece kit for bigger holes. The evidence was thin but clear: one independent tile and glass test, Milwaukee's own instructions for its diamond bits, two glass-drilling guides on speed and water, and a federal recall search that turned up nothing for these bits.
February 01, 2021:
Without obvious need to remove or replace any of our previous picks, it was a fairly uneventful round of updates. We did, however, find room on our rankings for two new additions. The first option – the Johouse Professional – is a versatile, six-size set that, in addition to glass, can drill through everything from plastic and wood, to tile and masonry; the second option – the Celynd Hole Saw Set – caught our eye with its inclusion of a useful jig, to help prevent drift and keep your hole saws on track.
If you’re shopping in this category, chances are that you already own a drill, but if not, you might want to check out our list of Best Brushless Drills. And once you’ve gone down that road, you may want to check out our list of Best Drill Bit Sets, for less specialized applications.
October 17, 2019:
During this update, we eliminated the Brackit 6-Piece, due to availability questions. At the same time, considering that this is a drill-bit category, we added two new drill-bit options – the Drilax Assorted Pack and the Homeidol Six-Piece Set – to supplement some of the excellent hole-saw-based options these rankings already included.
Something to consider while cruising through this category:
Read user reviews critically and, when it seems appropriate, take the with a grain of salt. As anybody with experience in the matter will tell you, drilling through glass is an arduous process requiring both an abundance of patience and technical proficiency. With such a stark contrast between user reviews in some cases – with positive reviewers gushing with praise while negative reviewers protest that they broke their bit the first time they used it – it’s tough not to wonder how much of this misfortune is resultant of human error.
Drilling through glass isn’t the same as blasting a quick hole through a 2x4. It takes a while (sometimes a matter of minutes). It requires consistent, gentle pressure. A cooling agent is ideal, and indeed often necessary to get the job done (water will usually do). Tempered glass is apt to shatter even if you check all those boxes. So, if that’s a job you’re considering, I suggest you go wide.
Remember the age-old maxim of glass drillers everywhere: be safe, be patient and have some fun. Pick one of these rankings, and get the job done!
Spear Point, Core Bit Or Rotary Bit
Three kinds of bit drill glass, and the hole you need picks the type.
Three kinds of bit drill glass, and the hole you need picks the type. A carbide spear point has a flat, wedge-shaped head that grinds a small hole and works in any drill. It's cheap and quick, but it acts a bit like a punch, so it can walk across the surface and chip the edge of the hole, and it's weaker on thick glass (Stained Glass Basics). In Bob Vila's tile bit tests, the Bosch GT2000 spear set wandered on glass until the spot was taped, then held up through dozens of holes.
A diamond core bit, sold as a diamond hole saw, is a tube with diamond grit on the rim. It grinds a ring and pops out a plug, which puts less stress on the glass, and it's the only practical way to make holes bigger than about half an inch. The hole is the same size as the bit, so a 6-millimeter bit makes a 6-millimeter hole. Diamond bits need water, and running one dry for more than a few seconds can crack the glass (Stained Glass Basics).
For sea glass, beads and jewelry, tiny diamond bits of 1 to 3 millimeters fit a rotary tool such as a Dremel. They drill pinholes and nothing larger. A single Bosch GT300 bit is a cheap way to try a spear point if you only need one hole.
Slow, Wet And Supported: How To Drill Glass
Mark the spot with masking tape or a wax pencil. Tape gives the tip something to bite and keeps it from skating. Lay the glass flat on foam or a sheet of plywood so it's supported everywhere, and never use a hammer setting (Mutual Screw).
Speed matters more than force. Mutual Screw suggests about 400 to 600 rpm for a 3/16-inch hole and 100 to 200 rpm for large bores. Keep pressure light and steady and let the bit cut. Keep the spot wet: a ring of putty around the mark holds a puddle on flat glass, and a spray bottle works on vertical tile. Milwaukee tells owners to dip its diamond hole saws in water before each cut (Milwaukee).
Drill about halfway, then turn the piece over and finish from the back. That stops the bit from blowing a chip out of the far side as it breaks through. For a big hole, start with a small pilot hole, and for a core bit, start at a slight angle until the rim bites, then stand the drill upright. Practice on a scrap piece first.
Tempered Glass, Bit Life And Safety
Tempered glass can't be drilled or cut once it's made. The process leaves the glass under so much stress that any breach shatters the whole pane into small pieces, which is why holes in shower doors and glass tabletops are made before tempering (Wikipedia). Look for a small etched mark in a corner, and if you're not sure, assume the glass is tempered and order a pre-drilled pane (Mutual Screw).
Heat is what kills glass bits. Diamond grit wears off a core bit fast when it runs dry, and a worn diamond bit can't be resharpened (Handy Manners). Check a carbide tip for chips before each job. Wax-filled dry diamond bits help on short cuts but still last longer with water.
Wear safety glasses, and handle drilled edges with gloves until they're smoothed. Keeping the work wet also keeps fine glass dust out of the air, and Stained Glass Basics suggests a respirator for dry work. We checked every brand here with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's SaferProducts.gov database and found no recalls of glass or tile bits.
How we researched this
We compared 19 glass and tile bits and sets, including spear-point, diamond core and rotary-tool bits. We read the makers' specs and instructions, one independent test of tile and glass bits by Bob Vila, glass-drilling guides from Mutual Screw and Stained Glass Basics, and searched the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's recall database for every brand.
Sources (7)
- Bob Vila: The Best Drill Bits for Tile, Tested
- Milwaukee Tool: Diamond MAX Diamond Hole Saw 3-Piece Set 49-56-0500
- Mutual Screw: Which Drill Bit Is Best for Drilling Glass
- Stained Glass Basics: Best Drill Bit for Glass
- Wikipedia: Toughened glass
- Handy Manners: Best Diamond Core Drill Bits
- U.S. CPSC SaferProducts.gov
Frequently asked questions
Can you drill tempered glass?
No. Tempered glass shatters into small pieces when it's drilled or cut, so holes have to be made before the glass is tempered. Shower doors, glass tabletops and oven doors are usually tempered. Order those panes with holes already in them.
Do I need water to drill glass?
Yes for diamond bits, which overheat and can crack the glass within seconds when dry. Carbide spear points also cut cleaner and last longer with a few drops of water on the spot.
What speed should I drill glass at?
Slow. A drill around 400 to 600 rpm suits small holes, and large core bits need even slower speeds. Never use a hammer or impact setting, and keep pressure light.
Can a Dremel drill glass?
Yes, with small diamond bits of about 1 to 3 millimeters, light pressure and the work under a thin layer of water. It's suited to sea glass, beads and jewelry, not to holes for screws.
Will a regular masonry bit drill glass?
It's a poor choice. Masonry bits are made to be hammered through brick and concrete, and the impact cracks glass. Use a carbide spear point or a diamond bit made for glass and tile.
