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Which Forstner bits do you need?

Which Forstner bit rim styles to get, and how slow to run big ones.

Safety first: read the safety notes before you use any of these.

Short answer

Usually just the sizes your project calls for, run slowly, in a drill press. In Bob Vila's 2026 test of eight sets, bits with a standard or wavy rim left smooth holes, sawtooth bits cut faster but left ridged walls and bottoms, and carbide-tipped bits stayed sharp but made the drill work harder. Big bits need slow speeds: Diablo's chart puts its 1-7/8 in. bit at 700 to 1,000 RPM in hardwood, and Shop Fox's manual lists 750 RPM for that size.

What a Forstner bit does

A Forstner bit bores a clean, flat-bottomed hole. Its rim scores the wood fibers before the cutting edges lift the waste, so there’s little tearout at the top of the hole (Popular Woodworking). Because the rim, not the center point, guides the bit, it can drill holes that overlap, start on an angle, or run off the edge of a board, which twist and spade bits can’t. That makes it the bit for magnet pockets, tealight cups, hinge cups and wood plugs.

Use a drill press when you can

Popular Woodworking says Forstner bits are made mainly for drill presses, though bits of 1 in. or less can work in a hand drill once the center point has bitten in. A drill press holds the bit square to the work, gives you a depth stop for pockets that must stop at the same depth, and lets you clamp the work down.

Run big bits slowly

The bigger the bit and the harder the wood, the slower it should turn. Diablo’s speed chart lists 700 to 1,000 RPM for its 1-7/8 in. bit in hardwood, and the Shop Fox W1668 manual lists 750 RPM for bits from 1-1/8 to 1-7/8 in. in hardwood. Wood Magazine suggests going as low as 250 RPM for Forstner bits 1 in. and larger, and found that small benchtop drill presses can stall with big bits unless you feed them gently. Use the chart for your own bit when you have one.

Rim styles

The rim is the main difference between Forstner bits. In Bob Vila’s 2026 test, standard, wavy and carbide-tipped bits left smooth holes, while sawtooth rims cut faster but left ridges and dulled sooner. In Fine Woodworking’s 2008 test, most bits drilled within 0.005 in. of their size, and bits with bigger rims handled overlapping and angled holes best.

Keep the rims sharp

A clean, sharp rim matters most, and bits rolling loose in a drawer can nick it; Popular Woodworking suggests a wooden block drilled to hold the shanks. Bob Vila notes high-speed steel bits are easy to touch up on the inside edges with a slipstone or diamond file, while carbide is hard to resharpen.

Your options

Standard rim (two cutting edges)

The classic Forstner shape: a center spur, two cutting edges across the face and a smooth rim around the edge that scores the wood ahead of the cut (Bob Vila; Popular Woodworking).

Good for: Clean, flat-bottomed holes for magnets, tealights, hinge cups and plugs, plus overlapping and angled holes.

  • In Bob Vila's test, the standard twin-tooth set left smooth rims, walls and bottoms, and its edges stayed sharp.
  • Because the rim guides the bit, it can drill overlapping, angled and partial holes (Popular Woodworking). In Fine Woodworking's 2008 test, bits with the biggest rims did best on overlapping and angled holes.
  • Slower to cut than sawtooth bits, and Popular Woodworking notes Forstners in general need slow speeds.

Budget: We don't quote a price: it depends on the size and whether you buy single bits or a set.

Sawtooth rim

A rim made of many small teeth, like a coarse saw blade, designed for faster, more aggressive cutting (Bob Vila).

Good for: Fast drilling and deep holes, and holes for dowels or hardware where the inside won't show.

  • In Bob Vila's test, sawtooth sets drilled faster than standard bits, especially in bigger sizes, and left the wood around the hole clean.
  • They also left ridged walls and bottoms that would need sanding for a fine finish, and the testers found they dulled faster.
  • Bob Vila notes sawtooth bits suit end grain.

Budget: We don't quote a price. In Bob Vila's test, its best-value set was a sawtooth set.

Wavy or serrated rim

A rim with a fine wavy or serrated edge, a bit like a bread knife, meant to slice cleanly and clear chips (Bob Vila; Popular Woodworking).

Good for: Clean holes in a drill press or a hand drill, and angled holes started by hand.

  • In Bob Vila's test, the wavy-rim set drilled precise, clean holes, resisted clogging and barely loaded the drill, and the serrated premium set left smooth holes and kept its edge.
  • Popular Woodworking says knife- or wavy-edge bits under 1 in. work best for angled holes drilled by hand.

Budget: We don't quote a price. Bob Vila found the wavy and serrated sets it tested cost more than the others.

Carbide-tipped

A steel bit with tungsten carbide cutting edges bonded on, which stay sharp much longer than steel (Bob Vila).

Good for: Hardwood, MDF and melamine, and cup-hinge holes in cabinet doors (Bob Vila; Popular Woodworking).

  • Bob Vila's carbide set stayed sharp through the test and left smooth holes with no tearout.
  • It also made both the hand drill and the drill press bog down, cleared chips unevenly, and one bit chipped when dropped on concrete; carbide is also hard to resharpen (Bob Vila).
  • Popular Woodworking calls carbide-tipped bits the choice for European hinge holes in melamine or MDF.

Budget: We don't quote a price: it depends on the size and the set.

What we'd start with

Single standard-rim bits in the sizes your project calls for. Bob Vila notes that bigger sets mostly add sizes between the common ones. A standard rim left smooth holes in its test, and the rim lets you drill overlapping or partial holes later (Popular Woodworking).

See Standard rim (two cutting edges)

A set of standard- or wavy-rim bits from 1/4 in. to about 2 in. Bob Vila found most sets run from about 1/4 in. up to 2 or 2-1/8 in., and the standard and wavy-rim sets it tested left smooth holes. Store them so the rims don't knock together (Popular Woodworking).

See Wavy or serrated rim

Add carbide-tipped bits for MDF, melamine and hinge cups. They stay sharp far longer in hardwood, MDF and melamine (Bob Vila; Popular Woodworking), but they load the drill more and are hard to resharpen (Bob Vila).

See Carbide-tipped

Sources

  • Bob Vila: The best Forstner bit sets, tested and reviewed (independent test, Feb 10, 2026; checked October 22, 2026): Tested eight sets by drilling single, overlapping and angled holes in oak, pine and plywood with five same-size bits from each, in a benchtop drill press and a hand drill. Standard and wavy or serrated rims left smooth holes; sawtooth sets cut faster but left ridged walls and dulled sooner; the carbide set stayed sharp but bogged the drills down and chipped when dropped. The page uses Amazon Associates and Impact affiliate links (Home Depot, Rockler and Acme Tools) and loads Skimlinks, and says it shares in revenue from affiliate purchases.
  • Fine Woodworking: Tool test, Forstner bits (independent test, Mar/Apr 2008; checked October 15, 2026): A 2008 test of 1/2 in. and 1 in. Forstner bits from 18 brands. Most holes came out less than 0.005 in. bigger than the bit, and bits with the biggest rims did best on overlapping and angled holes, while those with little rim struggled. The site says it earns commissions through Amazon Associates and other affiliate programs.
  • Popular Woodworking: Forstner bits basics (independent guide, Mar 2, 2022; checked October 22, 2026): Explains that the rim, not the center point, guides a Forstner bit, so it can drill overlapping, angled, partial and edge holes with little tearout. Says they're meant mainly for drill presses (bits of 1 in. or less can work in a hand drill), need slow speeds within the maker's rating, and that carbide-tipped bits suit hinge holes in MDF and melamine. The site says it may earn a commission from affiliate links (network not stated).
  • Wood Magazine: Benchtop drill presses (independent test, Updated Sept 7, 2022; checked October 15, 2026): A test of eight benchtop drill presses that started with a 1 in. Forstner bit in oak and maple and stepped up to 2 in.; smaller machines stalled with the bigger bits. It suggests speeds as low as 250 RPM for Forstner bits 1 in. and larger. We found no affiliate links in the article text (we read the Internet Archive's May 2025 copy because the live page blocks automated readers).
  • Diablo: Forstner bit speed chart (maker spec page, no date shown; checked October 22, 2026): Recommended speeds for Diablo's individual Forstner bits from 1/4 to 2-1/8 in., slower for hardwood and for bigger bits; the 1-7/8 in. bit is listed at 900 to 1,500 RPM in softwood and 700 to 1,000 RPM in hardwood.
  • Shop Fox: W1668 drill press owner's manual (maker spec page, Revised Oct 2022; checked October 22, 2026): Its bit speed chart lists spade and Forstner bits of 1-1/8 to 1-7/8 in. at 1,000 RPM in softwood and 750 RPM in hardwood. Its safety rules cover clamping the work, using the right speed for each bit, starting the spindle before the bit touches the work, never clearing chips by hand or with compressed air, no gloves or loose clothing, and replacing dull or damaged bits.
  • Ryobi: DP103L drill press operator's manual (PDF hosted by Home Depot) (maker spec page, no date shown; checked October 22, 2026): A drill press maker's safety rules: clamp the work or brace it against the column, use the recommended speed for each bit, make sure the bit is locked in the chuck and the key removed before switching on, and unplug before adjustments. Its troubleshooting chart lists the wrong speed, chips not clearing, a dull bit and feeding too slowly as causes of a bit that burns or smokes.

How we picked

We didn't hands-on test these. We read independent tests and guides (Bob Vila, Fine Woodworking, Popular Woodworking and Wood Magazine) and makers' speed charts and manuals (Diablo, Shop Fox and Ryobi). Every claim on this page comes from a source linked under Sources. We only name a product when it has at least three independent sources from at least two different outlets, each naming that exact product, including at least one independent test or review, plus the maker's spec page. No Forstner bit or set met that bar yet: the strongest candidate set had a recent hands-on test from only one outlet, so this guide compares kinds of bit, not products. The page's own claims rest on at least three independent sources from at least two outlets. Fine Woodworking's test is from 2008, so we say so wherever we use it. Links were last checked on .

No paid links. Every link on this page is a plain link: no affiliate codes or tracking, and no company paid or asked to be listed (disclosure). Links open in a new tab.

Some outlets we cite get review samples from tool makers; we don't use pieces a maker paid for or sponsored.

We pick tools from independent tests and reviews, not our own testing.