If you want one compact fractional set for everyday woodworking, the DEWALT DW1720 6-Pc. Brad Point Bit Set is the best overall pick. Its six common sizes cover a lot of shelf-pin, jig, hardware, and general shop work without asking you to buy a big index full of bits that may sit untouched. The better choice changes when you work from metric plans or need a much wider fractional range, though.
Brad-point bits earn their place when hole location and a clean entry matter. The center point gives you a positive start on your layout mark, while the outer cutting edges score the hole before the rest of the bit removes material. They are a better fit for ordinary round holes in wood than a general-purpose twist-bit set. For a flat-bottomed recess, a concealed hinge cup, or a large overlapping hole, reach for a Forstner bit instead.
Best Overall: DEWALT DW1720 6-Pc. Brad Point Bit Set
The DEWALT DW1720 makes sense for the small shop that needs the common fractional sizes: 1/8, 3/16, 1/4, 5/16, 3/8, and 1/2 inch. That is a practical group for repeated shop tasks, especially when you are drilling pilot holes, hardware holes, simple dowel layouts, and jigs.
DEWALT specifies high-speed steel construction, a brad-point tip, cutting edges intended to reduce splintering, and flutes designed to clear chips. The company also lists a one-year warranty. Those details do not prove that this set will outlast every premium option, but they do explain why it is the sensible all-around fractional starting point.
Best for: woodworkers who want a compact, familiar-brand set for common fractional holes and do not need a full index.
Skip it if: your plans and hardware call for metric sizes, or you regularly need the in-between fractional sizes that a six-piece set leaves out.
Pros: useful core sizes; straightforward fractional system; manufacturer-backed one-year warranty.
Cons: limited to six sizes; not the right answer for broad hardware matching or metric work.
Compact Metric Alternative: Fisch FSF-134893 8-Pc. Brad Point Drill Bit Set
The Fisch FSF-134893 8-Pc. set is the pick for a maker using metric plans, metric hardware, or a project system that keeps sending you back to 3 through 10 mm holes. Its eight bits cover every whole-millimeter size in that range: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 mm.
That compact metric spread is its real advantage. Instead of adapting a fractional set and hoping the nearest size works, you have the sizes the plan calls for. Retailer documentation describes this set for wood, MDF, and acrylic glass and notes beveled edges and optimized spurs. Treat those as product-design details, not a promise of flawless holes in every material.
Best for: furniture builders and hobbyists following metric plans or fitting metric hardware.
Skip it if: most of your work, accessories, and hardware are sized in fractions of an inch.
Pros: clear 3–10 mm coverage; compact eight-bit assortment; avoids metric-to-fractional compromises.
Cons: its metric sizes will not replace a broad fractional index; no warranty claim is included here because the available evidence does not support one.
Broad Fractional Upgrade: Fisch FSF-364757 29-Pc. Chrome Vanadium Brad Point Drill Bit Set
Choose the Fisch FSF-364757 29-Pc. set when a core set has become the bottleneck. It spans 1/16 through 1/2 inch, which is useful when you build jigs often, match varied fractional hardware, or need a closer fit than the usual half-dozen sizes can offer.
The documented specifications include chrome-vanadium steel, double flutes, a ground center point, and reduced shanks on the larger bits for 3/8-inch drill chucks. The practical reason to buy this set is coverage, not a vague promise that more pieces automatically make better holes. A broad index is worthwhile only when you will use its in-between sizes.
Best for: a busy small shop that repeatedly drills a range of fractional holes for fixtures, jigs, and hardware.
Skip it if: you mostly use a few common sizes and would rather keep the tool drawer simple.
Pros: wide 1/16–1/2-inch coverage; documented reduced shanks on larger bits; useful for varied fractional layouts.
Cons: more storage and more choices than many small shops need; it is an upgrade for coverage, not a proven durability winner.
How to get cleaner holes from any set
Start with a sharp layout mark, support the back face with a sacrificial board when breakout matters, and clamp small workpieces instead of holding them by hand. On a drill press, set the work flat and let the bit cut without forcing it. With a handheld drill, keep the drill square to the face and clear chips on deeper holes. A good bit helps, but setup still decides whether the exit side looks clean.
Final recommendation
Buy the DEWALT DW1720 6-Pc. Brad Point Bit Set if your work lives in the common fractional sizes. Pick the Fisch FSF-134893 8-Pc. Metric Set when your plans are metric, and move to the Fisch FSF-364757 29-Pc. Fractional Set only when broader size coverage will save you real time.
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