Best Drill Bits for Drilling Through Hardwood Flooring
The best bit depends on what you mean by “through” hardwood flooring. For a small pilot hole or a hole for a wire, a sharp brad-point bit usually gives the cleanest start. For a larger…
Best Cordless Drills for Fastening Screws in Softwood Framing
For fastening screws into softwood framing, an ordinary cordless drill is often enough. The best choice depends less on maximum torque than on screw length, how many fasteners you’ll drive, and whether you need one…
Best Drill Bits for Cutting Holes in Thin Carbon Steel
Thin carbon steel is easier to drill than thick plate, but it is also easier to snag, distort, and leave with a ragged hole. The best bit depends on the hole diameter, the steel’s thickness,…
Best Drywall Anchors for Attaching a Small Wall-Mounted Organizer
A small wall-mounted organizer—a key rack, mail holder or lightweight tool caddy—usually does not need a heavy-duty toggle. The right anchor depends on the organizer’s loaded weight, how far it stands off the wall and…
Best Masonry Anchors for Fixing a Shelf Bracket to a Block Wall
Fixing a shelf bracket to a block wall is less about finding the strongest-looking anchor and more about matching the fastener to the block. Concrete masonry units (CMU) may be solid, hollow, or filled with…
Best Hammer Drill Bits for Drilling into Concrete with Rebar Nearby
Concrete with rebar nearby calls for two different decisions: choose a bit that suits the concrete, and stop before a standard masonry bit chews into steel. A carbide-tipped bit is usually the right purchase for…
Best Drill Bit Sets for Woodworkers Using Spade and Auger Bits
Spade and auger bits solve different woodworking problems. Spade bits are the fast, inexpensive choice for clean-enough holes in framing, studs, and hidden work. Auger bits cut more smoothly, pull themselves through the stock, and…
Best Impact Driver Bits for Preventing Slippage on Phillips Screws
Phillips screws are easy to drive until the bit starts climbing out of the recess. With an impact driver, that can happen fast: the bit chews the screw head, slips across the workpiece, or snaps.…
Best Wall Anchors for Mounting a Light Fixture on Hollow Drywall
Start with the fixture, not the anchor A hollow-drywall anchor is suitable only when the fixture’s weight and mounting design are within the anchor’s rating. First check the fixture instructions and weigh the fixture if…
Best Cordless Drills for Drilling Small Holes in Hardwood Dowels
Small holes in hardwood dowels are easy to spoil. A bit can wander off center, the wood can split near the edge, or a drill with a grabby trigger can turn a careful start into…