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The Black & Decker 17-Piece Drill Bit Set has been around forever. Any new home renovator has probably been tempted by the sight of that crystal-clear case full of gleaming drill bits for...cheap. Is it worth it?

If you're just starting out, you can do worse than buying the ubiquitous Black & Decker 17-Piece Drill Bit Set. It seems to be everywhere, and almost always cheaper than any other brand out there.

Cheap is about the only good thing about it, though. Black & Decker gives you 2 of the four smallest drill bits--because they know that these bits snap like a toothpick at the slightest pressure.

Bad Case Design

But the thing I really dislike about this set--and about a lot of Black & Decker accessories--is the cases are mainly there to sell the item in the store, and are worthless to the tool user. The 17-Piece Drill Bit set handsomely displays the bits in a vertical fashion in a clear plastic case, but it's a dumb way to store them for "real use": the case is too big to fit neatly into a toolbox, and slipping bits into the sized holes is difficult when particles get between the bit and the hole. Not only that, but the way the bits are displayed forces you to pull them out via the sharp end of the bit.

A minor detail? Hardly. You spend so much time taking bits in and out that you want the process to go smoothly.

Better Option - DeWalt Set

Spend a little more and get an improved version of this.

Black & Decker owns DeWalt, a professional line of power tools and accessories. The DeWalt set of 17 drill bits comes in a nice, flat case that fits in your tool case, and the bits are titanium, so they won't break as easily.

Drill Bit Size Ranges

• 1/16"
• 5/64"
• 3/32"
• 7/64"
• 1/8"
• 9/64"
• 5/32"
• 11/64"
• 3/16"
• 1/4"
• 7/32"
• 5/16"
• 3/8"