The Best Drill Bit Sharpeners for 2024

Having the best drill bit sharpeners for your workshop is essential, anyone who uses or has used drill bits knows that it is really important that the drill bit is sharp enough to drill into whatever it is you are trying to drill in to.

Having a drill bit sharpening system can provide a number of benefits. For one, it can help to extend the lifespan of your drill bits. This is because a sharp drill bit is able to cut through materials more efficiently and with less effort, which means that it will not become dull as quickly.

Another benefit of having a drill bit sharpening system is that it can help to improve the accuracy and precision of your drilling. A sharp drill bit is able to make clean, precise cuts, which can be particularly important when working on projects that require a high level of precision, such as when drilling holes for screws or other fasteners.

We’ve all had situations where we’re drilling away and just aren’t getting anywhere, that’s because the drill is dull. No matter how hard you push that drill it just isn’t doing what you want it to do, so what do you do?

You’ve got two choices here, you either throw away that dull drill bit and buy a new sharp bit or you sharpen up that dull bit and get that job done.

The Best Drill Bit Sharpeners Reviewed

Editor’s Award	Brand
Best Drill Bit Sharpener For Small Shops Or Businesses	DAREX Drill Bit Sharpener – Model: V390 Capacity: 1/8″ to 3/4″
Alternative Pick | Best Drill Bit Sharpener	Drill Doctor 750X Drill Bit Sharpener
Best Budget Drill Bit Sharpener	Drill Doctor DD350X 350X Drill Bit Sharpener

Best Drill Bit Sharpener For Small Shops Or Businesses: DAREX Drill Bit Sharpener – Model: V390 Capacity: 1/8″ to 3/4″

If you run a small shop or business or maybe just want the ultimate drill sharpener for your own personal use at home, then this is definitely the machine to buy. Each and every one of these Darex V-390 drill sharpening machines are hand made, I mean come on, just looking at it gives you that knowing feeling that this is definitely up for the job.

So what’s so special about this Darex machine that made us give it the title of Best Drill Bit Sharpener For Small Shops Or Businesses, well to start with, Quality.

The precise engineering that goes into making one of these is amazing. Yes, we know it’s gonna put a dent in your wallet but, believe us when we say it’ll put a smile on your face when you get to use it and see just how well this machine performs. And as for that dent in your wallet, well it’ll smooth out in no time with the money saved from not having to buy new drill bits every time one goes dull.

Nothing special about getting this machine powered up, it just plugs right into your standard electrical power outlet, the Darex V390 is rated at only 4.5 Amp, ( 1/3 HP ) so very little power used here.

As for the weight, well as you’d expect with all that engineering it not gonna be light, it comes in at 23.8 pounds. This isn’t a bad thing at all, this is the kind of machine that should be in a set position, not being moved about from place to place. A bit of weight keeps this thing from moving about when it’s doing its magic, so in this case, weight is good.

The Darex V390 comes equipped with a 180 Grit, 3-inch, diameter Borazon ( Cubic Boron Nitride ) Wheel, that spins at a maximum speed of 3,450 RPM. Cubic Boron Nitride, by the way, is one of the hardest known materials, almost matching the hardness of diamond it’s perfect for using on high-speed steel and cobalt drill bits. If you use a lot of Carbide drill bits too, and you’d like to put new life into those dull bits, then a diamond wheel is an option to add here, they’re sold separately.

A simple 3-step system, Align, sharpen and split is the process used here that brings new life back into those dull drill bits. Recommended use is around 35 to 50 drill bits per week, obviously more can be done, just a bit of extra maintenance required if dealing with higher volumes of drill bits, there’s also an option of attaching a grit vacuum to help you keep things running smoothly.

Drill bits ranging from 1/8in – 3/4in (3-19mm) can be sharpened at angles ranging from 118° to 140° most drill bits are sharpened at 118° or at 135°. A 118° angle is generally used for drilling into softer materials, although it can puncture through steel, and as we’ve all found out to our cost, doing so causes it to dull quicker. A 135° angle is generally used for drilling into hardened material.

It really does make sense having your own drill bit sharpening machine not only because of the money-saving aspect of not having to buy in new drill bits every time one goes dull. But also if you are running a small shop or business then the last thing you want is productivity slowed because of time wasted trying to work with dull drill bits. And, as we all know, trying to work with dull drill bits, is dangerous too.

What We Like:

• Build Quality – Each and every one of these Darex V-390 drill sharpening machines are hand made in the US, a quality product that’s for sure.
• Simple to use – It really is just a 3 step process, Align, Sharpen, Split, job done.
• Capacity – Great for 35 – 50 drills a week, planning on doing more? then just keep it regularly maintained.
• Options – Sharpening options of between 118°-140° this covers all your needs.

Things to Consider:

• Price – Yes it might seem like a lot of money to be spending on a drill bit sharpening machine, but if you get through a lot of drill bits then this will definitely save you money in the end.
• Suitability – Great for small shops or Businesses, but would you get enough use out of it for home use?

Check the latest price on Amazon.

Alternative Pick | Best Drill Bit Sharpener: Drill Doctor 750X Drill Bit Sharpener

The reason we chose this as our alternative pick was very easy really. This drill bit sharpener is of a professional standard, aimed at appealing to professionals and the serious tool user, it does everything that you need it to do, and a whole lot more too.

Let’s run through the features of this machine.

The first thing we’ll look at is the sharpening range this machine can handle.

Like I said before, this machine will do everything you want and a whole lot more, so what do I mean by that?

Well, you can sharpen up dull high-speed steel, masonry, cobalt, and TiN-coated drill bits, ranging from 3/32 inch to 3/4 inch in this drill bit sharpener. And what’s more, and this is what really set’s this machine apart from the other models out there, is that you can put broken drill bits into it and it will bring those back to life too.

With this machine, which by the way comes with a 180 grit diamond sharpening wheel already installed for you, you have the ability to sharpen drill bits at any angle between, 115° to 140°. You’ve got options here that you probably won’t use very often, you see, most drill bits are sharpened at 118° or at 135°.

A 118° angle is generally used for drilling into softer materials like cold-rolled steel, aluminum, and wood. Whereas a 135° angle ( usually split point ) is generally used for drilling into hardened materials like tempered steels, hard alloys or hard cast materials.

As for the actual sharpening process, it’s done in 3 easy stages. Align, Sharpen and Split.

Firstly you need to align the bit, this ensures precise geometry, and makes sure just the right amount is removed from the bit during the sharpening process. This alignment is done by putting the bit into the chuck loosely and inserting the chuck into the alignment port of the machine, the bit is then pushed into alignment. Then remove the chuck and tighten the bit in place.

Next is the actual sharpening stage, the V-block jaws hold the bit tightly in position, even when working with small bits, ensuring that the bit doesn’t twist about when the sharpening process begins. Then all that’s let to do is sharpen up that dull bit, simply by inserting the chuck into the sharpening port in the Drill Doctor, then give the chuck an even number of half turns to achieve a perfectly sharpened drill bit.

Then finally Split the point, if you want to. Simply by putting the chuck with the sharpened drill bit in, into the split point port in the Drill Doctor, give it a couple of turns and then it’s job done.

You want more options to play around with, you’ve got it.

How about creating or removing split points, What’s a Split Point? A split point helps to stop the drill bit wandering about when you start off drilling, often described as self-centering, so the need to center punch is effectively eliminated.

Also, you don’t have to work as hard because less force is needed, in fact, up to 70%, less thrust is required to drill a hole with a split point drill bit, compared to non-split or conventional point drill bits.

Then there’s the adjustable material take-off option, what this basically does is, it allows you to adjust the amount of material removed during sharpening. You can also add a vacuum attachment to this machine to keep any dust created, safely taken care of.

Included with the Drill Doctor 750X Drill Bit Sharpener is a handy carry case to keep it safe when transporting it around or for when it’s not in use and you want to store it away. Not that it takes up much room, of course, measuring just 5.75 inches in depth, 13.75 inches in width and 11.75 inches in height.

As for the weight of this machine, it weighs in at only 6.6 lbs, which we thought was a good weight, as it helps to stop the machine from moving about when in use. This drill bit sharpener comes with 6 feet of cord and will plug straight into your regular electrical outlet points. It doesn’t use much electric power either, just 1.75amps supplies the permanent magnet motor.

What We Like:

• Quality – Well built machine, strong and fit for purpose.
• Features – Packed with features, so much choice and control over the sharpening process.
• Repair Broken Drill Bits – Amazingly brings broken drill bits back to life.
• Diamond sharpening wheel – 180 grit diamond sharpening wheel comes already installed for you.
• Warranty – 3-year warranty, that’s how confidant Drill Doctor is about their product.

Things to Consider:

• Suitability – This is a professional standard machine, are you going to get enough use out of it.
• Cost – We think it’s great value for the money, but if this machine does more than you need and is out of your price range, then check out our Best Budget Option Drill Bit Sharpener choice.

Check the latest price on Amazon.

Best Budget Drill Bit Sharpener: Drill Doctor DD350X 350X Drill Bit Sharpener

The Drill Doctor 350X drill bit sharpener is our choice, I know, we’ve just reviewed a Drill Doctor machine. But let’s face it, they have a long history in the making of drill bit sharpening machines so whatever your price range is, chances are they will have something to fit your needs.

The thing that really impressed me about this budget range option was that it still has plenty to offer when it comes down to functionality.

Ideally suited for use in a home workshop, this drill bit sharpener comes equipped was an industrial-strength diamond sharpening wheel.

Standard bit sizes from 3/32″ to 1/2″ can be sharpened to a set angle of 118°. No options to adjust the sharpening angle here but as a guide, a 118° angle is generally used for drilling into softer materials like cold-rolled steel, aluminum, and wood.

As for the actual sharpening process, it’s done in just 2 stages, align and sharpen and it’s pretty straight forward too.

Firstly you need to align the bit, this ensures precise geometry, and makes sure just the right amount is removed from the bit during the sharpening process. This alignment is done by putting the bit into the chuck loosely and inserting the chuck into the Drill Doctor machine, the bit is then pushed into alignment. Then remove the chuck and tighten the bit in place.

The V-block jaws hold the bit tightly in position, even when working with small bits, ensuring that the bit doesn’t twist about when the sharpening process begins. Then all that’s let to do is sharpen up that dull bit, simply by inserting the chuck into the Drill Doctor again, give the chuck an even number of half turns to achieve a perfect 118° angled, sharpened drill bit.

What We Like:

• Build quality – Industrial standard, this thing is put together well, designed and assembled in the US.
• Features – Not as many as the dearer options obviously, but if you just want a drill bit sharpener that’ll sharpen bits to 118° easily, then this is the one for you.
• Usability – Really easy to use, just a two-step process to bring those dull bits back to life.

Things to Consider:

• Options – Set sharpening angle of 118° is the only option available on this machine. If you have drill bits that require an angle of 135° which are generally used for drilling into hardened materials like tempered steels, hard alloys or hard cast materials, then you’ll need to check out our Drill Doctor 750X Drill Bit Sharpener review above.

Check the latest price on Amazon.