Best Drill Bit Sharpeners Tested: 8 Options From Budget to Premium

Introduction

It seems like there is always at least one dull drill bit in every set. Rather than replacing the entire set, a drill bit sharpener can bring those bits back to life. We gathered eight sharpeners, ranging from a $9 drill-mounted attachment to a $350 benchtop system, and compared them across three tests: sharpening speed, how fast the sharpened bit drills through 1/2-inch mild steel, and how durable the sharpened edge holds up on a second hole.

How We Tested

All sharpeners were used on 3/8-inch (about 9.5 mm) twist drill bits. Eighteen new bits were purchased at the same time and dulled using the same process: drilling into concrete under a drill press with roughly 175 lb of downward force. As a baseline, a brand new bit drilled through 1/2-inch mild steel in 16.5 seconds at 600 to 650 rpm, while the dulled bits made almost no progress at all.

Sharpening time excludes setup, and drilling speed was measured with the same force and rpm for every bit. After the first hole, each bit drilled a second hole to measure how much performance the sharpened edge lost.

Daye Pin Drill Bit Sharpener

At $9, the Daye Pin is the least expensive sharpener in the test. It is a drill-mounted unit made of claimed high-quality ABS plastic, sharpening bits from 2 to 12.5 mm (13/64 to 1/2 inch). It weighs 82 g and is made in China. It shipped without instructions but is fairly self-explanatory: the bit goes into the largest guide and into the sharpening stone, and rotating the drill bit left and right sharpens the full cutting lip.

Sharpening took close to 3 minutes. All the marker on the tip was removed and the edge looked sharp, but the overall tip geometry did not look right. In the steel test the bit started strong, then stopped making progress at around 17 seconds, and the damage to the tip was significant. It gave up on the first attempt, so it was skipped in the durability test.

Multi-Sharp 2001

The Multi-Sharp 2001 costs $28 and is made in London, England. It is drill-driven, weighs 238 g, sharpens 3 to 13 mm bits, and works with 118 to 135 degree drill bits. Setup is involved: the sharpener clamps to a flat surface, the carriage locks into the grinding bed, and the bit is centered in a collet inside a turret before grinding.

Despite the fiddly setup, sharpening itself is fast at very close to a minute, and the finished tip geometry looked much better than the Daye Pin result. In the steel test it drilled through in 16.6 seconds, just 1/10 of a second slower than a new bit, with a clean cut. On the second hole it slowed only modestly to 17.8 seconds, and under the microscope the leading edge showed just a small amount of wear. Among 118 degree bits it was one of the most durable, losing only 7.2 percent of its speed.

Trooper Drill Bit Sharpener

The Trooper costs $35 and is an electric unit with a claimed 100 W motor. It sharpens 3 to 13 mm (1/8 to 1/2 inch) bits at 118 degrees, is made in China, and weighs 1,122 g. Operation is simple: set the stone low, insert the bit into the hole matching its diameter so the cutting edge aligns with the stone edge, then grind one edge for about 10 seconds before flipping the bit 180 degrees.

Total sharpening took close to 25 seconds, but more work was still needed, and another minute and a half was required to fully remove the damaged area. Once properly sharpened, the Trooper was the fastest 118 degree bit in the test, punching through the half-inch steel in only 9.5 seconds with large chips accumulating quickly. The cut is not as clean as the Multi-Sharp, and the edge showed a small amount of damage, but it held up slightly better. The second hole took 21 percent longer at 11.5 seconds, still good enough for second place overall on speed.

Leming Drill Bit Sharpener

At $40, this Leming electric sharpener handles twist bits from 3 to 12 mm. It is made in China, weighs 1,028 g, and uses a rotary switch to lower the grinding stone and a drill guide system where the bit is turned clockwise until it engages. Each edge was ground for about 10 seconds, flipping between passes.

Sharpening took roughly two and a half minutes total before the tip looked nice and sharp. In the steel test the bit drilled through in 12.55 seconds, good for second place behind the Trooper, though it became stuck as it broke through. It cut noticeably smoother than the Trooper. On the second hole it slowed to 14.6 seconds, losing just over 2 seconds.

Leming Multifunctional Sharpener

For just $1 more, Leming also makes a multifunctional sharpener with a 96 W motor rated at 1,350 rpm. It sharpens 3 to 13 mm drill bits and includes three attachments: the drill bit sharpener, a chisel and plane sharpener, and a knife and scissor sharpener. It is made in China and weighs 1,004 g.

The drill bit is clamped, set against a V guide, and moved side to side across the grinding wheel. Sharpening took almost two and a half minutes, with a small repositioning needed to maintain proper tip geometry. The finished geometry and leading edge looked nice and sharp. In the steel test it drilled through in 12.9 seconds, nearly matching the dedicated Leming unit, and the holes from both Leming systems looked almost identical. The bit held up very well, with only a small amount of visible wear, slowing to 14.7 seconds on the second hole.

Good Man Drill Bit Sharpener

The Good Man costs $50 and claims a 70 W motor. It sharpens 1/8 to 25/64 inch (3 to 10 mm) bits, is made in China, and weighs 936 g. Like the Leming, it uses a rotary dial to lower the stone, with the bit worked to and fro between left and right stops about ten times before flipping to grind the second edge.

Sharpening was slow. Even after almost a minute there was still a lot of work to do, and the total came to just over 3 minutes and 20 seconds. Once sharpened, though, the bit was very fast: 9.7 seconds through the half-inch steel, only 2/10 of a second behind the Trooper. The cut was fast but the hole was not as smooth as some other brands, and there was a small chip in the leading edge. The second hole took almost 30 percent longer at 12.6 seconds.

Drill Doctor 750X

At $150, the Drill Doctor 750X is made in the USA and is the heaviest sharpener tested at 1,392 g. It handles high-speed steel, masonry, carbide, cobalt, and tin-coated bits, from 3/32 inch all the way up to 3/4 inch, with point angles from 115 to 140 degrees. It is also designed to form split point tips. Bits are aligned in the chuck using an alignment port, and sharpening works by keeping the chuck against the cam pin while rocking it through half turns until the grinding noise stops.

Sharpening took 30 seconds and the bit looked nice and sharp. The 118 degree result drilled through in 14.7 seconds, faster than a new bit, with a smoother hole than most other brands. The second hole took 17.2 seconds, around 17 percent slower.

The headline result came from converting a new 118 degree bit into a 135 degree split point. Adding the split point took about one extra minute, and the result cut through the half-inch steel like a hot knife through butter: 7.9 seconds, the fastest time of the entire test, with a hole just as smooth as the 118 degree version. On the durability pass it was actually slightly faster at 7.7 seconds, showing excellent edge retention.

Preisson Drill Bit Sharpener

At $350, the Preisson is the most expensive system tested. It sharpens 3 to 13 mm twist bits at 100 to 135 degrees, doubles as an end mill sharpener with 11 collets, and claims a 4,800 rpm motor. It is made in China and weighs 8,146 g, more than five times the competition. Setup involves selecting the right collet, aligning the bit against a web adjustment shelf, and resetting a scale ring before grinding.

The first attempt did not remove enough material and the process had to be repeated twice, but once dialed in the Preisson removed material very quickly, sharpening in only 24 seconds. The 118 degree bit looked very good under the microscope but cut slowly at 19 seconds through the steel. Durability was excellent though: it slowed by only 3.7 percent on the second hole, the best of any 118 degree bit.

Forming a 135 degree split point required repositioning the bit a couple of times and added about 30 seconds of relief cutting, about twice as fast as the Drill Doctor for that step. The split point improved drilling dramatically to 13.4 seconds, and the Preisson made the cleanest, smoothest hole of any sharpener, with no visible damage or wear. On the second hole it was also faster, at 12.4 seconds.

Overall Buying Advice

Excluding setup, the Preisson is the fastest at sharpening in 24 seconds, with the Drill Doctor close behind at 30 seconds. But if drilling speed is the priority, the Drill Doctor’s 135 degree split point bit is the clear winner at 7.9 seconds, followed by the Trooper at 9.5 seconds and the Good Man at 9.7 seconds.

On durability, the Preisson and the Drill Doctor 135 degree split point bits were actually faster on the second hole than the first. Among plain 118 degree bits, the Preisson slowed only 3.7 percent and the Multi-Sharp only 7.2 percent.

Considering sharpening and drilling performance together, the Drill Doctor 750X came out on top thanks to its 135 degree split point, excellent durability, and the widest bit size range at up to 3/4 inch. At $150 it is expensive, but several cheaper options perform very well for basic twist bits, and the Multi-Sharp 2001 in particular offers remarkable value. For those who also want to sharpen chisels, planes, knives, and scissors, the Leming multifunctional unit adds that versatility for a dollar more than the single-purpose version.

Conclusion

There is a sharpener here for nearly every budget. The Daye Pin shows the limits of the cheapest option, the Multi-Sharp 2001 delivers near-new drilling performance for $28, the Trooper and Good Man offer the fastest cuts among affordable electric units, and the Drill Doctor 750X earns the top overall pick with its split point capability and durability. The Preisson remains the premium choice for the smoothest holes and excellent edge retention, with the added bonus of end mill sharpening.