Tough Cuts and Clean Results: Milwaukee Hole Saws Deliver Time After Time
Hole saws are essential accessories for HVAC techs, electricians, plumbers, and contractors alike. But with so many options on the market, how do you decide what’s right for you? Today, I’m going to dive into three carbide hole saw sets from Milwaukee so that you can decide which one is right for you!
Why You Should Consider Carbide Teeth on Hole Saws
Carbide isn’t new to hole saws, not by a long shot. Several of the top brands have wood-cutting hole saws with a few carbide teeth that drastically out-pace your standard bi-metal saw. However, finding carbide on a wood-cutting hole saw with a similar number of teeth to a bi-metal model isn’t all too common.
The benefits of carbide are well-known to anyone who’s familiar with modern circular saw blades and drill bits. Utilizing carbide teeth greatly improves the useful life and effectiveness of a blade when compared to standard bi-metal accessories. In fact, it also opens up the ability to cut through a much broader range of materials (including much tougher ones) that would otherwise devastate bi-metal hole saws in a flash.
There is certainly a cost consideration, though. Carbide hole saws come with a premium price tag, but the improved performance, longevity, and broader application are all key factors to keep in mind.
If you look at the cost per hole of bi-metal compared to carbide, carbide ends up costing less over the life of the hole saw. In fact, some of these Milwaukee carbide hole saws have a useable life up to 50 times greater than their bi-metal counterparts.
Still, if lighter materials and applications are on the menu, Milwaukee’s bi-metal set is still a formidable option.
Milwaukee Big Hawg 7-Piece Carbide Hole Saw Set (49-56-9280)
- Included Sizes: 2-1/8 in., 2-9/16 in., 3-5/8 in.
- Wood and Masonry pilot bits
- Quick-change arbor
- Diamond sharpening file
The Big Hawg Carbide Tooth Hole Saw Set is designed for professionals tackling tough materials such as nail-embedded wood, masonry, and more. The seven-piece set includes hole saws in sizes 3 5/8-inches, 2-9/16 inches, and 2-1/8 inches, along with quick-change arbor, a diamond sharpening stone, and both masonry and wood pilot bits.
This set is ideal for heavy-duty applications and includes many of the common sizes used by plumbers. The large carbide teeth quickly chew through dense materials, and the deep grooves make it easy to remove the plug after the cut is complete. Additionally, these hole saws don’t have any type of flange, so the saw can pass all the way through the material without getting hung up.
During our testing, these saws displayed confident cutting power and were arguably the fastest out of the group. This is mainly due to the larger carbide teeth, despite there only being three to speak of. These holes saws are great for cutting through nail-embedded wood, cement board, plaster, cement block, and even shingles.
The 7-piece set retails for $139.97 and comes in a sturdy blow mold case.
Milwaukee Hole Dozer 9-Piece Large Diameter Hole Saw Set (49-22-4009)
- Included Sizes: 1 in, 1-1/4 in, 1-1/2 in, 2 in, 2-1/2 in
- Two Thunderbolt 1/4 x 3-1/2 in. High Speed steel pilot bits
- Quick-change 3/8-inch arbor with arbor adapter
- Ideal for general contractors
For lighter applications, the Hole Dozer Bi-Metal Hole Saw Set is a reliable choice. This nine-piece set includes five hole saw sizes ranging from 1-inch to 2-1/2 inches, along with a 3/8-inch quick-change arbor, arbor adapter, spare pilot bit, and an arbor spacer.
The bi-metal construction makes it suitable for cutting nail-embedded wood, light metal sheet goods, aluminum, and other basic construction materials. The large “Swiss-cheese” hole pattern helps dissipate heat quickly, and makes it easy to remove the plug using a screwdriver.
Unlike the other two sets in this article, these hole saws do not have carbide teeth, but don’t let that make you hesitate. These saws performed great during our testing and managed to fly through our 2x yellow pine board in a matter of seconds.
One cool thing about this set is that Milwaukee includes a drilling guide with RPM recommendations to match the material you’re working with. Following this guide will help extend the life of your hole saws and ensure the best end results for your project.
This 9-piece set retails for $54.97 and comes in a compact storage case.
Milwaukee Hole Dozer Carbide 12-Piece Hole Saw Set (49-22-3090)
- Included Sizes: 7/8 in, 1 in, 1-1/8 in, 1-3/8 in, 1-3/4 in, 2 in, 2-1/4 in, 2-1/2 in
- Two 1/4-inch Cobalt pilot bits
- 7/16-inch Quick-change and 3/8-inch small shank arbor
- Ideal for general construction and contractor needs
The Hole Dozer Carbide Tooth Hole Saw Set takes things up a notch in terms of performance, durability, and longevity. This set of holes saws range in size from 7/8-inch up to 2-1/2 inches, so you get a ton of versatility. Milwaukee includes a 7/17-inch quick-change arbor, 3/8-inch arbor, two 1/4-inch cobalt pilot bits, and a compact storage case.
These carbide hole saws can tackle everything that the standard Hole Dozer hole saws can handle, but with the addition of stainless steel, fiberglass board, and heavier gauge steel. The carbide teeth add an extra layer of durability, which leads to longer useful life and better performance.
While they look similar in design, our hands-on testing proved that there was a clear difference on the performance side. The 3 TPI design made extremely quick work of our 2x yellow pine test board and punched through in about 9 seconds on average. This out-paced the standard Hole Dozer by 3.5 seconds, on average, during our testing. While it may not seem like a significant margin, faster cutting speed means less wear and tear on the tool, and allows you to be more productive on your job.
This 12-piece carbide hole saw set retails for $144.97.
Final Thoughts
Since Milwaukee conceived and launched its modern line of hole saws, the development team has had its eye on ways to improve these tools for the way Pros use them. Whether it’s high-performance carbide or innovation within a bi-metal design, Milwaukee’s focus on durability, performance, and ease of use make these tools a solid investment for any toolbox. If you rely on hole saws to help you make a living, Milwaukee has a solution to get the job done faster and easier.
