Pcb Drill Bit vs End Mill: Which One Should You Buy?
4 CNC listings compared: 2 pcb drill bits for circuit board holes and 2 end mills for metals, one of them a counterbore cutter.
On this page
Top picks at a glance
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- 1
Genmitsu 50pcs Tungsten Carbide End Mill Router Bits9.6/10View on Amazon - 2
SPEED TIGER ISE Carbide End Mill 1/8”9.8/10View on Amazon - 3
10PCS 1/8'' Shank 0.5mm End Mill CNC Bit Set9.6/10View on Amazon - 4
50 pcs Micro Drill Bit SetView on Amazon - 5
10 Pack 1 mm Drill Bit Micro Drill Bits 1/8 Inch ShankView on Amazon - 6
Nxtop 10Pcs 2mm Titanium Coat Carbide End Mill EngravingView on Amazon - 7
LIBOQIAO 10Pcs 0.6mm Carbide End Mill Engraving MillingView on Amazon - 8
uxcell 10Pcs 0.8mm Carbide End Mill Engraving Milling CutterView on Amazon - 9
Aexit 1mmx7mm Corn End Mills Teeth TiN Coated Carbide MillingView on Amazon
A circuit board project starts with tiny holes for pins and pads, while a metal part starts with a slot or a pocket that a spinning cutter shapes. The two jobs look similar on a CNC bench, but the listings describe different cutters for them. This guide compares pcb drill bit vs end mill, with a short verdict on who should pick which side.
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Verdict: pick a pcb drill bit for drilling small holes in circuit boards, and pick an end mill for milling metals and for counterbore holes for bolts. The uxcell and Lothee listings cover drilling, while the SPEED TIGER and Akozon listings cover milling. Choose by the cut, not by the cutter alone.
Machines on the list
uxcell PCB Drill Bits 0.9mm Tungsten Carbide
A 0.9mm tungsten carbide pcb drill bit with a 1/8 inch shank (approx.) and a spiral flute edge, sold as a pack of 10 pieces for PCB drilling machines, engraving machines and CNC work.
Pros
- 0.9mm cutting edge diameter with a 9.5mm cutting edge length
- Tungsten carbide with high hardness, wear resistance and strength
- Spiral flute edge reduces cutting force and discharges chips
- Positioning ring design can reduce installation and commissioning time
Cons
- Single size only, with no size range in the listing
- No warranty term is stated
- Shank figures are marked approximate in the bullets
- No coating is stated
Lothee 30 Pcs Micro Drill Bits Set Tungsten
A set of 30 tungsten carbide micro drill bits in sizes from 0.3 mm to 1.2 mm, in 3 sets, for circuit board drilling, jewelry and mini precision holes.
Pros
- Sizes from 0.3 mm to 1.2 mm, with 3 pieces of each size
- 30 pieces in 3 sets
- Spiral cutting edge reduces cutting force and helps prevent drill breakage
- Anti-vibration blade design for stable, reliable engraving
Cons
- No warranty term is stated
- Bullets name both tungsten steel and tungsten carbide for the material
- Packing is described as both 3 boxes and a single box
- No shank diameter is stated
SPEED TIGER EISE 1/4" Carbide Square End Mill
A 1/4 inch carbide square end mill with 4 flutes and an AlTiN coating, sold as a set of 2 pieces for alloy steels, hardened steels, aluminum, copper and cast iron.
Pros
- Micrograin carbide with AlTiN coating for hot hardness and oxidation resistance
- 4 flutes for milling steels, aluminum, copper and cast iron
- Stated for alloy steels, hardened steels and pre-hardened steels
- Carbide and coating pairing described as giving wear and chipping resistance
Cons
- No warranty term is stated
- Title names HRC 50 while bullets say best use for materials HRC less than 50
- No shank size is stated
- No cutting length is stated
Akozon 5pcs M3-M8 Slotting Counterbore End Mill
A slotting counterbore end mill cutter set in high-speed steel, in sizes from 3mm to 8mm, for cutting holes that allow bolts or screw heads to be screwed in.
Pros
- Counterbore design for holes that take bolts or screw heads
- High-speed steel with high toughness, wear and hardness for high-speed cutting
- High alignment accuracy between the cutting hole and bottom hole
- Countersunk design reduces the time spent changing tools
Cons
- No warranty term is stated
- Title says 5pcs while the spec table says NumberOfItems 1
- Spec table gives 0.0 inch dimensions, which do not describe the cutter
- No shank size is stated
Other machines to compare
50 pcs Micro Drill Bit SetCheck price on Amazon
10 Pack 1 mm Drill Bit Micro Drill Bits 1/8 Inch ShankCheck price on Amazon
Nxtop 10Pcs 2mm Titanium Coat Carbide End Mill EngravingCheck price on Amazon
LIBOQIAO 10Pcs 0.6mm Carbide End Mill Engraving MillingCheck price on Amazon
uxcell 10Pcs 0.8mm Carbide End Mill Engraving Milling CutterCheck price on Amazon
Aexit 1mmx7mm Corn End Mills Teeth TiN Coated Carbide MillingCheck price on Amazon
Pcb drill bit vs end mill side by side
| Spec | uxcell PCB Drill Bit | Lothee Micro Drill Set | SPEED TIGER End Mill | Akozon Counterbore Set |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HQ Score | 61 | 59 | 57 | 53 |
| Side | pcb drill bit | pcb drill bit | end mill | end mill |
| Cutting size | 0.9mm | 0.3-1.2 mm | 1/4 in | 3mm;4mm;5mm;6mm;8mm |
| Material | Tungsten Carbide | Tungsten carbide | Micrograin carbide, AlTiN coating | High-speed steel |
| Flutes / cutting edge | Spiral flute | Spiral cutting edge | 4 flutes | Slotting counterbore |
| Pack size | 10 Pcs | 30 pieces in 3 sets | 2pcs | 5pcs (title) |
| Shank | 1/8 inch (approx.) | Diameter not stated | Diameter not stated | Diameter not stated |
| Listed for | PC boards, plastics, wood, soft metals | Circuit boards, jewelry, plastics | Steels, aluminum, copper, cast iron | Copper, aluminum, steel, cast iron |
Specifications are manufacturer rated, as published on each listing and collected 29 October 2026.
Drilling holes or milling shapes
The pcb drill bit listings describe drilling: the uxcell bit drills PC boards, plastics, fiberglass, wood and soft metals, and the Lothee set drills circuit boards, jewelry, amber beeswax, hardware and plastics. The end mill listings describe milling: the SPEED TIGER mill cuts steels, aluminum, copper and cast iron, and the Akozon cutter mills copper, aluminum, steel and cast iron while cutting counterbore holes for bolts. The sides share no diameter figure that would rank them, so the job picks the side.
Size and pack
The Lothee set spans 0.3 mm to 1.2 mm with 3 pieces of each size, and the uxcell bit is a single 0.9mm size in a pack of 10, with a 1/8 inch shank (approx.). The SPEED TIGER mill is 1/4 in in a set of 2 pieces, and the Akozon set is titled 5pcs in sizes from 3mm to 8mm. Only the uxcell listing states a shank size.
Materials
The SPEED TIGER mill uses micrograin carbide with an AlTiN coating, and the Akozon cutter uses high-speed steel. The uxcell bit uses tungsten carbide, while the Lothee listing uses both tungsten steel and tungsten carbide wording, with tungsten carbide in the title.
Flutes and cutting edges
The uxcell and Lothee listings describe spiral edges for drilling, with chip discharge on the uxcell bit and reduced cutting force on both. The SPEED TIGER mill has 4 flutes for milling metal, and the Akozon cutter is shaped for counterbore holes with stated alignment accuracy. The edge shape follows the job.
Choose a pcb drill bit if
- You need small holes in circuit boards or jewelry pieces.
- You want sizes from 0.3 mm to 1.2 mm, or a single 0.9mm size.
- Your machine takes a 1/8 inch shank.
Choose an end mill if
- You need to mill steels, aluminum, copper or cast iron.
- You need a counterbore cut for bolts or screw heads.
- You want the SPEED TIGER 1/4 in carbide end mill with 4 flutes.
For more tooling options, see best pcb drill bit set and end mill vs drill bit for CNC.
Keep hands clear of the cutter while the machine runs, and use a cutter only on materials its listing names.
Project Match
- Circuit board holes: the uxcell 0.9mm bit or the Lothee set.
- Jewelry and mini precision holes: the Lothee set.
- Milling steels, aluminum, copper and cast iron: the SPEED TIGER end mill.
- Counterbore holes for bolts or screw heads: the Akozon set.
FAQ: lasers and CNC
Can a pcb drill bit mill a slot?
The listings describe pcb drill bits for drilling holes, and end mills for milling. For milling work, the end mill listings are the match.
Can an end mill drill a hole?
The Akozon listing describes a counterbore end mill for cutting holes that allow bolts or screw heads to be screwed in. For tiny circuit board holes, the drill bit listings are the match.
What sizes are in the Lothee set?
Sizes from 0.3 mm to 1.2 mm, with 3 pieces of each size, 30 pieces in 3 sets.
What does the SPEED TIGER end mill cut?
Steels, aluminum, copper and cast iron, with the HRC wording noted in its review.
Do the two sides share a shank size?
Not stated. Only the uxcell listing states a shank size, 1/8 inch (approx.), so no shared shank figure can be compared across the sides.
Related: cnc tooling, drill bits for CNC and best center drill countersink set.
