Diablo Hole Saw Review

Almost every power tool manufacturer has some sort of power tool accessory such as a hole saw.  But as you know they are not all created equal.  Over the years we have reviewed some great hole saw kits and others that probably shouldn’t be on the market.  So how does the Diablo stack up?  Let’s jump in and check out the Diablo Hole Saw Review.

Diablo Hole Saw Review Overview

If you are a plumber or carpenter, you know how important it is to have the right tools for the job ahead.  You need to have a sharp and reliable hole saw that gets the job done fast and the job done right.  Diablo is a name that has been around for a long time and they are known for their quality products that stay sharp.

So when we found out about the Diablo Bi-Metal hole saw kit, we knew it was something we wanted to try out.

Diablo Hole Saw Review Features

The Diablo kit comes in a nice hard plastic case which will keep you organized and protect the cups when not in use.

The hole saw kit is a 9 piece kit.

• 5 Cups
• 1 Mandrel
• 1 Pilot Bit
• 2 Adaptor Nuts

The Diablo cups are a Bi-Metal cup.  The advantages of a bi-metal blade are that the hardened edge of the blade stays sharp longer than a standard carbon blade and the spring steel body allows the blade to flex without breaking, which is common among carbon body blades.

This gives the cups 20x longer life in metal and nail embedded wood.

The sides of the cups have holes which means it’s easy to access and remove the plugs.  Also, it means less heat build-up and less warping.

You can also remove the plug by releasing the cup from the Mandrel and inserting the pilot bit through the shank and pushing out the plug.

The teeth are set up in an alternating pattern which means a more aggressive and faster cut.  The 2″ cup has carbide tips.

The adapter nut is replaceable.  This type of set up means a user can quickly set up their cups.  The system comes with two extra which is good for use with other brands of hole saws.

Diablo uses a quick attachment style to attach and release the cups from the mandrel.  Just pull back on the collar, insert the cup and release.

Diablo Hole Saw Review Performance

Diablo is known for speed and durability.  The one thing you can really notice about this system is how fast it can cut.  We have used other hole saws that are slower and occasionally the teeth would grab and take you for a ride.  With the Diablo bits, they cruised through the wood and it was still easy to control the drill and the speed.

Taking the plug out is easy.  You can either use a screwdriver and pry it out through one of the side slots or take the cup off and insert the drill bit through the hollow shanks and eject the plug.  Either way, it’s easy.

While Diablo created an extremely fast and reliable way to attach the cut to the Mandrel, it does present an issue.  When using a smaller size cup, when the cup goes through the wood, it will release the quick system and the cup will fall off.  Not a huge deal, it’s just more frustrating.  The kit comes with 5 cups so it only happens on the 3/4″, 7/8″ and the 1-1/8″.

Diablo Hole Saw Review Value

The Diablo Hole Saw kit retails for about $40 on The Home Depot website.  As you would expect there are kits that are cheaper and some that are more expensive.  Considering this is a bi-metal kit, it’s a little pricey compared to its competition, but not by a lot.  However, I would still take the Diablo over the other similar products in this class.

Diablo Hole Saw Review Final Thoughts

Overall this is a great kit at a pretty decent value.  I love the plastic case which means it’s easy to organize and access different sizes.  The most important aspect is the cutting ability, which this kit offers.  While I love the quick change system, it can be a pain for certain applications and the saw bit coming apart from the shank.  Overall it’s a great kit and worth the money.