So, you know that brad point drill bits are suitable for your purpose, but you still don't know what to consider when buying them. Don't worry, as there are relatively few things to remember, and they're all fairly intuitive and should come naturally to you as you go through a trial-and-error-based shopping process. However, if you want to skip the process and save yourself some time and some cash, we're happy to help. Let's dive in.
Steel - Brad tip bits are available in a variety of materials for woodworking. From softest to hardest, prices go up, these are carbon steel, high-speed steel, titanium coating, and carbide. Now that you can easily use HSS on even the hardest hardwoods, they should be your first choice. For long-term jobs that require drilling a large number of holes, carbide tips will last longer but are difficult to find. For softer woods, you can even use carbon steel. Although we don't recommend them for hardwoods.
Measurements - As we mentioned earlier, brad tip drills are smaller in diameter than a spade and Forstner drills and are typically between 3/32 and 1-1/4 inches in size. 1/16 inch is too small to be pointy. However, planning your build carefully means you don't have to buy a full set or have everything on hand, and for most simple builds, like small shelves, you probably won't need more than two different sizes. Before you commit to a specific manufacturer and buy a full set, you may want to buy individual drills.
Brand - A bad drill bit will ruin the finish and firmness of the workpiece. However, a bad drill can give you many signs of poor performance long before you reach the finished workpiece. If your drills keep shaking, or if they don't clamp properly, that's always a bad sign. If you break one by one, or if you're drilling an unbalanced hole, chances are your bit isn't real, so it's prone to chipping. If you notice your drill is getting too hot, you are either running too fast for your material, or you have a poor quality drill on hand. The point is that you need to be able to tell what's a good buy and what's not, and this usually doesn't become apparent immediately after your first job. The rate of wear or dullness is an important part of helping you make a buying decision.
That's it. Drills may not be boring (well, they're actually boring), but they're certainly not rocket science. As long as you pay attention to the three dos and don'ts we point out, you should be able to find the right bit for the job.