Intro
Drilling clean, accurate holes through thick steel is one of those tasks that separates serious metalworkers from weekend tinkerers. Standard twist drill bits struggle beyond a few millimetres in steel — they wander, overheat, and leave rough, oversized holes that need reaming to clean up. For anyone fabricating structural steel, building machinery, installing pipework, or working on vehicles and heavy equipment, annular cutters are a genuine game-changer. Instead of removing all the material inside the hole like a twist drill, an annular cutter only cuts the perimeter, leaving a solid slug in the centre. This means faster cutting, less heat, cleaner edges, and holes that are round and true to size straight off the tool. A good set of magnetic drill cutters in the most commonly needed diameters turns a mag drill into a precision hole-making machine that pays for itself in saved time and fewer ruined workpieces.
Generalities
Annular cutters — also called broaching cutters or core drills — are purpose-built for magnetic drilling machines, though they can also be used in pillar drills and milling machines with the right arbor. The key metrics to evaluate are the cutter material (HSS, cobalt, or carbide-tipped), the hardness rating after heat treatment (measured on the Rockwell C scale), the cutting depth, and the range of diameters included in the set. A hardness of 66 to 68 RC puts a cutter in the top tier of durability, allowing it to slice through mild steel, stainless steel, and even hardened alloys while maintaining a sharp cutting edge for hundreds of holes. Evolution Power Tools has built a strong following among fabricators and metalworking professionals by focusing on cutters that deliver exceptional hardness and longevity at a price point that makes sense for workshops of all sizes.
This review examines the Evolution Short Series 6-piece cutter set in detail: the diameter range and what it covers, the material quality and hardness, real-world cutting performance across different steel types, compatibility with magnetic drills, and how the value stacks up against individual cutter purchases. If you are kitting out a mag drill or replacing worn cutters, this will help you decide whether this set belongs in your tool cabinet.
Description
The Evolution HTCCUTKIT6S is a six-piece set of short-series annular cutters covering the most commonly used diameters: 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, and 22 millimetres, each with a 25-millimetre cutting depth. These are HSS M-2 high-speed steel cutters that Evolution heat-treats to an impressive 68 on the Rockwell C hardness scale — several points harder than standard HSS (typically 64 RC) and even surpassing many cobalt cutters (around 66 RC). The result is a cutter that holds its edge longer, cuts cleaner, and resists the softening effect of friction heat better than most competitors in this price bracket. Each cutter features a Weldon shank — the industry-standard fitting for magnetic drills — and includes a spring-loaded pilot pin that ejects the cut slug automatically after each hole.
Design-wise, these are short-series cutters, meaning a 25-millimetre maximum depth of cut — ideal for plate steel, box section, angle iron, and structural profiles up to about 20 millimetres thick (allowing clearance for the pilot pin). The twin-flute spiral design clears swarf efficiently as you cut, preventing chip packing that can cause overheating and premature wear. The cutters are finished in a distinctive orange coating that provides corrosion resistance during storage and makes them easy to spot in a crowded tool drawer. The set comes in a compact storage case measuring roughly 18 by 14 by 5 centimetres, keeping all six cutters organised and protected when not in use.
In practice, these cutters excel at what they are designed for: producing clean, round, accurately sized holes in steel plate and structural sections. Because an annular cutter only removes material from the circumference of the hole rather than the entire diameter, cutting is significantly faster than with a twist drill — a 22-millimetre hole through 10-millimetre mild steel plate takes perhaps 15 to 20 seconds with a well-lubricated cutter and a reasonably powerful mag drill. The holes come out with smooth sidewalls that rarely need deburring, and the diameter accuracy is excellent — important when you are drilling bolt holes that need to match up precisely across mating components. The pilot pin does its job reliably, ejecting the slug cleanly so you can move straight to the next hole without fishing out stuck cores.
One of the standout features of the Evolution Cyclone range is the hardness retention under heat. When cutting steel dry or with minimal lubrication — which happens more often than most fabricators would like to admit on a busy job site — standard HSS cutters can lose their temper and go dull surprisingly quickly. The 68 RC hardness of these cutters means they resist thermal softening far better, extending the usable life of each cutter well beyond what you would expect at this price. The set also includes the pilot pin, which is often sold separately with other brands. For compatibility, these fit any magnetic drill that accepts standard Weldon-shank cutters, which covers the vast majority of mag drills on the market including Evolution's own range, Hougen, Alfra, and most generic models.
The set measures a pocketable 18 by 14 by 5 centimetres and weighs approximately 1 kilogram — easy to toss into a tool bag or van rack. Evolution manufactures these cutters in the United Kingdom, and they come backed by a strong 4.6 out of 5 stars rating from over 380 customer reviews. While the best-sellers rank of number 367 in Drill Bit Sets reflects the niche nature of annular cutters rather than any quality issue, the consistently positive feedback from professional fabricators and serious hobbyists confirms these cutters deliver on their promises in real workshop conditions.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Outstanding 68 RC hardness — significantly harder than standard HSS (64 RC) and even cobalt cutters (66 RC), translating to longer edge life and better heat resistance
- Covers the six most commonly needed diameters (12 to 22 mm) in a single set — eliminates the need to buy individual cutters at higher per-piece prices
- Annular cutting action is dramatically faster than twist drills — a 22 mm hole through 10 mm mild steel takes seconds rather than minutes, with far less motor strain
- Holes come out clean, round, and accurately sized straight off the cutter — no reaming, deburring, or secondary finishing needed in most cases
- Standard Weldon shank fits virtually every magnetic drill on the market — Evolution, Hougen, Alfra, and generic mag drills without adaptors
- Spring-loaded pilot pin is included and automatically ejects the cut slug — no prying out stuck cores between holes, keeping your workflow fast and frustration-free
- Compact storage case keeps all six cutters organised and protected — the orange coating adds corrosion resistance and makes them easy to find in a busy workshop
Cons
- 25 mm cutting depth limits these to plate and section work — you cannot drill through thicker beams or stacked plates without switching to long-series cutters
- Requires a magnetic drill or a sturdy pillar drill with a Weldon arbor — these are not compatible with standard drill chucks or handheld drills
- The set only covers up to 22 mm diameter — fabricators who regularly drill 24 mm, 26 mm, or larger holes will need to buy additional cutters separately
- Proper cutting lubricant is essential for maximum cutter life — dry cutting works in a pinch but will reduce the number of holes you get per cutter
- The storage case, while functional, is basic moulded plastic — it protects the cutters adequately but lacks the robustness of a metal or foam-lined case for daily site use
Use cases
The Evolution 6-piece annular cutter set is ideal for metal fabricators, steel erectors, and serious workshop users who need fast, clean, accurately sized holes in steel plate and structural sections using a magnetic drill.
Structural Steel Fabrication
When fabricating beams, columns, and connection plates, you often need dozens of bolt holes that must align perfectly between mating parts. These cutters produce clean 12 to 22 mm holes through 10 to 20 mm plate with repeatable accuracy, and the speed advantage over twist drills means you finish fabrication jobs in a fraction of the time.
Pipework and Mechanical Installation
Running pipework through steel frameworks or mounting brackets on structural steel requires clean through-holes in awkward positions. A mag drill with these short-series cutters lets you drill vertically, horizontally, or even overhead — the Weldon shank holds firm regardless of orientation, and the pilot pin ejects slugs cleanly even when drilling upside down.
Heavy Vehicle and Equipment Repair
Repairing truck chassis, agricultural machinery, and construction equipment often means drilling through thick steel in the field. The compact size of these short cutters combined with a portable mag drill lets you bring the tool to the workpiece rather than the other way around, and the fast cutting speed minimises downtime on critical equipment.
Gate, Railing, and Balustrade Installation
Installing metal gates, railings, and balconies involves drilling mounting holes in steel posts, plates, and channels — often on site where conditions are less than ideal. The short cutting depth is a perfect match for the box section and plate thicknesses used in architectural metalwork, and the clean hole finish means bolts seat properly without wobble.
Workshop Jig and Fixture Making
Building custom jigs, fixtures, and machine tooling often requires precisely located holes in steel base plates. The accuracy and clean finish of these annular cutters produce holes that are true to diameter and perpendicular to the surface — essential when the jig itself determines the quality of everything you build with it.