They're not that bad, but they bite slowly (the tips are wide and don't have a coating like other drill bits), and drilling is slow for the same reason. The hole is clean, no chips. I doubt they will work on metal without rising out of the pilot hole, the wide heads are for masonry and not versatile in my opinion. I mean you can try, but that doesn't mean you should. However, I've never tried hex drill bits and I will admit that it's very nice because the drill bits don't slip in a homemade drill bit that isn't tightened with a drill chuck. I have never invested in them because the bits fill up so quickly. I will keep them for use in construction projects.