There are four primary types of drill bits which you will use around the house, they are used for drilling into metals, wood, brick or concrete and finally glass.
Metal drill bits, also known as HSS or twist bits are probably the most common and versatile. They can be used to drill holes in a wide range of metals and through wood. In some cases they can be used to drill into masonry surfaces however it is not advised as it usually damages the drill bit beyond repair.
The second type is a wood or brad point bit. The end of this drill bit features a sharp point which is used to drill a small pilot hole to keep the remainder of the drill bit centered when drilling. This drill bit can only be used for wood materials.
Masonry drill bits have two or four characteristic flutes on their end. The flutes assist in chiseling away at brick or concrete materials. This drill bit can only be used for masonry materials like brick, concrete or cement.
The last type of bit you may use around your house is a glass drill bit. This drill bit looks a bit like an arrow and doesn’t have the spiral pattern down the shaft like the other three. These bits usually have sharp diamond blade tips which cut through the surface of glass or glazed ceramic and porcelain tiles.