Ends 2/28 at 9PM PT. 1SaleADay has the Maxtech 51043MX 120-Piece Drill Bit Set with Indexed Steel Case for $20 with free shipping. Includes multiple drill bits in common sizes with hardened titanium coating and 135-degree split point.
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I see no indication that these actually use HSS steel. Instead, the blurbs simply claim ' last up to six times longer than standard HSS bits' to which I say BSS. Coating on HSS steel may be better, but coating over peanut butter still leaves you peanut butter.
^ there doesn't seem to be much point to compare a $20 set against a $150++ set, though odds are they are HSS, just not machined to the same tolerances as more costly bits.
Seems to be a fair option for drilling wood, plastic, etc, not metal.
#1 actually depending on the coating, it could be harder than hss and thus wears better.
No question that a hard coating is better than none, although a proper lubricating coating can also be fine depending on the target material - and I would even bet that the bits are indeed HSS if I had to bet - especially if these were US made. However, coated peanut butter is still peanut butter, and the corners which many foreign firms take are almost unbelievable and intentionally confusing. Most notoriously, some bits are 'cobalt coated' and sold as cobalt steel bits; most assuredly, cobalt-coated peanut butter is peanut butter, especially when drilling stainless or hard steels (trying to drill, that should say) - which is why one would spend the money for cobalt bits - although I suppose that cobalt-coated is better than nothing.
I have nothing against the advertised bit set; in fact I have one as well as one of its sibling brad-point sets, bought for spares when needed. I cannot tell you how they perform because I actually use a good bit set, and none have given me problems yet. Also, I do not need close tolerances, as I am not a machinist, so a set of HSS bits at this price even if a bit sloppy would be fine for me. I would actually suggest getting this set at this price, but not to use for demanding work or as a primary bit set. Besides, they are always useful for relatively soft wood when a brad-point is not available, or possibly for plastic when a properly angled point is not.
Bits are one of the few things I do not buy from Harbor Freight, for example. Just too much trouble - I have gone through multiple HF bits on a single hole. A good bit set is not that much more expensive. I don't mind using a $16 HF oscillating tool for my frequency of use because they do last adequately, and I can buy half a dozen before approaching the price of a major mfgr. (And I do get at least 2 at a time!) Bits, though, I use too frequently.