S+ and S Tier — Endgame Champions
Cosmic Drill (S+, $1M/s, Mythic rarity) sits alone at the top. Nothing else approaches its base CPS before skins and mutations. If you own one with a Rainbow skin (50x) or Cosmic mutation (100x), you have effectively won standard progression and should focus on leaderboard placement and collector flex.
Mythic Drill (S, $100K/s, Legendary) is the realistic endgame target for dedicated farmers. Mega Crate ($500,000) bulk sessions with full luck stacking produce Mythic drops at a rate that rewards patience and economy discipline. Every Ruby Crate you open is a stepping stone toward affording Mega batches that can drop Mythic.
Both S-tier drills demand mutation and skin investment. An unmutated, unskinned Mythic still earns more than any lower tier, but the gap between "good" and "godlike" is the difference between $100K/s and $100M/s effective. Budget Rainbow skins and Cosmic mutation hunts for your S-tier tiles exclusively.
A Tier — Mid-to-Late Game Workhorses
Diamond Drill (A, $10K/s, Epic) and Ruby Drill (A, $1K/s, Rare) anchor most players' mid-game transition. Ruby drops are common enough from Ruby Crates ($15,000) that you will own several before your first Mythic. Diamond drills bridge the gap between Ruby income and Mega Crate affordability.
A-tier drills shine with Golden (8x) and Diamond (20x) mutations. A mutated Ruby can temporarily out-earn an unmutated Gold drill — which is why our tier list considers mutation ceiling, not just base CPS.
When plotting replacements, cluster A-tier drills near your Speed Totem (+20% CPS) and apply Gold skins (5x) minimum. These drills fund Diamond and Mega crate purchases if you reinvest aggressively on login.
B and C Tier — Stepping Stones
Gold Drill (B, $200/s, Rare) and Steel Drill (B, $50/s, Uncommon) dominate the early-to-mid transition from Wood spam. Gold drops from Gold Crates ($2,500) feel impactful when your total CPS is still under $1K/s. Steel is the workhorse from Silver ($500) and Bronze ($150) crates.
Iron Drill (C, $15/s, Uncommon) and Copper Drill (C, $5/s, Common) fill plots during the first sessions. They are D-tier in power but S-tier in ROI efficiency because Wood Crates ($25) pay for them immediately.
Do not emotionally attach to B-tier drills. The moment Ruby-tier replacements arrive, move B-tier units to secondary plots or sell them. Attachment to a favorite Gold drill has funded many stalled progressions.
D Tier and Tier List Methodology
Basic Drill (D, $1/s, Common) is the tutorial-tier drop. Place it if it is all you have, replace it within minutes via more Wood Crates. Basic drills earn offline, but at $1/s they exist to teach placement mechanics — not to stay on your plot overnight.
Our tier list ranks by effective progression value: base CPS, mutation multiplier ceiling, skin compatibility, and crate accessibility. A drill that is easy to get but caps at $200/s ranks lower than a harder chase that scales to $100M/s mutated.
Cross-reference this tier list with our Drills item page for full stat tables and the Mutations guide for stacking math. Tier labels shift slightly when Handcrafted Games rebalance crate pools — we update rankings after every major patch.
Related Pages
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best drill in Make a Drill Farm?
The Cosmic Drill (S+ tier, $1M/s base CPS, Mythic rarity) is the highest-performing standard drill. Mythic Drill ($100K/s, S tier) is the best realistic chase for most players opening Mega Crates.
Which drill is best for early game?
Copper and Iron drills from Wood and Bronze crates are fine starters, but any placed drill beats none. Prioritize filling your plot over waiting for rare drops in the first hour.
How does drill tier affect mutations?
Higher base CPS drills amplify mutation value more. A Cosmic mutation (100x) on a Mythic drill ($100K/s) vastly outperforms the same mutation on a Steel drill ($50/s). Tier list rank assumes mutation stacking potential.
Should I replace lower-tier drills immediately?
Replace when you have a higher-tier drill ready to place on the same tile. Never leave a slot empty. Sell or store replaced D-tier and C-tier drills once your CPS exceeds $10K/s total.
Where do Mythic and Cosmic drills drop?
Mythic drills primarily drop from Mega Crates ($500,000) and rarely from Diamond Crates ($75,000). Cosmic drills are the rarest Mega Crate outcome with Luck Totem III and mutation passes active.