Choosing the best drill in Dig a Garden is the most important decision you will make for your progression. This guide compares every drill in the game to help you find the perfect one for your goals and budget.
The core gameplay loop in Dig a Garden revolves around buying drills, placing them on your plot, and letting them dig up items that you sell for Diglets. Because drills continue to dig even while you are offline, your drill selection directly impacts your passive income. However, the drill's dig speed, item rarity rates, and your inventory management all interact to determine your actual yield. Choosing a drill that digs too fast without rare drops, or one that fills your inventory too quickly while you are away, can severely bottleneck your Diglets earnings.
All Drills Ranked
Here is the complete ranking of every drill in Dig a Garden, from best to worst:
| Rank | Drill | Tier | Type | Specialty | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Galaxy Drill | S | Premium | Legendary Hunting | Premium legendary collectors |
| 2 | Mega Borer | S | F2P | Max Diglets/Hour | F2P money makers |
| 3 | Deep Piercer | A | F2P | Rare Item Discovery | F2P legendary hunters |
| 4 | Turbo Digger | A | F2P | Fast Dig Speed | Mid-game speed lovers |
| 5 | Group Drill | A | F2P | Free Group Perk | Early-game boost |
| 6 | Standard Borer | B | F2P | Reliable Mid-Game | Budget mid-game |
| 7 | Starter Drill | C | F2P | Starting Out | First drill only |
To give you a clearer picture of how these drills stack up numerically, here is a detailed stat comparison. Note that Diglets per hour assumes a fully emptied inventory over a sustained active play session, while the Legendary Drop Rate indicates the base chance of pulling a massive-value item.
| Drill | Dig Speed (Items/Min) | Est. Diglets/Hour (Active) | Legendary Drop Rate | Cost (Diglets) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Galaxy Drill | 2.5 | 45,000+ | 5.0% | Off-sale (Premium) |
| Mega Borer | 2.2 | 38,000+ | 2.5% | 250,000 |
| Deep Piercer | 1.5 | 28,000+ | 3.5% | 120,000 |
| Turbo Digger | 2.4 | 25,000+ | 1.2% | 80,000 |
| Group Drill | 1.8 | 22,000+ | 1.5% | Free (Group Join) |
| Standard Borer | 1.2 | 15,000+ | 0.8% | 25,000 |
| Starter Drill | 0.8 | 6,000+ | 0.2% | Free (Default) |
How to Unlock Every Drill
Progressing through the drill tiers requires a solid understanding of the game's economy. When you first spawn into The Heap's drill simulator, you are given the Starter Drill. From there, you must strategically sell your dug items to climb the upgrade ladder. Below is a walkthrough on how to unlock each major drill efficiently.
Starter Drill to Standard Borer Your very first goal is to escape the painfully slow Starter Drill. Focus on staying active, emptying your inventory frequently, and selling Common and Unusual items. Within 30 to 45 minutes of active play, you should have the 25,000 Diglets needed for the Standard Borer. Do not go offline with the Starter Drill if possible, as its slow speed makes offline gains negligible.
Standard Borer to Group Drill / Turbo Digger Once you have the Standard Borer, your income rate increases substantially. Before buying the Turbo Digger, you should immediately claim the free Group Drill. Simply navigate to the game's menu, click the "Join Group" button, and join The Heap. You will instantly be rewarded with the A-tier Group Drill, completely bypassing the need to save for the Turbo Digger if you prefer to skip it. However, if you want faster dig speeds, save the 80,000 Diglets for the Turbo Digger.
Saving for the Deep Piercer and Mega Borer The jump to A-tier and S-tier drills requires significant capital. Use your Group Drill or Turbo Digger to farm Scarce items. During this phase, always prioritize expanding your inventory capacity before buying your next drill. If your inventory fills up while you are saving for the Mega Borer, you are losing out on hours of passive income. Once your inventory can hold at least an hour's worth of items, save the 120,000 Diglets for the Deep Piercer, and eventually the 250,000 Diglets for the Mega Borer.
The Best F2P Drill: Mega Borer
For the vast majority of players, the Mega Borer is the best drill in Dig a Garden. It is an S-tier F2P drill with the highest Diglets-per-hour rate among free options. Here is why it takes the top spot:
- Highest Diglets/Hour: No other F2P drill earns Diglets as efficiently
- Strong item quality: Finds Scarce items regularly, occasional Legendaries
- Cost-effective: Pays for itself within 5-10 hours of gameplay
- Widely available: All players can obtain it through regular gameplay
The Mega Borer is the drill every F2P player should work toward. It is the cornerstone of an efficient Diglets earning strategy. Once equipped, your active play sessions will yield enough Diglets to comfortably fund all other game upgrades, including cosmetics, plot expansions, and further inventory enhancements. Its balance of dig speed and item rarity ensures that you aren't just digging up worthless Common items, but consistently pulling in high-value Scarce goods.
The Best Premium Drill: Galaxy Drill
The Galaxy Drill is the best drill overall for legendary item hunting. Its superior legendary drop rate makes it the premium choice for collectors:
- Highest legendary drop rate: Finds legendary items more often than any other drill
- Very fast dig speed: Comparable to the Mega Borer
- Premium only: Currently off-sale through the Galaxy Gamepass
However, the Galaxy Drill is not significantly better than the Mega Borer for pure Diglets earnings. The premium advantage is specifically in legendary item discovery, not overall money-making. Because Legendary items are incredibly volatile in their drop rates, the Galaxy Drill's income can fluctuate wildly. You might have a massive 100,000 Diglet hour followed by a dry spell, whereas the Mega Borer provides steady, reliable income. If the Galaxy Gamepass ever returns to the Roblox store, it is highly recommended for dedicated players who want to bypass the F2P grind and focus on collection, but pure number-crunchers may find the Mega Borer sufficient for their monetary needs.
Understanding Drill Mechanics and Offline Progression
A unique and crucial aspect of Dig a Garden is the offline progression system. Your drills will continue to dig on your plot even when you are not in the game. However, this system is governed by a critical rule: inventory caps block earnings. If your inventory reaches its maximum capacity, your drills will stop digging until you log back in and sell your items.
This means that having the fastest drill is not always the best choice for offline gains if your inventory is small. A Turbo Digger might fill a low-tier inventory in just 30 minutes, meaning an 8-hour sleep cycle results in 7.5 hours of a completely idle drill. Conversely, a Deep Piercer digs slower but finds higher-value items, meaning it might take 2 hours to fill the same inventory, resulting in better overnight yields.
| Drill | Time to Fill Base Inventory (30 Slots) | Time to Fill Upgraded Inventory (100 Slots) | Offline Efficiency Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Galaxy Drill | ~12 minutes | ~40 minutes | Low (Without upgrades) |
| Mega Borer | ~14 minutes | ~45 minutes | Low (Without upgrades) |
| Deep Piercer | ~20 minutes | ~67 minutes | Medium |
| Turbo Digger | ~13 minutes | ~42 minutes | Low (Without upgrades) |
| Group Drill | ~17 minutes | ~56 minutes | Medium |
| Standard Borer | ~25 minutes | ~83 minutes | High (Early game) |
| Starter Drill | ~38 minutes | ~125 minutes | High (Base stats) |
As the table illustrates, if you plan to be away from the game for an extended period, you must upgrade your inventory capacity before investing in high-tier drills. Always check your inventory limits before logging off.
Optimal Plot Layouts and Drill Synergies
As you progress, you will unlock the ability to place multiple drills on your plot simultaneously. This introduces the concept of drill synergies. Instead of filling your plot with identical drills, mixing different types can balance out your weaknesses and optimize your overall yield.
The Hybrid F2P Layout The most effective F2P layout combines the raw earning power of the Mega Borer with the legendary-seeking capability of the Deep Piercer. A recommended setup is placing two Mega Borers for every one Deep Piercer. This ensures a steady stream of Diglets from the Borers while the Piercer acts as a lottery ticket, occasionally spitting out a massive Legendary payout.
The Speed-Flipping Layout For players who can actively check the game every 20-30 minutes (such as playing on a mobile device while doing other tasks), a layout full of Turbo Diggers can be incredibly lucrative. Because you are constantly emptying the inventory, the caps do not have time to trigger. This maximizes the Turbo Digger's high dig speed, though it requires significant active attention.
| Layout Strategy | Drill Composition | Best For | Playstyle Requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
| The F2P Standard | 2x Mega Borer, 1x Deep Piercer | Balanced Diglets & Legendaries | Semi-AFK (Check every hour) |
| The Collector | 3x Deep Piercer | Maximizing Legendary drops | Long AFK sessions (High Inv cap) |
| The Grindset | 3x Turbo Digger | Maximum items dug per hour | Highly Active (Check every 20 mins) |
| The Premium Whale | 2x Galaxy Drill, 1x Mega Borer | Dominating the leaderboards | Any (Requires high Inv cap) |
Best Drill for Each Stage
Choosing the right drill also depends on where you are in your Dig a Garden journey. Below is a quick reference table to guide your upgrades based on your current stage.
| Stage | Best Drill | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Group Drill (free) | A-tier for free — join The Heap group |
| Early Game | Standard Borer | Affordable first upgrade from Starter |
| Mid Game | Turbo Digger | Fast dig speed for frequent item collection |
| Late Game | Deep Piercer | Best F2P for rare and legendary finds |
| End Game | Mega Borer | Best F2P for maximum Diglets/hour |
| Premium | Galaxy Drill | Best overall for legendary hunting |
FAQ
Q: Is the Mega Borer really S-tier? A: Yes. The Mega Borer earns the highest Diglets-per-hour among all F2P drills, making it S-tier for money-making. It is the best free drill in the game.
Q: Should I use Deep Piercers or Mega Borers? A: Depends on your goal. Mega Borers for maximum Diglets/hour, Deep Piercers for better legendary drop rates. Most players start with Mega Borers and mix in Deep Piercers later.
Q: Is the Galaxy Drill worth waiting for? A: It is currently off-sale. Focus on F2P drills (especially Mega Borer) for now. If the Galaxy Gamepass returns, consider it only if legendary hunting is your priority.
Q: How much better is S-tier than A-tier? A: The difference is significant. S-tier drills earn roughly 50-100% more Diglets per hour than A-tier drills. Always upgrade to S-tier as soon as you can afford it.
Q: How do inventory caps affect my overnight earnings? A: If your inventory fills up while you are offline, your drills stop working entirely. This means if your inventory fills in one hour, an 8-hour sleep session only yields one hour of items. Always upgrade your inventory capacity before investing in faster, high-tier drills to ensure your offline progression isn't wasted.
Q: How do I claim the free Group Drill? A: Simply open the menu in-game, click the social media or group button, and join The Heap Roblox group. Once joined, re-enter the game or click the claim button, and the A-tier Group Drill will be added to your inventory for free.
Q: Should I keep my old drills after upgrading? A: Yes! You can place multiple drills on your plot at the same time. Keeping your old drills running alongside your new ones is a great way to boost your overall items per minute, provided your inventory can handle the increased input rate.