Step drill bits

A step drill bit, comprising:

• a body defining a rotational axis and including a front end, a rear end, a plurality of cylindrical steps of increasing diameter from the front end toward the rear end, and a flute extending rearwardly from the front end toward the rear end, each step defining a cutting edge at a junction between the step and the flute;
• a shank coupled to the rear end and receivable in a power tool;
• and
• a cutting insert non-removably coupled to the front end and having a hardness greater than a hardness of the body, the cutting insert at least partially defining a cutting head including a center cutting tip, a cutting edge extending radially outward from the cutting tip, a rake face extending from the cutting edge toward the rear end, a relief face extending from the cutting edge in a circumferential direction opposite a rotational cutting direction of the step drill bit, and a chip clearing recess in communication with the flute and facing the rake face in the rotational cutting direction of the step drill bit.