www.ultimatehandyman.co.uk

Recently had to re cut a stud bolt and struggled with my cheapy tap and die set.
Looking for recommendations for taps and dies and asking if it's even sensible to buy a set rather than a good die and tap holder and dies and taps as I need them.

You're probably sorted by now. I'd get HSS taps in common sizes, depending on what you need to do.
Mine are first taper. You don't really need "plug" (no taper) unless you're tapping blind holes.
I've just looked, I've got M4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, and 16.
I've got a cheapy carbon steel set as well. Dies in that set aren't "split dies" so not adjustable, more like "die nuts" which are used for cleaning threads.
Dies get used more for cleaning up than for threading in my experience. A proper thread file is handy too.
https://bit.ly/2DuDDgw
Get dies as you need them.
Sets are nice, but a good HSS set's expensive, and you won't use it all.
I used to have a lovely set of BA taps and dies when I was working as an industrial sparks.
Taps got used quite a bit. Dies hardly ever.

Thanks Dave,