A holesaw assembly (10, 110, 610, 710) comprising: a holesaw comprising a hollow cup defining a center axis, the cup having a round base perpendicular to the center axis and a peripheral wall coupled to and extending axially forward of the base to a peripheral edge (24, 624, 724) at a free end of the wall; one or more hard metal cutting inserts disposed on the peripheral edge, wherein each cutting insert includes a polygonal body having a cutting edge, a rake face extending generally axially downward from the cutting edge and disposed at a hook angle relative to a line parallel to the center axis, the hook angle being between approximately negative 10° and approximately positive 10°, a top relief face extending rotationally rearward of the cutting edge, an outer side face and an inner side face each extending generally downward from the relief face, and wherein the outer side face intersects the relief face at an outer top edge and the inner side face intersects the relief face at an inner top edge, a pilot bit (16, 116, 616, 716) received in the holesaw along the center axis, the pilot bit having a shaft (62, 162, 562)) received in the base, a cutting head (64, 164, 564) coupled to a front end of the shaft, and an at least partially threaded tip (82, 82', 182, 582) coupled to a front end of the cutting head (64, 164, 564), wherein the holesaw is free of any radial cutting elements disposed inside the cup between the pilot bit (16, 116, 616, 716) and the peripheral wall of the cup, characterised in that the outer side surface is angled radially outward in an axially forward direction F by an outer offset angle θA so that the outer top edge is offset in a radially outward direction RO from the peripheral edge by an outer offset distance Da, and the inner side surface is angled radially inward in an axially forward direction F by an inner offset angle θB so that the inner top edge is offset in a radially inward direction RI from the peripheral edge by an inner offset distance Db, and wherein the inner offset distance Db and the inner offset angle θB are greater than the outer offset distance Da and the outer offset angle θA; wherein the top relief face is beveled axially downward in a radially inward direction RI from the outer top edge to the inner top edge at a bevel angle β relative to a horizontal H; and wherein the outer side surface and the inner side surface taper inwardly toward each other from the rake face toward a trailing face by angles ωA and ωB, respectively, relative to respective lines Ya and Yb perpendicular to the cutting edge a holesaw comprising a hollow cup defining a center axis, the cup having a round base perpendicular to the center axis and a peripheral wall coupled to and extending axially forward of the base to a peripheral edge (24, 624, 724) at a free end of the wall; one or more hard metal cutting inserts disposed on the peripheral edge, wherein each cutting insert includes a polygonal body having a cutting edge, a rake face extending generally axially downward from the cutting edge and disposed at a hook angle relative to a line parallel to the center axis, the hook angle being between approximately negative 10° and approximately positive 10°, a top relief face extending rotationally rearward of the cutting edge, an outer side face and an inner side face each extending generally downward from the relief face, and wherein the outer side face intersects the relief face at an outer top edge and the inner side face intersects the relief face at an inner top edge, a pilot bit (16, 116, 616, 716) received in the holesaw along the center axis, the pilot bit having a shaft (62, 162, 562)) received in the base, a cutting head (64, 164, 564) coupled to a front end of the shaft, and an at least partially threaded tip (82, 82', 182, 582) coupled to a front end of the cutting head (64, 164, 564), wherein the holesaw is free of any radial cutting elements disposed inside the cup between the pilot bit (16, 116, 616, 716) and the peripheral wall of the cup, characterised in that the outer side surface is angled radially outward in an axially forward direction F by an outer offset angle θA so that the outer top edge is offset in a radially outward direction RO from the peripheral edge by an outer offset distance Da, and the inner side surface is angled radially inward in an axially forward direction F by an inner offset angle θB so that the inner top edge is offset in a radially inward direction RI from the peripheral edge by an inner offset distance Db, and wherein the inner offset distance Db and the inner offset angle θB are greater than the outer offset distance Da and the outer offset angle θA; wherein the top relief face is beveled axially downward in a radially inward direction RI from the outer top edge to the inner top edge at a bevel angle β relative to a horizontal H; and wherein the outer side surface and the inner side surface taper inwardly toward each other from the rake face toward a trailing face by angles ωA and ωB, respectively, relative to respective lines Ya and Yb perpendicular to the cutting edge