How to create drainage holes in containers?

[horticultural_hobbit]

The pots got holes, and I had to find stickin plasters

[veggiechicken]

I use a small kitchen knife and stab through the yoghurt pot, then make 2 slits in a X. You can either push in the points of the X or snip them off. If its flimsy plastic pots I stack a couple together to give them rigidity before making the stab!

[esbo]

slightly sideways of the OP's question- is there a way to put holes in the base of yogurt pots (both the small single serve and the big pots) to use for potting that doesn't involve melting plastic, which I find horribly noxious. Also milk bottles (which make good 3 inch pots when cut down... if I can get sufficient drainage in them!)

I used to take a screw driver or other suitable punch like implement and then place the pot
on the lawn, bottom down, then put the screwdriver where you want the hole and hit it with
a hammer through the bottom of the pot into the soil.
Works very well with things like margarine tubs, just depends what sort of plastic and how thick it is.
You can whack a lot of hole in pretty quick.
The key is having a soft but firm surface to support the pot when you hit the punch through.

[esbo]

I use a small kitchen knife and stab through the pot, then make 2 slits in a X. You can either push in the points of the X or snip them off. If its flimsy plastic pots I stack a couple together to give them rigidity before making the stab!

works well if you do it on a soft surface like a lawn, avoids the risk of stabbing yourself.

[bikergirl]

For putting holes in the big pots I have a Dremel type rotary tool (not dremel, I bought a cheap one) which holds a drill bit and goes through my large plastic tubs no issue at all. I did 25 tubs in a couple of minutes.