When ice fishing, the one thing that separates you from the fish is the ice. The best way to combat this problem is by investing in a quality ice auger. There are numerous ice augers out on the market these days that are powered differently. You can power some by hand, a drill, gas, or even an electric battery. So, we put together this review to help you find the best ice augers to meet your needs.
Please, stick around as we discuss what characteristics make an ice auger exceptional. In addition, we’ll also help you figure out what size holes you should be drilling. Now, here is a glance at our top picks for 2022.
Hook and Bullet’s Top 5 Best Ice Augers for 2022
| PRODUCT | FEATURES | ||
|---|---|---|---|
 | Eskimo 6-inch Hand Auger |
| Check The Price! |
 | StrikeMaster 7-Inch Lazer Blade Hand Auger |
| Check The Price! |
 | Eskimo Pistol Bit |
| Check The Price! |
 | ION 39300 10-Inch Electric Ice Auger |
| Check The Price! |
 | Eskimo Mako 43cc 8-10 Quantum Gas Auger |
| Check The Price! |
Why Can You Trust Us?
We want to ensure our anglers have the best gear out there no matter the season. Whether that means helping you find quality saltwater rods in the summer or sensitive ice fishing rods in the winter. Thus, we know the importance of having a dependable ice auger for ice fishing. These machines need to be reliable, efficient, and easy to transport.
So, after some browsing and extensive research, we narrowed down our search to name these five products. Let’s take a closer look at why we think these ice augers are the best on the market.
Best for the Budget
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Eskimo’s 6-inch hand auger is simple, inexpensive, lightweight, and cuts through ice smoothly.
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Why We Like It: Assuming you don’t own a cordless drill, hand augers are an excellent and affordable option for new ice anglers. This Eskimo hand auger has a sleek and simple design, making it straightforward to use. Also, this item only weighs seven pounds, so you know it will be super portable and painless to transport. This lightweight design is especially great for days when the ice is too thin for snowmobiles and you have to travel long distances on foot.
Not only is this auger light, but it’s also durable and has sharp blades. For instance, these dual-flat blades have no problem cutting through thick ice with minimal slippage.
Who Should Buy It: Beginner ice anglers looking for affordable starter equipment.
Best Hand Auger
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The StrikeMaster’s durable, chrome-alloy stainless steel blades are ready to cut through all ice thicknesses.
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Why We Like It: My favorite thing about hand augers is how lightweight and reliable they can be. Whether you’re powering this Strikemaster by hand or with a cordless drill, you’ll be impressed with how quickly it cuts. Plus, its blades are also powder-coated to reduce icy build-up. You can tell Strikemaster designed this auger with efficiency in mind, from its comfortable and adjustable handle to its precise cutting ability.
Who Should Buy It: Anglers searching for a lightweight and dependable hand auger.
Best Auger Drill Bit
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Eskimo’s Pistol Bit is lightweight, long-lasting, and accurately cuts through ice.
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Why We Like It: If you’re tired of carrying around your grandpa’s heavy, hand-me-down gas auger, this Eskimo Pistol bit may be the solution. This drill bit features a nylon/polymer material to give you the durability to make multiple cuts while staying lightweight.
At first glance, you can tell Eskimo engineered this bit wisely, from its bit-saving top plate to its centering ice point for precise cutting. In addition, another highlight worth mentioning is its aluminum inner-shaft, which transfers power effectively. So, you can cut through ice smoothly and effortlessly.
Who Should Buy It: Anglers who need a lighter-weight ice auger than your traditional gas and electric-powered one.
Best Electric Auger
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This Ion electric auger features a long-lasting 5 Amp-hour battery. So, you can drill over 30 holes in a single charge.
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Why We Like It: When you need an auger capable of drilling a 10-inch hole for larger fish, consider trying this Ion model. This electric auger is quiet, efficient, and it can cut up to 800” of ice in one charge. Also, its reverse function completely flushes slushy debris from the hole, saving you time from skimming the ice by hand.
Another unique feature of this drill is its two LED lights that illuminate where you’re cutting. These lights will be convenient for anglers who prefer to fish during the early morning or night or in a dark house.
Who Should Buy It: Anglers who want a more eco-friendly yet efficient and powerful ice auger.
Best Gas Auger
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This Auger is robust, powered by a 43cc Viper 2-cycle engine, capable of starting right up, even in harsh weather conditions.
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Why We Like It: First of all, let’s talk about how awesome the 2-stroke motor is on this Eskimo model. This motor has a primer bulb and a choke, which gets it to start right up, even on cold days is more manageable. Next, its stainless steel blades and centering point give you a precise cut, whether you’re re-drilling holes or cutting on uneven ground. Lastly, its wide wing handlebars and throttle trigger give you complete control over the unit for safe handling.
Who Should Buy It: Anglers who would like a less labor-intensive way to drill ice than hand-powered augers.
How To Select What Type of Ice Auger To Use
Hand-Powered
Image Credit: Eskimo on Amazon
For most anglers, a 6-inch hand drill can get the job done. The main benefits of using this type of drill compared are:
- Most models are lightweight and typically weigh under 10 pounds.
- They’re easy to store and transport.
- Hand drills are low maintenance.
- They’re usually inexpensive.
- They can help you warm yourself up on cold days since they’re more laborsome than other types of augers.
However, there are also a few drawbacks to this style of auger. For one, if you want to drill anything larger than a 6-inch hole, you’ll have your work cut out for you. Manually drilling an 8-inch hole, especially in thick ice, can be pretty difficult.
Drill-Powered
Image Credit: Eskimo on Amazon
If you enjoy how lightweight a hand auger is, but dislike the manual labor they entail, then you might want to look into auger drill bits. These cutting heads are as portable as a hand auger but can rip through a hole in half the time.
Yet, most of these bits require you to use a high-torque cordless drill with a ½-inch chuck. So, if you don’t have one lying around, make sure to factor that into the total cost. However, you can also use it as a bargaining chip for your spouse to purchase both items by saying you’ll be able to use the drill to do more work around the house.
Gas Engine
Image Credit: Eskimo on Amazon
Gas augers are an excellent option if you plan on targeting larger fish species. This auger style is the most powerful and can effortlessly cut 10 to 12-inch holes. Also, they typically run longer than electric and propane models.
Although, some drawbacks to using gas are the fumes can be unpleasant, and the motor is noisy.
Propane
Image Credit: Eskimo on Amazon
If you can’t picture yourself mixing gas while ice fishing, maybe a propane-powered auger might be more suitable. Propane models can be as reliable as gas ones, and they’re more fuel-efficient. Plus, most run off your average 1-pound tank, which you can also use to power other items around camp.
Electric
Image Credit: Ion on Amazon
Or, if you would like to go with a more eco-friendly approach, consider trying an electric model. Electric drills can be lighter than gas and propane ones. Also, they don’t produce smelly gas fumes and are less noisy.
However, some electric augers may not be as powerful, and you’ll need somewhere to charge them if you plan on camping overnight.
What Size Ice Auger You Should Buy
Now, you’re wondering which auger size you should buy. Well, that depends on what size fish you plan on targeting. Here is a quick reference to tell what size hole you’ll need to drill:
- Panfish: 4 to 6-inch hole
- Trout, Walleye, Bass, Catfish: 8 to 10-inch hole
- Northern Pike and Muskie: 10 to 12-inch hole
Which of These Augers Cut Ice the Best?
In the end, we hope this review has helped you figure out which ice auger is best for your needs and budget. In all honesty, we firmly believe any of these five drills are reliable and capable of cutting through ice. However, in our opinion, one of these models stands out from the rest.
We enjoy the Eskimo Mako 43cc 8-10″ Quantum Gas Auger. This Eskimo model is durable, powerful, and, most importantly, reliable.
Anyways, if you have any questions about ice augers, please let us know in the comments below. Or, if you would like to support us, consider sharing this article with your friends on social media.
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