Why Electric Ice Augers are the Best Buy

[@crazyfishingdude]

I drilled 60 holes in 24” of ice with my Dewalt Brushless hammer drill with a 12.0ah battery and it still had 50% charge left 🔥

[@sladeleason4338]

Only used an ion once was brand new. Picked it up drilled 25 holes buddy run the Honda 4 stroke gas his was faster. 30 inches or so of ice. Best thing i can say is ears werent ringing back wasn't sore and wasn't sweating when done. I kinda liked it😁

[@Wired2Fish]

This auger is the fastest electric on the market and pretty much matches any gas. Quiet is a huge plus - nice not making a ton of noise which is basically advertising your spot to the lake.

[@bryantitus6634]

I run an 8" on my cordless drill setup. Yes, it's more taxing on the drill but it's still highly effective. While I don't recommend it, I've seen an M18 run a 10" gas auger head through about 12" of ice and do surprisingly well.

[@tomn5880]

I'm 74 and two years ago I converted from gas to electric. The important thing with electric is having enough inch pounds of torque. I have a Milwaukee fuel 1/2 drive (2804-22) drill driver that has 1200 inch pounds of torque. I mounted the drill on a Clam mounting plate and I have the K-drill auger. I only drill up to 5 holes each outing. I converted because of weight and fuel. I could have gone with propane but then again one still has the weight. My electric rig weighs about 12 pounds total.

[@struckus]

my milwaukee M18 pushes an 8" eskimo pistol bit without issues and also a fin bore with an adapter..run it all day on a 5ah battery..have another battery as a backup..use the drill to anchor the popup, drill the holes, then use it around the house..bang for buck it's a lot more cost efficient than a dedicated auger because of the multiple uses..amazing setup..

[@ptmmatssc13]

I have used gas , propane , and electric. The best so far was the propane . No mixing gas or having gas jugs . No charging . The weight doesn't really matter since it is carried in the sled. A single 1lb propane tank lasts me the season and have run it to -20 without issue . Electric is nice but really never saw any benefit vs the propane after a season of use on both.

[@HugoXu666]

I believe that the first mode of the Milwaukee shown in the video is the hammer drill mode, not the last mode.

[@zc_angling]

Yeah the gas auger is heavier, but it will last all day and have the same power output at the end of the day. Where I live it gets to -40°c and the ice can be over 3 feet of ice. I doubt a battery will last a whole day.

[@Wired2Fish]

There's no decrease in drilling power as these Lithium Ion batteries are discharged -- they simply stop drilling when expended. We've worked with guys that guide 90+ days per season and they've never used up 2 batteries in a day. In terms of longevity, StrikeMaster specs say each battery is good for 500 cycles, a cycle being 100 holes drilled. Most guys aren't going to drill 50,000 holes in their life.

[@tylerbax8074]

My gas auger is 22lb the electric strike master is 24lb or lighter than electrics that don’t use a hand drill

[@WheresTheSauce]

Some places electric just doesn't do the job. Around here guys with the ions say they only get 6-8 holes with a 10" auger.

[@bradmetcalf7832]

I went with the MILWAUKEE set up with a Kdrill and extra battery. Didn't like the idea of having close to 500 bucks tied up in a tied up in a unit that could only do one thing, I can use that drill year round for other things. I think Iwwas less than $425 for the K drill and Milwaukee with charger and 2 5 amp hr battery's.

[@Wired2Fish]

Great setup for sure Brad. Thanks for providing your setup and thoughts.

[@brandonjordansbiggestfan3425]

Brad Metcalf l drills cost $299

[@bradmetcalf7832]

@@brandonjordansbiggestfan3425 www.sportsmansguide.com/product/index/k-drill-electric-ice-auger-chipper-bit?a=2045522&pm2d=CSE-SPG-15-PLA&PLA&Google&CI&gclid=Cj0KCQiAgMPgBRDDARIsAOh3uyLAhUmpzWZh9CBl_Kpj2sH6ecAzpU3COhTIqPzHUTWXYeJwTUmYlj0aAon8EALw_wcB www.acetool.com/Milwaukee-2703-22-M18-FUEL-1-2-in-Drill-Driver-Kit-p/mil-2703-22.htm?gclid=Cj0KCQiAgMPgBRDDARIsAOh3uyIIiT0Iw0nOxIVNaWPNEON-Nv1fXLv6glKWYGx1zMQ9e6V_j0unDQ0aAtyJEALw_wcB That looks like about $470.00 for a 8" auger set up that has a drill I can use 12 months a year. Maybe if I lived north of the ice belt I would look at something different?

[@zajdabneeg]

Yup. 2 bird with 1 stone. It is a no brainer.

[@glennkrzeminski7539]

I like the battery technology, especially the lack of noise. Nothing ruins my communing with nature quite like the thunder of a gas augur. However, I don't like having to buy batteries every few years. Guys who ice fish 60 days a year might find it cheaper than gas but I don't think weekend warriors will, over the long run.

[@FargoNDRoland]

And don't forget the sweet smell of two stroke in the morning

[@v8consumption]

If you have a gas auger is it a requirement to have dull blades and take 2 minutes to drill a hole

[@stoneddaley3482]

taizer Absolutely lol You want to make sure everybody across the county can hear you

[@mikegass2272]

If your using a cordless drill & not going to be drilling for a while, pull the battery & put it in your suit. Keeps it warm.

[@blhornertube]

Ive had my strikemaster mag 3 for over 20 years has never let me down ive drilled thousands of holes ill stick with gas

[@Hoserfishing]

I would love it if one or several of the cordless ice drill companies sent me their drills. I could torture test it in ice that gets 5 ft deep. I was impressed by this video though. If that was truly 3 ft thick of ice it was very fast.

[@brettu45]

in 10 years I'll have to buy a new $200+ battery (if they are still made for that model) and my 20 year old gas jiffy will still be going strong for another 20 years.

[@bouchercm8]

Brett Unrau true but how much money did you spend on gas during those 10 years

[@brettu45]

@@bouchercm8 hmmmmmm, I guess I didn't think of that, yeah, I'm honestly not sure. I don't fish a ton in the winter, so not a lot, maybe 20$ a year, but that is all it takes. Good point. It's just easier to spend 20$ now and then rather than a big chunk all at once. It's all about perspective. Dang, now I gotta go and buy a $500 electric auger.

[@bouchercm8]

Brett Unrau I just got an 8 inch ion x for $377

[@v8consumption]

You can get batteries on ebay for 50 bucks. Knockoff ones work just as good that's what I use in my Milwaukee and it drill faster than any gas auger. 8" and 40 holes through a foot of ice

[@WE-hp7hi]

How do I stop farting in my ice shelter? I’ve lost all my fishing buddies

[@Wired2Fish]

Keep passing air. You're better off without them.

[@brandonjordansbiggestfan3425]

Can you guys do the ION brand auger vs the strike master in this video can’t decide what one to go with heard good and bad things about both I’m mainly looking for something less tiring then a hand auger speed doesn’t matter that much but yea do that plz

[@paytonwitte4675]

I hope you got the strikemaster

[@Cornuts1000]

Price for initially buying a quality drill alone makes this option not worth while. The gasless augers that attach to your drill are WAY over priced as well. Best option if using electric is stick with a 6" and use the bottom section of your hand auger and make your own adapter plate. The adapter for the drill can be bought for 10 bucks. Use your typical 18 volt drill and bring a spare battery. I would never spend $350.00 to $400.00 on a hammerdrill for just ice fishing. I agree with other posts that if I'm out ice fishing 3 to 5 times a week. Ide stick with a gas auger. More economical over time with out a doubt. Just like electric cars ...Electric augers have a long way to go yet....

[@ryankula6856]

thank you for video

[@wisconsinlife3971]

Only concern I keeping em out in the weather...

[@normkennedy4506]

I got my Milwaukee drill a bit wet and it stopped working. Had to take it home to dry

[@dangarrison9712]

5' of ice really!

[@capebretonoutdooradventure8741]

Unless electric augers get cheaper and the batteries you won't see me uses them. After you lose your charge your done fishing for the day. It's going to take hours for them to recharged but it will only take u a few minutes to get more gas and your good again. I'd rather spend a couple bucks on gas than a couple hundred per battery

[@kraker5]

Cape Breton Outdoor Adventures I thought the same thing before I got one. The other day was the first time burning out a battery in one day. Luckily I got a free extra battery when I bought it. The only reason I ran out of battery is because I was drilling holes for 4 guys fishing for 12 hours constantly moving. The lithium 40 is hands down the best auger I’ve ever used. Don’t care if I’ve got to buy new batteries every ten years. Totally worth considering there is no maintenance.

[@killingham21]

I've heard a lot of negative about electric augers when it's colder out, I'm talking like single digits and below. Things like the batteries drain much faster. Any truth to this?

[@Wired2Fish]

Batteries do lose some of their capacity in sub-freezing temperatures, but 1 40V battery got me through most days in 2018, and I'm talking COLD 20-degree below zero conditions. It's not always easy starting a gas auger in conditions like this - my electric always worked. One battery with this 40V is good for around 100 holes in 16'' ice for reference (when battery is stored above freezing). It's never a bad idea to store extra batteries in a warmer place such as a small insulated cooler with a hand warmer if you're outside and getting after it all day in sub-freezing temps. -Ryan

[@Dubbersdad]

Yes, there is truth to it. The batteries have to stay above freezing. All you have to do is remove the battery and keep it warm and it will our perform any gas auger. The ION that is, not the strike master.

[@stevebalerud1684]

You have to keep your battery warm when not in use.

[@kkenmore63]

If I was to try to sell you a gas auger that I assured you was superior to any other model in every way, but it's $700 would only run on Strikemaster brand gas, would you buy it? Doubt it. But if I made the same argument but instead of gas it ran on Lithium Ion Batteries, guys are apparently gonna trip over themselves to buy one. I don't get it. I'm not interested in purchasing an auger that's long term usability is contingent on the long term availability of a proprietary fuel source. I'm all for switching to electric, but until such a time that the batteries are universal across all brands and available over the counter everywhere, my auger is gonna run on dinosaur juice.

[@kkenmore63]

@James Wright Well, current LI tool batteries have a life expectancy of 3-5 years so..... But, let's assume that you're right and do the math. Gas auger $500. Electric auger $800. For a weekend warrior like me, fuel/maintenance works out to $30 annually at most. I'd have to keep the electric auger for 10 years in order to break even on cost of ownership. For the sake of argument, if the battery lasted for 20 years, then I'd save $300 ($20 annual savings over 20 years). If I have to replace the battery at any point during that time then you'd need to add 10 additional years to break even. And if the battery becomes obsolete during that time, then the electric auger becomes scrap metal as soon as the battery dies. As for the lasting way longer and being more reliable....I have a 40 year old Tanaka that works just fine. You show me an 40 year old cordless electric tool of any kind that isn't seriously obsolete or broken and we'll talk.

[@MillerMurdaughFishing]

why am I watching this I live in Florida

[@Wired2Fish]

Because you're thinking about moving to Minnesota in the winter?

[@MillerMurdaughFishing]

@@Wired2Fish haha not too sure about that, couldn't leave all the giant bass we have down here

[@Cornuts1000]

because you were looking for ice for your cocktail

[@bghen]

👍👍👍

[@Farmallfarming]

You do not want the drill in hammer mode just drill mode. That is Wrong

[@Wired2Fish]

That is correct. Cutaway of the drill in the hammer drill setting was incorrect.

[@sanjuansteve]

History will prove this to be the worst time since the invention of cars to purchase an internal combustion (ICE) engine car as the world is switching to electric. We should all be using electric vehicles charged from our home, business and covered parking rooftop solar arrays making nearly everything we do 100% solar powered. Everyone should be getting proposals from 3+ local solar PV installers and suggesting the same for our places of work, our grocery stores, our movie theater parking lots, and everywhere else. The cost per distance driven is ridiculously cheap when you are your own solar fuel station (less than $0.01 USD per mile)! #nobrainer We cannot afford to continue to burn fossil fuels!

[@markkus1134]

Lazer are the best bar none chipper blades are the worst blades too slow

[@basschaser9356]

Disagree with electric augers. The same power at the beginning isnt the same when it comes closer to the end . For gas you get the same from start to finish . Gas augers will be heavy over electric but 25lb is nothing . I drill 80 holes/day

[@mordyfisher4269]

Nonsense, lithium batteries do not weeken as you use them, they just stop working when there is no longer the required voltage... I keep my sonar in a square 5 gallon bucket with three solar pannels screwed to a side, one side is plexiglass and i cut off the receiver of a couple old drills and connected them to the charge controller to always be charging two batteries. And charging inside the bucket keeps the batterries warm and my lcd from frost

[@ss-bass1176]

Disgaree when you hauling around a 45 pound auger with a 10 inch blade drilling holes is more of a workout then anything

[@basschaser9356]

@@ss-bass1176 45lb auger? I use a strike master Honda lite 35cc . 8inch blades

[@basschaser9356]

@* * you have to drill many holes to find the fish

[@Wired2Fish]

Each StrikeMaster 40V battery is good for ~100 holes through 16 inches of ice (8'' auger), assuming the battery is above freezing temp. I just store the other one in a small soft-sided cooler with a hand warmer tossed in.

[@tj4896]

It's just not ice fishing if I dont pull start something.

[@Wired2Fish]

We focus on pulling fish up holes ; ). This is the best-performing auger on the market and will have most rethinking gas after some time spent using it. Excellent build quality, quiet for not broadcasting your spot to the world, tons of holes -- can't use up 2 batteries in a day and cuts holes like no other.

[@tj4896]

@@Wired2Fish how much were you paid for this seems like a car salesman here but I'm going to Red Lake for a few days this weekend if you wanna change my mind... hook a brother up.

[@Wired2Fish]

TJ reviews are a part of what we do as a company. We don't endorse a product unless it's legit. Electric augers are quickly taking over the gas and propane market. This video is aimed at those considering an auger purchase -- electric being the way to go in our opinion.