Home Forums Fishing Freshwater Battery-powered ice augers?

In the market for an ice auger and looking through the options including the electric ones. Anybody here use any of the 12 V electric drill driven ones? I'm not a "fifty-hole a day guy"; maybe twenty, and if I haven't found fish by then, I'm going home

Any reports on any of them are welcome.

I'm on my second year with an electric that's geared more towards the permanent fishing house users. mine does not have a rechargeable battery on it, it has a set of cords that are basically jumper cables that you can hook up to a 12 volt battery.

I like mine, but if I was going to do some hole hopping I'd look at something like the latest version of the "Ion"

Around here, the advice is to not use anything less than a pro-grade 19v drill, or the cold will kill your battery in no time (as in less than one hole drilled.) Most guys carry a second, fully-charged battery along, and they keep it warm to boot. And be super cautious about auger diameter; an 8-inch auger has to move DOUBLE the volume of ice as a 6-inch. That means double the effort needed.

The drill works great with the 6-inch diameter auger blade.. Need to watch the ice thickness for battery life...

I dont know were your located but i knew some guys in Southern Iowa and Chicago area and thats all they used...... If i remember right i think like 6 inches of ice equal 25-30 holes on one 18v battery.....

ND, I'm looking into the Ion.

Yea, I know auger diameter makes a big difference in work load. Frankly, I'm moving away from the drill-driven units though they are much lighter and less expensive kits.

I live in NW Iowa and we have ~ 24" of ice and my hand auger is wearing me out