A successful journalist and news reporter in the past, George is now focused on freelance work to be able to dedicate more time to the most important things in his life: family, friends, his dogs, and fishing.
John is an avid traveler, hiker, and RVer. Moreover, it seems like he knows everything when it comes to fishing and hunting: his father started sharing all the tips and tricks he knew when John was a kid. No wonder we trust his opinion every time a new article is being created.
Last updated: May 02, 2021
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The electric ice auger is becoming more common to use when heading out onto the frozen lake to do some fishing. They are much lighter to carry and eco-friendly than the gas ice auger. While they aren’t as powerful as the gas ice augers, the electric ice augers are more efficient to use, and they come with the added bonus of not having to carry around fuel all day long!
In this article, we’re going to explore the best electric ice auger for you and your fishing needs. We’ll highlight five of the very best electric ice augers in our opinion. We’ve picked these five products after reviewing 15 different electric ice augers. In our humble opinion, we have chosen the ION X 29250 as our Editor’s Choice because of its long-lasting battery, its lightweight design, and because it does a fantastic job of cutting through tons of inches of ice. If you want to look at something else, we have four other models included in this article.
Our research took about 55 hours, and we’ve scanned through official web pages of each company, checked customers’ feedback and asked experts for their opinions. In our review, we’ve identified a few important factors that we examine in each electric ice auger. The ones we’ve highlighted are power, auger size and weight. After our product reviews in detail, we’ll then take you through our buying guide, which contains more information about how to find the best electric ice auger, and we’ll follow that up with some of the most frequently asked questions. So, let’s begin!
"A fantastic electric ice auger that will show optimal performance every time you use it. It can drill 1500 inches of ice in one charge, has a reverse function and LED lights."
"Many people chose this electric ice auger because of its affordable price tag. It also has overload protection, LED lights, reverse and offers high reliability."
"If you want to find a comfortable ice-fishing tool, consider this electric ice auger. It allows to create larger holes and boasts a high-capacity battery."
"This marvelous electric ice auger comes with a very powerful battery that will allow you to drill deeper holes effortlessly. Furthermore, it has LED lights and reverse."
The ION X 29250 Electric Ice Auger is one of the best electric ice augers of all time and is our Editor’s Choice pick. It is a pristine ice auger that is durable, stable, and offers tons of fun when used out on your frozen lake.
With this auger, you’re getting a 40-volt, 5-amp hour lithium-ion battery that can drill approximately 1500 inches of ice in one battery charge. With that amount of power, it will definitely keep you out for an entire day so you don’t have to worry about carrying another battery with you. The auger comes in an 8 x 34 inch and 10 x 42 inch sizes, but we especially like the 8 x 34 inch. As for the weight, it’s on the lighter side of the electric ice augers at 22 pounds.
It has a number of extra features as well, including the reverse function that allows you to run it backward, and this helps to clean out your hole of any ice chunks and slush. You won’t have to worry about drilling in the dark with this one as it comes equipped with two bright LED lights right underneath the powerhead, which will make nighttime fishing a lot easier. It is a quite pricy electric ice auger out there, but, on the whole, it is a very high-quality product.
Our top budget pick is the Landworks Eco-Friendly Electric Cordless Auger. Fantastic affordability coupled with fantastic quality and what you get is one of the best all-around electric ice augers. That is why many people love it.
It comes equipped with a 48-volt, 2-amp hour lithium-ion battery and a charger, which should last you more than an entire day out on the frozen lake. You can have an upgrade to a 4-amp battery. However, in our opinion, that’s overkill, and you can just stick with the 2-amp unless you have not enough torque. The Landworks Auger weighs not much, especially when compared to gas augers, at 25 pounds, which is quite standard for electric ice augers. With this 8-inch auger, you’ll have no trouble ripping through a thick sheet of ice.
In times, when you do encounter a rough and tough patch of ice, the Landworks Auger will activate a built-in overload protector function, which is a failsafe measure that prevents the augers powerhead from overworking or overheating due to the tough ice. Lastly, this auger also has a reverse function, which allows you to essentially clean out the hole you’ve just drilled into to make it easier to go in and catch your fish.
What are its best features?
Overload protector
Light to transport
Affordable price tag
What could be improved?
Might have issues cutting through last few inches of thick ice with standard battery
One of the heavy hitters when it comes to cracking through tough ice is the Jiffy E-6 Lightning Electric Ice Auger. This model comes in the 10-inch size, and this step up from the 8-inch is quite drastic, as there is approximately a 50% increase in the cutting diameter size. Having this increase allows you to fish for bigger prey and also gives you more room to fish.
Since this Jiffy Ice Auger has a bigger size, it also is slightly heavier, weighing roughly 27 pounds, which is still relatively light when compared with gas augers. The Jiffy is powered by a 40-volt, 6-amp hour lithium-ion battery. This will provide you with more than enough power to cut your way through the toughest ice and will easily last you the entire day. The handles on this auger are padded with a comfortable grip and are spread out slightly further apart to allow for better control and more safety. This electric ice auger is on the more expensive side, but for the power and precision you get with this ice auger, it just might be worth it.
The RAZR 40V Lithium Ice Auger is an absolute beast when it comes to drilling and cutting through tough ice. Out of the five electric ice augers in our review, the RAZR is the heaviest at 29 pounds. That’s because it packs a lot of fantastic features.
Starting with the 40-volt, 7-amp hour lithium-ion battery, that is more than enough power to last you for an entire day out cutting holes in the lake. This RAZR ice auger also sports a 10-inch cutting diameter that is great for fishing larger, more predator-like fishes. If you’re one who prefers a bit more space, the wider diameter will give you just that as well. This RAZR ice auger will allow you to drill down a solid 40 inches into the ice, and with a depth that long, you should have no issues getting through the last few inches of ice before you hit the water. It also comes equipped with built-in LED lights to help you cut through more holes as the sun begins to set. You can retrieve your ice auger from out of the water easily and cleanly by using the reverse function.
One drawback that people noticed was that for such a large ice auger, they would have preferred if the handles were a bit farther apart to allow for better control. For something so big and heavy-duty, it’s surprisingly a very affordable purchase and definitely a good option when it comes to drilling wider holes.
The Trophy Strike 107387 is another fantastic 8-inch electric ice auger. It weighs only 23 pounds and comes with a whopping 120-volt, 2-amp hour lithium-ion battery with its own special bag.
The high-powered battery will ensure that you can drill up to 86 holes through 20 inches of ice on one battery charge. That comes out to roughly 1,800 inches of ice the Trophy Strike can drill through! This ice auger also comes with a brushless motor and a 5-gear planetary transmission that increases efficiency as many electric ice augers only have a 3-gear transmission.
This Trophy Strike ice auger can cut through 31.5 inches of ice, and you get some great value with this as it comes with a 15-inch extension to get through deeper ice. Some people say this extension doesn’t work as efficiently as the ice auger itself. This ice auger also has the reverse function giving you a cleaner hole to catch that trophy fish. The Trophy Strike is a bit higher in price, but you do get what you pay for with this ice auger, so the price tag is reasonable.
Why did it make our list?
5-gear transmission makes for efficient cutting
Comes with 15-inch extension
1800 inches of ice on one battery charge
What is not ideal about it?
Extension doesn’t work that well
Expensive
Things to Consider
After introducing you to the five best electric ice augers on the market and the different features and benefits of each, it’s time to give you a bit more in-depth knowledge about all the components that are essential for a fantastic electric ice auger. In this buying guide section, we’ll try to help you learn more about the nuances of electric ice augers. We’re hoping that this section will give answers to any questions you may have about these fishing devices.
Different types of ice augers
If you are out on a fishing trip on the lake that has now frozen over, there are a few ways to get through the ice to begin your fishing.
The first way to drill a hole in the ice is by using a manual ice auger. This old-school way of drilling a hole into the ice works by planting your auger into the ice and, in a circular motion, crank it around in circles until you’ve made a deep enough hole in the water. It is lightweight in build and design, and while it doesn’t take a whole lot of effort to do this method, doing this multiple times in the freezing cold might not be the most attractive idea.
You can also choose to opt for a gasoline-powered ice auger. Much like starting a lawnmower, starting up a gas ice auger requires you to pull the cord to make it running. It will then allow you to start drilling a hole into the ice. This method of drilling a hole into the ice is efficient because after starting it up, you don’t have to do anything but guide it into the spot you’re drilling. However, it is a fairly heavy piece of equipment that will require lots of maintenance and might not be easily transportable.
The last way you can drill a hole into the ice is by using an electric ice auger. These are battery-powered devices that are lighter than the gas ice augers, but heavier than manual ones. They can be started by simply pushing and or holding a button, and then you will be able to drill into your desired spot.
How to pick the best electric ice auger
When it comes to picking the best electric ice auger, there are a couple of things you need to keep in mind. The most important is the motor power, more specifically, how much power does it give you to drill a hole? Next, you’ll want to see how much battery life you’ll get so you know how long it’ll last you for. If you’re out all day, the last thing you’ll want is to carry around a heavy electric ice auger so you’ll also want to pay attention to its size and weight, so that you have a good idea of how heavy this thing will be for you. Let’s take a closer look at all of these things now.
Motor power
For motor power, you’re going to want an electric ice auger that is powerful, durable, and can maintain its high efficiency during your battery’s life. Fortunately, all of the electric ice auger’s we’ve reviewed do just that. Take, for instance, our Best Value Buy, the Landworks Eco-Friendly Electric Cordless Auger. This 48-volt, cordless auger, can bring the power. It has a maximum speed, measured by revolutions per minute (RPM), of 320 RPMs with a 2.01 HP. If it’s loaded, it only needs 150W to start and can cruise comfortably at 100W. Other ice augers can offer a bit more power, but these are the numbers you should normally expect in terms of motor power.
Battery
Battery capacity is important because it will give you an idea of how much ice it will be able to cut through on a single charge. Nowadays, modern electric ice augers come powered by lithium-ion batteries. These batteries provide a high energy density, which means you’ll get more efficiency and durability out of them while also hitting consistent peak power.
Charge your batteries fully before heading out for that fishing trip, to get an idea of how much drill-time you’ll get with your electric ice auger model. You should be able to drill at least 80-100 holes.
For instance, you can make even more holes with the RAZR 40V Lithium Ice Auger thanks to it’s increased battery capacity.
Auger size
The size of augers can vary depending on the size of the cutting diameter. For ones that have a larger cutting diameter, these ice augers are generally longer than ones that have smaller cutting diameters. For ice augers with a cutting diameter of 8 inches, you can expect them to be anywhere from 30-40 inches long. For a 10-inch cutting diameter, it can stretch from 40 inches long.
An electric ice auger with a wider cutting diameter and a longer body most likely means it can drill deeper holes, so keep that in mind, if you are fishing on lakes where the ice is quite thick.
Weight
Generally speaking, electric ice augers are actually fairly light. Especially when compared with gas-powered ice augers, electric ice augers are much lighter and easier to transport. The weight of the electric ice auger really depends on its size. As we mentioned in the previous section, the cutting diameter of the ice auger can affect its overall length and its weight, as well. However, if you’re looking for a particular range in weight for electric ice augers, you should easily be able to find one in between 20-35 pounds. You might want to check the ION X 29250 since it weighs only 22 pounds, which is not much at all, and this unit will be convenient to carry with you on your trip.
Extra features
Simply put, not all electric ice augers come with extra features. To be honest, you really don’t need any of the other bells and whistles that some electric ice augers have. But if you prefer having those, two of the most common things you can expect are a reverse drill function and lights. For reverse drilling, simply push a button, which will allow you to wash the slush back down through the hole you’ve drilled.
Some augers also come equipped with LED lights that are usually placed under the powerhead. This will allow you to see where you’re drilling into in case it is getting dark.
It’s recommended to check whether the model has overload protection, so you can rest assured that your tool won’t get damaged during the drilling process.
Prices
On the whole, electric ice augers are actually fairly expensive. It is a luxury to have this piece of equipment, and for the efficiency it produces, it can be viewed as a worthwhile expense, especially if you do a lot of fishing.
Buying an electric ice auger really depends on your budget and your needs. In our research, we found that electric ice augers can range in price between $300 and $600. Our top choice for Best Value Buy is the Landworks Eco-Friendly Electric Cordless Auger, and this sits at a fairly affordable $329.99. On the opposite end of the scale, the Jiffy E-6 Lightning Electric Ice Auger sits at a rather high price of $599.99. You can find an electric ice auger that will suit your budget within this range. Our best piece of advice for you is that you find an electric ice auger that meets your particular needs.
Electric ice augers are incredibly safe to use and are much better for the environment, compared to gas augers. Not only are they eco-friendly, they also are much quieter to use than gas augers and require less maintenance. Unlike pushing a cord of a gas auger, with an electric ice auger, you simply just need to press a button and off you go. If you have a concern about getting electrocuted, you won’t have to worry about that at all as you won’t be. You also won’t have to worry about any effects from the cold weather at all as the batteries are designed that way to withstand frigid temperatures.
All of the electric ice augers we’ve reviewed have lithium-ion batteries. The manufacturers chose them because it is one of the most reliable and durable types of rechargeable batteries around. We recommend you charge it fully before heading out to the lake, and once you are there, you should be able to get a full day’s worth of battery usage (8+ hours). On a single charge, for electric ice augers, you should be able to drill at least 80 holes or more in a single day. In terms of how long it takes to recharge the batteries, it will be anywhere from 2-4 hours, depending on how drained the battery is when you start to recharge it.
Electric ice augers are incredibly reliable thanks to the lithium-ion batteries they use. You can get up to 700 recharges of your lithium-ion battery before you’ll start to notice a reduction in the battery’s quality. Another great thing about electric ice augers is that it requires very little maintenance as well. Planetary gear mechanisms in pair with electric motors will offer you a lot of torque and will last you for decades. Moreover, some units feature overload protection. That way, your electric ice auger can be used for heavy-duty tasks without any worries.
Our Verdict
Among the best electric ice augers, there were three in particular that really stood out to us.
The first is our Editor’s Choice pick, the ION X 29250 Electric Ice Auger. You really get a lot of great value with this one, but we especially liked its lightweight design, long-life battery, and its power and precision for cutting holes on the lake.
Our second favorite was the Landworks Eco-Friendly Electric Cordless Auger, and we love the features it offers and its incredible affordability. It is priced roughly $200 less than premium models, and it is arguably, just as good. It can make deeper holes (39-inches) than a lot of the other models on the market, and it comes with the handy overload protection safety function too.
Our final choice for the best electric ice auger is the Jiffy E-6 Lightning Electric Ice Auger. It is very powerful, and the 10-inch auger allows you to make holes with a wider diameter. Thanks to its economic handles, it is very comfortable to grip as they are spread out a little further and give more control and safety.
We hope that this information was useful, and now you know everything to get the best electric ice auger!
If you are out on a fishing trip on the lake that has now frozen over, there are a few ways to get through the ice to begin your fishing.
The size of augers can vary depending on the size of the cutting diameter. For ones that have a larger cutting diameter, these ice augers are generally longer than ones that have smaller cutting diameters. For ice augers with a cutting diameter of 8 inches, you can expect them to be anywhere from 30-40 inches long. For a 10-inch cutting diameter, it can stretch from 40 inches long.
Simply put, not all electric ice augers come with extra features. To be honest, you really don’t need any of the other bells and whistles that some electric ice augers have. But if you prefer having those, two of the most common things you can expect are a reverse drill function and lights. For reverse drilling, simply push a button, which will allow you to wash the slush back down through the hole you’ve drilled.
