Are you in the market for the best drill for Ice Auger?
Fantastic – you are in the right place!
In this ToolsGaloreHQ.com guide you will learn
- What makes a great ice auger drill
- What to avoid when purchasing your drill
- My Overall #1 Pick
- And So Much More!
| Image | Product | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Top Pick  | Top Pick | Milwaukee 2804-22 Hammer Drill Kit
|
| View on Amazon |
 | DEWALT 20V MAX CR Hammer Drill
|
| View on Amazon | |
Best Budget  | Best Budget | Ridgid R8611503 Gen5X 18V Lithium Ion Cordless Drill
|
| View on Amazon |
 | PORTER-CABLE 20V MAX Cordless Drill
|
| View on Amazon | |
Best High End  | Best High End | Metabo HPT 36V MultiVolt Cordless Hammer Drill Kit
|
| View on Amazon |
Best Drill For Ice Auger (Quick Summary)
Need to rush off onto the ice? No problem, I have summarized the best options for you here below I understand that not everyone has the time to be reading long blog posts and you would much rather be out there fishing.
- Milwaukee 2804-22 Hammer Drill Kit
- DEWALT 20V MAX CR Hammer Drill
- Ridgid R8611503 Gen5X 18V Lithium Ion Cordless Drill
- PORTER-CABLE 20V MAX Cordless Drill
- Metabo HPT 36V MultiVolt Cordless Hammer Drill Kit
If you do however want more detailed information, please keep reading. I have catered for you as well.
Why This Guide On The Best Drill For Ice Auger
We all know that cutting through the ice and drilling that perfect hole is an absolute essential for anyone that takes ice fishing seriously. Now there are so many ways to do this, you can either use a hand powered auger, an electric auger or even a gas powered auger.
In this guide however I will present you with the top drilling options to do this using a drill auger. This method has many benefits, namely being:
- The overall setup is very lightweight and portable; and
- It does not require as much manual labour as hand-powered auguring.
Furthermore, I keep this guide periodically updated ensuring that you have the best information always at hand. By the way check the patent for ice auguring in this guide over here.
Read More:>>> Find high quality drill guides
What Are The Important Considerations For The Best Drill For Ice Auger
Many people like to overly complicate this, so I will try and make it as simple as I possibly can. When looking for a drill for ice auger there are only really a few consideration that you should consider. I will detailed them a bit below.
Use a Brushless Motor
Always make sure that you use a drill equipped with a brushless motor for ice auguring. The reason for this is because brushless motors use magnets to generate and produce power, whereby their alternatives the brushed motor types rely on carbon contacts for power generation.
Brushless motors last longer and require less maintenance.
Read More:>>> Learn How To Drill Into Stucco
Use a drill with a ½ inch chuck
I would recommend using the larger ½ inch chuck, they are more durable and can provide a much larger torque. This is especially useful over the ice.
The higher the batteries Amp Hour rating the better (5Ah is best)
This is a bit optional but the larger your battery capacity, the less time required to drill. Over and above that with a larger battery capacity you can drill many holes simultaneously.
I have included drills from capacity of 1.5 Ah up to 5 Ah but I would always recommend the higher the Ah rating the better.
Ergonomic features really matter
Many people ignore this small aspect, and then find they are dealing with a power tool that is difficult and not very user friendly. There are a couple of things I would say are non-negotiables when looking for a drill for ice auger. These include:
- Variable speed trigger;
- Belt clip to help carry the drill around; and
- Non slip rubber handle.
All the drills in this guide have been vetted and have all the features as noted above, however if you do look to purchase a drill for ice auger elsewhere, please always remember to keep the above points in mind before making your purchase decision.
Read More:>>> Corded Hammer Drills to complement cordless type for ice auger
Deep Dive Review Of The Best Drill For Ice Auger
Specification | Value |
|---|---|
Motor Type | Brushless Motor |
Chuck | 1/2 inch |
Battery Power | 5 Ah |
Torque | 1200 in-lbs |
Product Warranty | 1 to 3 years varying |
Pros
Cons
Option #2: DEWALT 20V MAX XR Hammer Drill
Specification | Value |
|---|---|
Motor Type | Brushless Motor |
Chuck | 1/2 inch |
Battery Power | 5.0 Ah |
Speeds | 0-450/0-1300/0-2000 RPM |
Product Warranty | 3 year product warranty |
Pros
Cons
More Info
The Dewalt 20V Max XR Hammer drill is a real gem when it comes to finding a drill for ice auger. It is well equipped with a very tough and sturdy nitro carburized metal chuck making it extremely reliable especially if you wish to drill multiple holes simultaneously.
The beauty of this drill, is that it is extremely compact only coming in at 8.4 ins in length and weighing about 4.7 lbs. This feature alone makes it simple to carry.
Having a brushless motor for ice auger is an absolute must. This specific drill’s brushless motor, is able to provide up to 75% more run time than your typical 18V brushed motor. Furthermore, it can supply up to 820 Units Watts Out (UWO), making it very suitable for powering through the ice.
It has the added benefit of being made and assembled in the USA.
It works perfectly with the KDrill by the way, having shown to be able to comfortably replace a gas auger.
This power tool is not perfect by the way, and there have been multiple complaints that the battery is a bit loose when fit into the machine. Upon further investigation however this does not seem to be much of an issue as the drill can still easily operate and the battery does not come off loose.
With that being said, this is still one of the best drills for ice auger. It has a 5.0 Ah battery that really makes a difference when you are out on the ice and want to spend the least amount of time recharging your battery.
If you are in the market for a drill that is best suited for ice auger, you cannot go wrong.
Option #3: Ridgid R8611503 Gen5X 18V Lithium Ion Cordless Drill
Specification | Value |
|---|---|
Motor Type | Brushless Motor |
Chuck | 1/2 inch |
Battery Power | 5 Ah |
Torque | 780 in-lbs |
Product Warranty | full life time warranty |
Pros
Cons
More Info
The Ridgid R8611503 Gen5X 18V Lithium Ion Cordless Drill is one of the best drills for ice auger.
It has a very strong and sturdy frame, coupled with a rubber handle which makes it easy to use around the ice. The brushless motor really helps ensure that you can perform multiple drills simultaneously as well.
This drill has a half inch chuck which is very sturdy during operations. This tool is not perfect, and there is however an issue that has been reported in that it has a very rapid breaking system. This can often cause the drill bit to dislodge. This can be mitigated by controlling the variable speed trigger.
The Ridgid is great for ice auger because it also has a couple of ergonomic features. These include things like:
- A detachable handle; and a side mounted belt clip.
Technically, it can perform ice auguring without any problems. Being able to operate with a 5Ah battery and having the ability to provide up to 780 in-lbs of torque.
This drill is a real gem, if you are in the market for the best drill for ice auger you cannot go wrong with the Ridgid R8611503.Option #4: PORTER-CABLE 20V MAX Cordless Drill
Specification | Value |
|---|---|
Motor Type | Brushless Motor |
Chuck | 1/2 in ratcheting chuck |
Battery Power | 1.5 Ah |
Torque | 370 MWO |
Product Warranty | 3 year limited product warranty |
Pros
Cons
More Info
The PORTER-CABLE 20V MAX Cordless Drill is probably one of the best budget drills for ice auguring.
It is equipped with a brushless motor, than can provide operational efficiency well above 50% more than brushed motor types. It also has ergonomic features such as a no slip rubber handle and belt hook that make it much easier to use when you are on the ice.
Technically the ½ inch ratcheting chuck provides great stability especially when using an auger bit such as your Nordic legend drill bit. This combined with this drill being lightweight (3.3 lbs) and having the ability to provide torque up to 370 MWO.
This tool however does have it’s limitations. One thing worth noting is that I always prefer to use a drill that has a battery life over 5Ah. This one only has a battery with 1.5 Ah. This means that you will need to recharge the drill quiet a bit.
To Porter-Cable’s defense, you can purchase multiple batteries to mitigate for this issue.
With that being said, it is an excellent drill that is capable of maintaining speed during a drill operation.
If you are after a great budget option drill for ice auger, you cannot go wrong with the PORTER-CABLE 20V MAX Cordless Drill.Option #5: Metabo HPT 36V MultiVolt Cordless Hammer Drill Kit
Specification | Value |
|---|---|
Motor Type | Brushless Motor |
Chuck | 1/2 inch metal chuck |
Battery Power | 4.0 Ah |
Torque | up to 1220 in-lbs |
Product Warranty | 3 year limited warranty |
Pros
Cons
More Info
The Metabo HPT 36 V Multivolt Cordless Hammer Drill is another one of the really top options to consider when looking for a drill for ice auger.
This machine is a real beast! This can be seen by it’s massive torque coming in at 1220 in-lbs. This coupled with a very powerful 4.0Ah battery makes this tool extremely long lasting, which is very important when drilling on ice.
It is rugged as well and very well adapted to working in the hostile cold environment. One thing I really like however is that over and above its toughness – it has fantastic ergonomic features as well. This includes belt hook, torque settings and variable speed trigger point.
Metabo is known in the industry to be very innovative, and this can be seen by a special feature named “reactive force control”. This basically senses overload conditions from the motor itself and acts as a self-regulator to improve reliability.
So when ice auguring this will appear in a much smoother operation and less jamming as you drill your way through.
Having a 4.0 Ah battery and a 3 year limited warranty makes this tool one of the best high end options when considering a drill for ice auger. You will definitely not be disappointed if you decide to go with the Metabo HPT 36 V Multivolt Cordless Hammer Drill.My Overall #1 Pick: Milwaukee Electric Tools 2804-22 Hammer Drill Kit
All of the drills in this guide are suitable for ice auguring, however my top pick has got to be the Milwaukee Electric Tools 2804-22 Hammer Drill Kit. This drill is equipped with 1200 in-lbs of torque a ½ inch metal chuck, POWERSTATE® Brushless motor and 5 Ah battery.
Making it exceptionally well suited for ice auguring. Over and above this it has a 1 to 5 year limited product warranty that can be extended to a lifetime period if required.
Check the price on Amazon over here
Final Thoughts On The Best Drill For Ice Auger
I hope you really enjoyed this guide. I had a ton of fun creating this article. As you can see there is a bit of an art to selecting the correct drill for ice auger applications.
But I hope that this guide has made it as simple as possible in aiding your purchasing decisions. All the best.
2 thoughts on “Top 5 Best Drill For Ice Auger (2024 Guide)”
I must thank you for the efforts youve put in penning this site. I am hoping to check out the same high-grade blog posts by you in the future as well. In fact, your creative writing abilities has motivated me to get my very own blog now 😉
Glad you like the content 🙂