Strikemaster or nils

[_Icecold_]

Hey everyone, I'm thinking about getting one or the other, just wondering which one would be the best. I have a feeling nils is gunna be the winner haha

[jeffro9023]

I like my strikemaster 

[Pace]

I love my Nils! I have owned both.

[Carl.j.o]

Lots will tell you nills cause its "easier and faster" but also take into mind how easy it will be to get new blades if you don't have time to ship out a cutting head to be sharpened or replace a damaged one
On the durability of either I have no idea
Some may say if you do this or that and don't let anyone but you use it there Should not be a issue.... that's not durable to me
I beat the heck out of my cheap flat blade Eskimo and it cuts fine for years before I need to replace blades so if it was me I would want something that will do the same or it wouldn't be worth all the money.
 

[3300]

you would have to have used both to know the answer to that question and i only use what was available to me at the time i wanted an auger at the stores. no nils in sight, so it was not an option. wonder why

from other posts like yours tho, i read how finicky (just stop cutting out of the blue with hardly any time put on it) the nils are. no blades for them like strike masters have every where. you have to mail the nils to a certain person (hope he out lives you) to get sharpened

i haven't read problems with strike masters other than the mora series. easy to change blades makes them nice to have too, not that you will need any for a long time

hope you get what you want to hear from this thread

[minger1]

You should also consider what kind of ice you usually drill into is it blown with sand and stuff because that can affect the nils very negatively. I have owned the nils 6 and 8 for 3 or 4 years now no problems at all. But like it was stated above if you do have a problem you need to send the head away for resharpening

[Whopper Stopper]

The Niles owners swear by them but for the money they have invested, what else are they going to do.

          WS

[ice dawg]

I went through the same thing this fall. Love my new Strikelite/Honda. Cuts great and has started in two pulls every time but the first time. Bought a spare set of blades at a local baitshop. The same store had an 8" Nils and since I also use a 4 stroke generator and carry gas for it anyway I decided the Strike Lite was best for my own use.

[FG Steve]

I love my Strikemaster.  Bought it in '96.  Replaced blades once because a blade got loose and went down the hole and once because I drilled into rocks and sand multiple times on an ill-fated trip.  Normal use without incident, I would likely be on my original blades.

Haven't used the Nils but that send-the-cutting-head-for-sharpening deal wouldn't be for me.

[ND_Perch]

My buddy bought a brand new Nils and I bought a brand new strikemaster honda 4 stroke. The nils was $650 and the strikemaster I bought for $480. We raced them yesterday two different times in two different areas and the strikemaster 4 stroke beat the 2 stroke nils. We always heard nils was the fastest auger you can buy. Guess not. But the Nil's does have a 7 year warranty on the power head and the Honda has 2 year warranty. But I've had good luck with Honda engines so I don't think I will have a problem. Its really a toss up but if you want to save some money Glens has the strikemaster for $480.

[ice dawg]

I was paging through an ice fishing catalog earlier this winter and it stated the seven year Nils warranty was two years on the engine and five years on the emissions system. I don't remember which catalog I was looking through at the time. That influenced my decision a bit also. I have heard very few complaints about strikemaster or Nilsmaster augers.

[Greg2ha]

It all comes down to what you want to spend!

[slater1]

My experience is with manual augers.  I've owned in order a spoon bit, a strikemaster mora, a strikemaster lazer, and nils.  I remember how impressed I was with the lazer over the mora.  When I got my nils 3years ago I was so impressed with how much better the nils was compared to the lazer.  My lazer has not seen the ice since.  The nils cutting head is self sharpening to a degree, and it still cuts just as well as when new.  With the lazer I was buying new blades every year. 

[rabbittrapper]

Strikemaster. I have a mora 7 inch and love it. Only problem was one of the blades snapped in half while I was drilling a hole.

[esox_magnum]

In a tourney this weekend 2 strike masteres died, one blew a gear in the tranny it is on season 4, other was less than a month old and locked up walking between holes....I have owned both and see no reason to ever step down from the reliability and durability of the Tanakas and Nils....I never plan to have to buy anoher auger in my lifetime...

[kingcoho308]

strikemaster!!

[1moslab]

we are really going to ask this same question every week or so

[Rather-B-Fishin]

strikemaster!
easier to sharpen and get blades
cheaper
i mho better built from expereince

[evobassfish]

Do your research and the truth will set you free. P.s, check out my avatar

[mrgundog]

Do both put a lazer flight on a Tanka head. We have ran a Tanaka for 20 years I just replaced my 305 Tanaka with a 350. Last one I plan to buy in my life like the other fellow. The 4 stroke does have merit less fumes in the shack and the motor is bullet proof. I had the Nils blades also 20 years ago .Sharpening here  in Canada was a pain back then. Switched to a Lazer  had to cut and add a pipe to fit it on the Tanaka not a big deal any machine shop  or welding shop can do it. But the Lazer has been great for many years and I always have a set of spare blades if I hit sand on the ice. You will pay a premium for a Tanaka but it really is a industrial auger if you get the 350.

[Jimmyb07]

Hey everyone, I'm thinking about getting one or the other, just wondering which one would be the best. I have a feeling nils is gunna be the winner haha
Had a strike master for years just picked up a nils will let you know which one I like better

[ice dawg]

we are really going to ask this same question every week or so

Normally, yes. Been going on for years.

[tswoboda]

I have a 8" Strikemaster Lazer 224, my dad has a 8" Nils w/ Tanaka... both are about 7 years old.  Running them side by side they are pretty close to the same speed through the ice, and to give a comparison to new models the 224 is the same speed as the 2.5 HP Solos.

Aside from speed there is no other close comparison... I am extremely envious of my dad's Nils and it's only a matter of time before I own one.  Just waiting to find a good deal on one or eventually shell out the $600.

[Rather-B-Fishin]

Just picked up a brand new 6" lazer for less than half the cost of a nils
Had lots of success with my lazer 8" and just down sized for scouting.
I was not personally overly impressed, given the price, of the nils. again at nausea we all have are own opinions and experiences with the products.
Was very pissed to see that strike master/mora sold out to the #$%!!@#$! chinese!
my 8" isn't 'heche de chine'
our country is in a sad place

[315stickbow]

Lol I was using a hatchet. Then I upgraded to a $50 manual bass pro auger. It works fine. Foot of ice in 20 seconds. I couldn't care less if I shaved 2 seconds off that time with a $200 auger. I don't see a need for a gas auger unless you're going through two feet of ice throughout the season. Just my two cents.

[1moslab]

Lol I was using a hatchet. Then I upgraded to a $50 manual bass pro auger. It works fine. Foot of ice in 20 seconds. I couldn't care less if I shaved 2 seconds off that time with a $200 auger. I don't see a need for a gas auger unless you're going through two feet of ice throughout the season. Just my two cents.

depends on how many holes you drill

[Fatfish]

Strikemaster and never look back.

[nadia585]

I think it depends on what you want to spend and the ability to get blades

[esox_magnum]

If you want to buy once get a Nils, if you don't mind having to replace it buy the SM....

[Rat-Man]

Lol            I don't see a need for a gas auger unless you're going through two feet of ice throughout the season. Just my two cents.

If you fished a lot you certainly would see the need for a gas auger!   Guys like you fish alone.