Ice Auger Recommendations

[indyhan3]

Hey, I figured I'd start another thread, this one about ice augers. For the past couple of years I've gone out, its been with friends, and we've always used one of my friend's grandfather's auger (a Jiffy). But now that I've got my own shack going, I figured I ought to get my own auger.
Does anyone have any recommendations for a reasonably priced, reliable, 2 stroke auger, preferably one that comes with an 8'' drill?
I would also appreciate any advice on brands to avoid. The only brand I know of is Jiffy, and I have no idea if they make good stuff anymore.

[HotRodSD]

Just picked up a eskimo 43 cc. 8 inch. One pull start on cold days. My friend has the Z51 CC shark. Each runs between $280 to $350. The reason I went with eskimo is because they are cheap and reliable and I feel in love with my friends. Eskimo is definetly becoming huge competition for others considering it's only been out on the market for a few short years. I'm pro eskimo now. Wasn't happy with the old jiffy although it ran well, it was loud and heavy. I would really consider buying a eskimo

[Mont]

i have a husqvarna 326A125....amazing auger!

[Monticatgeek]

here is one for you to consider. it is the Clam Edge Ice auger. it uses the same exact motor that is used on the strike masters and is a lot less in cost then the strike masters. I have had one of these since Clam brought them out three years ago. always starts on the second or third pull.

http://stores.clamoutdoors.com/clam/augers/edge-power-auger.html

[Fenwick307]

I have an Eskimo stingray and it runs and starts fine but if you need a part their customer service is slow at best to help. Next auger I buy will probably be a strike king

[KenH]

i have a husqvarna 326A125....amazing auger!

We have 2 of these and they are great. good power and very light but a little pricey

[Knife2sharp]

You are looking for a 2-stroke to use in a house? If it's for a permanent house, you'd be better off with an electric you can plug into your marine battery or car/truck battery. They will also take a rechargeable battery if you want to be mobile. Propane is another option, but will be more than an electric. You should be able to find a used Strike master electric for less or about the same as an old 2-stroke. They've been around since the 80s.

[32footsteps]

Eskimo is definetly becoming huge competition for others considering it's only been out on the market for a few short years.

Eskimo has been around for over 50 years.  Maybe you haven't seen them in your neck of the woods until recently but they've been around quite awhile. 

I've found Ardisam's (Eskimo's parent company) customer service to be top notch with a quick turnaround when I had an issue with a chainsaw.  Eskimo is their brand name for ice fishing equipment and Earthquake is their lawn/garden brand name.  A 43cc Earthquake powerhead for post hole diggers is the same as what is on a Mako.  The primary difference being the handle on the rope.  The one on the ice augers have the larger mitten grip.  What's nice is after I got my Mako I ended up getting an 8 inch Earthquake ground bit and it fits right on the powerhead and have used that thing a ton drilling post holes in the summer.  So any place that services Earthquake stuff will also service Eskimo stuff and vice versa. 

[Chris338378]

I'd get an Eskimo Mako.  I have one and not one complaint about it, very reasonably priced, it starts up easy, runs great, and cuts the ice like a torch through butter.  Glenn's and L&M Fleet Supply had some good deals on them.  Jiffy's are more expensive and aren't worth the extra money in my opinion.

[teamlund]

another vote for eskimo. Great products and less costly than some of the others.

[jiggenfrogs]

Check the price of replacement blades.  The Last I checked the eskimo blades were running in the mid to upper $20's  Jiffy Stealth blades can be over a $100 and they sell different blades (stealth, rippers ext).  I think Eskimo augers all run the same blades, so if you upgrade all your spare blades will still work.

[KATfishing]

Yet one more plug for Eskimo. I'm on year 3 with my Stingray, 33cc.  It is light and reliable. Whatever you buy, just make sure you use non-ethanol gas all the time.  Eskimo also makes an oil with conditioner to mix with your gas, also helping to protect the unit. My experience with customer service was superb and fast! The only thing I needed under warranty was a new gas cap.  Mine was faulty right out of the box.  Self-venting, but leaked gas. They quickly sent me a new one and problem immediately fixed.  You will find a lot of brand loyalty among auger owners. Sift through it and make your own judgement. I happen to really like Eskimo because all of their augers are reasonably priced and in my experience reliable.

[Warren_G]

I have heard a few bad stories, and lots of cautionary tales about Eskimo, especially with the smaller engines, but I am on year 3 with a 43cc Mako and 10" drill. It still cuts fast on the first set of blades, and starts on the second pull every time I have taken it out. I would buy another one again if I were to lose this one.

[icefishdoug]

Z-71 SHARK WITH 10" CUT.   one bad azz auger.. I have had mine now for 3 years going on 4. starts on 2 or 3rd pull. no problems what so ever.  a little heavy but if your not a sissy-boy you will be fine.  Glen's Army Navy Store will give you the best price....and they sponsor this site.    www.glennsoutdoor.com

[dmoen]

I went to my local ice fishing place of choice 2 years ago for a new auger to retire my awesome model 30. (Actually sold it) I went with the intent on an asking propane 8". All they had was 10" propane both in jiffy and Eskimo. So, I figured I'll just get the 8" ion. Nope, only 6" on hand.  Damn I should just go home now... No, I decided to get the lightest 8" gas auger they had on hand and go home. Eskimo 33cc fit the bill. I cN carry the thing, and sprint across the lake almost haha. Would still like an ion now I use the perminate almost exclusively.


Has been a great auger. Always starts with a couple pulls. Mixed @ 100:1 with amsoil interceptor. Have used it with one extension on over 4' of ice. Never felt like I was lacking power. Slower then the jiffy was, but gets the job done fine, and is lighter, and quieter

[indyhan3]

Interesting. I have yet to year one vote for Jiffy, and I thought that they were a pretty major brand. Is there any reason why no one seems to like Jiffy's? I was thinking about getting one, but only because my buddy's grandfather uses them, so they're the only ones I've ever seen in use.

[gunnerdog]

Interesting. I have yet to year one vote for Jiffy, and I thought that they were a pretty major brand. Is there any reason why no one seems to like Jiffy's? I was thinking about getting one, but only because my buddy's grandfather uses them, so they're the only ones I've ever seen in use.

The Chinese motors on them suck the big one.  The older ones with the Techumse were much better.  I've used pretty much every auger out there and haven't found one better than my Tanaka. 

[Joe Wayne]

Nobody has said anything about the Nils Convertible.
Put that together with the Clam Drill Plate and you've got one universal auger system.
Battery dies? No problem, you've got the handle in the sled. Problem solved.
It's much lighter too.

[BowHunter1527]

here is one for you to consider. it is the Clam Edge Ice auger. it uses the same exact motor that is used on the strike masters and is a lot less in cost then the strike masters. I have had one of these since Clam brought them out three years ago. always starts on the second or third pull.

http://stores.clamoutdoors.com/clam/augers/edge-power-auger.html

I have the same one and it does well but I would have went with something else if I could buy a new one. Ive had tons of problems with the fuel lines coming out. They just seem to pop off, I had Clam send me all new lines and they seemed to work for awhile but have still had issues with it. Im also curious if I can use strike master blades to replace the ones Ive got on it. 3 yrs in ND has taken its toll on them.

[Reinert]

picked up a 8 in ION this year. the ice here in Nebrasky rarely gets over 16 inches on the spots we fish. so far it was been flawless. its light its quiet but you wont win many races with the gas or propane guys. and that's ok with me. no finicky start methods leaky tanks or line and ill never rebuild the carb! and no stink!

[SDSPORTSMAN20]

I've got a Strikemaster Magnum 8" and a Jiffy SD60i 8" and IMO the Jiffy drills faster and starts better. I'm thinking about selling the Strikemaster for a new Chipper Mag 10.25".

[Alex Delarge]

The newer jiffy's aren't what they used to be. But neither are the Mo's or SM. They all use to use tecumseh motors. I have the jiffy pro4 propane and like it as long as temps stay above 0°F. Also have a couple of the older jiffy model 30's and 34 with tecumseh engine. Use those when it is below 0°F. I wouldn't get a newer jiffy unless it was propane. If you want a 2-stroke and to turn a 10" bit those old model 30's really have the power to do it. You can find them for $100-200 on craigslist etc... I have a model 30 from the '70's and it is still running strong. Paid $100 for it, 9" with extension. I think most augers new or old can have issues. Much of it can be operator error/poor maintenance and obviously some are just melons. If you can afford it get one of the tanaka's. they get great reviews and have an awesome warranty. Just be sure you know what drill you want to pair it with.

[eyeball15]

I got Eskimo hc40 quantum propane . Very good investment, last year I used it in-35 wind chill, it sat out side the shanty all day and started first pull every time. No more gas to spill or mix up.'' Well worth the money.

[MageeEast]

Just picked up a eskimo 43 cc. 8 inch. One pull start on cold days. My friend has the Z51 CC shark. Each runs between $280 to $350. The reason I went with eskimo is because they are cheap and reliable and I feel in love with my friends. Eskimo is definetly becoming huge competition for others considering it's only been out on the market for a few short years. I'm pro eskimo now. Wasn't happy with the old jiffy although it ran well, it was loud and heavy. I would really consider buying a eskimo

First post on Iceshanty.  I am a guide on Lake Erie and I bought an 8" propane Eskimo last season over a Jiffy because the engines on the Eskimos are built for propane as opposed to converted gasoline engines Jiffy had.  It started easy and I only went through 2- 1lb bottles of propane the entire season last year!  No issues at all drilling 15-20 holes each setup and I move around a lot to stay on fish if I need to.  A fellow guide and friend bought a 10" propane jiffy last season too and to my knowledge has not had an issue.  The only downfall of the propane units is they are 4 stroke and you have to make sure the crank case vent is pointing up to keep from losing oil.       

[jiggenfrogs]

Just got the Eskimo 10'' propane and let it stay outside the shack at -15 for the night with the proane tank.  I took about 8 pulls and it fired up.  The 4 stroke engine needs more time to warm up for sure.  It was only one trip, but I liked it so far.

[KATfishing]

Fired up my Eskimo Stingray again today for a morning of ice fishing. I am always amazed how well it starts, runs and cuts through the ice for a 33cc auger. I stand by the best practice of non-ethanol gas and viper oil with conditioner. One push on the primer and one pull on choke - every time! Doesn't seem to matter how cold it is either. I don't understand why people get so caught up in stepping up engine size to cut a hole a few seconds faster with a trade-off of all that extra weight. I've gone through 2 feet of ice no problem with this auger. Like anything, take care of your equipment and it will take care of you. I get there are lemons in all brands, but I'm very pleased with my Eskimo next to any other brand. It's also incredibly efficient on gas and the chipper blades are drilling 3 years later like they did they day I bought it, going almost every weekend in the winter. Tight lines everyone!