Jiffy Stealth STX 3 HP 10" -vs- Lazer 224 10"

[JAGER61]

Hi Everybody:

Going to buy my first power auger and I've narrowed it down to the Jiffy Stealth STX 10" or the Lazer 224 10".  Would appreciate the opinions of the forum.  I fish primarily in upstate NY near my cabin in Indian Lake and encounter plenty of thick ice. 

Thanks!

[ice dawg]

I have a 2hp Jiffy Stealth 8" and am well satisfied with it. I had a model 30 3hp 8" before the 2 horse. I like the chipper or ripper style blade on the Jiffy. They seem to take more abuse than a shaver style blade from what I have seen and heard. I think you would be satisfied with either of them. I really don't think that if I accidentally banged the auger of my Jiffy on the ice a bit it would screw the blade up like it would a shaver type blade. I can also sharpen the Jiffy blade when it needs it. I had my model 30 Jiffy for years and sharpened the blade once or twice. I sharpened the blade on my stealth this fall for something to do.

[settlepa]

Just curious why you want a 10" you can pretty good most fish through a 8" hole unless your going for whales.  I chose a Stealth mainly because of the quality and warrenty on it.  Ordered a 2 HP 8" much easier to lose things down a 10" hole, plus its more work your auger has to do.  Only my opinion but personally I think the larger augers are harder to get rid of when you do want to get rid of it, there is a 10" Stealth in my local paper and I can almost bet he is selling because it is to big, he wants 325/BO for it.  Good Luck.

[JAGER61]

Just curious why you want a 10" you can pretty good most fish through a 8" hole unless your going for whales.  I chose a Stealth mainly because of the quality and warrenty on it.  Ordered a 2 HP 8" much easier to lose things down a 10" hole, plus its more work your auger has to do.  Only my opinion but personally I think the larger augers are harder to get rid of when you do want to get rid of it, there is a 10" Stealth in my local paper and I can almost bet he is selling because it is to big, he wants 325/BO for it.  Good Luck.

Where I ice fish we often get into some nice pike and lakers (15-20 lbs).  I was led to believe that a 10" hole offers a bit more room to land the fish.  I have been tagging along with some local buddies who live in the Upstate NY where we fish who use a 10" auger and I thought that that's the size auger I need.  Based on your response it sounds like I am setting myself up for uneccesary work and headaches.  In your exerience, have you had any difficulty with larger pike or lakers through an 8" hole?  I like the idea of a lighter auger like you have and am leaning towards the Jiffy.  Since you have been using the 2 hp model, do you have any regrets and wished you got the 3 hp?  In late season the ice gets over 30" by us.  Do you think the 2hp Stealth can handle that thickness?  Lastly, if not for larger pike and lakers, what are people using a 10" auger for? I appreciate your advice.
Thanks.

[Icenutter]

I have a 2HP 8 inch Stealth and it cuts very well.  An 8 inch hole is plenty big enough and I see no need for a 3HP.  I never understood why they make a 10 inch auger anyways.  That is a nice size hole for a child to put their leg through.     When is the last time you seen a fish 10 inches around?   

[settlepa]

Yes, a 8" should do you just fine and a 2HP will go through thick ice in less time than a 10" auger blade.  I did not get the 3HP because there is a 8lb. difference between the 2 and 3HP auger which is alot of weight when carrying it around on the ice.  Cabelas had every other auger in stock except the 2HP 8" what does that tell you?? Also get the STX model, the Jiffy 30 is to loud.  Good Luck with your new Jiffy.

[bigredonice]

If I was going after big pike, I would want the 10 inch hole...gotta take any advantage you can when it comes to trophy fish.  Anyways, between those two, I would go with the jiffy...that 3hp has more than enough power even for a 10" hole, and the auger itself is RUGGED!

[dkfry]

I have a Jiffy 2hp 9" Stealth and it works great. I like the 9" for opening refrozen 8" holes left from other guys with 8" augers. The 9" is a happy medium between the 8" and 10". I drilled about 300+ holes in 8"-12" Ice last season and the blades are still razor sharp. I also talked to several guys who have had there Jiffy augers for over 10 years with no problems. Thats what sold me on the Jiffy. IMO its worth the little extra money for the stealth bits.

[settlepa]

Re-Drilling someone elses hole will dull your blades.  I read that you should always drill a new one.

[Slacktide]

The reason I use a 10 inch. auger is it gives you more space to turn a large fish up the hole. Alot of fish that are lost are bumped off on the edge of the hole.

[dkfry]

I have no problem redrilling frozen holes. I'm not going to cut new holes everytime out on the ice unless I have to. Turning the ice into swiss cheese can make it more dangerous for my self and other people on the ice (Steping into Holes) and the extra holes weaken the ice. Chipper blades are tough and I can resharpen them many times.

[fishuhalik]

I would recommend the 224.  I don't really like the 3 hp jiffy.  When I was working at Gander we had many of them returned w/ broken recoils.  There's also alot of smaller things that broke on them.  They have alot of plastic parts.  Also, the 224 is alot lighter and cuts alot easier.  You don't have push down on it to make it cut like you do on the Jiffy.  You do have replace the blades more often on the 224, though, and the blades on the jiffy will last alot longer. 

[settlepa]

Jiffys plastic?? Strikemasters are plastic! recoils will break in any auger if you dont take the slack out of it before starting it.  Sure they may weigh more but will last alot longer. 

[ice dawg]

Are they using a different engine on the Strikemaster than is used on a Jiffy??

[fishuhalik]

Yeah.  The strikemasters are a 2 hp, and the jiffy's a 3 hp, if i'm not mistaken.  I'm just speaking from what I've experienced while dealing with a high volume of units.  I'm just telling ya'll that we had alot more 3 hp jiffies returned than strikemasters.  Just my .02, don't get all wound up over it!

[Icenutter]

Jiffy and Strikemaster use the same Tecumseh motors.  You can get a Jiffy in a 2HP or  3HP.  I don't see too many plastic parts on the Jiffy i have.  That may be why they weigh more than the Strikmaster's.  I would rather have the extra weight and have good metal parts than something that is going to break.  I remember years ago Strikemaster had plastic handles on the Lazer that kept breaking.  Who would ever put plastic handle's on something you are going to use in sub zero temps. 

[fishuhalik]

Yeah, they're both tecumseh, but one is a 3hp and one is 2hp, they're different engines, just made by the same manufacturer.  As far as durability goes on the handles, I've never seen one break.  Could be wrong, but I've heard from several ppl that the high-impact plastic is more durable than the metal

[ice dawg]

I guess that since Strikemaster doesn't seem to have a 3 hp auger, this might explain why it was Jiffy auger coming back. I used a 3 hp Jiffy for 12 years and had zero problems. Perhaps that is why the last one I bought is a Jiffy 2 hp. Goin on 4 years with zero problems. Hope I didn't trip your trigger!

[fishuhalik]

The strikemasters don't need alot of power.  They have the blades that shave ice.  Jiffies have blades that chip ice, so they need a little more power, especially when it comes to a 9 or 10 inch hole.  It seems like the newer 3 hps are worse than the old ones.  My dad had one for a looong time and had very few probs w/ it, but then he got a new one and has had a ton of probs w/ it.  I don't know if they changed something, but it seems like durability went bad.  Again, just my .02

[ice dawg]

Tecumseh had some real problems with their 3 hp engines 2 or 3 years ago with recoil starters and carburetors. Remember when you had to warm them up for a long time before they would drill a hole? I think it was the EPA emission standards that screwed things up. I haven't heard this type of complaint for a while.