Best auger to Buy?

[cabin]

Yes, avoid the new SOLO Strikemaster augers. I also bought one and its been nothing but trouble. First it was the re-coil. It is very hard to start. I have to choke, prime, de-compress and then pump the throttle four times to get it to start. I took it to the local small engine repair shop. It is easy to start if you take out the plug and spray starter fluid in the cylinder. It will not start unless you pump the throttle 4 times and then hold it down as you pull the re-coil. Not an easy thing for one person to do. Other option is pull the plug and spray with starter fluid. I have fresh premium gas and premium oil, 50:1 Strikemaster oil. I had a Strikemaster with the Tecumseh engine and it was a great auger. Stay away from the new SOLO engines.

[Brad B]

go with a strikemaster all the way. I have a magIII that is 20 plus years old and just had it tuned up last season. it still works like new. one advantage to it has the metal handle and not the plastic handle. the new plastic handles will break if mistreated or dropped on the ice, handle it with care and it shouldn't break but if it does break they are not that hard to change out.

[mn_bowhunter]

I'd look at stores for an "old" model 30 jiffy. The one that had the tecumseh engine is bulletproof. It also weighs more than most others and is quite loud. I've seen quite a few in various stores at around $350.

[tonkapat]

More than welcome to try my nils out. I live in plymouth so not far from you. I know which one you will buy after trying the nils. Might be able to bring my buddys new solo lazer with also. Good luck

[riverview]

I have a 15 year old jiffy model 31 legend and not one problem until some gas problems this year at -25. carb kit and new plug 22.00 and it runs like a top. good reliable auger, heavy but built liek a piece of industrial equipment.

This year i bought a new jiffy 2500 lightning,(one of the cheap looking plastic untried engine with a funny exaust thing augers) It is nice and light starts good, revs like a ultra light, it cuts very well. You have to hold up on the handles a little and it just rips through the ice. last sunday we were looking for fish on a sinken road and i cut about 100 holes burnt 1/2 a tank of gas. the thing really cuts. i was cutting 4 holes compared to my friends old dull 2 horse jiffy. It has started at -25 was burried in a snow bank engine completly drifted over (dont leave new auger laying beside snow cat for 4 hours in the wind) and it fired right up. I dont think much of the plastic throttle but i think it is a very light auger. i will let you know in 10 years if it is a true jiffy

[crazyfishnguy]

Gwiff how long have you had your strikemaster? I have heard they have new motors now??/ wonder why? Jwmiller That sounds like a pain in the butt!!! I hope whatever i end up with doesnt have that problem!!!! I seem to have bad luck with new toys myself, sounds like something that would happen to me!!!! Just a bad start to what should be a good time everytime!! I just want something reliable.. Does anyone use electric?? What are your thoughts??

[crazyfishnguy]

I agree!!! Where does a guy look for those older more reliable augers???

[JimBuck]

D Rock in New Brighton might have a few Tecumsah's or at least know where to look.

[Tyler23]

if you read my post, you will see that i did watch the youtube and followed the directions exactly and it still gets locked up in cold temps.. basically the youtube video tells you to take apart the recoil and spray it with WD 40. i did that and it is not an end all fix

[river rat316]

Tecumseh quit making small engines thats why. I would go with StrikeMaster, my dad has had a Jiffy for 10 or so years and its a pia, it won't idle between holes, won't idle at all actually, never has, he has had it in and they always say its good but it won't idle in the cold. I have a StrikeMaster Mag3 and its a good auger, just got a new lazer bit for it and it cuts like no other!

If you think about it StrikeMaster went with a nice German engine when they had to move from tecumseh and Jiffy went with a cheap chinese motor, you figure it out

[zamboni]

The new Four-stroke Strikemaster is the s__t!!

Unbelievably quiet and powerfull!

WORD.

[Mcfin]

I run an Eskimo that is 20 plus years old. It has been excellent. I just cut a bunch of holes with it today. However, I know nothing about the newer ones.

[Brad B]

for anyone looking for a strike master with the tecumseh engine check with the shop in maple lake. I was told by one of their people that they bought the remaining strikemaster inventory of the augers with the tecumseh engines. looking at their HSOforum they have refurbished lazer mags for $320.00 and new ones for $400.00 they also still have some new old stock lazer 224 10" models on sale for $350.00

[no bait nate]

go with the Dodge, oh i mean the SOLO!

[Lundisnumber1]

Any word on the Nils brand?

[eyebjim]

go with the Dodge, oh i mean the SOLO!

That's pretty offensive. The people of the US didn't have to bail out SOLO and this is coming from a lifelong DODGE fan(no more).

[bikeoutback]

I have a 2 year old strikemaster with the tecumseh engine and love it but we all know these are good reliable augers already. A friend of mine has an Eskimo he purchased late season last year. It is a nice auger also but we've had 2 minor issues with it:

1. The vent screw on the gas cap is loose and vibrates off while drilling a hole. We had to find it 3 times the first day he had it and we kept loosening it less and less each hole.

2. At idle it still spins the auger blade just slightly so it's never fully disengaged. Makes it harder to drill bunch of holes.

Otherwise it's a ran fine, started fine and drills holes fine just drill slightly slower than my SM

[Esox_Magnum]

Any word on the Nils brand?

Best gas auger I have used or owned. Hard to beat a motor made for industrial use.

[muc33]

Nils Master with Tanaka powerhead! Great design, great weight, incredible cutting speed and will be in my aresonal for years to come!

[Fred_Bear]

Nils is a great auger. Only thing bad I can say about it is that it seems to ice up faster than any other auger I've seen. This was only a problem when fishing in -30 weather over Jan 1 weekend this year. I took all precautions to stop it but it still happened. After a day of fishing the flighting would gather over 15 lbs of ice. May not seem like a big problem but that 15 lbs put added downward force on the auger when drilling so I had to constantly pull up on the auger. I will say I'd rather use my old model 30 in conditions like that but at any other time the Nils is the best hands down.

[Mainehazmt]

Ok Ill say it go with the ICEGATOR no recoil problems! by the time the others warm up youll be fishing! 3rd year now with 0 issues! same batteries too!

[reddsixx]

I just tried out my new Ice Gator yesterday. Put my 6" Lazer on it and it cut through about 16" in less than 10 seconds. I was seriously impressed.

[TylerS]

These threads are getting hilarious!

Person A: "I have (X) brand auger and it's the bee's knees!"

Person B: "Oh yeah?! Well I had (X) brand auger and it was horrible! Now I own (Y) brand auger and haven't had problems for 50 years!!!"

Person C: "Well I've own both (X) and (Y) brand augers and they were horrible! Didn't even get them out of the shipping boxes and they already were falling apart. Now I own (Z) brand auger and just can't say enough about it. In fact, I love it so much, and we've been together so long that, according to Minnesota law we are now considered husband and wife due to common-law marriage rules. Ain't she a beaut? I can't wait for the honeymoon!"

Person A: "Well, I still like my (X) brand auger so you can all shove it!"

Person B: "No you shove it!"

Person C: "Sorry, what was that? I missed it because I was admiring my (Z) brand auger. It looks simply breathtaking when alluminated by lantern light...*sniff*"

[cold one sd]

Tecumseh quit making small engines thats why. I would go with StrikeMaster, my dad has had a Jiffy for 10 or so years and its a pia, it won't idle between holes, won't idle at all actually, never has, he has had it in and they always say its good but it won't idle in the cold. I have a StrikeMaster Mag3 and its a good auger, just got a new lazer bit for it and it cuts like no other!

If you think about it StrikeMaster went with a nice German engine when they had to move from tecumseh and Jiffy went with a cheap chinese motor, you figure it out

Strikemaster went with a German engineered engine and Jiffy went with a USA engineered engine. The Jiffy engine block is produced in China and they admit it. I am still waiting for proof that Strikemaster engines are manufactured completely in Germany. I would like to read more reviews about both brands with their new engines instead of praising one and bad mouthing the other because of where people read that the engines are manufactured.

[river rat316]

I have never been a fan of jiffy, that one of my dads is a pia and even he don't like it, its actually sitting in my garage right now because he wanted me to look at it. Thats as far as my experience goes with them. I know its heavy, loud, and won't idle and its always been that way, as far as drilling a hole, its faster than my old SM chipper but thats all. I got my mag3 well used, had to do a tuneup this year but its well over 20 years old, added a new lazer bit to it yesterday and it cuts like ahot knife through butter.