Nils Power Ice Augers

[CamozKool]

Does anyone have any info on these augers, I have heard they are fast and light... Thanks!

[Esox_Magnum]

I bought one 5 years ago, dont ever plan to buy another....

[CamozKool]

sounds like you had issues, care to share? I did look at online reviews but most of the reviews I read all switched from nils to sm and jiffy, I have had three jiffys and one sm lazermag, I really like the lazer, had it for years and it runs great but need one for here and one for there if you know what I mean... one less thing to haul...

[123fish]

I believe Esox likes his so much that he plans to never HAVE to buy another one. I bought a used one for this winter and am really looking forward to using it.

[Esox_Magnum]

No I love my Nils, dont ever see replacing it....Only downside is the blade cover but Cold Snap has a fix for that now it's perfect...

[CamozKool]

That's good to hear... I'm hoping someone at the ice show has one..

did you get the 12 or 13 pound version or the twenty.. I'm lazy so weight is an issue for me...

[Esox_Magnum]

I have the 48"/8" with the Tanaka Motor, 21 pounds, might go to a 42 though just for a little less weight and easier for other people to use that are more verticaly challenged...

[Dylan8351]

Nils are great augers! Expensive but worth the money!

[aanderud]

Speaking of used...I bought a nils about 5 years ago. Used it for 3 years. No issues whatsoever. I found that the used market was insane, so I sold my auger 3 years old for what a brand new lazer mag cost. I'm in the "vertically challenged" boat being only 5' 9" or so, which was the only downside to the 48 inch auger. Just a bit harder on me during a whole day of hole hopping.

[Esox_Magnum]

I'm 5'10, wifes 5'1 she has a little issue drilling

[Hobey]

Love my Nils.

[blackdog1101]

I had an old Jiffy 31, I'm guessing 10+ years old, I never really looked into it. It ran great, always started on the second pull. However, I have a bad shoulder, and the weight became an issue. After using a friends Nils one day I was sold on them. I bought a Nils and never plan to replace it. I love it. I agree the blade cover is not so great but I plan to get the Cold Snap cover instead.

[hamms-scooter]

I can't wait to run my new one!

[Savage Brewer]

They are terrible, poorly made, cant cut, break down all the time and everyone here hates them.

All kidding aside, I havent heard anything bad about them other than to be careful to not drop it on the ice. Apparently the only achilles heel is that the blades can bend a bit if you are not careful.

The Tanaka powerheads are the only one in the industry offering a 7 year warranty that I know of.

[Surface Tension]

The Tanaka powerhead and transmision will last you a lifetime.

Lets face it, power augers are used in the some of the worst conditions you could ask for and the Tanaka is going to start when you need it.

I'd recommend the Cold Snap cover but a Strike Master cover will work too.

The cost for the cover will pay for itself and I'm sure I'll see less Nils blades coming in that got dinged because the cover fell off.

Along with that Tanaka powerhead, its the blade design sets Nils apart from the rest.

Most importantly is the ease of cut, it takes less torque to bore a hole with a Nils. That ease of cut plus the rate of cut is what is so impressive.

The Nils head is a blade and mount in one unit. True that it is possible to bend a mount but the force needed to do so extreme and in doing so the blade would be dulled or dinged. Either way when I get a blade in for sharpening it is realigned if need be.

If you bent a mount with any other auger you'll be sending the whole drill in for realignment if you can find a shop to do it.

New stuff from Nils.

True that Nils is offering the 305 but you'll pay a premium.

That 7 year warranty. Tanaka has included all powerheads back to 2009.

Also in the works is 10" Nils auger. I was told the Tanaka 270 can be used with the 10".

Lastly, while it hasn't been a problem for me, some compare ice chips left in a hole.

Nils is making the 8" blade a hair smaller, closing up the tolerance of blade to fighting.

[Kodiak]

ole shaley biting on the nils post

[fisherman-andy]

For those of you who don't already know Nils now offers the 35cc Tanaka motor to go with their auger bit. If it was fast then it's screaming now with this new setup.

[CamozKool]

Okay!! I'm sold... whats the possibility I can pick one up at the St Paul Ice Show?? I'd rather not pay a shipping fee so if these are avialable anywhere in southern Minnesota I don't mind doing the drive, although my gal-pal's parents live in Virginia/Tower area so thats an option too..

And Thanks for all the kool and groovy feedback, it all made this decision quite easy...Happy Angling!!

[Lawrence Luoma]

For those of you who don't already know Nils now offers the 35cc Tanaka motor to go with their auger bit. If it was fast then it's screaming now with this new setup.

If everyone doesn't know the secret isn't the Nils Auger but the Tanaka power head. Pair up the Tanaka power head with what ever ice drill you want and you'll have the best there is for performance.

[gill man]

If everyone doesn't know the secret isn't the Nils Auger but the Tanaka power head. Pair up the Tanaka power head with what ever ice drill you want and you'll have the best there is for performance.

Take this with a grain of salt since I've never used their Power auger, but I have a Nils hand auger. I have to believe the secret is the combination of the power head and the blade paired together. The hand auger cuts so much easier than it should it's silly. I can't help but think an easy cutting blade combined with a smaller/lighter than average powerhead makes this the combo that so many like.

[BartmanMN]

Okay!! I'm sold... whats the possibility I can pick one up at the St Paul Ice Show?? I'd rather not pay a shipping fee so if these are avialable anywhere in southern Minnesota I don't mind doing the drive, although my gal-pal's parents live in Virginia/Tower area so thats an option too..

And Thanks for all the kool and groovy feedback, it all made this decision quite easy...Happy Angling!!

Not sure who at the show carries them, however if you order from Cabelas and use this Shipping code, you will get free shipping.

3GIFTS (next 20 days)

[fisherman-andy]

If everyone doesn't know the secret isn't the Nils Auger but the Tanaka power head. Pair up the Tanaka power head with what ever ice drill you want and you'll have the best there is for performance.

[broman]

Hijacking a little... I picked up a Nils hand auger at a garage sale this past summer for $10. Can't wait to try it out. Hopefully the blades are sharp. The guy running the garage sale was resting it upward on the floor of the garage without a blade guard. I grimaced as he was holding it on the floor upright and moving it around while talking to me about it.

[bee]

Hijacking a little... I picked up a Nils hand auger at a garage sale this past summer for $10. Can't wait to try it out. Hopefully the blades are sharp. The guy running the garage sale was resting it upward on the floor of the garage without a blade guard. I grimaced as he was holding it on the floor upright and moving it around while talking to me about it.

Don"t wait to try it. Send it off to Sharp Nils. It will well spent money.

[gill man]

Hijacking a little... I picked up a Nils hand auger at a garage sale this past summer for $10. Can't wait to try it out. Hopefully the blades are sharp. The guy running the garage sale was resting it upward on the floor of the garage without a blade guard. I grimaced as he was holding it on the floor upright and moving it around while talking to me about it.

I'd guess that it might need some sharpening. I'm not sure what the sharpening service costs, but I'm guessing you couldn't go wrong to pick it up for 10 bucks even with sharpening costs added in.

I used to bring my power auger along once the ice got to be over 6 inches or so. If I'm out for panfish my 6" Nils hand auger comes along till we get about a foot of ice now. Drilling is practically effortless.

Good find!