ION Electric Ice Auger Or StrikeMaster Honda 35cc Lite

[minndonn]

I find the ION fantastic for re-opening holes. It works great for holes frozen over at the top and also for holes that have shrunk. Much better than the two SM's I have had. The only caution is hold back a little when hitting the bottom of the hole. I love my ION.

[8ucksho7]

I have the ION and it does cut very smooth and has plenty of power. I don't do much for hole hopping, so haven't really tested it yet for how many holes it will drill. The only thing that might be a problem (real soon, like) is that the shaft is only about 30". It does come with a 12" extension, but for use in a perm that might not be enough to get through the ice. You could add another extension, but I read somewhere that the warranty would be invalidated if you do that. The reason I bought it was so I wouldn't have any fumes in my vehicle while hauling it around. Side benefits...no mixing, storing gas, quiet, light weight! I'd get one again.

[fsnrod]

I have the ION and it does cut very smooth and has plenty of power. I don't do much for hole hopping, so haven't really tested it yet for how many holes it will drill. The only thing that might be a problem (real soon, like) is that the shaft is only about 30". It does come with a 12" extension, but for use in a perm that might not be enough to get through the ice. You could add another extension, but I read somewhere that the warranty would be invalidated if you do that. The reason I bought it was so I wouldn't have any fumes in my vehicle while hauling it around. Side benefits...no mixing, storing gas, quiet, light weight! I'd get one again.

Right now with there extension you would almost be at the limit on all the lakes I've been on my strikemasters power head is right down on the ice.

[Hawg]

Mine goes thru ice under my wheelhouse around Brainerd just fine with the single extension they supply from ION. I did buy the Clam extension though, nice idea.

[BLACKJACK]

Time to bump this to the top and get some reviews from people that have used the ION or SM Honda Lite all season. Seeing some closeout sales on the SM Honda's...

1) My main concern with the ION is the battery life, I've had too many electric drills where the batteries are shot after a couple of years. Also, how about the extension, if you're drilling in a wheelhouse, are you still getting it done with one extension or do you have to goto two?

2) My main concern with the SM Honda is the fumes in a wheelhouse, do you use YOURS inside your wheelhouse??

Right now I have two augers, the SM Electra, its a piece of dump, it just about jerks your arms off at the bottom of the hole, and my 15 year old SM, great auger, cuts great and starts great - but too fumey in the wheel house, for space reasons I'd like to get down to one auger.

Please give your most recent thoughts on the ION and the SM Honda.

[Lip_Ripper Guy]

I don't know what the overall life will be for the battery, but I have had 2 FULL years of using mine and it is still going really strong. The ION has been the only auger I've used in the last 2 years...my SOLO has sat in the garage. I don't know the total number of holes I've drilled, but it has been a bunch. I might get a replacement battery next fall, just to be safe.

The last time out I was still able to get through with just the 1 extension, but I had to drill as far as I could with the slush bucket, and then get that out of the way to finish the hole. I had about 2" to spare. That was on top of some snow, and my frame is 2x6" steel with 3/4" plywood on top, so I'm about 7" off the ice, without any snow. I think you'll be fine with just 1 extension.

You are right on the Strikemaster Electra. I used that for 1 hole...never again. Dang lucky I didn't break every bone in my hand.

[fishwater]

I have an ion and SM 4 stroke. IMO, both good augers. With the thick ice, if you don't plunge and remove the chips as you go, you can wind up with the Ion loaded down pretty well, to the point that it will stall out and won't turn the bit. If you clear the hole as you go, it's been pretty flawless and gets the job done.

My buddy has an ion he has had since early last season; sadly his battery/auger/charger is giving him fits and doesn't provide the drilling potential it once did. We haven't figured out exactly what the missing link is with his setup, it's been too cold to want to do a bunch of test drilling with my batteries to figure out if it simply a bad battery. From other CS threads I've read regarding the Ion, Adrisam frequently replaces both the charger and battery when folks have warranty issues, simply because diagnosing the problem is not always easy for folks.

I have used the SM a few times in a wheelhouse, it doesn't stink it up much at all.

As an only auger, I'd go with a gas auger still. Maybe if we had a bit warmer winter with a bit less ice, I'd feel differently, but the ion is a bit underpowered for punching holes in the current conditions. It'll do it, but it doesn't just plow on through like a gas auger can.

[BLACKJACK]

So one vote for the ION and one for the SM -- any other ION or SM Honda users out there??

[pushbutton]

Think it really depends on the individual. I would vote for the Ion, because I like the comforts of shelter and rarely drill more than 20 holes, am not good/mentally deficient at maintaining gas power equipment, and mrs pushbutton, if ever tagging along, has the nose of a bloodhound and hates the smell. Thought I might need another or longer extension this year, but still had about 4-5 inches to go for my house set up, and it drilled these deep holes just fine and had no problems reopening. Not saying its the fastest, but can't imagine I missed many fish because of it. It has only been year two on possible battery issues, so far so good, but still to early to tell. But lets say I get 3 years out of one battery...and looks like that is very probable....if not more. Thats 50 bucks a year, probably fish 20 to 25 times a year, at 10 holes a trip.... so, 20 cents a hole or a couple bucks a trip for something that is always going to work .......for me..... is well worth the money.

[hamms-scooter]

In that same price range I would highly recommend the tanaka with nils auger . I run the 6" and it is super fast. I also have an adapter for an 8" mora hand auger and that screamed through the ice.

[wpgmbfisher]

Very simple to keep the Ion battery warm, insulated lunch bag or a 6 pac cooler bag and one of those chemical hand warmers, lasts 6 hours even at -20C up here in Manitoba......

[pushbutton]

Well, first chink in the Ion armor yesterday. As fishwater mentioned when I got down to the bottom of the hole it would quit running, and had to keep lifting it up to reduce the weight load on it. The battery was probably only on a 1/3rd charge though....can't find my $&@%@! charger.....lol. Did not have the problem last couple weeks on a full charge, still ended up getting a half dozen or so holes drilled yesterday, but no doubt was dogging it ....looks like the tipping point for ice thickness for this auger is right around the extension limit, for sure if low on da juice.

[fishwater]

I think the battery charge indicator's are only of marginal value. If it shows you have a full charge, you're probably good to go, but with only one, or even two bars of charge indicated, you might as well toss it on the charger IMO. It seems to me that the batteries show full charge well past being half drained. I was out last night and my ion was ripping pretty good even with the slushy heavy snow filling the holes as I drilled. It's amazing how everything runs a lot smoother when it's not -20.

Pushbutton, if you can't locate your charger and need one, I have a spare NIB. I would lend it for a while, or sell if needed. I'm located in Stillwater.