ION ????

[GIANT1]

does anyone own one ? likes dislikes ya know pros and cons !!

[dairyman]

I've got one and like it---no more cranking over the gas engine. I don't know what the rpms are but wish it would spin a little quicker,I've got an 8 inch. With this winter being especially cold I haven't been doing hole hopping like I generally do. Generally 6-8 holes per outing

[Hawg]

I sure like mine.

[Big A]

Pro - much better than gas

Con - apparently you dont own one

Pro - I do and absolutely love mine!!

Con - uuhhhh... yea.. I am out of cons when it comes to the ION. They are great!

[lilwalter]

I like mine as well. As long as you understand it's limitations. I was out this weekend hole hopping with the wheeler. It cut 25-30 holes in 20" of ice over 4 or 5 hours then died. Temp was about 25 degrees and the battery was left in the elements. My normal outings, fihing out of a shack and cutting a dozen holes its perfect for.

[LakeDocktor]

I really like mine. There are many times that I look at my new gas auger and grab the ION. I have the 6" bit and it cuts like butter! I haven't drilled a lot of holes with it yet, but have yet to see my battery go below 3/4 charge. This was after drilling around 30 holes in over 20" of ice last weekend.

While I really like the 6" for panfish, I will be getting the 8" bit next year for walleyes and the wheelhouse.

[GIANT1]

THXS guys for the info !!! and no big A I don't own one that's why I asked

now I know what the A stands for JK

[ihc1]

I have a 6" Ion and really like it. Most holes i have drilled in one outing was a few weeks ago 18" of ice 56 holes and still not out of power. I still have a strikemaster 8" lazer mag gasser but have only used it twice this year because i keep reaching for the Ion. Here's my pro and con list.

Pros:

Quiet, Quiet, and Quiet

Light

No gas to spill when you forget to shut the vent on the tank

Smooth cutting new holes haven't tried reopening old holes

No warm up time

Cons:

Blade guard SUCKS!!!! always falls off

2 second delay before auger starts is annoying

Ice seems to really build up on auger flighting when drilling holes in extreme cold

Battery must stay warm if you plan to drill holes all day

Last thing i have could be a pro or a con its faster than a hand auger or a dull gas auger but is not as fast as a good gas auger with sharp blades.

[Bureaucrat]

I've got the 8" and love it.

Limitations:

*You can only drill so many holes. I drilled 25-30 holes on sunday in 24 inches of ice. I left the battery outside in 35 degree weather all afternoon.

Pros:

*I don't own a gas can.

*Battery charges in under 3 hours.

*No fatigue from drilling or carrying.

*Speed: Drills quickly, yet not so fast there is ice flying everywhere.

*No jarring.

*Fits inside my portable for transport.

*No warmup time when searching with a truck. Hop out, drill, keep going.

*No recoil rope, engine oil etc.

I would not trade mine. I would get a backup battery for aggressive hole hopping in deep ice. The gas saved will eventually pay for the extra battery and premium over a gas auger.

[Loudloon]

Love mine, I just got it at Christmas. What a wife aye? Anyways I reopened a couple holes in the permanant and got a little resistance 6 inches down. It stopped. It could be the angle but it wasn't that big a deal because the next try went right down. I'm selling the Mag3.

[Larry3760]

I have one and glad I didn't get the sm honda lite, if you go through the forum you won't find anyone who wishes they had a gas auger, obviously you don't get the 10" hole but small price to pay considering all my holes are drilled before the guys next to us can get there gas auger started.

Search the forum for ion and you will find slim to none negative reviews

Search gas auger or strikemaster lite and look how many people complaining about augers not starting or broken recoils

Need we say more?

[Huck Finn]

I bought an Ion 8in at the ice show for 440 bucks to use in my ice house and I love it! However, when I use my portable and do alot of hole drilling, then I use my 20 year old jiffy model 30 that I also love. If a guy takes care and maintains his gear it lasts for yrs and yrs.

[NEANGLER]

Only real issue that I see with these is the cost of the batteries, $150 a pop and depending on how a person takes care of them/charges I see that as a negative but other than that not much. Heard nothing but good things on performance.

[DarthBaiter]

I'm loving my ION. Get one, you won't be disappointed. I have the 8". I haven't been on an outing and ran out of juice yet. Granted I don't generally hole hop all day. With that said i drilled 18-20 holes and the battery meter (cool feature) still showed full. So I guess my only complaint and not really a complaint more of a question is, if I only drill a dozen holes one day, do I charge it that night for the next day outing or is it hard on a battery to charge TO often???? What do you think ION owners or any battery expert??

The blade cover does suck to put back on, it's rectangle shape and fits over just the blades instead of the whole bottom of the auger. I'm pretty sure i can use the round one off my gas Eskimo since that auger stays home!!

[fishwater]

Only real issue that I see with these is the cost of the batteries, $150 a pop and depending on how a person takes care of them/charges I see that as a negative but other than that not much. Heard nothing but good things on performance.

The same folks that'll neglect the batteries would likely neglect a traditional augers simple maintenance and possibly incur extra maintenance related costs that route as well.

[fishwater]

So I guess my only complaint and not really a complaint more of a question is, if I only drill a dozen holes one day, do I charge it that night for the next day outing or is it hard on a battery to charge TO often???? What do you think ION owners or any battery expert??

For absolute longest life you should charge it less frequently. In a perfect world, the best practice would be to use two batteries in a rotation, draining each nearly empty before recharging.

From what i've heard, the biggest factor dictating the overall longevity of the batteries will probably be the batteries core temp while in use, either drilling or charging.

[Bureaucrat]

The FAQ on the Ion site says to charge the battery after each use. I am not a battery scientist, so i will defer to anyone who is, but here is the FAQ link to Ion:

http://www.ioniceaugers.com/foundations/store/storepage.asp?page=FAQ

Ion Augers FAQ

I'm not all that bent outta shape about the price of the extra battery. There are some cost equivalents to consider first:

-How many cans of mixed fuel do you have to buy/use/toss to get to $150?

-Extra trips to the gas station to get more boat gas?

-The extra time to pull/pull/pull to get your gas auger going when moving around vs grabbing the ion off the tailgate and hitting the trigger.

-22lb auger. What's it worth to be able to drill 6-8 holes and get right back to jigging vs having to go grab a drink of water, or "take 2" to get your breath back.

I am a huge fan. I can't say it enough.

[pushbutton]

Read a little about this last year and consensus was not to let them drain all the way as they do not have "memory" issues. Apparently you should also give it a little workout before recharging as well. If you do just drill one or two holes, should probably drain it some more before recharging.

[FishFindHer]

I'm loving my ION. Get one, you won't be disappointed. I have the 8". I haven't been on an outing and ran out of juice yet. Granted I don't generally hole hop all day. With that said i drilled 18-20 holes and the battery meter (cool feature) still showed full. So I guess my only complaint and not really a complaint more of a question is, if I only drill a dozen holes one day, do I charge it that night for the next day outing or is it hard on a battery to charge TO often???? What do you think ION owners or any battery expert??

The blade cover does suck to put back on, it's rectangle shape and fits over just the blades instead of the whole bottom of the auger. I'm pretty sure i can use the round one off my gas Eskimo since that auger stays home!!

We've been on four trips this season since just before Christmas, only drill 4 or 5 holes a trip, so obviously not using much battery. Haven't recharged it yet. Down to about 2/3rds now, might charge it before the next trip. I'm not sure what's "better", but I don't think I'd charge it after only drilling a few holes?

So far, we love ours too. Perfect for a wheelhouse and drilling tip ups, etc. Light, not stinky, I even like to drill holes now (definitely used to be hubby's job with the old gas auger.). Obviously not your auger if you're a serious hole hopper and/or you don't have a way to keep it warm in subzero temps...but I'd recommend it for most everyone else.

[nige]

Used my Ion for the first time today. No complaints at all. And will never use gas auger again.

[Bureaucrat]

It's a pretty easy auger to spot. When I was out last weekend, I was setting up quite a ways away from the next group that had just got there. I was done drilling my first 6 holes before they got their auger going.

I would be happy to show anyone my auger, or even let them try it if they saw me out on the ice. I think it's really something that the skeptical (and rightly so) fisherman should try to do if they see the "quiet green" auger in the distance.

I'd be happy to do a demo and share knowledge. It's changed the way I fish.

[Lip_Ripper Guy]

The ION is great. I was really skeptical when I got it, but I it works as advertised. I've never run mine out of juice, but I've only gone to 30 holes on one charge. Keep the battery inside between uses, for best results. If you forget, for the first hole lift up on the auger to reduce the load to almost nothing. It will start and stop a few times, but the battery will warm itself. There is almost no torque on the handles, which is great for drilling in knuckle-busting-territory. I used a Strikemaster electric...once. It almost put my hand through the wall.

I don't like the lack of a point on the auger. It causes it to wander just a little bit when you start the hole. I figured out that I need to hit the trigger for a half second to get things going straight. I also don't like the combo of the safety switch and the delay. Luckily my safety switch sticks, so I don't have to dink with it anymore. I've read they changed this. Others have mentioned the blade cover is junk. It is.

[Valleye]

I dont have anything bad to say about the ION but is it the best electric auger out there? I own an Icegator that I bought in 09. Without the Lithium Ion Batteries (planning for next season) it is pretty heavy. But coupled with my 6" Nils auger and previously a 6" Lazer it cuts through ice like Buttah! Adding the Lithium Ion Battery pack it will reduce the weight of the Auger by 1/3.

A gentleman who also owns an Icegator produced a video on Youtube going head to head with the ION. Do a search on YT and you'll find it. The Icegator drilled about three holes in the amount of time the ION did one and also lasted longer than the ION. Check out the Icegator before you purchase the ION.

[waligators]

How are they for re-opening holes in a perm? I'm talking holes that have been refreezing for 3-4 days? Do they jar and get wedged?

[Hawg]

You can't check out Ice Gator, they don't respond.