Why is Nils Augers so great? Love the old style Lazer!

[DTro]

So far I've knocked out a Jiffy (no challenge) and Kluge auger.. Nils is next on my list.

Good Luck with that

[jltimm]

I don't think the Nils is that much lighter than the Strikemaster's Lazer or Strikelite, if lighter at all? The build of the nils may be good, but I've seen a few people that have bought them have issues, and not having a dealer around that works on them is a major factor if you do run into issues with the Nils.

[BLACKJACK]

I've never tried a Nils but I've had my Strikemaster Lazermag for about 10 years and its an ice cutting machine and starts on the third pull every time, what more can I ask for?? When this one goes out, I'll be buying another Strikemaster. I drive a Chevy truck, a 'Chevy' auger is good enough for me.

[fishorgolf]

For a person that is that much of a hard core icefisherman and drills 1000's of holes a year I can see were the Nils may be the way to go but for me the avg. icefisherman my strikmaster has been just fine. There shop is 15 miles away from me with great service. For me personally I believe I purchased the right auger. But of course this in only my opinion.

[Willy]

even if it does break, call Strikemaster and they will tell you to bring it to Big lake and they will fix for nothing while you wait for it right there or give you a new one.

I just don't see how people can say that a Nils will outlast a Strikemaster? There aren't any Nils that have been around more than a few years, how do you know? I know for a fact that my strikemaster and many others are still out there and kicking.

As far as weight? What is the actual difference? I will bet it is a pound or two. Big deal.

Nils are a nice auger no doubt, but the way I look at it they are at best an equal to a lazer mag and for about a hundred bucks or a little more. Why pay more for something that will do the same thing when you have a proven machine that is a MN company, best customer service in the industry ane they cut great.

I know, I know, the Nils will beat the SM by a second or two per hole, but to me that one second doesn't mean squat.

[shamrock7]

The Nils opens old holes without flipping you upside down.

[DTro]

There are many reasons other than speed to select a Nils.

No plastic handles to break

Handles have a nice compact design to fit into the corner of a permanent.

Standard 48” shaft length (extension rarely if ever needed)

No plastic flighting to break

Easily converts to hand auger

Engine life rated to last twice as long as the competition

Light weight

Then at the end I spose you could mention that it’s super fast.

[Willy]

Plastic flighting? Yes on the strikelite, but there you are getting into 500 dollar range again. If you can't get the regular lazer mag handles to cut in your perm, then you built it wrong. Who said that the engines last longer. Those Tanaka engines are nice.

And there are also many reason to choose a strikemaster over a Nils and they have already been covered in this thread. I'm done arguing.

My advice, get a Nils. They are the best auger ever manufactured. They kick butt.

[DTro]

The original post asked why is Nils so great and wanted facts. That is what I tried to do in my last post Willy.

[JeffB]

The nils need to get some dealers across the state before I would buy one. Just because they are made to last for years doesn't mean they wont have any problems. Maybe if I ever saw one on the lake someone could change my mind, but it seems like all the guys with the nils must be to busy talking about drilling hundreds and thousands of holes on the computer to come out and show us up on the lake.

[Bigslugger]

Try comparing the Strikemaster and Nils to a Jiffy

What one could be brutally beat on and not break...The Jiffy.

Nils have only been around for a few years so how can all of you say Nils will last the longest???

Strikemaster has good customer service that will fix your auger for little to nothing in Big Lake. But on a Nils you may have to spend some $ to get it done

Theres pros and cons of each but at least if your looking at the Strikemaster route you know they will back there product up 110%. But if you buy a Jiffy you will not need any service because they are unbreakable!

[Finn]

My 2 cents. Nils will actually outlast all now discontinued tecumseh motors (as of 12/15/08)by 3:1. Tanaka service life is rated at 600+ hours of use versus 200 hours of tecumseh. Tanaka has been manufacturing small engines since 1909. The Tanaka powerhead is an actual industrial engine drill designed for drilling into concrete, rocks, wood etc. and is not a lawn mower engine by design such as tecumseh. Tanaka dealer and service network covers USA and Canada, you will find a service location near you should you ever need it. If you currently own a tecumseh product my recommendation is to stock some everyday spare parts, according to tecumseh they will not be making any more parts either now that they discontinued manufacturing the engines. Yes, I love my NILS!

[&JAG]

I don't remember this thread having anything to do with Jiffy? Go to Wisconsin and run those ice chippers! I'm from Minnesota where Strikemaster was born.

[Duffman]

I have a Strikemaster Lazermag, works great, no complaints. So I see no need to replace it in the near future, I'm wary of the plastic handles, actually I'm wary of any plastic in brutally cold temps so I keep that in mind when handling plastic equipment.

But I tell ya what, the Nils 8" hand auger that've I've owned for the past 6-7 seasons is probably the piece of ice gear that has impressed me the most out of all my gear. It's a sweet feat of engineering, despite the terrible blade cover design. If Nils would've had a powerauger out before I picked up my Lazermag, I would've gone with the Nils, no doubt about it. But the Lazermag is my powerauger at this time, and will probably still be my powerauger years from now.

Some of you guys are starting to sound like "Chevy Guys". LOL

[&JAG]

True story... I got a feeling the old Lazer will be making a come back within a year or two. A new engine for sure and hopefully a new design.

[Willy]

Sounds good. Sorry if I came off the wrong way. They are nice augers, there is no arguing that.

[fishorgolf]

My 2 cents. Nils will actually outlast all now discontinued tecumseh motors (as of 12/15/08)by 3:1. Tanaka service life is rated at 600+ hours of use versus 200 hours of tecumseh. Tanaka has been manufacturing small engines since 1909. The Tanaka powerhead is an actual industrial engine drill designed for drilling into concrete, rocks, wood etc. and is not a lawn mower engine by design such as tecumseh. Tanaka dealer and service network covers USA and Canada, you will find a service location near you should you ever need it. If you currently own a tecumseh product my recommendation is to stock some everyday spare parts, according to tecumseh they will not be making any more parts either now that they discontinued manufacturing the engines. Yes, I love my NILS!

Actually Nils own lit. says 240 hours for other augers but even at 200 hours at and avg. of 20 sec. per hole (based on a seasons ice thickness and warm up) that is 36,000 holes. I personally will not come close to drilling 36,000 holes in my lifetime.

Don't get me wrong, I think the Nils is a great auger and along with SM, Jiffy, etc. will do everything a person would ask of there auger.

[Finn]

You are correct it is a matter of taking a lawn mower or a drill on the ice....LOL

[croixflats]

I dont know about the Strikemaster but just the other day I was drilling with my Nils and I must have gotten carried away with all the holes drilled. I had to start running because the ice on the lake was turning over upside down. Can anything but a nils drill that many holes that fast.

[HUMMER 55]

I WANT TO BUY A NILS BUT WHERES THE CHEAPEST/BEST PLACE TO GET ONE?

OK IT CAN BE FOUND AT:

Nils Master Augers @ OutdoorProStore.com

[Northlander]

LOL.

[magic_minnow]

What do people think of the Nils auger blade on the ice gator? I know theres a thread already, but just wondering.

[fishorgolf]

You are correct it is a matter of taking a lawn mower or a drill on the ice....LOL

?

[McGurk]

All SM owners say to buy a SM so their purchase is validated.

All Nils owners say to buy a Nils so their purchase is validated.

All Jiffy owners say to buy a Jiffy so their purchase (even if it was 30 years ago) is validated.

All Eskimo owners say to buy an Eskimo so their purchase is validated.

All Kluge owners (all 3 of them) say to buy a Kluge so their purchase is validated.

All Husqvarna owners say to buy a Husqvarna so their purchase is validated.

[fishwater]

What do people think of the Nils auger blade on the ice gator?

Ice eating rabid wolverine on steroids... I'm getting one for my 224 to see how that goes.