Best Ice Auger Drills in 2024 – Buyer’s Guide

Every good ice angler has a top-quality auger drill to accompany all of their fishermen gear.

Whether you are looking forward to a plush cabin on the ice or you plan to sit on a bucket for hours waiting for a bit, there are high-quality augers available on today’s market that are much more superior than anything your grandpa used.

Some are designed to keep costs low, while others were created to increase your accuracy and speed, allowing you to get the job done fast.

Here is a quick look at all of the products in our best ice auger drill review.

Best Ice Auger Drill Reviews in 2021

Milwaukee 2704-22 – Best Choice for Cordless Drill

The Milwaukee 2704-22 is a compact hammer drill with lots of power and torque.

The combo kit is an impressive drill on the ice, and it’s become one of the staples for any ice fisherman.

Hammer drills have started to repalce the traditional drill style in almost all of the kits we see now, so it’s interesting that Milwaukee has upgraded their drills to have better battery power and RPMs.

This is probably the highest amount of torque in any cordless drill that you’ll find, making it one of the more convenient drills on the market to use.

The housing has been improved from the previous models, and it comes with all the lithium ion batteries that you’ll need to keep it going for the next year.

You shouldn’t have to get batteries for a couple of years, unless you are using the drill every day to its maximum capacity. It also comes with a five-year warranty so if anything happens, Milwaukee is known for their good customer service.

Summary

From the excellent build quality to the cordless convenience, the Milwaukee 2897-22 model offers more power than most drills, and that’s saying something since it’s a cordless.

This hammer drill is the leader among all other models and boasts a RPMs of 1800 with 1200 pounds of torque. You can easily drill through ice and set up camp with this bad boy.

Ryobi P1813 – Best Value Ice Auger Drill

When you’re out on the ice, the last thing you want to do is find yourself with a drill that’s dead.

You won’t ever experience that with the Ryobi P1813, one of the newest drills to receive chatter in the ice angler world.

This drill offers a lot of power, and while it’s not as much as the Milwaukee, it’s an incredible value for the 750 RPMs and power that you get from this hammer drill.

There are actually three modes to enjoy with this ice auger. You can choose drill mode for standard power, or you can go to hammer mode, which lets you drill holes into all kinds of masonry, let alone ice.

The good news is that it’s not as expensive as other drill, and it’s a cordless drill with an 18V lithium ion battery.

This drill offers significant improvements over many other drills on the market, and it will last over four hours out on the ice.

Summary

If you are looking for that cordless power convenience, you can’t go wrong with the Ryobia P1813. It’s a great ice auger to start out with, and with its powerful battery, you will be hard pressed to find another at this price that has this kind of torque and RPMs.

It can easily drill through the ice, and you won’t have to pay much to get it. You can also keep everything in the convenient bag included with the combo kit.

DEWALT DVD996B – Great Hammer Drill Power

The DEWALT DVD996B is a powerful 20V battery-operated drill that has three different speeds to ensure that you drill into the ice with precision.

It actually comes with two 20V batteries and can reach 38,250 BPM in hammer mode.

This motor is all new from Dewalt, allowing you to get the most performance out of the drill and has 57% longer battery life than the previous model.

Batteries charge up extremely fast and last for hours, so you’ll be able to get your ice holes drilled in no time and then sit back to relax.

Summary

We love this drill for its ability to dominate any ice layer with over 38,000 BPMs. While it comes with a 110V charger, we recommend upgrading to a 220V charger for faster charging if you plan to spend your days on the ice.

You can use this drill to create large, precision holes in any layer of ice, and it will never disappoint. The price is perfect for those who are just starting out and want a high-quality drill without spending too much money.

Eskimo 8″ pistol bit ice auger test with DeWalt drill:

Makita XPH11RB – Best for Overall Drilling Power

At just 2.9 pounds in hand, it’s easy to feel like a drilling machine with the Makita XPH11RB.

It’s extremely fast and goes up to 700 RPM or 25,500 BPM in seconds.

You can use it for a wide range of drilling, but for the ice, it’s incredibly fast and powerful.

The dual LED lights on the front make it easy to work in any kind of light, as well. The look and design of the Makita offers handheld convenience and precision.

You will love being able to point and drill with this hammer driver drill kit. It’s easily one of the most high-powered drills for a great price.

As a sub-compact drill with battery power, you will be surprised at the RPMs that you get out of this drill.

You can chip away at any ice block using this drill, and you’ll never feel any hand fatigue. The drill also has protected seals so it’s waterproof and won’t get corroded over time.

Summary

We think the Makita XPH11RB is probably the best on our list when it comes to power and precision hammer drilling for the price. You’ll be able to easily chip away at any ice layer with this intense hammer drill kit, and it’s got the convenience of cordless power.

The waterproof seals and other durability features also make it easily one of the longer-lasting drills on our list. You can use this drill for years and years, enjoying an amazing experience from a powerful motor.

Ice Auger Drill Buyer’s Guide

Angling out on the cold ice during the wintery mornings makes for a perfect day when you have the perfect ice auger drill. These hammer drills offer some of the best performance and convenience for modern ice fishermen.

These handheld drills make quick work of any thick ice, but what features count the most? In our review, we look at design, power, convenience, battery life, and a few other factors to determine what the best drill will be.

Here is a comprehensive look at what you can expect from a good ice auger drill.

Lightweight

Heavy drills out in the cold don’t particularly help due to hand fatigue. You want a drill that weighs less than 2.5 lbs if possible.

RPMs

This measurement of power is key to knowing how fast and strong your drill be for chipping away at stubborn ice blocks. While 750 RPMs is a good starting point, you can always do with more.

The Milwaukee is probably the most powerful cordless drill for RPMs, as you’ll get up to 1500.

Torque

This second measurement of power is equally as important because you want to know that the motor will last and won’t strain as you dig into thick ice layers.

BPMs

Most drills will have power measurements for RPMs and torque, but if you want to know absolutely how well your drill will do on the ice, then you want to know the BPMs too.

Your drill should be able to produce up to 25,000 BPMs or more. Of course, higher BPMs are always better because it means you’ll be able to drill faster.

Hammer Drill Mode

It’s essential that your drill has this mode, or you won’t be able to create precision holes with your handheld drill.

Typically, there are two to three modes on these drills, so that you can still have the handheld tool for home, as well as the ice auger drilling tool that you need for angling.

High Mobility

You want a drill that can go with you anywhere and has a lightweight construction. However, the kit should also be convenient for you as well.

Most of the drill kits on our list come with their own convenient travel bag that helps you store all of the items together, including the charger.

Battery Life

Most hammer drills with cordless options will have lithium ion batteries. These are the top of the line currently and will guarantee that you can use your drill for hours at a time without having to re-charge.

Affordability

Not all drills are created equal. However, the ones on our list are pretty powerful and cover most budgets for ice auger tools.

Whether you are trying to find a decent handheld power drill or you want something that’s going to instantly shatter ice walls, you’ll need to decide how much you’re willing to spend on this convenience.

If you want the ultimate in power, then you’ll likely need to upgrade your budget to afford it.

Warranty

A five-year warranty is typically standard for these drills, but if you find one that comes with a lower threshold, then you should check that it’s customer satisfaction rating and customer service hotline are highly rated. You don’t want to get any drill that isn’t going to last.

Ice Auger Attachment

The key to making these drills work is the ice auger attachment. These are adapters that will work with any handheld drill to easily drill through stubborn ice. These attachments can be purchased at any hardware store or ice angling online shop.

Cordless Drill Ice Auger Adapter In Action:

How to Use Cordless Drill with Ice Auger Adapters

What if you could do 10 to 20 holes on a single charge? That’s the power and convenience of a handheld drill and an ice auger adapter.

While you may have tried to sweat through one hole with your traditional setup, you can make it a breeze using a precision tool like a hammer drill. However, you’ll need an adapter to make sure that your auger won’t slip down the hole using the drill.

Higher voltage is key to making these adapters work better for you. If you find a drill with a 36V battery, then you will be in ice angling heaven as you can drill several holes rapidly for two hours, getting the perfect amount of holes to catch as much as you possibly can.

Ice auger adapters easily fit onto the drill head using the kit. Once attached, you can drill down easily into any ice layer using the handheld drill. With higher battery life, you can easily drill 20 holes on a single charge.

However, it’s important to use a smaller 6-inch adapter so that you won’t get the ice auger stuck and can easily push down until you break through.

This is a great tip from professional ice fishermen who are currently using this method. Ice anglers also recommend using a thin piece of plywood and hose clamp to ensure that you don’t lose the auger as you drill the hole.

Why Choose Hammer Drills Over Typical Ice Augers

Handheld hammer drills aren’t the typical ice auger that you see every ice fishermen with, but they have definitely become more convenient and easier to use than the older tools of the trade.

With handheld drills, you don’t need to wait to dig holes, and you can generally drill through any kind of ice layer with precision power.

The best part is that this power and convenience can help you achieve exactly what you want to do on the ice without any extra gear or costs. You can simply upgrade your ice angling game in an instant with one of these drills.

Do Cordless Drills Really Work for Ice Angling?

This is a question that many traditional ice anglers ask because it seems so odd to do away with the traditional setup. In fact, cordless drills are much better than typical ice augers because they are easy to carry and easy to use.

The handheld convenience makes quick work of any ice hole, and there are a ton of videos online that show you how well these work for ice angling.

Here is a good video to check out if you are curious:

Conclusion

While ice fishing is a traditional angler’s sport, there’s no reason why you can’t upgrade your setup and use a hammer drill to improve your next ice fishing trip.

With the latest ice auger adapters and attachments, your home drill can easily become a powerful ice angling tool. We recommend the Makita XPH11RB because of its sub-compact power and great price.

You’ll easily be able to drill 10 to 20 holes using an attachment and this high-powered drill, and you won’t have to pay as much to get that kind of power.

However, if you are on a budget, the DEWALT DVD996B is another great drill that costs much less and also has decent power with a tad shorter battery life.

You’ll still be able to get similar rapid hole-digging power from this drill, but you may need to keep a second battery on hand to charge it up.

You need cordless ice auger drills if:

• You want to make quick work of any ice
• You want to drill 10 to 20 holes rapidly without breaking a sweat
• You don’t mind buying an ice auger tool adapter
• You prefer handheld power and convenience

You don’t need cordless ice auger drills if:

• You like the traditional ice auger tools and setup
• You prefer gas-powered drills
• You want to spend more time on the ice drilling holes than catching fish!