I dont ice fish very often, but seeing as I live on a lake I want to get more serious about it. I have everything I need; a great portable, flasher,camera, etc, etc. The only thing I lack is a good auger, mine is an old 10″ and its tough to drill multiple holes with. After about 4 holes I am too exhausted to drill more.I am looking for recomendations on a good 8″ auger, also any opinions on the propane augers. Thanks
I love my jiffy propane auger, starts on the first or second pull every time. Its a tad on the heavy side but works great
I have been very, very pleased with my 4 stroke strikemaster. It is lightwieght, solid, and starts with very little effort every single time. It is by far the smoothest running auger i have used. It gets my vote!
you will get 30 different answers to your question but i can say from personal experience (had 2 strikemasters, jiffy propane) that i went with a Nils Master…the motor will last longer then the rest and they cut like butter!!!! had lots of little problems with the strikemasters over the years and the propane jiffy was a disaster..one day in -30 degree temps and that thing went right back to the store…couldnt even get it started…any of the augers out there will probably suit your needs. all depends on what you want to spend!
Nils vote here to, of all the current auger motors madethe Tanaka has thelongest record of over 30 years and built to industrial standards, the rest have 0-10 seasons on them, for reliability the Tanakas are tops in the small engine world…The Nils bit isnt to shabby either, cuts easy and it doubles as a hand auger if you choose and a Nils 8″ will cut as well or better than a 6″ Lazer…
I’ll be firing up my Strikemaster 4 stroke tomorrow. I tend to drill holes with the ole Strikemaster hand augers until we get 8-9 inches of ice; FINALLY we’ve arrived. LOL!! The concept of the smooth running 4 stroke auger appeals to me considering how much I count on it during the season. In all honesty the pairing with a Honda head excites me considering the honda performance in many other motors. I need to run it for a few days before commenting further. 
I have Jiffy propane. Love it but I have never been out in anything colder than -5 degrees. Starts on 2nd or 3rd pull. Cuts 8 in. hole great. I like the no gas smell or spilling. Just my .02. I think there are a lot of good products out there so just buy what you want and think you need.
I have a jiffy propane, great power, easy to start, and no worry about bad gas. I have the 8 inch model. Nothing bad to say about it.
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After about 4 holes I am too exhausted to drill more.
Obviously this is a bit of a Ford/Chevy type discussion where there will be people who feel strongly about each, but I think the above sentance sums it all up for me. If you want to drill more than just a few holes IMO the most important thing is going to be weight and for that reason the next time I upgrade it will be to a strikemaster 4-stroke
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I love my jiffy propane auger, starts on the first or second pull every time. Its a tad on the heavy side but works great
X2
Has anybody tried those electric Ion augers yet?
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I love my jiffy propane auger, starts on the first or second pull every time. Its a tad on the heavy side but works great
Ditto!
I agree with the Chevy/Ford debate on this one. Everyone has their personal preference and you’re going to get a different opinion from everyone you ask.
A lot of guys on this site run Strikemasters (as do I) and are very loyal to that brand. Jiffy tends to be a little heavier than what the strikemasters are, and I’m not up to speed to tell you anything about Nils or Eskimo’s other than my cousin (who I typically fish with) has an eskimo and he really likes it.
Best advice I can give is find someplace near you that has a variety of options to look at and see if you can handle a few of them that you like. Think about it the pros and cons of the two or three you like the most and buy the one you see yourself running after that!
I’m another very pleased Nils owner. It sounds as though you want something with lesser weight and a Nils will give you one of the lowest with an industrial grade powerhed. If I wasn’t so pleased with my Nils, I would look strongly at one of the new SMs with Honda power. As already mentioned, their small engines have already a well-earned reputation. And, their weight is comparably to a Nils.
i have had lots of augers over the years from my grampas first eskmo to hand augers but i must say my nils has been the best the only prob is they dont have 10″ i hear they will make u one tho 
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