I just changed augers last season. I had been using a 9″ Jiffy 3hp for years and it was nice but heavy. Since I trusted Jiffy I picked up one of their units when I decided to go 2hp. It seems to work very good. 8″ and the newer stealth technology blades cut very fast. I gave serious thought to the high RPM chainsaw type motors out there but went with old standby tecumsah motor instead. What is your auger?
Likes/dislikes?
Strikemaster has a new auger coming out and the motor has been redesigned. I haven’t picked mine up yet but it has the weight of a 2hp but puts out almost 3hp.
I owned one Jiffy in my life and had many problems with it. I am on my 4th Strikemaster and am now part of their prostaff. I really believe in their product. I have put them through the test at my own expense and I was more that happy with their product.
My only advice is get the 2hp unless you really think you have a need for a 3hp. A 2hp should do all you need and then some.
I have one of the origional Strike-Master Lazers. I have been pleased with it, it has always started for me. I only have had 1 problem with it and that was an isolated insodent where I was on LOW about 4 years ago @ -35F morning temps. The cooling fins were sticking up on the recoil not allowing the pull cord to retract. I don’t know if there was some moisture in it or what but is has never failed me since.
Man, it is hard to believe I have had that for 10 years now. If I had to buy another it would definately be another Strike Master. 
Strike master laser has worked great for me over the years.
I got a 3hp Jiffy 9″ last year for x-mas. I don’t usually have to haul it too far, so the extra weight really wasn’t a concern. I usually have access to an ATV or I can just drive on the ice. It’s worked perfectly for me so far! At least after I started running sea foam with the gas. I little condensation…
Another vote for the StrikeMaster Laser. It’s the 2 hp and it just punches right through. This will be my 4th season with it.
I had been saving my nickles and dimes to buy a power auger, and finally had enough to do it. My wife and I ended up at Gander Mountain in Woodbury. the salesman asked me what I was currently using, and i told him I had been using the same Mora 8 inch hand auger for over 20 years. He looked my wife right in the eye and said “He’s earned a power auger”. I thought that was a pretty good line.
RootSki
I have a Strikemaster Lazer 2hsp with a 6″ blade…This is the first power auger i have ever owned and I gave her a run for the money last year and she never failed me…So far so good. I mostly fish the river backwaters for gills and craps so the 6″ blade is all i need…
Im with scott. I have a strike master (the 2hp lazer) I love it. there has never been a time I need the 3hp. Great auger. I have a few friends that have jiffys They have been dependiable but always have to be tuned up and there much heavier
I bought a Eskimo Barracuda with a 9″ auger last winter and it worked great. I use a 5″ Strikemaster Laser hand auger early in the season, boy can this auger cut ice quick.
Another vote for Strikemaster. When we are drilling a lot of holes for perch, my buddies with Jiffy’s come over and use mine.
Since there are so many anit-Jiffy folks on this board I’ll have to brag mine up this season as long as it keeps running fine, which I have no doubt it will. 
Like my Jiffy just fine. But maybe Koonce will let me “borrow” his Strikemaster for a test drive eh?
Aren’t most augers powered by Techumseh engines no matter what the brand of auger?
Herb,
I’ll let you test drive my Hand Lazer Auger 
Noooo Problem !!! 
Any time you want 
You’re such a kidder! 
Oh, before I forget, can I test drive the Otter too?
I’ve got a Strikemaster cordless electric, 8 inch, it has the same blades as the lazer, and it is awesome. Put it on the charger overnight, and I have never run out of juice in a day of fishing, and I sometimes drill 30 or more holes. I absolutely love it, when I go out with my dad, I have 5 or 6 holes drilled by the time he gets his gas auger warmed up and starts his first hole. I bought mine before the season last year, and the only advantage I noticed a gas auger having was with 2 feet of ice, it took between 1 and 2 seconds longer to drill a hole with mine than with a gas auger, which you wouldn’t notice unless you timed it, which I did after having several people try to tell me that it had to be a lot slower than a gas. If you’re looking at a new auger, check one of these out, don’t believe the hype from people who have never used one, or who heard from a buddy who’s brother in law has one, they are great, and I would be willing to bet they will become a lot more common.
And yes, I used mine on LOTW last year with 3 feet of ice, and it worked awesome.
I forgot to add-
No stinky gas leaks on your hands, in your sled, or in your vehicle.
A cordless electric Strikemaster? Never heard of it. Is the battery heavy? Can you use cables to a truck battery also? Live and learn I guess. I’ll have to check their website.
Quote:
Since there are so many anit-Jiffy folks on this board I’ll have to brag mine up this season as long as it keeps running fine, which I have no doubt it will.
Good luck Mike!! Just kidding. Jiffy makes a good auger, I’m strikemaster fan myself. I’ve had several models and they all worked perfectly. Of course all we need is the spud bar on Prior! 
You got that right. I love to use the spud.
Putz-
Yes, it’s called the electra lazer 12000 DP, you can hook it up to your truck or atv or snowmobile battery also, I haven’t had to yet, but I always bring the cables with me in case I need to hook it up to my atv, which works perfect for me, since if the ice isn’t thick enough for my atv, I’m still using my had auger. It weighs about the same as a gas auger, the battery is attached to the auger head itself.
I have the Strikemaster Lazer Mag 8” and it drills great. Also have the lazer hand auger thats really too. But would like like to hear opinions on whats the best gas auger thats ”very light” in weight yet doesn’t have alot of vibration? Thanks, Bill
hey wadsworth, how long before you give up on the electric and sell it on ebay?????? get a real auger, 2 horse jiffy. my batteries won’t ever go bad and need to be replaced.
Hey, at 19.99, I can afford to buy a new battery every few years, besides, I’ll still be money ahead of you after 3 years of buying gas, oil, and cleaner to clean up spilled gas 
Oh ya, ask Phil who had to rescue him with his electric auger on Lake of the Woods last year tip up fishing when his Jiffy kept freezing up and “couldn’t cut it”
the way i hear it you should have just saved your battery and not drilled any holes… you would have caught just as many fish Icouldn’t help but give you a little ####. Oh and with the gas prices the way they are now an electric may be the way to go.
Ya, we should have stayed in the shack with one of your heaters and we would have been way better off, hey, at least I’ve got a truck that probably won’t break down once on the way up, and once on the way back this year!
Don’t bring any of that death in a bottle with you this year either. 
I have an ancient Eskimo Sportsman 8 inch. Runs fine. Probably cuts a bit slower than these newer augers but even though I drool over ’em I can’t pry the $$ out of the wallet when this one still works.
I still have my first gas auger Jiffy 3 hp 9 inch blade. It cuts great and has given me 0 problems. It is a heavy auger though. Steve
Every year I go through this new shack or a power auger and I don’t do either…. I notice in the mag adds that Strikemaster and Eskimo do not list weight. Also is a 2hp Tecumseh the same engine on a Strikemaster or Jiffy or Eskimo. I dont doubt the gear box might be different, but what about the 2hp?? Next I’ll get back on the new shack issue.
Wadsworth…what kind of battery does that electric use? I’ll check it out on their web site…
If my da## 3 hp Jiffy (yes I said da##) doesn’t work any better that it has for the last 3 years…I’m going to be looking for a new auger. I had it in 3 times last year alone. 
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