Looking for the best cordless drill for ice auger to make the most of your day on the ice? Ice fisherman have a wide variety of different types of drills to choose from. The options range from budget-friendly to high-end and everything in between.
It really depends on what you want to prioritize between accuracy, speed, and the like as well as how much you’re willing to spend. An ice auger drill is a must-have tool. For years I tried the handheld drill. Cranking and cranking that piece of steel by hand is a terrible job. I don’t recommend it…especially in the high mountains of Colorado! It’s a heart attack waiting to happen!
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Why buy a power drill for an ice auger?
A cordless battery ice auger drill makes life much easier and is particularly efficient and easy to work with no matter what your skill level is. Hook up your auger and drill attachment and pull the trigger. No sweating, no cursing, and no throwing out that old shoulder injury…again!
Here is the list of drills that we recommend. We have used several of them and generally they all have their strengths and weaknesses. The truth of the matter is, the differences can be fairly small, but those small differences may be a big deal to you.
Best Ice Auger Drill Attachment
You’ll be glad to know that we did a lot of research for this one and even took these models for a test drive to make sure that each one deserves to be considered for this list.
1. DEWALT 20V MAX XR Hammer Drill Kit
The DEWALT 20V deserves to be called one of the best cordless drills and is the best DEWALT drill for ice augers.
It’s one of the fastest models on this list with three operating modes to choose from, including drill, hammer, and driver. We’ve already touched on what each of these modes offers so we won’t go through it again but we can say that this drill kit is incredibly accurate.
It only weighs 10 pounds and measures 11 inches. It even comes with a 360-degree side which is important to have to keep your wrist from injury if the auger happens to catch. The Dewalt also comes with an LED light with three different lighting modes so you can customize your ability to properly see while using this in the dark or in low light conditions of your ice shed.
Not only is this drill for ice fishing safe and easy to use but you can operate it on 18V and 20V voltage options depending on how hard you want it to go. It all depends on the specific work setting but it can go up to 2000 RPMs.
2. Makita XPH11RB Hammer Driver-Drill Kit
Next, we have the Makita drill which is one of the most unique options on this list, with its ergonomic and thoughtful design that’s made to prevent your hand from getting tired while using it. Not only that but this drill is also designed to reduce shoulder, neck, and back tension due to prolonged use.
But what really makes it the best cordless drill for your ice auger is the fact that although it’s 16 inches long, it only weighs 3 pounds making it ideal for those hard-to-reach spots. Otherwise, it’s a versatile kit with a power potential of up to 1,700 RPMs and you can depend on it to drill accurately thanks to its 350 pounds/inch of torque.
The manufacturer also considered low light conditions when designing this drill, as it comes with two LED lights located at the front for easy access and use.
You’ll also be glad to know that this ice auger drill attachment is waterproof and resistant to corrosion, it comes with a plastic tool case and a charger to recharge the included 18 V batteries. All in all, it’s a complete kit that you can’t go wrong with.
3. Ryobi P1813 One+ 18V Cordless Hammer Drill
Here we have the Ryobi P1813, a cordless drill that’s incredibly easy to use, even for beginners. It’s powered by an 18V lithium-ion battery which has a lifespan of 4 hours. That’s more than enough for you to enjoy your ice-angling adventures uninterrupted.
It comes with an adjustment knob with three modes for ease of use and you get to choose from standard drill mode which allows you to open holes on ice, plastic, wood, and metal while hammer mode helps you open holes on really thick slabs on ice, masonry, and concrete, and drive mode is particularly designed to drive screws and bolts.
You’ll also be glad to know that this drill has a length of 8 inches and is super lightweight at 3 pounds so you know it won’t take up too much space in your gear pack. Should the battery run out, there’s an included charger that will get it up and running again within 30 minutes of juicing up. It also offers 23,000 BPMs and 18,000 RPMs with a torque of 750 pound/inch.
Close to the drill base is a magnetic holder which makes it easier for you to attach bits and fasteners to the drill.
4. Skil 20V 1/2 Inch Cordless Drill Driver
This Skil is the best cordless drill for ice auger if you’re shopping on a budget. It costs less than $100 but offers great value for money.
It has a 20V motor and can reach a speed of up to 1450 RPM.
It also operates on a 2.0 Ah battery which is very effective at keeping this going for a couple of hours and it even comes with a charger that is able to juice it up within an hour.
All told, this is a great budget-friendly cordless drill adapter that’s definitely worth it.
5. Metabo HPT Cordless Driver Drill Kit
Metabo HPT hammer drill is one of the most reliable options you’ll find out there.
It’s actually a HITACHI model so that already tells you all that you need to know about its quality and performance.
It’s powered by two lithium-ion batteries and comes with a carrying case for portability with a drilling power of up to 400 inches per lb. But what really sets this hammer apart is the fact that it features a keyless chuck for easy replacement.
The drill itself is backed by a lifetime lithium-ion tool warranty while the batteries have a 2-year warranty only. Other notable features of this cordless drill include a drill mode and a 22 torque setting.
6. PORTER-CABLE 20V MAX Cordless Drill
Next in our search for the best cordless drill for ice fishing we have the Porter-Cable PCCK607LB 20V Max.
It’s a middle-of-the-range option that comes with all the features that you’d expect.
This drill will get you through the whole winter without a hitch. It’s powered by a 20V motor with an RPM of up to 1800. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that it comes with two 1.5 Ah batteries as well.
7. CRAFTSMAN V20 Cordless Drill/Driver Kit
This is another budget-friendly option that comes with all the features you need to enjoy a productive ice-angling trip.
This drill offers great value for money and comes with features such as 900 RPM maximum speed, two 1.5 Ah batteries which are rechargeable within 60 minutes using the included charger.
The entire thing runs on a powerful 20V motor which makes it the best ice auger for cordless drill.
8. Hitachi DS18DGL Compact Drill Driver Kit
Hitachi has a reputation for making powerful products and they don’t disappoint with this drill driver kit.
It’s ergonomically designed to handle a versatile number of tasks and even heavy-duty applications. It features a carrying case, a charger for the two included 18V batteries, and a Phillips driver bit with two sides.
There are two different gear settings for speed to choose from depending on what you’re working on and to prove how powerful it is, it comes with a peak torque of 400 pound/inch for optimal precision.
Also included in the package is an LED light which helps to keep you working well into the night. All of this for just less than 4 pounds of cordless drill and yet it offers up to 1,250 RPMs.
How to Buy the Best Cordless Drill for Ice Auger
So, if you made it this far then you know what your options are when it comes to the best cordless drill for ice augers.
But, if you really want to find the optimal option for your trip, then you need to know what to look for and that’s exactly what we’re going to cover next.
Portability
The first thing to consider when shopping for a cordless drill for auger is how easy it is to carry because you don’t want it to take up too much space.
Ideally, it should also have certain features that promote portability, such as a tools pack or a kit which many of the options on our list have.
Power
What’s the best way to determine how powerful a cordless drill is and why brushless drill for ice auger in your case?
Consider the following:
Torque
Torque refers to the drill’s power with the best options generally providing about 750 lbs/inch for a cordless drill.
RPMs
This refers to the rotations per minute that the best ice fishing drill can make with the best speed being 750 RPMs.
BPMs
Blows per minute is basically a measure of the hammer’s action and a really good hammer drill for ice auger should be able to produce up to 25,000 BPMs.
Weight
When it comes to weight, it’s important to consider your experience level and how familiar you are with drills as this will determine how easy and comfortable it is for you.
Speed Transmission
Considering the varying properties of ice, it’s worth it to ensure that your drill can operate at varying speeds as well.
If you ask us, using cordless drill for ice auger means it should have 2-speed transmissions at least or even 3 for good measure.
Use
As with anything you want to make sure that your drill can be utilized for different applications.
The best drill to use for an ice auger can usually drill into ice as well as wood, steel, and masonry which makes them useful all year round.
Chuck Size
Another important feature to consider is the drill’s chuck size with your options being the ones mentioned previously.
The most important thing to ensure here is that your auger’s chuck size is the same as that of the drill.
Battery
Since this guide was all about the best cordless drills, most of them feature lithium-ion batteries which are powerful, quick to charge, durable, and easy to use.
Warranty
Most great cordless drills are backed by a 5-year warranty which is pretty generous and telling of the manufacturer’s confidence in the product.
This is important because you want to be sure that your drill is made to last.
How to Convert a Drill Into an Ice Auger
You’ll be glad to know that anyone can convert a drill into an ice auger. Simply start by connecting a hand auger using an ice auger drill adapter, a drilling machine, and a high-quality blade.
These tools will help you to loosen the nut in order to detach the handle from the ice auger. It’s important to do this gently as applying a lot of pressure to it can lead to blade damage.
Your next step is to place the ice auger drill adapter in the blade and then affix the wing nut into place. One end of the adapter will be open in order to fit any drill machine that you place in it.
And then to use the drill, simply switch it on and start cutting! Make sure you wear ice fishing gloves also.
Conclusion
If we were to pick just one option as the best cordless drill for ice auger, it would be the DEWALT 20V MAX XR Hammer Drill Kit.
What makes this drill kit great is the fact that it comes with 3 different operating modes, a toolbox, charger, and batteries as well as an LED light with 3 different lighting modes.
Basically, it’s jam-packed with all the features you’d need to make the most out of your ice-angling trips.
Can’t believe you don’t have a Milwaukee drill listed!!