Lake MacBride is an excellent choice for a fishing trip.
Drilling into ice can be tough work, and without the right drill for your ice auger, you might spend more time drilling and less time ice fishing. Picking the best cordless drill will be up to you, your preferences, and your priorities. You may be searching for speed over ergonomics, or you may just be looking for the best drill in your budget.
One thing ice anglers alike can all agree on is that a good cordless drill for your ice auger can help make your life a little easier. Knowing the different features and their use and importance can be essential when making your drill purchase. If you’re taking a long trip, battery life is probably on your mind, or if you have to pack light, you may be thinking about portability.
Just walking into the store and grabbing the first drill you see may limit the amount of work you can do on your ice fishing trip. With so many cordless drill options to choose from, the buying guide below can help get you started.
4.5 stars
Cordless drills can get pricey, and if budget is on your mind, then the Skill 20V Cordless Drill has impressive qualities for a lower price. With a 20V motor, it stands up to some of the better, more expensive drills, and an RPM of 1450 isn’t bad either.
It does only take about an hour to charge, but the battery is 2.0 Ah, which is good but not great. However, with the PWRCORE 20™ Lithium Battery, a temperature management system keeps the battery cool and helps keep the motor running.
Important features that make this drill worthwhile are high and low-speed control, an LED light that indicates a forward or reverse setting, and a keyless chuck for quick and easy bit changes. Get the best budget for high-quality on Amazon.
Voltage: 20V
Battery Capacity: 2.0 Ah
Weight: 4.19 lbs
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4.5 stars
On an ice fishing trip, the last thing you want is your drill weighing you down. With the Craftsman V20 Cordless Drill weighing just 2.5 pounds, it’s nearly weightless, making it the best lightweight option.
The 20V brushless motor provides up to 25% more runtime, and it only takes 60 minutes or less to charge the two 1.5 Ah batteries included. A built-in LED light can help improve visibility if you’re ice fishing at night or in a dark area.
With a max speed of 1,900 RPM, this power tool provides the necessary power to help drill through thick ice. Check it out on Amazon.
Voltage: 20V
Battery Capacity: 1.5 Ah (two batteries included)
Weight: 2.57 lbs
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4 stars
Imagine you’re in the middle of drilling holes in the ice when your power drill battery dies. With other drills, this might cause a big problem for your trip, but with the Porter-Cable 20V MAX Cordless Drill, the fast-charging batteries help save you a headache. The 1.5 Ah battery capacity isn’t the best we’ve seen, but this drill comes with two batteries, so just switch them out if one dies. It only takes 30 minutes to charge, so you won’t have to worry about being battery-less anymore.
With 1,800 RPM and 1,450 in-lbs of torque, the Porter-Cable is a good drill for heavy-duty jobs. It’s compact size and only three pounds, so it’s perfect for not taking up too much room. Find it now on Amazon.
Voltage: 20V
Battery Capacity: 1.5 Ah (two batteries included)
Weight: 3.3 lbs
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4.5 stars
Depending on where and in what season you’re ice fishing, you may be dealing with some thick ice. The Milwaukee M18 Hammer Drill delivers up to 1,200 in-lbs of torque and 2,000 RPM, which can be extremely useful in those situations. Its compact and light design helps to reduce fatigue in longer jobs and can fit in smaller spaces.
The REDLINK PLUS™ intelligence software creates communication between the tool, battery, and charger to help increase performance and protection from overload and overheating. This hardware is the most advanced system of cordless power drills, which helps this drill make it to our “best list”. You can find it on Amazon to try it for yourself.
Voltage: 18V
Batteries: REDLITHIUM™ Batteries
Weight: 3.5 lbs
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4.5 stars
Holding a drill for an extended period of time may induce fatigue, making your ice fishing trip less efficient. With the ergonomic design of the Hitachi Compact Drill Driver Kit, you can start drilling more comfortably over a longer period of time. The slide-style design of the battery and the just over three-pound weight help make it more durable for heavy-duty jobs and more comfortable to hold for longer.
It has a two-speed gear setting, maxing out at 1,250 RPM, and it delivers up to 400 in-lbs of torque. The 18V motor is run by 1.3 Ah batteries, which can be charged in just 35 minutes. To help in darker areas, it comes equipped with an LED light. Included with the drill is a carrying case and tool kit to get you more bang for your buck. Check it out on Amazon.
Voltage: 18V
Battery Capacity: 1.3 Ah
Weight: 3.7 lbs
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4.5 stars
Battery life is probably an important feature to you when purchasing a cordless drill, and the Ryobi Cordless Hammer Drill provides up to four hours of it. The brushless motor provides up to 50% more runtime, and the 1,800 RPM and 750 in-lbs torque provide power for heavy-duty jobs.
The drill comes with three adjustable modes: drill mode, hammer mode, and drive mode. Drill mode is what you’ll use for drilling ice angling holes, hammer mode helps you open ice holes, and drive mode is typically for screws, so it may or may not be of use on your trip.
Even though the battery life is longer compared to other cordless drills, it does need to be charged eventually. It can be charged up and ready to use again in just 30 minutes. Find it on Amazon.
Voltage: 18V
Battery Capacity: 4.0 Ah
Weight: 3 lbs
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4.5 stars
It’s almost guaranteed that you or your equipment will get wet when ice fishing and rust can corrode the gear you probably spent a good amount of money on. The Makita Hammer Driver is not only waterproof, but it is also corrosion and rust-resistant, helping to make your ice fishing trip a little less stressful.
Although it’s compact and lightweight, it delivers up to 1,700 RPM and 350 in-lbs of torque. This drill was created with comfort in mind as its ergonomic design is said to help reduce back, shoulder, and neck tension after an extended period of use.
With two LED lights in the front, you should have little issue drilling in low visibility situations. Included with the drill are a plastic carrying case and a tool kit. Check it out on Amazon.
Voltage: 18V
Battery Capacity: 2.0 Ah
Weight: 2.9 lbs
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5 stars
If you’re looking for all the bells and whistles, and the best cordless drill for an ice auger, then the Dewalt 20V Max XR Drill is for you. With a max speed of 2,000 RPM, it’s like this drill is made for helping make quick, neat cuts in the ice.
Powered by a 20V motor, it comes with two batteries, both of which have a 5.0 Ah capacity, perfect for longer trips. The charge only takes about 90 minutes or less before they’re ready to use again.
A 3-speed transmission helps to get the most out of the drill no matter what project you’re working on. The brushless drill delivers up to 57% more runtime than brushed motors, and the 3-mode LED light provides up to 20 times more light than other models.
The 360-degree side handle helps improve your grip in heavy-duty jobs. With the drill comes a carrying case and a tool kit. You can buy it right now on Amazon.
Voltage: 20V
Battery Capacity: 5.0 Ah (two batteries included)
Weight: 4.6 lbs
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Now that you have an idea of the best cordless drills for an ice auger, it’s time to actually do some shopping. Think about first what features will be most important for your trip. Below are just some of them to consider.
You may be focusing on the speed (RPM) of the drill, but the torque is important, especially for thicker, heavy-duty jobs. The Porter-Cable PCCK607LB 20V MAX Cordless Drill delivers the most torque at 1,450 in-lbs, but note, it doesn’t have the highest speed. The 1,800 RPM is still impressive, but these are the features to take into consideration.
The last thing you want is your battery to die in the middle of drilling a hole through the ice. For longer trips, battery life or fast-charging batteries should be a priority. The Dewalt DCD991P2 20V Max XR Drill has the best battery life with 5.0 Ah and comes with two of them. It is pricier compared to the Ryobi P1813 One+ 18V Cordless Hammer Drill, so if budget is also a priority, then the Ryobi, which has 4.0 Ah, may be your pick.
A heavy drill can not only take up room and add weight to your bag, but it can also induce fatigue easier for longer jobs. The Craftsman CMCD710C2 V20 Cordless Drill is the lightest drill on our list, weighing only 2.5 lbs. However, the Hitachi DS18DGL Compact Drill Driver Kit is just a little heavier, coming in at just over 3 lbs, but its ergonomic design makes it comfortable to hold.
Taking everything into account, it’s time to pick the perfect cordless drill for you and your ice fishing trip. The best thing is you can find all of these drills on Amazon, saving you time and a trip to the store. All that’s left now is to pack your bags with your ice fishing gear and ice auger and let the drill help make your trip a little more fun.
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