Which Is The Best DeWalt Drill For An Ice Auger?

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Ice is a lot harder than dirt, so you need a tough auger that's driven by a powerful rotary tool if you want to break through. It doesn't matter if you're carving through a layer of ice to dig out a post hole or making yourself a nice, clean ice fishing hole; the right auger and the right drill are both going to be essential pieces of equipment.

DeWalt is widely acknowledged as one of the best power tool brands on the market. The company's products tend to lean on the more expensive side, but they have a solid reputation for power, speed, and durability. DeWalt also has quite a large variety of power tools in its catalog, including a wide selection of drills. These range from lightweight cordless drills that are perfect for small jobs to heavy-duty tools that you'll want for big home renovations. Those who collect the company's tools and are looking to carve a hole in some ice might be curious which of these yellow and black drills are best suited to function as an ice auger. The good news is that there are a few simple ways to narrow down your search. We can get a better idea by taking a look at the specs on offer in DeWalt's current lineup, and then seeing what ice anglers and pro reviewers have to say about them.

There are several factors that go into choosing a good drill to use as an ice auger. It needs to have plenty of torque to cut through dense layers of hard ice, it needs a durable design that offers multiple grip points so you can keep a firm hold on the tool in case the auger catches on a particularly stubborn chunk of ice, and it needs to have a chuck that's compatible with ice auger attachments and can keep a firm hold of the bit without being damaged.

Brushless drills offer more torque than their brushed counterparts and can operate at higher speeds while also being more energy efficient. This is why the DCD991P2 20V Max XR Cordless Brushless 3-Speed ½-inch Drill Driver is a popular model among ice fishers, and Acme Tools even previously sold it in a set with an 8.5-inch K-Drill Ice Auger. Several customers on the Home Depot page have reported using the tool as an ice auger and have been pleased with its performance. It has many of the things you would look for in an ice auger, like a powerful brushless motor that can generate speeds up to 2,000 RPM and a nitro-carburized chuck.

That said, there might be something even better out there. You might consider one of DeWalt's hammer drills, which are often used on masonry, concrete, brick, stone, and other extremely solid substances. That said, you would need to disable the hammer function and use the tool in drill-only mode when using it with an auger to prevent damaging the bit and possibly even cracking the ice. Even so, the raw power that these offer makes one of them a top-tier choice.

The (DCD996P2) 20V MAX XR Brushless 3-Speed ½-inch Hammer Drill/Driver has many of the same strengths as its non-hammering sibling. It's powered by a brushless motor, has a three-speed transmission, a 360-degree side handle, a ½-inch ratcheting nitro-carburized metal chuck, and can reach speeds up to 2,000 RPM (in drill-only mode). But this drill can also generate up to 820 in-lbs of torque. "It works like a champ and is almost noiseless turning an 8" ice auger bit," said one reviewer on the DeWalt site. "It drills countless holes as I move around the lake, and it's never had any issues like a gas auger." A contributor on the Michigan Sportsman forum, likewise, stated, "I use DeWalt 20v hammer drill DCD996P2, but do not use it on hammer. Punches holes all day with one battery, but always carry two."

Chris Hustad of Review Your Gear wrote a detailed breakdown of the best auger gear for ice fishing and claimed that this was his personal go-to drill. "I went with the DeWalt DCD996P2 Cordless Drill," he said. "It's one of the models supported by K-Drill. That says something. And I have some people I know who fish hard water a lot that swear by it as well. [...] This is great for cutting A LOT of holes in the ice, no matter the thickness. I feel confident in literally in any, with no problems whatsoever." 

Mantra Fishing made a video demonstrating its exemplary performance. He noted that he didn't need to put much pressure on the auger and that he managed to drill ~30 holes without issue on a single 5Ah battery. 3 Rivers Fishing Adventures got similar results, and noted that it cut smoothly and without issue.