Before dropping your hard earned cash, you should know the info about gas vs propane ice augers so you can get an idea which powered auger is the best choice for you.
Gas Vs Propane Ice Augers
Let’s compare gas vs propane ice augers. Why should you choose a gas over a propane powered auger and vice versa? Let’s first outline exactly what these two types of augers are capable of.
What Is a Gas Powered Auger?
A gas auger is a powerful tool which takes advantage of torque from a gas powered engine in order to drill through thick ice.
Gas powered augers are also a great choice for drilling post holes for fencing and buildings and are used by most landscapers.
The power of the motor and the sharpness of the blades make it easy to create a hole in thick sheets of ice.
What is a Propane Ice Auger?
A propane ice auger is powered with propane canisters instead of gas. It has a ton of torque to drill through thick and dirty ice without any issues.
Gas Vs Propane Ice Augers : The Good and Bad News
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Horsepower | Mixing Fuel |
| Efficient | Emissions |
| Long Lasting | Portability |
| Run Time | Harder Start Up |
| Refueling | Maintenance |
Gas Vs Propane Ice Augers Discussion
Horsepower
The horsepower and torque of a gas auger is also what makes it ideal to drill a ton of ice holes in the worst ice conditions. They pack a powerful punch.
Gas augers are awesome at drilling post holes too. They have the power to chew through roots and tougher soil than you can with an electric or manual auger.
When stacked up against a propane auger, they are pretty much equal in their ability, although propane augers are known for having more torque. This means they can handle a bit more tough situations with ease.
Longevity
Both gas vs propane ice augers are known for lasting a long time. We can’t say that one is better than the other here.
Gas augers are simply designed using technology that’s existed for decades. If something goes wrong with your gas auger, chances are you can fix it yourself. If you have an issue, you can just clean out your carburetor, put in a new spark plug, switch out the stale gas, etc.
Propane augers have also existed for decades and run off an engine almost identical to gas augers. If something breaks on a propane ice auger, you can also usually fix it yourself. This is great when out on the lake and you run into any issues.
Efficiency
Both gas vs propane ice augers are are superior in terms of power, with propane leading the way with more available torque.
Overall, with more torque at your disposal, drilling an extensive number of holes will take far less time with a propane auger than with a gas auger, but not by much.
Run Time
Gasoline augers can run for a longer period of time before needing refueling than propane powered augers and can drill more holes on a tank of fuel than an electric auger can on a single battery charge. This means less stopping to refuel and more hole drilling.
Gas augers are also known for being exceptionally reliable when starting and running compared to propane augers.
Refueling : Gas Vs Propane Ice Augers
You can buy more gas anywhere when you’re out. But if you run out of green propane canisters, you’re going to have a more difficult time trying to locate canisters than gas.
Fuel Mixing
If you get a two-stroke auger, you’re going to need to know the perfect mixture of gas and oil every time you refill the tool. You’ll have to either bring pre-mixed fuel, buy special pre-mixed fuel or bring the gas and oil and measure them out.
This is time-consuming and takes more effort than propane augers. Especially for beginners, you’ll need to take time to learn the perfect fuel-to-oil ratio to operate your auger.
Emissions
When you’re working in your shack, you’re not going to want to fill the entire space with hazardous emissions, such as carbon monoxide that come from a gas auger. We don’t like using a propane auger indoors either; an electric or manual auger is a better choice if you’re going to be using an ice shanty or shack.
Even when you’re drilling post holes, eco-conscious people may also want to consider an alternative to a gas augers, to stop putting the emissions into the atmosphere. With propane augers there are less emissions.
Portability : Gas Vs Propane Ice Augers
There are many heavy-duty parts included with a gas auger including the motor and fuel tank, which are only going to add weight to a tool that’s already heavy.
It’s likely you won’t be able to drive up to your favorite fishing spot and instead, have to pull the auger behind you on your sled.
You’ll also need to bring a jerry can of fuel, some gas-oil mixture and anything else you think might need. This all adds to the weight on your sled.
They’re certainly not recommended for people who are looking for a lightweight and portable item to use consistently.
Propane augers are also heavy and weigh about the same as a gas auger. The main benefit is that there is not need to carry oil and gas with you and mix it (for a 2 stroke). 4 stroke gas augers only need gas.
With a propane auger you just need to bring a few propane canisters with you which makes them more portable. No need to bring a gas can that can spill everywhere.
You’ll also find that gas and propane augers take far more energy to use compared to electric and manual, as they create a huge amount of torque that you will need to control and are much heavier.
Startup
It’s possible that the first time you crank your auger to get it working, it’s not going to turn on. This could be because of an improper mixture of gas and oil or it could be that it needs to be primed prior to starting it up. This happens with both gas and propane ice augers.
If it’s cold out, which is obviously the case when ice fishing, your gas or propane auger will have issues getting started. Regardless, this is an extra step you’ll have to do in order to prepare the auger to be used.
Maintenance : Gas Vs Propane Ice Augers
Gas vs propane ice augers are not much different in terms of how they work and both can require the same amount of maintenance due to their design.
Do Loud Augers scare Fish?
Both gas and propane augers are loud, especially compared to electric and manual augers. Gas is a bit quieter than propane, but not by much. Louder augers tend to scare fish more when they are being used in shallow waters.
Gas Vs Propane Ice Augers Conclusion
Now that you know the pros and cons of both gas and propane ice augers you’re able to make a decision if that type of auger is the best for your fishing or hole digging.
FAQs
Propane augers are great for ice fishing and digging post holes, with lots of power and torque to get the jobs done.
That all depends on your personal preference for an auger, ice/soil conditions, outside temps, your preferred fuel source, etc.
That all depends on your personal preference, budget, ice conditions, how much you’ll be using it, and your fishing goals this season.
