what to look for in an earth auger

Earth auger is also known as Earth drill or Post hole auger. It is a type of drilling device used for drilling holes in the ground. It mostly consists of a vertical pipe with a rotating helical blade or the drill bit. The blades act like a screw conveyor which removes the drilled-out material. The rotating motion of the blade creates a hole and removes the material at the same time. An augur is generally used in digging post holes and is powered by an internal combustion engine or an electric motor. It can even be turned into a handheld tool. Handheld earth augers are mostly used in the garden for plantation purposes well as powered earth augers are best for drilling operations on grounds, nurseries, farms, and greenhouses.

Types of earth augers:

Hand Auger: it is a simple type of earth auger. It is lightweight, portable, and easy on pockets. These types are mostly used for small jobs which require less effort like planting shrubs and small trees, gardening, or digging small holes. This ideally ranges in cutting widths from 6-8, which are ideal sizes for small tasks.

One-man Auger: if your requirements are more than a hand auger but not on extreme levels, a one-man earth auger is the ideal one for you. This device is usually powered by a battery or engine, which makes them ideal for going deep into the earth's surface. It is heavier than hand augers but still light enough to handle and easy to use. It can be used for planting trees, putting up a small fence, or drill some thick ice.

Two-man auger: this is the third and the last type of augur. These are ideal for heavy-duty. They are generally powered by 2-cycle or 4-cycle engine and require two-man to operate. These are ideal for digging large holes. These are usually used for construction work, and drilling operations.

How to choose the right earth auger for your needs:

Diameter: the diameter of the earth auger ranges from 2” to 12” for one man auger and to 14” for a two-man auger. It is very essential to consider the diameter of the auger before buying one as it determines the power generated from the auger and the size of the hole.

Engine: the engine power of an earth auger ranges from 2HP to 5HP. The 5HP is best suited for hard soil and vis-a-versa. While buying an earth auger you get to choose between 2-stroke and 4-stroke engines. 2-strokes are easy on the pocket but make a lot of noise and need high maintenance whereas 4-stroke is costlier than 2-stroke but, they don’t make as much noise and are easy to maintain.

Depth capacity: depth is one of the factors with determines your selection on earth auger. To dig deeper, a powerful engine and a larger bit are required and vis-a-versa. The depth an earth auger can make ranges from 2.5 feet to 7.5 feet.