[newscientist]

This is my second season using the cordless drill on a manual auger and I could not have been any happier. I am not worried about burning the drill as most new ones will shut down if they have too much load. You do not need the expensive Milwaukee ones, any drill with a torque rating above 500 in.lb will work fine on a 6" auger. For an 8" auger, a 700 in.lb torque is sufficient. My 4 Ah battery cuts at least 10 8" holes in 2 ft of ice, before I need to use the other battery. I keep the charger in the car so I can charge the batteries with my 12 v inverter, never needed to so far though. And yes you would likely need an extension for such thick ice. I found that extensions of the Ion auger fit Mora hand augers (FinBore, Swede Bore, etc.). Even in thinner ice, the extension makes thee process much easier as you bend less.

As for the cost of new batteries down the road, I guess it won't be too much of a cost for the many benefits of this setup. It is light, fast, and versatile. No smoke, no smell, no leaks.