Hand augers are practical and versatile little helpers in the garden: With such a device you can not only dig holes in the ground for fence posts, posts or foundations, but also drill a garden well or drill planting holes. Are you interested in tips and tricks about buying and using hand augers? Then this guide is the right book for you!

With a hand drill, holes can be drilled in the garden soil in no time

Our recommendations

our recommendation
Fiskars hand auger, for holes up to Ø 200 mm, black/orange, QuikDrill, L, 1000640
51.98 EUR To the product
material / drilling head steel (handle and drill head)
material / handle fiberglass reinforced plastic
Handle T handle
overall length 110 centimeters
max. diameter of the borehole up to 20 centimeters
Weight 2.4 kilograms

With its 110 centimeter long handle, the QuikDrill manual earth drill from Fiskars enables an upright posture and thus back-friendly work - especially since the device is also quite light with a weight of around 2400 grams. Two blades drill holes up to 20 centimeters wide, whereby you can purchase suitable extensions for smaller diameters - this way holes with 10 or 15 centimeters can also be made. The stable device made of high-quality steel has a robust T-handle made of glass-fibre reinforced plastic and is primarily used for drilling planting holes for bushes and trees and for setting fence posts.

our recommendation
ROMULUS 50600 earth auger 150mm
58.20 EUR To the product
material / drilling head steel
material / handle wood, interchangeable
Handle T handle
overall length 110 centimeters
max. diameter of the borehole 15 centimeters
Weight 3.8 kilograms

Romulus' handheld auger doesn't come with a lot of frills, but it does exactly what it's supposed to. In their Amazon reviews, customers praise the device as very robust, stable and easy to handle. Although the wooden handles have broken for some users due to excessive force on stony ground, they can be easily replaced. The hand drill itself makes even and clean holes that are ideal for setting wood, stakes and posts. The maximum drilling depth is given as about 80 centimetres, whereby the ground should contain as few stones as possible.

our recommendation
Berger + Schröter Erdlochbohrer, gray, 9 cm, 50192
39.99 EUR To the product
material / drilling head steel
material / handle wood
Handle T handle
overall length 107 centimeters, auger 44 centimeters
max. diameter of the borehole 9 centimeters
Weight 2.5 kilograms

This hand-held auger from the manufacturer Berger + Schröter is an inexpensive solution for anyone who wants to drill holes in the ground with a diameter of up to nine centimetres. The approximately one meter long device is made of powder-coated steel and, thanks to a centering point, easily penetrates the ground. A clean hole is created, and any soil drilled out is reliably conveyed out. The only drawback customers describe is the wobbly wooden handle, which is too thin for its socket and should therefore be additionally secured with insulating tape and screws.

Purchase Criteria

scope of application

As the name suggests, hand augers are operated manually and require a certain physical effort. For this reason, you cannot use the device for all drilling work. The auger is very well suited for drilling planting holes for bushes, trees and other plants as well as for setting fence posts and the like. However, you cannot use it on stony ground. In this case, a motor-driven device (electric or petrol auger) should be used. The same applies to very deep boreholes, such as are necessary when drilling a well.

material

Hand-held augers must be made of very strong material because they have to withstand high loads and excavate large amounts of soil, roots and stones. For this reason, rods and augers are made of steel, with preference given to galvanized material - this does not rust easily. It gets more difficult with the handles, because many models have wooden handles that can quickly break under great pressure. Steel handles are significantly more robust and resilient if the material is solid.

build quality

A high processing quality of the product not only ensures good work results, but also low wear and tear and thus a long service life. When it comes to handheld earth drills in particular, you should place great value on high quality, as these devices can quickly break due to the extremely high mechanical stress. Choose a model from a brand manufacturer, because you can't go wrong with it: These tools are usually of high quality and made of robust material, so you will enjoy them for a long time.

Maximum drilling diameter

But the desired size of the earth holes also determines the purchase of a specific product, since the individual hand augers are equipped with different thread sizes. When making your selection, pay attention to the thread size or the information on the maximum diameter of the drill hole. The thread size corresponds to the drill hole diameter. Depending on the intended area of application, you can choose between 50 and 300 millimeters of thread. Ground augers with interchangeable attachments are particularly practical, so that you can change the hole diameter.

drilling depth

Another important purchase criterion is the desired drilling depth. Depending on whether you want to put plants in the bed, erect a fence or even drill a well, you need very different depths. For this reason, the rods of the hand auger are of different lengths and thus allow different drilling depths. Standard models have a rod of around one meter in length, whereby the actual auger does not extend over the entire length.

frequently asked Questions

What is a hand auger?

Hand-held augers consist of a T-handle and the linkage, around the lower end of which a spirally wound auger winds. This has a pointed end, with the help of which the auger can penetrate the earth more easily. This device is operated solely by human power and is intended to dig pinpoint and smooth holes in the ground.

How does a hand auger work?

First, hold the T-handle of the hand auger with both hands and place the auger tip on the location of the hole to be drilled. Now move the T-handle around its own axis so that the cutting blades of the spiral also rotate around their base and the auger penetrates the soil. The loosened soil is transported upwards via the spiral blades and thus taken out of the hole in the ground. When the desired depth or the maximum depth of the spindle is reached, simply pull the auger out of the ground. At the same time remove the remaining excess soil.

What can you use a hand auger for?

With a hand auger, you can dig simple holes with a diameter of between 5 and up to 20 centimeters - depending on the model selected. The device is ideal for creating suitable holes in the ground for setting fence posts, foundations or trees. Hand augers are primarily suitable for private use in the garden and on construction sites because their use requires a certain amount of physical strength.

What are the advantages of the hand auger?

Hand augers are cheap to buy, require neither electricity nor petrol to drive them and are also easy to handle - even if they have to muster some strength. Nevertheless, you can quickly dig holes of the desired size and depth in the ground and you don't even have to consider the neighbors: manual augers have no motor and therefore work silently.

How deep can you drill with a hand auger?

How deep you can drill with a hand auger depends largely on the model you choose and its rod length. With most tools you can reach depths of up to 100 centimeters - this is sufficient for planting trees and setting posts and foundations, but not for drilling wells - you have to go much deeper to reach the water table.

Which brand manufacturers produce hand augers?

Hand augers are not only popular with gardeners, but also in agriculture and forestry. As a result, there are a number of well-known manufacturers who produce these devices in good quality and whose models you can buy both online and in stationary specialist shops. Popular brands include:

  • Fiskars
  • Romulus
  • goodness
  • found work
  • silverline
  • Berger + Schroeter
  • Polar

equipment

Spiral attachment for drills

our recommendation
Tonsooze Garden Twist Auger, Auger Augers Spiral Auger Earth Auger Hex Shank Stainless Steel Auger Head 4-22cm, Tool Sets for Planting Trees Shrubs
10.99 EUR To the product

If you don't want to do the work yourself, but want to use your drill (€97.00), you can drill holes to a depth of up to approx. 20 centimeters with a spiral attachment. This is simply placed on the drill and you can easily dig the desired hole in the ground, for example for planting.

level

our recommendation
Bosch Professional spirit level 25 cm with magnet system (readable from all sides, aluminum housing, robust end caps)
28.00 EUR To the product

If fence posts or foundations are to be set, accuracy is key. A precise spirit level, calibrated and visible from both sides, helps to ensure that there is no "botch" on the construction site and that everything fits together perfectly in the end.

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