The best auger drills, compared.
Top pick: Einhell GP-EA 18/150 cordless earth auger – Top score, shared with a 40 mm wood bit, because 4.5 from 752 reviews belongs to this 150 mm earth auger and it is the only two-handle machine in the set. Best value: WORKPRO green set, 4 x 22 cm and 8 x 30 cm – Same stated short sizes as the black set, at about £13.99 rather than about £19.94, for bulbs and small soil holes. Updated October 2026.
An auger drill is a spiral that cuts as it turns. For a UK shopper the name covers two jobs that are not interchangeable. A wood auger sits in a drill chuck and bores timber such as joists and posts. A garden or earth auger bores soil for bulbs, seedlings and light holes, and it stalls on stones and roots. A dedicated machine has two handles and its own auger, and it is not a chuck bit. You tell a suitable one apart by the job, then by the hole. Match the diameter to the hole you need, and treat the stated length as a label rather than the depth you will reach in clay. The shank has to match the chuck. A hex is not an impact-driver rating unless the listing says so. If a photo shows a joint, check that the shaft is one piece. A jam can twist your wrist, so use two hands and a low speed. Check for buried cables first. Diameter, shank and depth are in the [auger drill buying guide](/hub/drilling-and-accessories/auger-drill/sub/auger-drill-buying-guide).
An auger drill is a spiral that cuts as it turns. For a UK shopper the name covers two jobs that are not interchangeable. A wood auger sits in a drill chuck and bores timber such as joists and posts.
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
What are you boring?
The Einhell GP-EA 18/150 is an 18 V fence-post auger at £148.45, with 4.5 from 752 reviews, sold without a battery or charger. The highlight says a 150 mm auger and 80 cm drilling depth, while a separate item-length field says 1.5 cm, which does not match. The tool weighs 5.7 kg, with reverse, ECO forward and HIGH forward, and a brushless motor. Buyers report about thirty fence-post holes on one charge in clay, about 210 hedging plants in a day in heavy clay, and one battery used on a roughly 1 m square soakaway. It stops on stone, and two units were returned after they shut off mid-dig. One buyer found the handles too narrow for leverage. Ice fishing is only a question on the page. It is the top pick here for 150 mm soil holes if you already own an Einhell Power X-Change pack, not a chuck bit for joists or a handful of crocuses.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Fence posts and larger soil holes when you already have an 18 V Power X-Change battery.
Less suitable: Timber, a border of bulbs, ice, or a shed with no spare Einhell pack.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the Einhell GP-EA 18/150 come with a battery?
No. The listing says one 18 V lithium-ion battery and a charger are sold separately. Einhell UK asks for a Power X-Change pack of 2.5 Ah or larger.
What hole does the included auger claim?
The highlight says a 150 mm earth auger and 80 cm drilling depth. A separate item-length field says 1.5 cm, which does not match that highlight.
Can it be used for ice fishing?
The listing asks that question and does not answer it. Ice fishing is not a stated use.
The hsawbit is a single 40 mm by 230 mm wood auger at £14.99, with 4.5 from 322 reviews on amazon.co.uk. Buyers describe it pulling through joists more cleanly than a spade bit when they were opening a hole for a waste pipe, and one used overlapping holes in a cut-off fence post about 6 inches deep. Another reports true holes through 6 inch round posts for 32 mm rope. The listing gives a point tip and non-threaded positioning, which a reviewer calls controlled rather than self-feeding. Bullets name high-strength carbon steel while the spec table says tungsten steel, so the metal name is not settled. A recurring complaint is that the edge goes blunt after a few uses in harder wood, and several reviews are only one line. It ties the highest score here as a timber bit, and it does not take the top-pick badge.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Waste-pipe and rope holes in timber within the 230 mm length, using a drill you already own.
Less suitable: Soil, metal, or a bit you expect to stay sharp through many hardwood jobs.
Specifications
Common questions
What is the hsawbit 40 mm auger for?
The listing says soft and hard wood, MDF, plywood, lumber and landscape timber, plus PVC pipe holes. It says not for metal.
How long and how wide is the hsawbit?
The listing states a 40 mm cutting diameter and a 230 mm length. Weight is given as 380 g.
Does the point pull itself in?
The bullets describe a point tip and non-threaded positioning, so the listing does not claim a self-feeding screw. A reviewer calls that controlled rather than self-feeding.
WORKPRO's green set lists two garden augers, 4 cm by 22 cm and 8 cm by 30 cm, at £13.99. The page shows 4.4 from 6,370 reviews, and that figure plus overlapping review text also appears on the other WORKPRO ASINs here, so it is a family signal rather than a count for this colour. Visible reviews mention the 4 cm bit for lawn holes and bulbs, and time saved against hand digging on a boundary fence. The listing asks for a 3/8 inch or larger chuck, suggests 18 V or higher, and gives 14 V cordless as a minimum. It says the bits are not for tree roots or rocks. The spec says carbon steel while the bullets say heat-treated high-strength steel, and the set weighs 637 g. The black pair of the same stated sizes is £19.94. This is the best value in the table for bulbs and small soil holes, not a stand-in for the 150 mm Einhell.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Bulbs, seedlings and small post holes in workable soil, with a drill you already own.
Less suitable: Tree roots, rocks, or a 150 mm fence-post machine.
Specifications
Common questions
What holes do the two green bits make?
The listing says 4 x 22 cm and 8 x 30 cm, for bulbs, seedlings and post holes in soil. It says the bits are not recommended for tree roots or rocks.
Which drill does the green WORKPRO set ask for?
A 3/8 inch or larger chuck, with 18 V or higher suggested and 14 V cordless given as a minimum. The drill is not in the box.
Will the green set drill roots or rocks?
The bullets say it is not recommended for tree roots or rocks. Hard, rocky or compacted soil is a stated limit.
The black WORKPRO set states the same 4 cm by 22 cm and 8 cm by 30 cm sizes at £19.94. It specifies manganese steel and a black oxide finish, and the file weight is 454 g. Stars are again 4.4 from 6,370, shared with the other WORKPRO listings, and the visible texts match that block: bulbs, fence posts, clay and a bird feeder. Buyers praise the 4 cm bit for lawn holes and time saved on a boundary fence. The listing still excludes tree roots and rocks, and reviews say very hard or compacted soil needs a drill with torque. You pay more than the green short set for a named finish and a lower listed weight, not for a separate review sample.
Pros
Cons
Best for: The short two-bit sizes when you specifically want the manganese-steel, black oxide listing.
Less suitable: Saving money on the same stated sizes, or drilling roots and rock.
Specifications
Common questions
How is this black set different from the green 4 x 22 cm set?
Same stated sizes. This listing specifies manganese steel and black oxide, weighs 454 g, and is priced at £19.94. The green short set is £13.99.
Does the black short set include a drill?
No. It is a two-bit set for a drill you already have. The listing suggests 18 V or higher and gives 14 V cordless as a minimum.
What soil limit does the black short listing give?
The surface field says soil. Shared review text and the listing limits mention hard, rocky or compacted ground as a struggle. Stones stop the bit.
The black long WORKPRO set is 4 cm by 42 cm and 9 cm by 40 cm at £16.99, with a listed weight of 920 g. The same 4.4 from 6,370 and overlapping review text sit on the other WORKPRO ASINs, so that number is not this model's own sample. Reviews in the shared block describe the smaller bit for a single bulb, the larger for small pot plants, fence posts in soil without substantial stones, and clay on a boundary. One buyer got holes in new-build soil that still had hardcore and sand. The bullets say heat-treated high-strength steel and the spec field says metal. Batteries are not included, and the listing says not for tree roots or rocks. The shafts are longer than the 22 cm and 30 cm sets, which matters for a deeper bulb or a short post, not for a 150 mm machine hole.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Deeper bulb and narrow post holes when a 22–30 cm shaft is too short.
Less suitable: A review sample that belongs only to this ASIN, or rocky ground.
Specifications
Common questions
What sizes are in the black long WORKPRO box?
The listing says 4 x 42 cm and 9 x 40 cm. Weight is 920 g. Batteries are not included, and the drill is not in the box.
Can the black long set plant bulbs?
The bullets say bulbs, seedlings and small plants, and also post holes. They say not for tree roots or rocks. Shaft length is still not the depth you will get in clay.
Is the 6,370 review count only for this colour?
The same 4.4 from 6,370 figure and overlapping review text appear on the other WORKPRO ASINs in this set. Count that figure once.
The green long set copies the black long sizes: 4 cm by 42 cm and 9 cm by 40 cm, at the same £16.99 and 920 g. The spec table says alloy steel, the black listing's material field says metal, and the bullets on both say heat-treated high-strength steel. Visible review texts in this scrape match the black long ASIN: a bird feeder, bulbs, fence posts, clay and new-build soil. A 3/8 inch hex shank is claimed for a 3/8 inch or larger chuck, with 18 V or higher suggested and 14 V cordless as a minimum. The listing asks about a storage case and does not answer. Colour is the split at this price, not a second set of reviews.
Pros
Cons
Best for: The longer two-bit sizes in green, when that is the listing you can actually order.
Less suitable: A different hole from the black long set, or a case the page does not confirm.
Specifications
Common questions
How does the green long set differ from the black one?
Same stated sizes and the same £16.99 price. This spec table says alloy steel. The black listing's material field says metal. Both bullet lists say heat-treated high-strength steel.
Does the green long set come with a storage case?
The listing asks that question and does not answer it. A storage case is not confirmed.
Which drill chuck does the green long set claim?
A 3/8 inch hex shank for a 3/8 inch or larger chuck, with an 18 V or higher drill suggested and 14 V cordless as a minimum.
Thrink's planting auger is titled about 30 mm by 60 cm at £7.99, with 4.4 from 75 reviews. The title and bullets cover bulbs, seedlings, stakes and raised beds, and buyers mention bulbs, soil under dead hedging, holes for metal garden arches and a small post. One buyer says a battery drill was enough. The title says it fits a 3/8 inch drill, the spec field says a straight shank, and a review says the end is not 3/8 and slips in the chuck. Hard soil needs a strong drill, and a reviewer says to stop if you hit concrete. Weight is not given. It is the lowest shelf price in this comparison, and the shank is the reason it is not the best-value pick.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Narrow bulb and stake holes, after you have checked that the shank actually grips your chuck.
Less suitable: A guaranteed hex shank, rocky ground, or a wide post hole.
Specifications
Common questions
Will the Thrink auger plant bulbs?
The title and bullets describe bulbs, seedlings, stakes and raised beds. Reviews mention bulbs and hedging soil. It is a bit, not a drill.
Does the shank match a 3/8 inch chuck?
The title says it fits a 3/8 inch drill. The spec field says a straight shank. One review says the end is not 3/8 and slips.
Does the Thrink listing include a drill?
No. It is a bit. The listing does not include a battery or a drill. One buyer says a battery drill was enough once the shank gripped.
Insaga is listed at £19.99 with 4.3 from 330 reviews, and the size lines do not agree. The title says 7.5 by 81 cm, a bullet says 3 inch diameter and 32 inch length, and the spec field says 24.89 mm. Those cannot all be the hole you will get, so the bit needs measuring before you plan a post. The listing is carbon steel with an orange powder coat, a hex shank, and a claimed 3/8 inch or 10 mm hex drive, at 1.22 kg. Only five UK reviews are in the saved listing. They mention a combi drill, a rotten fence post dug to nearly 2 ft, and heavy clay, and they do not repeat one defect. The included-components field says No. The bullets tell you to use both hands and avoid high speed. A German review in the saved listing is not treated as UK opinion.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A long garden bit once you have checked the real diameter against the conflicting size lines.
Less suitable: Quoting 7.5 cm, 3 inch and 24.89 mm as one measurement, or relying on a large set of UK review texts in this file.
Specifications
Common questions
What diameter is the Insaga auger?
The title says 7.5 x 81 cm, a bullet says 3 inch diameter and 32 inch length, and the spec field says 24.89 mm. Those figures disagree, so measure the bit before you plan a post.
Does the Insaga listing include a drill?
No. The included-components field says No, and the bullets tell you to use an 18 V or higher drill. Use both hands and avoid high speed.
What soil does the Insaga listing name?
The bullets say clay, loose soil, dry soil or sand, and tell you to use both hands and avoid high speed. Five UK reviews mention clay and a fence post.
The MOXPIFY bit is a 20 mm by 460 mm wood auger at £15.99, with 4.3 from 49 reviews. One buyer says it stayed sharp after nearly 100 holes in sleepers, and another describes a clean cut through a 12 inch timber joist for wire. The listing is alloy steel, uncoated, with a hex shank, two flutes and a weight of 450 g. It asks whether an impact drill is suitable and does not answer. Against the sleeper review, one buyer says the tip snapped off on first use about an inch into the wood, and another calls the bit liable to snapping. A further review says it started aggressively, then needed heavy pressure through 4 cm of softwood, with only one cutting face still working. It is the long, narrow timber option in this set, on a small sample.
Pros
Cons
Best for: One deep 20 mm hole in timber or sleepers, if you inspect the tip and accept a 49-review sample.
Less suitable: Soil, a wide hole, or an impact driver the listing does not rate.
Specifications
Common questions
Can the MOXPIFY bit be used in an impact drill?
The listing asks that question and does not answer it. A hex shank is not an impact-driver rating unless the page says so.
What size is the MOXPIFY bit?
The listing states a 20 mm cutting diameter and a 460 mm length, alloy steel, a hex shank, and a weight of 450 g. It is one bit, not a set.
Is the MOXPIFY auger sold as a set?
No. The included-components line is one 20 mm by 460 mm wood drill bit.
LYFETC's short auger is 10 cm by 30 cm at £11.99, with 4.1 from 418 reviews and a listed weight of 600 g. The bullets call it a short hollow-core in manganese steel with a 3/8 inch hex, and they suggest cordless drills from 18 V, a low speed for bulbs, and pulse mode around roots or small stones. A buyer with a DeWalt cordless drill says it saved digging in hard soil, and others mention mole-repeller spikes and a rose-bush hole. The wide flight also draws complaints: the drill can twist and hurt the wrist if it digs in, one buyer could not go deeper than about 6 inches, and another still had to clear the earth by hand. A review in the file describes an 80 cm two-piece shaft snapping; the bullets for this ASIN say short hollow-core, so that text is not this model's specification. Stony ground is a poor match.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A shallow, wide planting hole in loose or moist soil, with both hands on the drill.
Less suitable: Deep posts, a one-handed grip, or treating an 80 cm snap review as this bit's build.
Specifications
Common questions
How deep is the LYFETC 10 x 30 cm bit?
The size line is 10 x 30 cm. One review said it would not go deeper than about 6 inches in their soil. Shaft length is not the depth you will get in clay or stone.
Will any drill run the short LYFETC auger?
The listing recommends cordless drills from 18 V and a 3/8 inch hex shank. It does not say every drill. A jam can twist the drill into the wrist, so use both hands.
What did reviewers say about stones?
Reviews say stony ground is a poor match, and that a jam can twist the drill into the wrist. The bullets suggest a low speed for bulbs.
LYFETC's long bit is titled 5 by 80 cm, with a 50 mm cutting diameter, at £23.99 and 4.0 from 916 reviews. Buyers use it for post holes, for shrub holes they then finish with a spade, and for potatoes and beans in light soil. The title says solid shaft. Reviews say the shaft arrives in two screwed parts, the joint turns without much force, and reverse can unscrew it and leave the lower part in the ground. One review limits it to damp soil. The attribute list names wood, metal, concrete, glass and more, while the bullets describe a garden planting auger, so that list is not a capability. An 18 V or larger cordless drill is the suggestion, and the listed weight is 580 g. It is the weakest star line in the table, on a joint the title does not admit.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Narrow holes in damp, light soil, if you keep the joint tight and avoid reverse under load.
Less suitable: A one-piece shaft, dry hard ground, or metal, glass and masonry.
Specifications
Common questions
Is the LYFETC 80 cm shaft one piece?
The title says solid shaft. Reviews say the shaft arrives in two screwed parts and can undo in reverse, leaving the lower part in the ground.
Which drill does the long LYFETC listing suggest?
An 18 V or larger cordless drill. It does not say every drill will do. One review limits the bit to damp soil.
Does the attribute list mean it drills metal and glass?
That wide surface list is in the raw spec field. The bullets describe a garden planting auger. Do not read the list as a capability.
Eleven auger drills on amazon.co.uk were scored from the listings read on 19 October 2026. There was no lab test. The numeric scores were already on the product cards and were kept. They sit in bands from the star line, whether the review count belongs to that ASIN, listing conflicts, and whether the product does the job the title names. The highest score is the top pick, once. Two listings share that top band. The two-handle earth auger takes it because its reviews belong to that ASIN. Best value is the lower-priced short garden set of the same stated sizes. A cheaper planting bit does not take that award, because the shank lines disagree.
Star line
35%The amazon.co.uk star rating sets the band. A 4.5 with at least 300 reviews on that ASIN sits at the top of the scale used here. A 4.0 with a shaft the reviews contradict sits at the bottom.
Review sample
25%A count scores only when it belongs to that ASIN. The same 4.4 from 6,370 on four WORKPRO listings is one family signal, counted once, not four separate samples.
Listing conflicts
25%A shank, diameter, length or shaft that the title, the specification table and the reviews do not agree on pulls the score down. Unsettled steel names are recorded, not treated as a British Standard grade.
Job match
15%A wood bit, a garden bit and a 150 mm earth auger are scored for the job the title names. A wide attribute list on a planting bit is not treated as a claim that it drills metal, glass or concrete.
Match the job before the brand. A wood bit, a garden bit and a two-handle earth auger are not substitutes. The notes below follow diameter, shank, shaft and what the box leaves out, from the amazon.co.uk listings read on 19 October 2026. None of the scores is a drilling test.
An auger drill, for a UK shopper, is either a spiral bit in a drill chuck or a dedicated earth-boring machine. The word covers two jobs that are not interchangeable. A wood auger bores timber such as joists and posts, at low speed and in rotation only. A garden or earth auger bores soil for bulbs, seedlings and light holes. It stalls on stones and roots. A two-handle cordless earth auger is a third tool, for larger soil holes, and it is not a chuck bit.
A wood auger, a garden auger and a 150 mm earth auger are different tools. A soil spiral stalls on stones and roots. A wood bit is for timber. Hammer mode does not belong on wood.
The length on the title is not the hole you will get in clay. Bulb depth follows the bulb, at about two to three times its height. An 80 cm claim is not an 80 cm hole if the ground stops the flight.
A two-piece shaft can unscrew in reverse and leave the lower part in the ground. A solo earth auger does not include a battery or a charger. Four WORKPRO listings share one 4.4 from 6,370. Count that figure once.
Decide the job first. Timber needs a wood auger, used in rotation at low speed. Soil for bulbs and small plants needs a garden bit, and it stops on stones and roots. A larger post hole is the job of a two-handle earth auger, not of a narrow chuck bit pressed harder. Then match the diameter to the hole you will actually use. A 20 mm or 40 mm wood bit is a timber hole. A 30 mm or 40 mm garden bit is a bulb or a stake.
The shank has to match the chuck you own. Many garden listings claim a 3/8 inch hex and ask for an 18 V drill or higher, with 14 V cordless sometimes named as a minimum. Set a low speed and a slipping clutch. A hex is not an impact-driver rating unless the listing says so. One long wood bit asks about impact use and does not answer. One planting bit says 3/8 inch in the title, straight in the spec, and a review says the end slips.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You already have an 18 V drill and want narrow holes for bulbs and seedlings in workable soil. The WORKPRO green set lists 4 cm by 22 cm and 8 cm by 30 cm at about £13.99. It is the best value here. The 4.4 from 6,370 is shared with the other WORKPRO ASINs, and the listing says the bits are not for tree roots or rocks.
You are boring timber, not soil. The hsawbit is a single 40 mm by 230 mm wood auger at about £14.99, with 4.5 from 322 reviews. Buyers describe joists and round posts. The listing says not for metal, and reviews say the edge dulls in harder wood.
You need a larger soil hole than a chuck bit is honest for, and you already have an Einhell Power X-Change pack. The GP-EA 18/150 is about £148.45, with 4.5 from 752 reviews, a 150 mm auger and no battery in the box. Stones stop it.
In this set of 11 amazon.co.uk listings, the top pick is the Einhell GP-EA 18/150 cordless earth auger. It is about £148.45, with 4.5 from 752 reviews on that ASIN, a 150 mm auger and an 80 cm depth claim in the highlight. Battery and charger are extra. It ties the top score with a 40 mm wood bit and takes the award because the review sample belongs to the machine, and it is the only two-handle earth auger here. The best value is the WORKPRO green set, 4 cm by 22 cm and 8 cm by 30 cm, at about £13.99, against about £19.94 for the black set of the same stated sizes. The 4.4 from 6,370 is shared across the WORKPRO ASINs, so it is counted once. None of these scores is a lab test.
Einhell GP-EA 18/150 cordless earth auger
Top score, shared with a 40 mm wood bit, because 4.5 from 752 reviews belongs to this 150 mm earth auger and it is the only two-handle machine in the set.
WORKPRO green set, 4 x 22 cm and 8 x 30 cm
Same stated short sizes as the black set, at about £13.99 rather than about £19.94, for bulbs and small soil holes.
Editorial
Peter F. is the editor for DIY & tools at productscompared.co.uk. Comparisons in this category are checked against amazon.co.uk listings, review evidence and public UK sources.
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
Public UK sources from the research digest, last checked on 19 October 2026. Shelf prices and star lines are the amazon.co.uk figures in the display file.
Expert source (DIY & tools): Charlie White (Charlie DIYte) (external profile) – public expert commentary used as a research source, not as a contributor to our pages.
This page contains affiliate links to amazon.co.uk. If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices, stars and review counts are from the UK listings checked on 19 October 2026. We did not lab-test these auger drills.
