FARM SHOW Tests Battery-Powered Auger

FARM SHOW Tests Battery-Powered Auger AUGERS “When Ryobi sent FARM SHOW their 18-volt and 40-volt battery-powered earth augers to try out I was skeptical How would they handle 2 to 2 1/2-ft holes in different soils with rocks and other obstacles? I was quickly won over “I love the Ryobi 40-volt cordless earth auger The 18-volt unit was less impressive but definitely has its place After years of digging postholes and holes for plants by hand the battery-powered units are a real treat There also is no comparison between them and heavy noisy smelly and dangerous gas-powered one-man augers that I’ve used in the past “The compact power heads let you get in closer than any gas-powered unit I’ve used when digging a hole next to an existing fence between plants or up against a wall With forward and reverse it is easy to pull them out of the holes The 40-volt offers 2 speeds but it is the anti-kickback functions on both that I really appreciate “Anyone who has ever operated a gas-powered auger knows how tricky it can be when encountering a rock or other buried item I’ve taken more than a few blows to the ribs as the auger stops and the power unit spins “With the Ryobi cordless kickback is not a problem Hit a rock or buried metal and it stops and resets so you can reverse out of the hole “At about 35 lbs with the battery in place and an 8-in dirt bit hauling the 40-volt around and lifting it out of holes is not a big problem At about 16 lbs the 18-volt is ideal for lighter excavation “In addition to fence postholes I did some shallow excavation in less-than-ideal ground I wanted to lay some 4-in drain tile on the edge of our driveway burying it under 4 in of washed rock I wasn’t looking forward to a lot of pickaxe work to dig up the driveway “The packed gravel was too much for the 18-volt with its 6-in auger However the 40-volt with its 8-in dirt bit proved ideal for the job I drilled out a series of holes the length of the trench and about a foot deep Removing the loose gravel with a narrow spade was easy “The quick connect augers make switching out different size bits easy Ryobi offers 4 6 8 and 10-in dirt bits All are 24 in long with another 6 in or so of shaft If installing wood stakes in hard packed dirt or clay I could see the 18-volt power head and 4-in dirt bit being a real help “Overall I would give a hearty endorsement of the 40-volt powerhead versus the 18-volt The 40V earth auger is priced at $299 with charger 4Ah battery and an 8-in dirt bit The 18-volt is priced at $249 with charger battery and 6-in bit The additional $50 for the larger unit would definitely be money well-spent ” For more information visit www homedepot com and search for Ryobi earth auger

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