What are the pros and cons of a hole auger?

Environmentally friendly

Because it is a manual tool you will be putting in all the effort, especially when using an auger in rocky soil, dense clay, or tough dirt. The good news is that it doesn’t use gas or an electric supply, so as well as being great exercise and environmentally friendly a hole auger can be used without worrying about having a nearby gas can or electrical outlet.

Easy to store

Due to its thin form factor it can easily be stored away along with other garden tools as opposed to a larger mechanical tool occupying more space in your tool-shed.

Cost effective

Depending on the size of the tasks and how often you plan to use a hole auger it may be more economical to purchase a cheaper handheld auger compared to a motorised auger if you’ll only be using it once a year for smaller less taxing jobs.

Quiet

If you do not want to disturb your neighbours when you’re gardening then a hole auger is the best option, some motorised augers as so loud they require you to wear ear defenders to operate them.

Low maintenance

As with most garden hand tools a hole auger is going to be exceptionally low maintenance, after use simply clean the auger blade – should you encounter any problems it should be cost effective to repair or replace parts of an auger.

Repairing motorised tool a few years after purchase may require costly or obsolete spare parts from a hard to reach manufacturer, whereas something as simple as a broken handle on a hole auger can probably be replaced from a hardware store from a different manufacturer.

Speed

It will be more productive to use a motorised auger if you are planning on creating lots of holes in the ground in a fast and efficient manner, if you’re a landscape gardener or if you plan to dig a number of holes more than once a year.