The 7 Best Garden Auger Drill Bits Under $100 for Bulbs, Beds and Seedlings, Ranked & Reviewed

Our verdict: A 1.6 inch bulb auger and a 3.5 inch planting auger together, both for a 3/8 inch hex drill.

TCBWFY sells this pair of augers, a 1.6 by 16.5 inch bit and a 3.5 by 16 inch bit, both made for a 3/8 inch hex drive drill. The listing calls them heavy duty and sells them for under $25.

The pair covers the two jobs most gardeners actually do. Narrow holes take bulbs, garlic and small seedlings, and wider holes take pot-sized plants and perennials. Sixteen inches is deep enough for the usual planting depth in one pass. The wide bit needs good drill torque and slow speed, so a light drill may stall.

Buy it if you plant a mix of bulbs and bedding plants. Skip it if bulbs are all you plant, where a single narrow bit is enough.

Bits

1.6 x 16.5 in and 3.5 x 16 in

Shank

3/8 in hex

Use

Bulbs and planting holes

Bracket

Under $25

Our verdict: Two 16 inch augers, 1.6 and 3.5 inches wide, from a brand that also sells single bits.

K-Brands bundles a 1.6 by 16 inch auger and a 3.5 by 16 inch auger into one set, priced under $25. The listing offers no other details.

It competes head to head with the TCBWFY pair, since the sizes are nearly identical, and the half inch difference in the narrow bit's length is the only visible change. Two sizes mean you pick the hole for each plant instead of forcing every job through one bit. As with all augers in this price range, check that your drill has a 3/8 inch chuck and enough torque for the wide bit.

Buy it if you prefer a brand that sells each size separately for easy replacement. Skip it if you want a stated steel grade.

Bits

1.6 x 16 in and 3.5 x 16 in

Pack

2 augers

Use

Planting holes

Bracket

Under $25

Our verdict: A five-bit set for bedding plants and bulbs, described as universal for cordless drills.

This five-bit set is sold as a heavy-duty garden auger collection for planting bedding plants and bulbs, universal for cordless drills, in the $25 to $50 bracket. The listing does not name the sizes.

Five bits is the most in this guide, and the point of a set is choosing a diameter for each plant, from small bulbs to larger pots. Variety is a strength for a keen gardener who plants widely. The risk is the missing size information and the brand, because without the actual diameters you cannot be sure the set includes what you need. A case or holder is not mentioned.

Buy it if you plant many kinds of things and want options. Check the sizes in the product images first.

Pack

5 bits

Use

Bedding plants and bulbs

Drill

Universal for cordless drills

Bracket

$25 to $50

Our verdict: A 2 inch by 14.5 inch bit between bulb size and shrub size, for a 3/8 inch hex drill.

The MAXCCINO measures 2 inches across and 14.5 inches long, with a 3/8 inch hex shank, and costs under $25.

Two inches sits in the useful middle: too wide for tiny bulbs but a good fit for big bulbs, seedling plugs and small perennials, while asking for less torque than a 3.5 inch bit. The listing calls it a post hole digger, which stretches the truth, as two inches only holds thin stakes. It is a single size, so you will still want a second bit for other jobs.

Buy it if most of your planting falls in the mid-range. Skip it if you want one bit for tiny bulbs.

Diameter

2 in

Length

14.5 in

Shank

3/8 in hex

Bracket

Under $25

Our verdict: A single 1.6 by 16.5 inch bulb bit for 3/8 inch hex drills, under $25.

This TCBWFY bit is the lone narrow auger, 1.6 inches wide and 16.5 inches long, made for a 3/8 inch hex drive drill and listed for bulbs and flowers.

A bulb-only gardener does not need the pair, and a single narrow bit asks little of the drill. The 16.5 inch length lets you reach planting depth in one pass without bending over. Its limits are plain: it makes one hole size, and the post hole digger claim in the title is not realistic at this diameter.

Buy it if you plant tulips, daffodils and garlic and nothing wider. Move up to the two-bit set if you plant anything bigger.

Diameter

1.6 in

Length

16.5 in

Shank

3/8 in hex

Bracket

Under $25

Our verdict: A 1.6 by 16.5 inch plant auger described for cordless drills.

The SORANGEUN is a 1.6 by 16.5 inch plant auger written for cordless drills, costing under $25. The listing offers no further specifications.

It matches the TCBWFY single bit on size, so the decision hangs on trust. A narrow auger is a simple object, but good ones have clean welds on the spiral and a straight shaft, neither of which can be checked from a listing. Cordless drills with a clutch pair well with this size.

Buy it if it undercuts the TCBWFY on the day. Otherwise take the better documented bit.

Diameter

1.6 in

Length

16.5 in

Drill

Cordless drill

Bracket

Under $25

Our verdict: An unbranded 1.6 by 16.5 inch bit, compatible with a 3/8 inch hex drive.

This generic garden auger is 1.6 inches wide and 16.5 inches long and fits a 3/8 inch hex drive. It has no brand and no further details, and costs under $25.

It ends the list because it matches the same size as two ranked bits with less backing. A throwaway bit can still do the job of making a few dozen bulb holes in loose soil. In stony or heavy ground, a weak weld or thin steel will show quickly.

Buy it for a one-off bulb planting day. For a bit you will use every season, pay a little more for a named maker.

Diameter

1.6 in

Length

16.5 in

Shank

3/8 in hex

Brand

Unbranded