Top 9 Best Ice Chisels for Cutting the Ice

One of the most ancient tools in winter ice fishing is the ice chisel. Despite the age, it is a tool that many would not do without, even with ice augers now available. We are here to help you find the best ice chisels to suit your icebreaking needs. Cutting the ice with a spud bar puts the tool under lots of strain, so you want the best tool to hand.

We have found the best 9 ice chisels, and each one will suit slightly different situations and will be explained in the individual reviews. Are you looking for a little more information? We have you covered with our Ice Chisel Buying Guide to help anyone who can’t make their mind up about what suit them.

1. Jiffy Deluxe Mille Lacs Chisel

Never struggled with your ice hole ever again with the Jiffy Deluxe Mille Lacs Chisel. This is a high quality ice chisel which brings all of the strength and cutting power you need to make short work of thick ice. At a fraction of the cost of an ice auger, you can easily cut your own ice holes by hand with these specially designed ice chisels. Using a unique cutting edge and a blend of the strongest and sharpest materials available this chisel makes cutting through the ice the old fashioned way easier than ever before.

At just over three feet in length, this chisel is the perfect height to carry with you. It even comes with a handy wrist strap to keep the chisel securely around your wrist during walking and or use. You can also use this chisel as a stabilizer when you’re out on the ice so you reduce the risks of slips and falls.

For a low, competitive price you can get a strong, sharp, and multi-use ice chisel that is sure to have you making short work of cold ice. Do not go back out onto the frozen pack again without the brilliant Jiffy Deluxe Mille Lacs Chisel.

2. Eskimo Chisels, Multiple Sizes

Bolster your cold weather arsenal with a set of high quality ice chisels from the reliable makers at Eskimo. The Eskimo Chisels are made from the toughest materials and are designed to withstand the coldest temperatures and the thickest ice. These chisels are available in multiple sizes which allows you to select exactly the right size for you. Do not be stuck with a chisel that is an awkward height for your body leaving you hunched over. Pick the perfect chisel for you, your body will thank you later.

With a sharp pick on one end and an ice hammer up at the handle, these chisels are made to blast through the thickest ice. No more struggling to get the perfect ice fishing hole bored out when you first get there, wasting precious warmth and time on the ice. Now you can get through the surface pack faster and easier than ever with the amazing design of the Eskimo Chisels. And with the foam grip and vibration suppression technology packed into the body of the chisel, you can also get through the ice with more comfort than ever. No more jarring your hands or sore elbows from pounding the ice.

Once you use the Eskimo Chisels, you will never go back to standard and subpar chisels ever again. Every ice fisherman or outdoorsman will love and appreciate the design and quality of the Eskimo Chisels. Choose your size and fill out your equipment today.

3. Nims Spud for Ice Fishing

When shopping for your next piece of outdoor gear, make sure you get something made for outdoorsmen by outdoorsmen. That is what you get when you choose Nims Spud for Ice Fishing. This is a high quality product made in Michigan in the United States. The Nims Spud for Ice Fishing is made from real American steel and made by American fishermen for American fishermen.

The outdoor climate of the north can be harsh and unforgiving and the makers at Nims know that. That is why they’ve designed their Spud to be tough as nails, cold as ice and ready for anything. The power of this chisel comes from the sharp teeth specifically designed to pound through the toughest ice. No more hacking away for what feels like hours with little results. Now you will get through the ice and snow faster than ever.

It features an ergonomic handle made to keep the chisel firmly and comfortably in your grasp during use. It has a nifty hole to thread a rope or line so you do not lose the chisel in the water. Anyone who has had a cold chisel slip through gloved hands and disappears into the black hole of ice knows how frustrating and demoralizing that can be. Never lose this pick again by anchoring it with a rope. Do not settle for inferior craftsmanship and materials, get an American made product made from tough American steel, and leave your worries behind.

4. Eskimo CH7 52.5-inch Single-Action Head Design Ice Chisel

Eskimo is back with yet another tough and durable set of outdoor winter gear. From the makers of the most popular propane augers on the market and some of the toughest ice tools you can find comes the Eskimo CH7 52.5-inch Single-Action Head Design Ice Chisel. This ice chisel is designed to put the rest of the ice chisels on the market to shame. Once you get this chisel into your hands you are going to wonder what the heck you were doing before.

The excellence in design comes from the attention to detail put into this product. First, it is made from 100% strong welded steel meaning it won’t rust, won’t wear down in freezing temperatures, and can take an absolute beating while blasting through the ice. It also has a proprietary chisel head which is designed to shred the toughest ice in the blink of an eye.

Best of all, this whole chisel is designed to be perfectly balanced. No more chisels whose heads are too heavy giving you an award swinging motion and no more chisels who are too light to get the tough jobs done. The Eskimo CH7 52.5-inch Single-Action Head Design Ice Chisel will feel balanced in your hand, deliver the power you need to blast through the ice, and will stand the test of time and the elements.

5. Paradise Sports Ice Spud

Take your ice chisel game to the next level with the Paradise Sports Ice Spud. This spud is specifically designed to be easy to use and effective at getting through the thickest ice imaginable. The Paradise Sports Ice Spud also brings some unique and useful elements to the table that you are going to instantly appreciate.

First, the chisel head is designed so that it breaks the ice into small chips rather than trying to brute force its way through. If you have ever had the misfortune of getting a chisel stuck in the ice you know how painful and frustrating that can be. The Paradise Sports Ice Spud is designed in such a way that you should never if rarely, get your chisel stuck in the ice. The head works to break the ice into chips and pieces so that you don’t get all of the force going into one spot, which is how you get stuck.

This is all done with a chisel that is specifically designed and forged on a high tech CNC machine with the toughest steel available on the market. Then, they powder coat the steel so that you are sure to get the longest possible lifespan out of your chisel. Don’t hit the ice again without a brand new Paradise Sports Ice Spud.

6. Eskimo CH7 52.5-inch Single-Action Head Design Ice Chisel

Eskimo is back with yet another tough and durable set of outdoor winter gear. From the makers of the most popular propane augers on the market and some of the toughest ice tools you can find comes the Eskimo CH7 52.5-inch Single-Action Head Design Ice Chisel. This ice chisel is designed to put the rest of the ice chisels on the market to shame. Once you get this chisel into your hands you are going to wonder what the heck you were doing before.

The excellence in design comes from the attention to detail put into this product. First, it is made from 100% strong welded steel meaning it won’t rust, won’t wear down in freezing temperatures, and can take an absolute beating while blasting through the ice. It also has a proprietary chisel head which is designed to shred the toughest ice in the blink of an eye.

At 52.5” in length, it is perfectly balanced and an excellent size for both swinging, carrying and walking. This is an upgrade over other, poorly designed, chisels. No more chisels whose heads are too heavy giving you an award swinging motion and no more chisels who are too light to get the tough jobs done. The Eskimo CH7 52.5-inch Single-Action Head Design Ice Chisel will feel balanced in your hand, deliver the power you need to blast through the ice and will stand the test of time and the elements.

7. Jiffy Mille Lacs Ice Chisel

Jiffy is back with another quality ice chisel to add to their growing collection of quality winter outdoor gear. Have you ever hacked your way to an ice fishing hole only to find out that the hole is way too small for the fish you are trying to catch? It has happened to all of us and the result can be very frustrating. That is one of the issues that Jiffy aims to tackle with their new chisel head. This new design flares out at the bottom making it easier than ever to craft large holes in the ice without having to use an auger. This is all available for a price that is a fraction of that of an auger.

You will love the way that the Jiffy Mille Lacs Ice Chisel Set looks and feels. The yellow paint makes it stand out on the ice so that it is always easy to see. This reduces the chances of tripping or losing the chisel out on the ice which can be a problem for other chisels. This set also has handy wrist loops and anchor loops which allows you to both keep the chisel on your person or anchored in the ice so you do not accidentally drop it into the water.

Jiffy is making a name for itself with a combination of excellent design, great prices, and new ideas that can compete against the best of the ice chisel market. You are going to love the flared out head and the power and freedom that it gives you during ice cutting.

8. Eskimo CH9 19-inch Multi-Faceted, Ice Chisel

The leader in outdoor ice equipment is back with another classic addition to their stellar collection. The Eskimo CH9 19-inch Multi-Faceted, Dual-Action Chipper Head Design Hammer-Style Ice Chisel is an upgraded, multi-purpose, ice chisel designed to tackle the toughest ice and the toughest jobs on the ice. Unlike other ice chisels, this one is nice and compact with a dual action hammerhead design which allows you to get the best of both a full length ice chisel as well as a sturdy ice hammer.

The power of the Eskimo CH9 19-inch Multi-Faceted, Dual-Action Chipper Head Design Hammer-Style Ice Chisel flows from the top notch materials used in its construction. It is made from 100% welded steel giving it the toughness and strength it needs to plow through any ice in any temperature.

Some ice chisels are great for chipping away at surface ice but most of them do not feature a utility hammer for a head. The addition of the dense hammer gives you another tool that you can use to clear ice and pound through winter’s fury. You can have all of this, the strength, the chisel, the hammer, the compact design, and the outdoor pedigree for a single low price. You will not be disappointed.

9. Jiffy 3541 Mini Mille Lacs 30-Inch Chisel

Find a happy medium with the Jiffy 3541 Mini Mille Lacs 30-Inch Chisel. Some ice spuds are simply too short measuring less than two feet long. Then others are far too long, making them unwieldy and difficult to properly use in tight spaces. That is why the Jiffy 3541 Mini Mille Lacs 30-Inch Chisel is the perfect length coming it at 30”. This gives it enough heft to power through the ice without much effort without being overly large. It is also bigger than the hammer sized chisels which can be too small for many applications.

This ice chisel has everything you demand out of a quality product. It is made from high strength welded steel, it features a large safety rope hole so you can easily anchor your chisel so you don’t lose it or lose your grip on it and it comes with a handy cover that keeps the head protected from wear and keeps you protected when you are not using it. You are going to love the safety features, balance, toughness, and feel of this ice chisel. Jiffy has specifically designed it to be used in ice fishing settings and for sport fishing applications. Do not get a generic chisel that is not made for the tough conditions found out on the ice during a cold ice fishing session.

Ice Chisel Buying Guide

If you have ever gone ice fishing or are thinking about picking up ice fishing, you are not going to want to hit the ice without an ice chisel. They are important parts of every winter outdoor arsenal. Here is everything you need to know before you purchase your first ice chisel.

What Are They Used For?

Ice chisels can be used for a variety of things when you are outdoors in icy or snowy conditions. The primary use is to help you cut and clear a hole for ice fishing when you are out on a frozen pack. Many ice chisels have specially designed heads to allow you to weaken thick ice and chip away at it so you can carve out the perfect ice fishing hole.

You can also use them to clear ice off of paths, knock the ice off of equipment, vehicles, or coolers. You can use it to scrape the area around your camp to make the ice smooth which makes it easier to work with or travel across.

If you are going to be in a situation where you need to break up ice, cut through ice or knock off ice, you are going to want an ice chisel in your arsenal.

Ice Chisel vs. Ice Spud

You might sometimes see the term ice spud when looking at ice chisels. Is there a difference between an ice sput and an ice chisel? No. These two terms are largely interchangeable. If you say an ice spud or an ice chisel, people are going to know what you are talking about.

An ice pick is something different, so if you see an ice pick, that is a completely different tool. You are going to want to look at ice chisels and ice spuds.

Designs

There are a few different designs for ice chisels and choosing the one that is best for you is going to depend on what kind of uses you are going to be needing the most. There are short ice chisels that are less than two feet in length. These are handheld, easy to store, easy to carry, and easy to wield. These small designs are great for knocking off ice around your camp but they are not super heavy and therefore are harder to use to cut large holes in the ice, get through thick ice or clear the surface of a frozen lake.

Then you have medium sized chisels which bridge the gap between the small handheld versions and the large pole sized chisels. Medium sized chisels can create bigger holes, are a little heavier, harder to handle and store but offer more in the way of power and performance.
Lastly, you have large chisels which can measure four to five feet in length. These chisels are super heavy duty and are able to clear large areas of ice, scrape ice smooth and create large circular fishing holes. These are much heavier, harder to wield but offer the most in terms of overall power and performance.

Some chisels come with a hammer on one and a chisel on the other while some just include a chisel. If you want a hammer in the handle along with the sharp chisel points, you are going to want to keep that in mind and look out for chisels that come with both included.

Tips For Using Your Ice Chisel

Most ice chisels are designed for you to scrape and chip ice off the surface rather than swinging them wildly. You do not want to swing your chisel like a hammer or a pickaxe. In fact, doing so can cause the chisel to get stuck in the ice and become dangerous.

Most chisels come with a hole to thread a rope and a wrist loop. If you are actively using the chisel you are going to want to keep the chisel on your wrist so it does not come out of your grasp and fly off. When it is cold your fingers and hands can get numb and lock up causing you to lose your grip on the chisel.

Lastly, it is a good idea to use the rope hole and thread a rope through the chisel so you can anchor it while it is not in use. If you do not anchor your chisel or keep it on a safety rope it is possible that the chisel can fall into the water under the ice and be lost for good. If you keep the chisel anchored and close by, even if it falls into the freezing water, you will be able to retrieve it with the rope.