There are three types of manual post-hole auger available in the UK. They are all known as manual post-hole augers, diggers or borers so make sure you know which one you are buying before purchasing your tool.
The most common design in the UK is the manual post-hole auger with a thread extending up the shaft.
The second most common manual post-hole auger has a cutting plate near the end of the shaft above a pointed tip or guide screw. The plate is shaped to cut down into the soil, moving the cut soil above the plate so that when the tool is pulled from the ground the soil is pulled up with it. This is an American design but is sold in the UK.
The third design is rare in the UK. It is used mainly for soil sampling in the UK science industry but the rest of the world uses it as a post-hole auger. This design doesn’t have a thread. The shaft splits into two curved spade shapes forming an open-sided cup. The tips of the spades are shaped into cutting plates. As the tool is twisted into the ground, the cutting plates cut and move the soil up into the cup. When the tool is pulled to the surface, the cup can be emptied.
