This ice auger is surprisingly lightweight, and it is effective at cutting through the ice. I appreciate that it only weighs about 6 pounds. It certainly helps when you already have lots of gear to carry. The cutting blade is sharp and it definitely gets the job done using my 1/2” drive cordless drill. I wouldn’t describe it as “like a hot knife through butter,” but it is a quick and smooth process. I got the 8” diameter model and the drill has plenty of power to drive the mechanism. The blades above the cutting blade are made of nylon, so they are lightweight, but they do a good job of clearing the cut ice. The extension rod installs quickly and easily, and it gives me more length than I will ever need, about 4 feet. I have to say they put a lot of thought into the design and it is a very efficient tool.