Renting a stump grinder for a day can cost more than a decent cordless drill, and hauling one around a soft, muddy yard is nobody’s idea of a fun weekend. That is why stump removal drill bits have taken off. These spiral auger and planer bits chuck into a tool you probably already own, chew tunnels through the wood, and let you break a stump down in stages. For many homeowners they are the cheapest realistic path to a level yard.
The way they work is simple. A long auger bit bores deep holes across the top and sides of the stump. Those holes speed up natural rot, and they give a tree stump killer somewhere to soak in and finish faster. Heavier planer style bits go further and shave wood away like a mini grinder head. Pair either approach with patience and a good axe or mattock, and you can clear a stump that a rental machine would have charged a premium to touch.
We pulled together the bits and manual tools that make the most sense for a backyard project, based on published specs and owner feedback rather than any claim that we ran each one ourselves. For the full playbook first, our guide on how to remove a stump without a grinder pairs nicely with everything below.
Our Quick Picks
- Best For Most Stumps: MangoOrder 1 Inch x 12 Inch Wood Auger, a long self-feeding hex bit made for stumps.
- Best Budget Bit: SOMADA Quick-Change Hex Auger, a short wide bit that starts fast holes with almost any drill.
- Best For Rotary Hammers: MESA DIAMOND SDS Plus Wood Auger, for owners whose best tool has an SDS Plus chuck.
- Best Big-Bore Bit: NICAVKIT 1-1/2 Inch x 12 Inch Auger, wide, deep holes for soaking accelerant.
- Best Grinder-Style Bit: Heavy Duty 12 Inch Stump Planer Auger, a planer head that shaves wood away.
- Best Manual Tool: Roughneck Jumbo Gorilla Bar, a 48 inch lever for prying and popping loosened stumps.
All 8 Stump Removal Tools at a Glance
| Product | Type | Shank / Fit | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| MangoOrder 1 in x 12 in Auger | Spiral auger bit | Hex shank drill | All-around stump boring |
| SOMADA 1-1/2 in x 6-1/2 in Auger | Short ship auger bit | 1/4 in quick-change hex | Fast starter holes on a budget |
| NICAVKIT 1-1/2 in x 12 in Auger | Long ship auger bit | Hex shank drill | Deep, wide holes for soaking |
| MESA DIAMOND 1-1/8 in x 10 in | Wood auger bit | SDS Plus rotary hammer | Owners with an SDS drill |
| Greenlee 66PT-1 Nail Eater | Pro ship auger, 1 in x 18 in | 7/16 in hex shank | Old stumps with nails or grit |
| Heavy Duty 12 in Stump Planer | Planer / grinder bit | Round drive collar | Shaving wood away fast |
| Roughneck Jumbo Gorilla Bar | Manual pry / lever bar | 48 in steel bar | Prying and popping stumps |
| Forged Grubbing Hoe / Mattock | Manual grub tool | 17 in handled head | Chopping roots by hand |
The 8 Best Stump Removal Drill Bits and Tools, Reviewed
The MangoOrder 1 Inch Auger Is The Bit We Would Reach For First
Most auger bits are sold for general woodworking and only happen to work on stumps. This one is marketed for the job directly. At one inch across and a full twelve inches long, it bores deep in a single plunge, exactly what you want when the plan is to riddle the wood with holes and let rot or accelerant do the slow work. The carbon steel body and self-feeding tip pull the bit in so you are not leaning on the drill.
Pros
- Sized specifically for stumps
- Aggressive self-feeding tip
- Full 12 inch boring depth
- Common hex shank fits most drills
Cons
- Carbon steel dulls on grit and nails
- Self-feeding tip grabs hard
- Needs a drill with a side handle
The verdict: Buy it if you want one purpose-built bit that handles the bulk of a stump job. Skip it if your stump is full of embedded hardware.
The SOMADA Quick-Change Auger Is The Budget Bit That Starts Holes Fast
This SOMADA is a shorter, fatter ship auger, roughly one and a half inches wide and six and a half inches long, on a quarter inch quick-change hex shank. That shank is the headline feature: it snaps into any impact driver or quick-change chuck without tools, so you can be drilling in seconds. The wider diameter removes plenty of wood per hole, handy for opening up a softening stump.
Pros
- Tool-free quick-change shank
- Generous 1-1/2 inch diameter
- Low price you will not baby
- Fits impact drivers
Cons
- Too short for tall stumps
- Quarter inch shank can twist your wrist
The verdict: Buy it if you own an impact driver and want fast, wide starter holes for cheap. Skip it if you need to reach deep into a big stump.
The NICAVKIT 1-1/2 Inch Auger Bores The Wide, Deep Holes That Soak Up Accelerant
If your removal plan leans on chemistry, this is the bit that makes it work. The NICAVKIT combines a large one and a half inch diameter with a full twelve inch length, so each hole is both wide and deep. Big cavities hold far more rot accelerant or stump killer than a skinny hole, and give rainwater and fungus room to reach the heart of the wood.
Pros
- Large diameter plus real depth
- Holds plenty of stump killer
- Common hex shank
Cons
- Demands a torquey drill
- Bogs down lightweight tools
- Aggressive flutes can grab
- Side handle nearly mandatory
The verdict: Buy it if you plan to soak the stump with accelerant and own a torquey drill. Skip it if your drill is a small battery model.
The MESA DIAMOND SDS Plus Auger Is The Answer If Your Best Tool Is A Rotary Hammer
Plenty of homeowners own an SDS Plus rotary hammer for concrete work but no heavy-duty regular drill, and that is exactly who this bit is for. Instead of a hex or round shank, it uses an SDS Plus shank that locks into a rotary hammer’s chuck, and it measures about one and one eighth inches across and ten inches long. Run it in rotation-only mode and it bores wood cleanly.
Pros
- Fits SDS Plus rotary hammers directly
- Strong torque delivery
- Sensible size for stump work
Cons
- Only fits SDS Plus tools
- Must run in rotation-only mode
The verdict: Buy it if a rotary hammer is your most powerful drill. Skip it if you only own regular drills.
The Greenlee 66PT-1 Nail Eater Is The Pro Bit For Old Stumps Full Of Surprises
Old stumps hide things. Fence staples, old nails, embedded gravel, and grit in the bark will destroy a cheap carbon steel bit in a few holes. The Greenlee 66PT-1 Nail Eater is a professional ship auger built for boring through nail-embedded lumber, a strong choice for a nasty, weathered stump. It runs a full inch across and eighteen inches long, with a self-feeding screw point and a seven sixteenths inch hex shank.
Pros
- Survives nails and grit
- Long 18 inch reach
- Contractor-grade reputation
- Built to last many stumps
Cons
- Costs more than hobby augers
- Wide hex shank needs a large chuck
The verdict: Buy it if the stump is old and dirty or you remove stumps often. Skip it if you have one clean stump and want to spend as little as possible.
The Heavy Duty 12 Inch Stump Planer Auger Shaves Wood Instead Of Just Boring It
This is the Bit Boss style tool people picture when they think of a drill-powered stump grinder. Rather than a slim auger that bores single holes, it is a wide planer head that shaves and rips wood as it spins, removing material across a broad face rather than one tunnel at a time. For anyone who wants to actively reduce a stump instead of waiting on rot, it is the aggressive option.
A planer bit this size wants serious low-speed torque, so it belongs on a powerful corded drill, a right-angle drill, or an auger power head rather than a small cordless. Used with the right tool, it clears wood far faster than any boring bit here.
Pros
- Removes wood like a grinder head
- Knocks a stump down actively
- Fastest material removal here
Cons
- Grabs and torques hard
- Not for a lightweight drill
- Treat it like power equipment
The verdict: Buy it if you have a high-torque drill and want to grind a stump down actively. Skip it if you only own a small cordless drill.
The Roughneck Jumbo Gorilla Bar Is The Muscle Tool For Prying A Loosened Stump Loose
No bit finishes the job by itself. Once you have bored a stump full of holes, cut the surface roots, and let it soften, you still need leverage to break the root ball free. The Roughneck Jumbo Gorilla Bar is a forty-eight inch forged pry bar built for exactly that. It slides under a loosened root, and the long handle multiplies your effort so you can rock the stump until the roots snap.
Pros
- Long 48 inch leverage arm
- Forged one-piece durability
- Useful far beyond stumps
Cons
- Heavy solid steel bar
- Only helps after roots are cut
- A finishing tool, not a starter
The verdict: Buy it if you want serious leverage to pop a prepped stump and a bar for future projects. Skip it if the stump is huge and still fully rooted.
The Forged Grubbing Hoe And Mattock Handles The Roots Your Drill Cannot Reach
Drilling handles the trunk, but the roots under the soil are what really hold a stump in place, and that is grubbing hoe territory. This forged mattock-style tool pairs a wide chopping blade with a pick end, so you can dig soil, hack through roots, and lever out chunks without switching tools. The compact seventeen inch version is easy to swing in tight spots.
Pros
- Two working ends in one head
- Forged toughness
- Compact and easy to control
Cons
- Root cutting is hard physical work
- Short handle means kneeling
- Wear gloves and eye protection
The verdict: Buy it if you need to chop and lever roots by hand to finish the job. Skip it if the roots are massive.
How To Choose A Stump Removal Bit Or Tool
How These Bits Actually Break Down A Stump
A stump removal auger bores a dense grid of deep holes into the wood. Those holes speed up decay by letting air, water, and fungus reach inner wood that would otherwise stay solid for years. Fill them with a rot accelerant or stump killer and you shorten the timeline dramatically, because the chemical has a direct path to the core. Planer style bits skip the waiting and shave the wood away, more like a true grinder. Either way, drilling is rarely the last step: you will still cut surface roots and lever out the loosened remains.
What Drill You Need To Turn One Safely
Match the bit to the tool you own. A small cordless drill can turn a one inch hex auger with care, but it will bog down on a one and a half inch bit or any planer head. Wide augers and grinder bits want a high-torque corded drill, a right-angle drill, or an auger power head. Two rules keep you safe. Always fit a side handle, because these bits grab and can spin the drill out of your hands, and let the self-feeding tip pull itself in rather than forcing it. If your only heavy tool is an SDS Plus rotary hammer, buy an SDS shank bit and run it in rotation-only mode.
When To Use A Bit Versus Chemical Versus Grinding
Think of it as a spectrum of speed, cost, and effort. Boring holes and applying a stump killer is the cheapest, lowest-effort path, but it is slow and can take weeks or months. A planer or grinder bit is faster and more active, at the cost of a powerful tool and real physical control. Renting a full grinder is fastest of all, but also the priciest and most awkward to maneuver in a soft or fenced yard. For a single backyard stump that is not in a hurry, drilling plus chemical plus a bit of manual finishing is usually the smart middle ground.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can A Regular Drill Really Remove A Tree Stump
Yes, within limits. A capable drill and a good auger bit can bore a stump full of holes to speed up rot or hold accelerant, which handles most small to medium stumps over time. For grinding a stump down in one session you need a high-torque drill and a planer bit. For very large stumps a dedicated grinder is still the better tool.
What Size Drill Bit Is Best For Stump Removal
A one inch diameter auger around ten to twelve inches long is the practical sweet spot for most homeowners. It bores deep enough to reach the core and wide enough to hold accelerant, while still being turnable by a strong drill. Go wider, up to one and a half inches, only if your drill has the torque to handle it.
How Many Holes Should You Drill Into A Stump
More is better. Space holes a couple of inches apart across the entire top, then add angled holes around the sides. The goal is to riddle the wood so decay or chemical spreads through as much of it as possible. A stump peppered with dozens of deep holes breaks down far faster than one with just a few.
Do These Bits Wear Out Quickly
It depends on the steel and what the stump is hiding. Budget carbon steel augers cut clean wood well but dull fast against dirt, grit, or embedded nails. Brushing debris off the stump first extends their life. If you expect hardware, a harder pro bit like a nail-eater auger holds up far longer.
Our Pick For Most People
For the average backyard stump, we would start with the MangoOrder 1 Inch x 12 Inch Wood Auger. It is sized specifically for stump drilling, its self-feeding tip does the pulling for you, and its common hex shank fits the drill most people already own. Pair it with a stump killer poured into the holes, keep a mattock or the Roughneck Gorilla Bar on hand for the roots, and you have a complete stump removal kit for a fraction of a grinder rental. Step up to the wider NICAVKIT or the Greenlee Nail Eater only if your stump is unusually large, dense, or full of old hardware.
Last update on 2026-08-15 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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