LawnCrafter by Agri-Fab 45-0365 16-Inch Push Spike Aerator

After the first use (on a rain-soaked yard, as recommended), I'm a little disappointed. Placing a solid flat cinderblock on the platform, I was unable to PUSH the aerator without the teeth digging in and stopping forward movement altogether. So I had to PULL it instead. If not for the fact that I have a small yard (20' x 40'), this would have taken forever. It seems to "aerate" but compared to the "plug-style" machines, this is a poor substitute. (On the other hand, what would you expect for $40?)

What's good about this product? It's cheap, for one thing, and easy to pull out and run across the lawn without a lot of setup. Renting a power aerator is a big production. What's not great? Well, it's a bit flimsy, but so far is holding together. The tines aren't very sharp -- I took a grinding wheel to mine to encourage better soil penetration. It requires a pretty significant weight load to get any usable penetration depth. I usually load two cinder blocks lashed to the pedestal with a couple of tie-downs. Unfortunately, the pedestal isn't sized correctly to fit a standard cinder block, so you have to lash it down to keep them from falling off. On a sloped lawn, two blocks is quite a load to haul, but no worse than wrestling with a 250-lb. power aerator. I still rent the power aerator once a year, but now I run this device over the lawn once every couple of weeks for the rest of the season.

The order was lost in the mail but once I got in touch with the vendor to let them know I had not received anything, I was notified it was being refilled and got the package the following business day. It was handled excellently and I couldn't have been more satisfied.

I bought this with some hope that it would break the matting on turf grass, I wasn't even looking for aeration. This product is useless for either endeavor. A cinder block lacked the weight to punch through the grass. I modified the unit by welding two rods to the plate so I could attach weights. Started with 30lbs and still didn't work. At 60 lbs the unit worked but you could imagine pulling that weight around. This thing has a few design problems - if you pull it, you are lifting its weight off of the ground. If you push it, you might as well use no weight at all, your body acts as the weight. You will be guaranteed some exercise with that approach. Oh, I even tried sharpening the blades with a grinder. If you crawl on your hands and knees and use a hammer and nail, the results would be better.

Don't waste your money on this. They didn't even put enough thought into it as to have a standard cinder block fit on it. You will be breaking one up to make it fit, or find yourself at the hardware store looking for smaller ones to fit the platform. Even then, it doesn't seem to really dig into the ground well, even after watering. This is probably because it's more of a rolling motion than a downward motion. Sounds like a good idea, but not when it's put into practice.

At best, this device will help aerate a lawn that is in good shape. If the ground is too hard, the device will not penetrate - at least not without adding so much weight that it can't be moved safely. If the ground is too soft, it becomes difficult to roll it.

Rent an aerator.

Let nutrients into your lawn with our do-it-yourself Spiker Aerator. Spike aerators use a series of rotating star-shaped tines that slice into the soil to allow seed, fertilizer, water, air, light and nutrients to reach the grass roots. Aerating should be done when the lawns moisture content is high. Some assembly required. 3-year limited warranty. Aerator Type: Push/Pull, Working Width (in.): 16, Spikes (qty.): 40, Spike Length (in.): 7, Spike Penetration Depth (in.): 2 1/2, HP Required to Pull: N/A

Great for do-it-yourself lawn care, Agri-Fab's spike aerator perforates sod and grass to let in nutrients, air, and moisture for a healthier lawn. An array of rotating star-shape tines slices into the soil to allow additional seed, fertilizer, water, air, and light to reach the grass roots. The 5- to 7-inch spiked wheels provide up to 2-1/2 inches of aeration depth. The long axle offers a 16-inch aerating width to cover a lot of ground fast. The aerator is equipped with a steel weight tray designed to hold a concrete block that pushes the spikes into moist ground. Some tool-less assembly is required. The spike aerator is covered by an Agri-Fab 12-month warranty on parts and labor. --Brian Olson