Coopers of StortfordOutdoor Garden Lawn Spike Aerator Roller

Live in a clay-heavy area so when it rains the front and back gardens turns to swamp and then bakes solid during the summer looking like the moon - so I need to constantly loosen the surface to keep some consistency to grass growth and discourage surface moss.This aerator is suitable for my needs - and usually give the garden a run over after a cut - but my gardens are only a few dozen square feet so it's an hour at most for me. For medium and large gardens I'd recommend just renting a self-propelling core/plug aerator machine for a weekend unless you really want to put in the hours. This roller, being the fixed nailed type pokes holes into the surface and therefore over time will actually compact the soil if you only do it infrequently and only in one direction - this means you need to go over an area multiple times, ideally at least 2 times a week to really loosen or break up the surface over time (as water will erode and loosen the surface).The roller itself is basically nails on a wheel, about 3 inches or so in length you push along. This roller fits together via a push-fitting on a hollow metal pole - and I had to tighten some wheels to it using nuts. A caution of this is it creates a pivot/stress point between the roller and handle meaning you can easily warp or bend the handle if you apply to much force. This is mitigated by holding the neck closer to where it fits together but doing that for more than half an hour is going to wreck your back unless your not very tall (again meaning its best for smaller gardens).It's easier if the ground is damp enough to let the nails penetrate, but not soaking so it churns up mud or clogs. The roller width isn't very much so you'll need to overlap runs both vertically and horizontally for best results. It also becomes easier the more frequently you do it - again a proper aerating machine will create good plug holes and help loosen the surface far more effectively but this does enough of a job to break up clay and surface soil with multiple, consistent application over time. After about 4 weeks the results I've seen aren't too bad. It's definitely helped the grass gain advantage over clover as the small holes act like little planters for the seed, and drainage has been better this winter - though a proper French drain would be more effective long for this issue.Overall for what you pay for it, it's not bad, it's just not amazing either - you can easily go wrong if you use it incorrectly and you won't get instant results just using it once so consistency is the key - but then the product itself isn't robust without a bit of care meaning it's one of those tools that requires a bit of knowing how and when to use correctly for best results.

Versatile

Seems a little cheap and flimsy. But does the job just not sure for how long.

It is fine for the job intended although the handle is very flimsy if pushing slightly harder. I'm waiting for it to snap.

I found that the spikes were not long enough. Would probably been better if the spikes were two inches longer especially at this time of year when the ground is soft.

The handle to push it with could have done with a cross bar on the top to make it easier to push. Apart from that the aerator is great and well worth the money.

not bad unit, ive seen them cheaper, and the main problem is the handle, to keep packaging small its in 3 sections with push fit clips, so never gonna be sturdy as i would have like, again with some amazon products i am gonna have to sort a rigid handle out my self, i wouldnt buy again

Airiateing the lawn hope to find a better one