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Anna Ryan is a writer, copywriter and editor. She has a wide range of knowledge and, because of this, has been able to contribute to a variety of different genres, including article and blog writing.
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If you love your garden, you will know very well how the soil under your lawn can dry-out in hot weather. The ground is at risk of becoming compressed, which means that water, air, nutrients, and fertilizer may find it difficult to penetrate the soil and reach the roots. Ultimately, this can damage the health of your lawn. But there’s a key gardening tool you can invest in to combat this: a lawn aerator. This handy tool features numerous spikes which penetrate the ground and enable air, water, nutrients, and fertilizer to seep into the roots, improving the health and beauty of your lawn.
We have tested the ten best lawn aerators currently on the market to help you find the best one for you and your needs.
The best time to aerate your lawn is when it’s moist but not wet. This will easily allow the spikes to penetrate the ground without getting stuck in a mushy mess. If you try to use an aerator on dry clay soil, you’ll find this is almost impossible.
View the Best Lawn Aerator, Below.
Sun Joe AJ801E Electric Scarifier + Lawn Dethatcher
Agri-Fab 45-0299 48-Inch Tow Plug Aerator
Yard Butler ID-6C Lawn Coring Aerator
Simple Lawn Solutions Soil Aeration Treatment
Brinly PA-40BH Tow-Behind Plug Aerator
Greenworks 27022 10 Amp Corded Dethatcher
Yard Butler ITNT-4 Cultivator Aeration
Agri-Fab 45-0365 Push Spike Aerator
1. Sun Joe AJ801E Electric Scarifier + Lawn Dethatcher
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Adjustable depth ranging from -0.4" to 0.4"
An electric motor means little maintenance
Collection bag for easy cleanup
24 tines for quick thatch removal
Collection bag fills up quickly
Requires an extension cord
2. Agri-Fab 45-0299 48-Inch Tow Plug Aerator
Best durable lawn Aerator
The Agri-Fab 45-0299 48-Inch Tow Plug Aerator provides a weight tray of 48 inches and holds around 140 pounds, providing improved penetration into the soil. The aerator knives are heat-treated for the best possible usage rate; they offer durability and longevity. Additionally, the product consists of six spools of aerator knives for simple strength and extra power. Handling the product is easy; the cantilever transport handle ensures that you can raise and lower the device with little effort.
The wide pneumatic tires ensure that product won't damage your lawn. They provide easy maneuverability, making for a powerful yet comfortable experience.
The product weighs 85.9 pounds and features dimensions of 35 x 52x 36 inches.
The Agri-Fab 45-0299 48-Inch Tow Plug Aerator is a strong and powerful model which will ensure that you receive the best results possible for your garden.
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TRACTOR SUPPLY CO ➞
Can't reach lifting handle from tractor
3. Ohuhu lawn aerator Shoes
Best lawn aerator Shoes
The Onuhu Lawn Aerator Shoes offer professional-grade aeration without the need for electricity or fossil fuels. They are one-size-fits-all so that you can share lawn aeration work between your household members. The adjustable velcro straps ensure a good fit and eliminate the need for difficult to use buckles. When it comes to the actual aeration process, the 2" long steel spikes easily penetrate the soil, allowing for improved aeration and drainage. If you're looking for a low-tech and easy way to aerate your lawn (and don't mind a bit of exercise), these shoes are a great choice.
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TRACTOR SUPPLY CO ➞
Each shoe weighs under one pound
Fits a variety of shoe sizes
No need for fuel or electricity
It can take time to get used to the shoes
Some lawn aerators also have a dethatching option. Before you buy one of these, check to see the level of thatch present on your lawn. Bunching grasses such as perennial ryegrass and tall fescue are not as susceptible to thatch buildup as grasses zoysia grass and bermudagrass.
4. Yard Butler ID-6C Lawn Coring Aerator
The Yard Butler Lawn Coring Aerator enables you to extract a 2 ½ inch x 3 ½ inch area. This allows you to decrease the amount of soil compaction while ensuring that air, water, and fertilizer reach the roots of your lawn. In turn, this process encourages turf growth and promotes vigorous root growth with every use. This model comes with a foot bar, allowing additional leverage and taking some of the pressure off your shoulders and arms.
Furthermore, the 37-inch tool height is perfect for most users. The Yard Butler Lawn Coring Aerator is reasonably lightweight at only 3.72 pounds, providing dimensions of 1.8 x 8.8 x 3.5 inches.
The addition of a foot bar makes the Yard Butler Lawn Coring Aerator a practical purchase, saving money and energy in comparison to some electric models. It takes the pressure off your shoulders and arms, using the power in your legs.
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Use on a large area
Only works for small lawns
5. Simple Lawn Solutions Soil Aeration Treatment
Best chemical lawn Aerator
The Simple Lawn Solutions Soil Aeration Treatment relies on chemistry rather than physical penetration to aerate lawns. To use this treatment, all you need to do is spray it onto your lawn, following product instructions. After this, the non-toxic chemicals will begin working to loosen compaction, increase aeration, and improve nutrient availability. Since you're not mechanically aerating the soil, this product is easy to use on both dry and compacted soil. It's a great choice if you're looking for an alternative to mechanical lawn aerators.
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One ounce covers 1,000 square feet of lawn
Safe for children and pets
Results in 3-4 weeks
Breaks apart soil clumps
Easy for anyone to apply
No all users see results
6. Brinly PA-40BH Tow-Behind Plug Aerator
Best Aerator for Easy Transport
The Brinly PA-40BH Tow-Behind Plug Aerator aerates and relieves tight, compacted soil in your garden. Using its 24 heat-treated spoons to penetrate the ground, this product can extract plugs of soil up to 3-inches in length, enabling air, water, and fertilizer to reach the roots. Easier penetration is achieved through the narrower plug design, and the complete steel design offers durability.
The fully-enclosed weight tray can hold up to 150 pounds, while a single transport lever enables you to transport the device easily from the lawn to the drive. The Brinly PA-40BH Tow-Behind Plug Aerator weighs 64.5 pounds and provides dimensions of 43.8 x 13 x 6.8 inches.
The single transport lever is a great feature of the Brinly PA-40BH Tow Behind Plug Aerator, offering ease of use across your entire garden.
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Extract 3-inch long plugs of soil
Weight tray can hold 150 pounds
7. Greenworks 27022 10 Amp Corded Dethatcher
Best lightweight electric lawn Aerator
The Greenworks 10 Amp Corded Dethatcher ensures a zero carbon footprint. Providing reliability and high performance, this product includes an ergonomic padded grip along with an adjustable handle, offering comfort with every use. The 3-position tine depth adjustment allows you freedom and control. It will enable the best health for your lawn by removing any matted layers.
You can also rest assured that the Greenworks Corded Dethatcher provides superior performance. The stainless steel tines remain sharper for longer. This 14-inch product features dimensions of 25.3 x 18 x 12.5 inches and weighs around 25.9 pounds. An impressive 4-year warranty is included with your purchase, which means you'll receive value and security for your money.
The 4-year warranty is a great feature with the Greenworks 10 Amp Corded Dethatcher. It's double the usual warranty for similar products, reassuring you that your product will last for a long time.
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3-position tine depth adjustment
Instructions can be confusing
Machine can be prone to overheating
8. Agri-Fab 45-0544 Spike Aerator
Best tractor-mounted lawn Aerator
The Agri-Fab 45-0544 Spike Aerator has a universal hitch and cantilever handle, allowing for easy attachment to a variety of lawn tractors and mowers. It's a powerful machine with 10 galvanized steel spikes spread across a 40" wide surface. Due to its heavy-duty nature and large size, it's a great aerator to use on large lawns and heavily compacted soils. Plus, you can add up to 100 lbs to help the spikes to penetrate hard soils. The flat-free tires allow you to roll over rocks and other objects without worry. If you have a large lawn or provide aeration services to others, the Agri-Fab 45-0544 Spike Aerator will help you complete big jobs.
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TRACTOR SUPPLY CO ➞
Can attach to various mowers
Weight tray holds up to 100 lbs
Assembly takes a few hours
9. Yard Butler ITNT-4 Cultivator Aeration
Best garden bed lawn Aerator
The Yard Butler ITNT-4 Cultivator Aeration offers a manual way to both aerate, till, and cultivate your lawn and garden. Its step plate design allows users to utilize their body weight to sink the six heavy-duty spikes into the ground, and the wide handle makes it easy to disturb and till the soil. Since this cultivator is small and meant for raised beds, it's not the best choice for large lawns or highly-compacted ground. However, it is a good product for small garden areas with loose soil. Plus, the tillage capabilities make it a great choice for areas that you wish to plant in the future.
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Can aerate and till
12" wide T-shaped handle
Doesn't require fuel nor electricity
Not great for compacted soil
10. Agri-Fab 45-0365 Push Spike Aerator
Best manual lawn Aerator
The Agri-Fab 45-0365 Push Spike Aerator relies on 5 spiked disks and human power to aerate lawns. The weight tray can hold up to 35 lb, allowing the spikes to penetrate the ground more easily. This aerator works best on damp surfaces. To aerate, all you need to do is push the aerator as you walk throughout your yard; no tractor or lawn mower is required. With a 16" wide aeration area, it makes quick work of a lawn. However, pushing it can be quite the workout and is best for those who don't mind some physical labor.
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TRACTOR SUPPLY CO ➞
Doesn't require a tractor nor mower
Weight tray can hold up to 35 lb
Doesn't require fuel nor electricity
Design allows for quick work
Physically difficult to use
If you want to purchase a tow-behind lawn aerator, you’ll need the equipment to tow it! Lawn tractors are capable of towing most aerators, but be aware these heavy machines can also compact your soil in wet conditions. So, use tow-behind aerators when the soil is dry but not hard.
Lawn Aerator Buyer’s Guide
A lawn aerator is a key piece of equipment for any gardening enthusiast. It helps to keep your lawn green, healthy and beautiful. As all gardeners know, beauty starts from within, so to achieve a healthy lawn you must first achieve healthy soil. Soil can become compact and dry, particularly in a hot climate. The deeper down the soil, the harder it is to access air, water, nutrients, and fertilizer. This starves the soil and roots of the nutrients they need to thrive.
A lawn aerator creates long, narrow holes in the soil to ensure that these essential components reach the roots, providing exactly what your lawn needs to grow and be green and healthy.
Type of Lawn Aerators
Traditionally, a lawn aerator is pulled or pushed across the lawn. This may be the best type of aerator for medium to large-sized gardens as you can cover a wide area of lawn. However, for smaller lawns or trickier areas, you can use aerator shoes. The process is simple; you strap the spiked shoes onto your feet and walk across the lawn while your aerator shoes use your bodyweight to penetrate the ground.
You can also purchase a handheld manual aerator. This requires you to either push the aerator into the ground by hand, or you can use the foot bar to push into the soil.
Price of a Lawn Aerator
Considering you may only use a lawn aerator twice per year, you might not want to spend a great deal of money purchasing the tool. Aerator shoes can cost roughly $20, which is an inexpensive purchase that still provides great results. They’re also easy to clean and store away. A handheld manual aerator tool may cost you something like $40, whereas a larger tow-behind or pushing aerator may cost somewhere in the region of $150 – $200.
How Does a Lawn Aerator Work?
When the spikes penetrate the ground, this creates narrow holes of around 2-inches deep, allowing air, water, nutrients, and fertilizer to reach the roots beneath the surface. As the roots have access to air, water, nutrients, and fertilizer, the lawn will grow better and become healthy and attractive.
How do I use a Lawn Aerator?
With most lawn aerators, you have to pull or push the device across your lawn so the spikes can penetrate the ground. However, some electric models are available on the market, along with other handheld manual choices. As mentioned above, aerator shoes are the easiest option; you only have to strap spiked shoes to your feet and walk across your lawn. Aerator shoes are also cheaper to purchase and are easier to store away.
How Often Should I Use a Lawn Core Aerator?
You should aerate your lawn at least once per year to loosen the soil and enable nutrients to penetrate the roots. However, we recommend aerating your lawn twice per year, particularly if you have compacted soil or soil with clay content.
To provide the best health for your lawn, aerate your lawn in the spring and then again in the fall when the weather is cool.
In medieval England, lawns first started to become popular in areas surrounding castles. This was so that the watchmen found it easier to scan the horizon for enemies.
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