Lawn aerator

Has anybody used this type of lawn aerator? Is it any good?



I need something which isn't too hard to push/pull.

 

I've looked at those in the past Merleworld, a good idea but I wonder if there is enough overall weight on it to make the spikes pierce the soil properly.

 

I'm not sure the spikes are "fat" enough (and deep enough??) either. I think a better design would have a "shelf" to put some weights on, to make sure it penetrated enough. Maybe it is fine if used straight after rain when ground is soft?

Hire a mechanised aerator (preferably the hollow-core type) for the day / weekend perhaps?

 

There are a number of choices in this arena:

At the bottom end a replacement for just using a fork. Takes out hollow-tines (provided it doesn't block on sticky-clay ground!), but its a lot of work to cover a large area:

If you are getting one of these consider one with a "catch tray" so you collect the cores as you go like this:


A wheeled-device covers the ground better, but if it skates over the ground and doesn't penetrate its no good.

This looks like it ought to be possible to fill with water, for extra weight, but I don't think it has that ability:


This one definitely does


Attachment for lawn tractor:

it has a flat-top to put blocks onto for extra weight

Commercial hollow-tine coring machine:

 

I forgot these Still have to cover a lot of ground but, for me at least!!, weight would not be a problem