Forget Pricey Aerators: 4 Lowe's Finds For Under $40

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Aerating your lawn is a useful way to loosen up compact soil and get more oxygen, water, and nutrients to grass roots, taking a patchy, withered yard and making it healthy and green. Yet, aeration isn't always necessary; sometimes it's simply a nice touch that makes a small difference to grass health. As a result, you probably don't want to spend a fortune aerating if it isn't needed. Many high-end aerators retail for hundreds of dollars, and professional lawn aeration services generally cost between $76 and $207 on average, according to Angi. Fortunately, there are many budget-priced aerators out there, as well as DIY lawn aeration solutions involving standard household items, such as garden forks and cordless drills.

One go-to source for inexpensive lawn aerators is the home-improvement retailer Lowe's. We rounded up four of the best lawn aerators available at Lowe's for $40 or less, only selecting options with a 3.5 rating or higher out of 5. We also picked options that fell into different categories, including core and spike aerators. The primary difference is that core aerators use hollow tines to remove soil while spike aerators punch holes into the soil. With the right aerator, you can notice a visible improvement in your lawn within a few weeks. For lusher, greener grass, here are the best budget aerators at Lowe's.

The Walensee 35-Inch Steel Spike Aerator checks a lot of boxes if you're looking for a cheap lawn aerator. It's listed at Lowe's for $28.98, yet, despite its low price, the item has an impressive average rating of 4.4 out of 5. Customers particularly praise its durability and solid construction, and many mention that it's easy to assemble and use. It weighs a little over 4 pounds, so it's easy to move, and measures 35 inches long. This aerator has 15 steel spikes that drive multiple 2.8-inch holes into the ground all at once, breaking up clumps of soil and opening pockets for water, air, and fertilizer to get in. The steel spikes might be considered a shortcoming by some since core aeration is widely deemed the superior long-term method, but customers note improvements in grass health nonetheless.

"I used this on multiple spots in my backyard where the grass was thinning or the soil had been compacted," one five-star reviewer says. "It is far superior to aerators that have just two, four or eight tines. Just place this aerator on the grass, step on it, and presto! I could see the difference after the first rain. Great product."

As a unique alternative to conventional aeration methods, the Gardenised 5.75-Inch Spike Lawn Aerator lets users get the job done simply by walking around in the yard. These spiked sandals buckle onto your feet and let you get steps in while decompacting soil. They're not necessarily one-size-fits-all, however; some customers mention the sandals are slightly too large or too small for their feet, making the aeration process awkward or uncomfortable, although often still manageable. "Also takes a few tries to get the straps right and tight. Not as good as a professional doing it but seems to work okay," a customer review says. "Every step I took I felt the spikes poking holes to the ground ... right after I spread fertilizer and lots of water on a daily basis," another reviewer writes. "Today I can see the beautiful grass growing, looking very green and healthy."

Given how compact they are, many customers mention that these shoes are ideal for smaller yards and gardens. The product sells for $24.38, making it the cheapest aerator on our list. While the savings are great, users occasionally have durability issues with the shoes, saying the spikes can break off or bend. Gardenised recommends using these shoes on slightly moist soil for best results. Overall, the item has a 4.1-star rating out of 5.

Retailing for $36.99, Jardineer's Lawn Aerator Spike Tool is another manual, long-handled aerator with multiple steel spikes on the bottom that saves money compared to an automated alternative. While it's not reviewed on Lowe's, it has over 500 customer reviews on Amazon and an average rating of 4.2 out of 5. Some of the standout comments emphasize the item's impressive construction. As one reviewer puts it, "It is very well made. Sturdy and plate is great to use. If you have a large yard this may take a while but for small areas it is ideal."

The entire aerator measures 36 inches long and it has 12 spikes that are each 2.75 inches long. Some customers say the spikes are on the shorter side and could be more effective if longer, but a large number of users say they noticed a visible difference in their yard after aerating with this tool. "After two years of spreading grass seed in our small back yard with little success, my husband bought this aerator," one customer writes. "It was easy for him to use and we now have grass! Very satisfied."

Core aerators are generally considered a superior aeration method because they actually remove the soil, giving root systems more room to breathe and receive water and nutrients. Retailing for $34.98, the Corona 40-Inch Composite Core Aerator has the budget price of a steel spike aerator, except it has 3.5-inch hollow coring tines instead. The downside is that there's only two tines, so the item is best for smaller areas rather than large, multi-acre lawns.

The item has an average rating of 3.8 out of 5 based on over 300 customer reviews. "As a manual coring aerator, it does exactly what you want — pulls solid plugs instead of just poking holes, which really helps with soil compaction and getting air, water, and seed down into the root zone," one five-star reviewer writes. "The construction feels sturdy, and the composite components hold up well without adding unnecessary weight." Like several other users, this customer adds that the item is easier to use when soil is slightly wet, which is why knowing how and when to aerate your lawn is key.

The brand backs this aerator with a lifetime warranty, further solidifying it as a trustworthy value-for-money pick. It's 40 inches long and equipped with comfort-grip handles and a steel footplate. While the soil plugs it scoops up are designed to automatically eject with every step, one recurring criticism of the item is that the tines can clog easily.

To select these aerators, we conducted in-depth research on a variety of best-selling options. We not only took into account reviews from Lowe's customers, but reviews on other retailers, such as Amazon and Walmart. In an effort to select the most reliable products, we only considered aerators that have an average rating of 3.5 or higher on a 5-point scale. The aerators also had to be listed at $40 or less to make our list. After narrowing down a shortlist of possible items, we assessed criteria that included ease of use, durability, effectiveness, and value for money. We also made it a priority to present several different types of aerators, including core and spike aerators plus slip-on aerator shoes, to accommodate different customer interests.

The author of this piece has spent over eight years testing and reviewing a wide variety of products, including lawn and gardening supplies. While unable to test these aerators firsthand, the author pored through dozens of firsthand customer reviews and compared useful specs, including price, spike length, and item size and weight. Aerators with an outstanding number of negative reviews, particularly repeated criticisms, were excluded from this piece.