Forget Spiked Aerator Shoes: The Handheld, Easy-To-Use Tool To Try Instead

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Heavy rainfall, frequent foot traffic, not enough decomposing vegetable matter, or just a collusion between Father Time and Mean Ol' Mr. Gravity can all lead to soil compaction in your lawn and garden. Compacted soil makes it harder for plants to reach the water and nutrients they need to grow and thrive. The solution is aeration, a fancy term for breaking up packed soil and creating new channels for plants roots to spread. The tool for the job is an aerator, which can be anything from spiked aerator shoes to heavy-duty walk-behind core aerators.

If you have a small patch of lawn that needs attention or a few humble garden beds—or if you don't feel like strapping on spiked shoes or lugging around big tools—the Qsxou Portable Handheld Aerator may be what you've been looking for. This 7-spike hand aerator costs $12.99 on Amazon as of this writing, so it is much less expensive that other, larger options. The all-metal construction features an ergonomic handle and rust-resistant steel tines for easier penetration into even heavily compacted soil. It comes pre-assembled so you can get straight to work aerating your lawn or garden.

Most other aerators are big, heavy, and cost more than the Qsxou hand aerator, which has just the right form factor for smaller lawns and gardens with tighter layouts. Try stepping onto a raised garden bed with a pair of spiked aerator shoes strapped on, and you'll quickly see what this Amazon find is good for. And, even if your lawn is on the larger side, soil compaction doesn't always affect all areas equally. 

The screwdriver test is an easy way to tell if it's time to aerate. You may have only a small patch of compacted soil you'd like to break up before you fertilize after planting grass seed. In that case, a heavy-duty aerator may be much more than you need. A handheld option could be very convenient.

The Osxou aerator currently has a 4.6 star rating. Reviewers say it is durable and well-suited for aerating small growing areas such as large pots and raised garden beds. But for bigger projects, you may be better off with a pole or rolling aerator. One reviewer reported, "I have about a 500 square foot lawn and I spent close to an hour on my hands and knees using this thing ... so be prepared for a little workout." Whether the Qsxou hand aerator works for depends on the size of your lawn or garden, your budget, and your ability and willingness to do a little manual labor.