For lawns and grass the very best aerator and the one we would strongly recommend is one that has what are termed "hollow tines" sometimes referred to as "spoons".

Many gardeners prefer to use this "hollow tine" type of aerator if they want a deeper aeration. The shoes above are OK for creating spike holes (thinner holes) in the ground. If however you want larger and deeper holes, then these will work better. You place these on the ground and push down on them with your foot. You will only need to do this once or twice a year so the cost should be minimal. We have found with these that they only come in solid spikes so you would lose the advantage of the hollow spikes. That makes it a balance between labour and getting the optimum result. That is where a good quality garden aerator can really help. They speed up the process of doing this task, which you need to do at least twice a year.

It’s best practise to aerate your lawn now in late Autumn, as that will give your lawn a few weeks for it to recover before winter strikes. By using this type of tine aerator, it will allow water and air to circulate better through it. It also ensures heavy rainfall won’t ruin your lawn, which can easily be caused by waterlogging. You simply go over the garden with the fork, and create a series of holes to help allow some air into the soil. A depth of around 5 cm (2-3") is all that is required. Even on a small garden this takes time, and for larger lawns the reality is a garden fork would just take far too long. These will do the job perfectly, as long as you take the time to properly attach them. The straps on these really do need to be properly tightened to avoid them falling off. Thanks for taking your time to read our detailed information on the best lawn and garden aerators, that are currently available on the UK marketplace. This is a detailed article and includes the choices of lawn and garden aerators, that are available.

So the principle of inserting thin holes into the ground is a sound and tested method of allowing air into the ground, which helps the soil to breathe, and avoids it turning into heavy clay. By appearance, the Kingfisher RC401 resembles a pitchfork. However, there are certain features that make it different. First things first, unlike regular pitchforks, the tines on this tool are hollow inside and have pointed tips, which allows you to push them deeper into the ground for better aeration. And secondly, it has a sturdy horizontal crossbar above the spikes where you can rest your foot to push the fork, making the whole process much more convenient.This type of aerator has as the name would suggest a range of spikes that push down into the lawn, and create small thin holes. It is known as a rolling spike aerator because it usually has two wheels, and a drum with the spikes attached. Many gardeners get highly frustrated when they buy and start using an aerator of any kind. The biggest single complaint is that the spikes or tines, don't go deep enough into the ground. The reason for that, in almost every case, is that the ground is simply too hard. If you’re an owner of a middle-sized or large lawn, consider the VonHaus 2-in-1 model. Powered by electricity, it will make an easy job of taking care of your lawn, requiring no elbow grease from you. When attached right to your normal shoes, this straightforward and simple device will let you aerate your lawn by simply stomping over it. No strain to push or drag the rolling aerator around or digging the fork in, just walk across your lawn. As you go, its sharp spikes will get 50 mm deep into the ground to make fine holes and puff the soil up, which, in fact, is deeper than most manual and electric aerator rollers. So the aeration efficiency provided by the WIPHANY shoes is easily comparable to that of more expensive counterparts.

The most important consideration for any buyer is the number of spikes and the depth of those spikes. For it to be effective, it should have around 27 spikes and that will give you about 180 spikes per square metre. The maximum working width of both attachments is 32 cm, which allows the aerator to make wider paths in one go and cover bigger areas in a shorter amount of time. Don’t overlook the possibility of adjusting the working depth, an ergonomic handle with a non-slip grip, and manoeuvrable wheels for hassle-free navigation. We also found that with the electrical aerators that they come as a combination tool with interchangeable scarifying and aerating drums. These are expensive so a bit of an investment for something you only need to do once or twice a year. To proceed, the Greenkey rolling aerator comprises 40 tines 45 mm each to ensure deeper penetration into the soil for better aeration and healthier grass growth. Since it is a push lawn aerator, you will have complete freedom of movement and will be able to keep aerating as long as you've got the energy to do that. As it is easy to guess from its name, this tool doubles as a lawn aerator and a scarifier thanks to the two interchangeable attachments that come in the box. The 16-tine scarifying roller not only allows you to remove thatch and moss from your lawn but also helps better air and water penetration by making deep holes in the soil. The aerating roller, in turn, comes equipped with 20 spikes that help clean the lawn from leaves, moss, and other debris. The debris is neatly collected into a 40-litre bag for further disposal.

The cheapest method of aerating a garden is to buy shoes or sandals with spikes built into the bottom of the shoes.

Twice a year is the recommended timing for this and we recommend that you do it once in early Spring and once in the Autumn or Fall. If you are attempting to perfect a lawn then you should do this once a month. If your lawn grows on pretty soil high in clay or you live in a rather dry climate, more likely than not, the aeration process for you is a real challenge. If so, we recommend you to consider the Kingfisher RC401 aerator specifically designed for the use in harsh conditions. These are a popular choice mainly because they are the cheapest option, and they are very easy to use. These look like the soles of a shoe with spikes in them, and they also have straps that you attach to your shoes. They are a "one size fits all" type of attachment, and when you put them on, you simply walk on top of your grass. These do involve a lot of physical effort, and it can be quite a slow process if you plan on aerating a bigger lawn. Using one of these is really hard work so be prepared for that if you are considering buying one of these.As we mentioned earlier, the purpose of all these is to open up compacted soil and introduce air into the soil beneath and around the grass. They all do this in slightly different ways but the purpose remains the same. In this section we explain what garden aeration actually is. Grass, lawns and soil all benefit from water, air and various other nutrients and feeds. A great way of achieving this is to put small holes into the ground which will allow all of the above to happen. Aerating - this is where you push spike or puncture holes into the ground to allow the soil underneath your lawn the opportunity to breathe. Aerating allows air to get into the soil which helps dry it out and promotes healthier growth