Customer Reviews

Compost Aerator

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I gave this to my mother-in-law as a gift thinking I'd have to brainstorm for something more spectacular and discovered this was the very item she'd always needed but never known about. Her composting process used to consist of dumping scraps daily into a walled & roofed plastic bin, then, several times a year, shoveling everything out and then shoveling it all back in again, thereby mixing it up. This was a shock to me both because she has a bad back and because I've had one of these nifty aerators for as long as I've had a compost bin. I'm sufficiently lazy that I keep my helpful tool outdoors, unprotected, all year long to keep it convenient. It's never rusted in six years.

I fold back the lid of my bin, pick this tool up by the handle, put it into the heap of stuff that needs turning, twist and lift, repeat in several places, and I'm done. It's actually fun! I clean it by banging it on the edge of my compost bin and return it to the spot of fence on which it leans. The only problem I've ever had with it was the time a scallion and some of my daughter's really long hair got wound around the hinged parts at the bottom, making it reluctant to open. With a gloved hand I easily cleared this stuff away. Now I don't compost hair so much, or I cut it up a bit. Life is good!

great tool; well made; has handy little loop to hang with other tools, and has nice rubber handles- only problem is that the little wings that are supposed to aerate the compost by coming down when you pull the tool up seem to get stuck in the up position, thus defeating it's own purpose and the reason one would buy such a tool. I have found that oiling them with kitchen oil helps some.

So far this aerator is not working too well, so we're still using a hoe. One of the prongs does not release well, even after having been cleaned and oiled. Sometimes neither prong releases. It is possible that our compost pile is not thick enough yet, so we'll try again when it reaches a couple of feet.

I really enjoy using this simple tool. It doesn't have complicated instructions. Push it into the compost, pull back slightly, give it a twist or two and pull out. No cords or fuels to mess with and does a good job of mixing the compost. I have two 3x3x3 compost bins and one 4x4x3 bin, I use the Compost Aerator every couple of days. It only takes about 5 mins each to turn a bin.

The constructed is heavy enough to last a very long time. I've only been using it for a couple of months and expect it to last for years to come.

When I first started using it the wings didn't always expand, but a little oil and by pulling back slightly and giving the handle a twist or two the wings nearly always opens. Its easy to clean, store and use.

If you like simple uncomplicated tools that require no setup, cords or fuels this is for you. I highly recommend it.

The recipient of this gift knew exactly what it was and how to use it. They are an avid composter, and will get a lot of use out of this over the years.

Ordered this for Christmas, got lots of email telling me it would be on backorder, unavailable, might be sent in 3 weeks, then finally unavailable. Could not order it off Wish List, but did my own search and found it. When I ordered it 5 weeks after my first order, it got here in 3 days. I don't understand the delay and confusion, but am happy with the product.