Hound Dog Coring Aerator HDP35 Review
Posted: April 4th, 2014, 8:29 pm
Today a brand new Hound Dog Coring Aerator HDP35 was delivered to my door.
Friendly note - this isn't a topic to discuss the merits or demerits of core aeration.
Weight: ~5 lbs
Height: 3 feet (36.92" per the web site)
Cost: $25.15 - that included tax and shipped to my door
Color: yellow - I would have preferred red to match my other lawn equipment
Since my yard got about 6 inches of rain over the last week and a half, I elected to take it for a spin on my backyard for a bit.
I'm really impressed with this product. Easy to use. Doesn't require a lot of effort to fully insert into the ground in these wet conditions by any means. Each step took out two nice, nickel-sized, 4 inch cores about 9 inches apart. As you step, the previous core is pushed up by the current core you're extracting, eventually being pushed out the top and onto the lawn. At no time did the tool get plugged up where I had to reach down and get the tool cleaned up to operate.
I was able to place the tool, step on it straight down, pull it out, move it forward, step again, repeat, just like taking a slow walk around the yard. Eazy-peazy. I didn't have to jump or apply pressure to get it fully into the ground. I weigh 185 lbs.
The unit is quite durable, and the handle is at a good height - about belt level when you step.
The bar you step on is nice and wide.
To clean it up, turn the unit upside down and push on the end of the core at the very bottom and the last core falls right out. Easy to keep clean!
I imagine it will take me about 3 times as long to core aerate my entire lawn with this tool as it does to mow it (without trimming et al of course - just the mowing part)
I also like something like this over a pull-behind core aerator. With this tool, you are cutting out a cylinder with a vertical cut straight down - it's a 4" cylindrical sod plugging tool basically. Thus it seems compaction is eliminated due to lack of vertical pressure on the core walls as compared to spike aeration or a pull-behind core aeration for a tractor.
I would highly recommend a tool like this if you have a smaller - maybe medium-sized - lawn and like to core aerate.
Friendly note - this isn't a topic to discuss the merits or demerits of core aeration.
Weight: ~5 lbs
Height: 3 feet (36.92" per the web site)
Cost: $25.15 - that included tax and shipped to my door
Color: yellow - I would have preferred red to match my other lawn equipment
Since my yard got about 6 inches of rain over the last week and a half, I elected to take it for a spin on my backyard for a bit.
I'm really impressed with this product. Easy to use. Doesn't require a lot of effort to fully insert into the ground in these wet conditions by any means. Each step took out two nice, nickel-sized, 4 inch cores about 9 inches apart. As you step, the previous core is pushed up by the current core you're extracting, eventually being pushed out the top and onto the lawn. At no time did the tool get plugged up where I had to reach down and get the tool cleaned up to operate.
I was able to place the tool, step on it straight down, pull it out, move it forward, step again, repeat, just like taking a slow walk around the yard. Eazy-peazy. I didn't have to jump or apply pressure to get it fully into the ground. I weigh 185 lbs.
The unit is quite durable, and the handle is at a good height - about belt level when you step.
The bar you step on is nice and wide.
To clean it up, turn the unit upside down and push on the end of the core at the very bottom and the last core falls right out. Easy to keep clean!
I imagine it will take me about 3 times as long to core aerate my entire lawn with this tool as it does to mow it (without trimming et al of course - just the mowing part)
I also like something like this over a pull-behind core aerator. With this tool, you are cutting out a cylinder with a vertical cut straight down - it's a 4" cylindrical sod plugging tool basically. Thus it seems compaction is eliminated due to lack of vertical pressure on the core walls as compared to spike aeration or a pull-behind core aeration for a tractor.
I would highly recommend a tool like this if you have a smaller - maybe medium-sized - lawn and like to core aerate.
