'Planted all my spring bulbs in about 10 minutes': This $9 tool means you can get rid of your shovel and spade

Have you started gardening this year? If you haven’t, don’t worry — there’s still time to get summer crops in the ground! And rather than go through the backbreaking work of digging each hole with a shovel, we suggest working smarter, not harder — like with an auger drill bit. It eliminates the need to jam a shovel into the dirt and makes it so much easier to get the right depth you need for any plant type. I’ve used one of these, and I can honestly say I’ll choose it over a spade every time.

Amazon

This drill bit is compatible with any drill that has a 3/8-inch chuck. Just activate the drill and direct it down into the ground (although you probably want to use a higher-strength drill for digging through hard earth.) 

$9 at Amazon

Why is this a good deal? 💰

This is on par with the lowest price we’ve ever seen for this gadget. That’s reason enough to dig into this deal, but the true value comes in the time you’ll save during planting. This is a sentiment backed up by quite a few reviewers, too.

Why do I need this? 🤔

As much as I like gardening, I hate digging — and that’s a sentiment shared by quite a few people. If you’ve never used an auger before, it’s a revolutionary experience. It’s so much faster and more accurate than using a shovel. Just turn on the drill and direct the bit into the ground; it will pull all of the dirt out and leave you with a near-perfect hole. It’s a lot less waste than using a shovel, too, and is perfect for creating precise planting rows.

Of course, it’s also helpful for just breaking up tough dirt. My yard is hard-packed, with a lot of clay mixed in. Any flower beds have to be remediated with fresh soil, and particular parts of the yard even a tiller struggles with. Since the force of the auger is so focused, it chews through tough soil in no time at all.

And if you decide to beautify your yard with a fence? You’ll never want to touch another set of post-hole diggers after using this tool. It makes things so easy and fast, with less than half the sweat equity you’d normally need.

Keep the auger clean of dirt and moisture when storing it, and it will last for years to come. The company includes a two-year warranty, too. if something goes wrong or your auger is defective, they’ll replace it. Keep this tool in mind when you start to plan tomatoes!

What reviewers say 💬

This doodad is a bit of a hidden gem. It has over 1,400 five-star reviews from satisfied fans.

Pros 👍

One avid gardener said, “I planted all my spring flower bulbs in about ten minutes.”

Another reviewer with tough soil said, “I bought these to help dig a hole for a birdhouse pole in my Arkansas “soil” (this means clay, rocks, and roots with a bit of dirt mixed in). Took a couple of attempts to get the hole deep enough but it happened eventually. Just be sure to go slow in case you hit roots or rocks, and you might have to clear these obstacles by hand. I suspect that I will be using these a lot, for planting and other birdhouses and feeders.”

“This tool is a necessity for installing grass plugs. I only had 268 plugs, but I absolutely wouldn’t try to install them without an auger. This bit had no trouble with heavy clay, hitting small rocks and pieces of concrete,” said one homeowner.

Cons 👎

Although most users had few issues, one warned that a slow approach is best. “If your bit hits a rock or a root, the force of the drill will snatch it out of your hand after painfully twisting your wrist.”

Another shopper said that while they enjoyed the auger, they wished it was a bit bigger. “I love this! I use it to mix food for my chickens but I just wish it was a bit longer. Yes, it says 14.5 inches, but the image is definitely a little deceiving. It does what I need it to, but I just wish it was a bit bigger.”

Amazon

At 16.5-inches long and 1.6-inches in diameter, you can dig substantial holes with just your drill. 

$9 at Amazon

The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.

If you have Amazon Prime, you’ll get free shipping, of course. Not yet a member? No problem. You can sign up for your free 30-day trial here. (And by the way, those without Prime still get free shipping on orders of $25 or more.)

Looking for more great Amazon home deals? Check these out:

Auto

Vacuums

Kitchen

Home