We ONLY recommend using 18V cordless drills for your Power Planters. 
240V drills spin too fast and  tend to overheat. They also offer no protection from kickback.
All you need is a reasonable 18v cordless drill with a 13mm chuck opening if you want to be able to use the full range of Power Planters. 
If you only have a 10mm chuck size (mainly Bosch Green brand that has this) then you will only be able to fit the 3 smaller Power Planters. The 207, 307, 312. 

The most common size chuck opening in Australia is 13mm  (if you are not familiar with drills, it is the end where you attach the Power Planter)  This covers 95% of all 18v cordless drills. 
It is very rare for  the Power Planters not to fit a customers drill, but if it did happen we are happy to give you a refund or recommend a suitable drill to purchase. 

We know that not everyone  has experience at working with cordless drills, so we provide a full training video that goes step by step through how to set it up, even if you have NEVER used a drill before. We also answer the helpline 7 days a week 12 hours a day. 1800 222 800. 

It's a lot easier than you might think. 

Here is a review from our oldest customer Richard Skelton from Glen Waverley in Victoria

"I think it is excellent. I am 91 years old and not very strong but have used the Power Planter to cultivate my planting beds to plant seeds and 50 daffodil bulbs. It is all it claims and more."

So if 91 year old Richard can do it... I reckon you'll be ok ;-) 

A really important question and the answer is  YES it is easy to use. 
We have customers , male and female from 25 to 91 (yes 91 yr old Richard Skelton who loves his Power Planter) 

Probably a third or more of our customers have never even used a drill before but they were able to follow the step by step instructions on our 7 minute training video and become an expert in no time. 
You will get access to that video when you purchase your Power Planter and can refer to it any time.

AND, just in case you do get stuck or need to ask a question, we have a help line available 7 days a week, 12 hours a day 1800 222 800 which Mark Jones answers and he will be happy to help you. We have had so many good reviews about how good the training video was and also Mark being very courteous and helpful. 

One thing that really annoys me is arrogant, poor customer service, so we have made it our absolute mission to make sure every single Power Planter customer is well cared for.  We will not talk down to you if you dont know how to use a drill. Quite the opposite, that excites us because we know how much fun you are going to have when you get set free with your Power Planters.
Evidence of this can be seen in the 6000+ reviews we have. 

"Brian's video demonstrations are a "must see" and very helpful in it's use. My opinion to all gardener's is "get one" 

Les Arkinstall  - Carlingford,.

"Excellent customer service

The gardening gloves "Fit like a glove"  They didn't take long to arrive. Previously I purchased the Power Planter, and when I phoned to ask a question, Brian was very helpful and didn't make me feel inept. 

He explained things well and was very patient. "

Jacqui Hodges -   Gulfview Heights

"What impresses me most is the professionalism of the company and that they have taken the time to put together a "How To" video."

Linda Bartlett  -  KANWAL

There are thousands of reviews like these.

If you'd like to read some more CLICK HERE 

CLICK HERE to see a 1min video about this question

It's important to only use Power Planters with 18v Cordless drills as they are designed to run at slow speed under load. 
Digging with the Power Planter requires about the same amount of power (torque its called) as putting screws into timber which the cordless drills do easily. 

We have been using the same Dewalt 18v drills for over 3 years and dug thousands  (and we really mean thousands) of holes with it and it hasnt missed a beat. 
Other customers who bought of us 3 years ago have said the same thing. The 18v cordless drills handle it well as long as you follow our instruction video. ie. Run them on slow speed and in screwdriver mode set to a high number. 
Dont worry if that doesnt mean anything to you. Its all covered in our step by step 7 min training video. We STRONGLY urge ALL customers (including the blokes)  to  watch this video before using their Power Planters.  The only time we have a customer having problems with their Power Planter not working, is because they havent watched the 7 min training video. 

This special video is also sent to you when you make a Power Planter purchase. 

A great question to raise.

 
CLICK HERE to see a video to show why it wont hurt your wrists

Anyone who has used a big petrol powered post hole digger will know they can whip you round like a rag doll. 
Thankfully that is NOT the case with the Power Planters, otherwise they wouldnt be safe for so many senior Australians using them. 

What is the difference?
Firstly, the Power Planter is a lot smaller than a post hole digger, and secondly and more importantly, the Power Planter attaches to an 18V cordless drill which has a clutch built in (they all do)
So that when you hit a tree root or big rock, it instantly disengages the motor so you dont get any twisting of your wrists. 

There is an adjustment on your drill (the dial around the chuck at the pointy end ) where you can dial up or down the point at which the clutch disengages the motor. 
We recommend starting at about half way and working your way up the numbers till it gets to a point where you feel comfortable holding the drill. 

The video link shows how to make these adjustments. 

The Power Planters are a patented design and made by the Niewold Family in Loda Illinois  USA. We import them into Australia and have a warehouse at Rouse Hill in North West Sydney where we ship orders from daily.

CLICK HERE To see a video of the Power Planters being made by 90 year old Wayne Niewold and his grandson Greg who now runs the business.  They are good people who take pride in making a great quality product that lasts. 

We know there are competitor products in the market who have jumped on the bandwagon when they saw a quick buck to be made. Please note that ALL of these copy products are being made in China and are NOT genuine Power Planters. 

We have had several customers mistakingly buy the copy product thinking it was a genuine Power Planter only to find it took a month or more to arrive and then it ended up snapping when they tried to dig some harder ground. 

Power Planters do cost more but they are built to last and are covered by a Lifetime Warranty on faults in materials or craftsmanship. 

We ask that you trust us and get the original, genuine Power Planter which is a brilliant tool and far better quality than the copies, plus you are helping an Australian Family Business who pays taxes in Australia, supports Gardening Clubs with sponsorship, Gardening Magazines and Radio Shows plus provides excellent customer support 7 days a week. 12 Hours a Day. 
As is testified in the 6000+ reviews we have from all over Australia. 

We are the ONLY licenced seller of Power Planters in Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom and Europe. 

If you live in a

• Metro area - it usually takes a few days.
• Country Areas - a few more days
• Remote Areas - about 10 days. 

We use Australia Post for our shipping so it is fine to go to Post Office Boxes too.

Express Shipping Option
If you need it urgently, please choose Express Shipping. These orders get first priority and go to the front of the queu. Please note, for your order to leave the same day, it needs to be received by us by 12pm otherwise it will miss the pickup time shortly after. 

Generally speaking though, 95% of our customers choose the regular Australia Post Shipping option which saves quite a bit. Only pay the extra for Express if you really cant wait the few extra days. 

Warehouse Pickups
Some customers who live local or need it for an urgent job in Sydney, will come direct to the Rouse Hill warehouse to pick up their order. 
All you need to do is give us a call to organise this 1800 222 800. 

Who can I contact if there is an issue with my delivery?

  
1. Refer to the shipping confirmation email you receive when your order has been packed. This is where the shipping tracking link will be but please do allow for extra time for the driver to pick it up from the warehouse. 

2. Louise, runs our warehouse and is amazing at getting orders out quickly so she is pretty busy. I encourage you to only contact her if you really think there is something amiss with the delivery and she will look into it.   Very occasionally something will go wrong with a parcel (it's a very BIG country to cover) but usually we are able to sort it out for customers without too much fuss.   

Louises email: louise@powerplanter.com.au

3. Mark is our customer support and great go to guy for asking questions. If it's an urgent issue, Call Mark.  Available 7 days 1800 222 800  

YES we do sell the same Dewalt Drill that we use in all the videos. It is the 996 model  and is the dream drill for using with the Power Planters. 
If you are a keen gardener and have a lot of digging to do, I have no hesitation in recommending this drill as it will last you many years and will not let you down. 

But for most customers, they are just using the 18v Cordless drill that they already own which is just fine too. In most cases it will still dig well . It does not need to be a Dewalt brand. 
Ryobi, AEG, Black and Decker, etc can all be used. 

If you are going to be buying a new 18v cordless , you are welcome to give us a call and get some guidance. We certainly wont push you to buy the Dewalt. Our focus is to make sure no matter which drill you buy, that you feel confidence that you are getting something up to the job. 

As a general guide you need a drill that is

• 18V cordless
• Has a 13mm  Chuck  (so you can use both the smaller and long Power Planters) 
• Preferably - one with a side handle as this makes it a lot nicer to use.
• Preferably - with Torque of 70Nm or higher. Torque is the word used to describe how much digging force it has' 

A lot of customers use drills with less than 70Nm and are happy with the results, but if you are going to be digging heavy clay or rocky ground, having the extra torque will get the job done easily. 

The Dewalt 996 Drill  we use has a torque of 95Nm and is a very well built drill with a long warranty.   

Yes there is  both a generous Warranty period and Product Guarantee to cover you. 

The quick version is

• 30 Day Money Bake Guarantee
• Lifetime Manufacturers Warranty on Materials and Craftsmanship. 

The details:

30 Day Money Back Guarantee: We ask that you do the right thing by us.  The guarantee is there for people who really need to use it and we will happily give you a refund for any reason within 30 days of purchase.  Sometimes it's because their partner had already bought one.. or it didnt fit their drill. Just be honest with us.... If you do find its not digging well for you, please DO give us a call and let us know so we can help.  99% of problems are an easy fix . 

Tel 1800 222 800

To give you an idea- only 1 in 200 Power Planters sold ever get returned for a refund.

Lifetime Warranty :  

What is covered

• If a weld breaks prematurely we replace it 
• If it bends or twists out of shape we replace it. 

What is NOT covered

The paint wearing off - It is only cosmetic and comes off with first use. Spray with WD40 after use to protect it from rusting. 

Damage to the hex end that goes in the drill    (It is super important to make sure your drills chuck is tight when using the Power Planter otherwise you can damage the end. This is explained in the 7 min training video.)

Wear and Tear - over time the steel will wear down until eventually it will stop digging effectively because there is no steel left. Usually the bottom weld will break at this point. That is when it is time to replace it. 

Just to be upfront and clear...
A lifetime Warranty doesn't mean the Power Planter will last forever. We wish we could make a version that would live eternally... but sadly that isnt possible unless some Aliens land and show us a new type of metal. 

• Eventually it will wear out because you are digging hard abrasive ground and it wears the steel down.. just the same as a steel spade wears down.
  The amount of digging you would have to do to wear it out  will have well and trully paid for itself many times over. Many customers are using the same Power Planters they bought 3 years ago and they are still going strong! 

Blokes... this page is for you.  (so far its only been men who have insisted on sharpening their Power Planter or using it in Hammer Mode or using a big Powerful 240V drill..... the list goes on.)

This one is a BIG NO.
Dont attempt to sharpen it. Customers who have done so have then called us up to ask why it no longer digs well. 
It doesn't need to be sharp to work and actually works better if that front edge is left dull at its full thickness. 

Hammer Drill Mode?
Don't use the drill in hammer mode. Again it doesnt need hammer mode to work and will tend to damage the hex end that goes in the drill with the rapid back and forth motion. This is NOT covered by warranty. 

Big Powerful Drill?
NO - The Power Planters work best when turning relatively slowly. An 18v drill handles the digging really well. It doesnt matter if you have a super impressive SDS drill in the shed... trust us and just stick to using a decent 18v cordless set to slow speed and you will be amazed at how well it works. 

Most Importantly - Watch the 7 min Training Video BEFORE using the Power Planters for digging, even if you are an expert on the Power Tools. Over and Over we have to explain this to blokes who insist on telling us they dont need instructions and know what they are doing.  (sound familiar ladies?)

Men, Do me a favour and watch the bl#@dy Video. Here is the LINK. It only takes 7 minutes.

I know that is about twice as long as you normally spend being attentive, but you will find its worth it.  ;-)

We want to hear it. 

1. Down the bottom right of this  screen their should be a BLUE Box thats says 'Click to Chat'  Either Mark or Brian will be there to answer most of the time. If we are away from the computer... we will still get your message when we return and will reply via email (make sure you enter your name and email so we can do that)

2. Give us a call 1800 222 800    We really do want to answer any questions so don't hesitate to use the phone. We're also super friendly so dont mind having a chat.