I may have had unrealistic expectations. I used it in clay soil with some rocks and roots. Material that builders leave with a house and is worth 50 years as long as the maple tree grows. It's not terrible, it's just not perfect. The first rock he hit was terrible. The drill stopped, but the drill did not. So, after adjusting the grip and pulling the trigger, things weren't too bad until the maple area showed up. I was on the drip line and it caught at the root and the drill spun wildly. When I checked, the shaft was bent next to the chuck. Maybe it would work well in soil that is free of roots and rocks and relatively soft, but in this case I would just use a spatula. I've planted over 100 perennials and a few shrubs and trees so the soil is workable but small obstacles seem like more than it can handle.