Replicate samples were collected with a 0.1 m2 van Veen grab during high tide and by hand‐digging during low tide on an intertidal sandflat. The volume of sediment in the grab samples was measured; the coefficient of variation from replicate series varied from 7.4 to 20.3%, with a mean for all stations of 13.4%. Digging characteristics of the grab were studied by SCUBA‐divers under water, and by an experiment on a sandy beach. It was concluded that the jaws approached each other horizontally when closing rather than digging a semi‐circular cut. The shock‐wave of the grab appeared to be negligible for the infauna included in this study.Sample counts for the most abundant species obtained by digging and with the grab were compared. In only 8 out of 37 cases was there a significant difference between the two sets of samples. The vertical distribution of the fauna in the substrate in terms of numbers and biomass was studied.