Greenworks 10 Amp 14” Corded Electric Dethatcher (Stainless Steel Tines)

This thing is extremely light, assembles in minutes, and does a pretty darn good job! I've been dethatching my lawn for years with commercial grade rentals from the local hardware store. Usually I would rent a machine for a couple hours to do my 1/4 acre lot and that would cost me around $50-60 each time. I didn't think that price was unreasonable so I kept doing it for years. I found the Greenworks 10 amp electric model the other day for $90 and I thought what the heck give it a try! I'm glad I did!This was my first experience using an electric dethatcher so I wasn't sure how it would compare to a commercial gas powered one. At first I struggled a bit trying to keep the cord out of my path but that was to be expected. Once I figured out a system I was dethatching pretty efficiently. I will be the first to say I really should've cut my grass first to help with the whole operation but I was in a time crunch as it just arrived yesterday and there was rain in the forecast. With all that being said this dethatcher did a really good job(on the highest setting) of removing the thatch while leaving the good grass in place. After reading some of the reviews on here I was really careful not to pull the dethatcher backwards while it was running. Because it is super light it is easy enough to tip up and turn to go the opposite direction you came from.I really wish I would've stopped to take some pictures because this machine did pull up a significant amount of thatch. For my 1/4 acre lot I filled up my full size truck bed plus a couple more big lawn bags. Some asked if this is self-propelled and it is NOT but with the rotating tines you don't really need to push it either! It really is just a matter of guiding it along your path and making sure you are going at a slow steady speed to get all the thatch.Pros: Lightweight, pulls thatch without harming good grass, inexpensive, very easy to operateCons: It is corded so that is a bit of a pain, Only 14 inch dethatching path

Initially, I was hesitant to order this product. Most of the reviews were positive so I took the plunge and completed the purchase. The thatcher arrived on time, well packaged, all the necessary parts were present with a package of replacement tines, no damaged parts, and a set of plain - simple - easy to follow assembly instructions with pictures. I am not a "mechanical genius" and have learned over the years to read the instructions several times, study the pictures, lay out the pieces, and then take it slow and steady. Some may be able to complete the assembly in a matter of 5-10 minutes, I took my time and had it assembled and operational in about 20-30 minutes. My yard is about 4000sq feet and I used to thatch the lawn once a year using a thatching rake, it would take several weekends for me to complete the process as I would go over the lawn two or three times. In past years I was lazy and occasionally hired a landscaper to come in and power rake the yard. I ended up replacing sections of the turf/sod after it was torn up by the power rake.The instructions recommend setting the tines at the highest level and then adjusting as needed. There are three settings, and it is fairly easy to set the height of the tines by using the switches located on the wheel hubs. I used the highest setting and was satisfied with the results and did not notice any damage to the turf/sod.The instructions clearly state "do not operate" on a wet lawn. Operating the machine on a wet lawn will result in damage to the lawn, and could cause damage to the machine. Do not risk tearing up pieces of the turf and sod because you are in a hurry and cannot wait for the lawn to dry out.Using this electric thatcher was fairly simple. I started in the backyard, moving slowly to get used to how the machine operated and traveled. It took about 45 minutes to complete the backyard, and an additional 30 minutes for the front yard. Seriously, it took longer to rake up the piles of dead grass than it took to thatch the front and back yard, and I ended up with thirteen 30-gallon bags of dead grass. I fertilized the lawn, watered it, and the outcome is fantastic.It is a lightweight machine, lighter than a gas powered push mower. It is easy to operate, press the power button hold down the handle bar and walk slowly behind the machine. I would say it is self propelled, but it is the action of the tines grabbing and pulling up the dead grass that propels the machine forward - so hold on to the handle, it could get away from you if you are not careful. Remember - let go of the handle and the machine stops instantly.Maneuverability does take a little getting used to and I quickly figured out to work in straight lines, do not turn the machine while it is operating. When reaching the edge of the lawn let go of the handle, stop the machine, and then position it for the next row. The dead grass is pushed out of the back of the machine and there were no issues with the dead grass piling up inside the machine and causing stalling or stoppage.As the machine is electric there is the issue of the power cord getting in the way of the machine. Under no circumstances should you operate the thatcher and run over the power cord. It is something that you will get used to, it is not a major issue and you will quickly figure out a procedure that works for you. If you have a large number of trees, bushes, shrubs, in your lawn you will have to maneuver around these obstacles with the cord, again it is something that can be figured out fairly quickly. I would recommend purchasing a durable, heavy gauge, 100foot, extension cord.I would not recommend this machine for a large lawn or area, a simple average residential lawn between 2,500 and 5,000sq feet is perfect for this machine. This recommendation is based upon the 14-inch wide path of the thatcher versus a 20-24" path for the average push mower. It would just take much longer to complete the larger area and could cause unnecessary stress and overheating for the machine.