Top 5 compared
The best dethatchers
Matted dead grass and moss pulled out of the lawn, so water and air can reach the soil again.
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The top 5 at a glance
Thatch is the mat of dead grass, old clippings and moss that builds up at the base of a lawn. An electric dethatcher works like a powered rake: its spinning reel pulls the thatch up as it’s pushed along, and a pass with the scarifying blades slices shallow channels in the soil, which helps before overseeding.
Greenworks’ advice on timing is a good rule: dethatch cool-season grasses in early spring or early fall, and warm-season grasses from late spring into early summer, once they’ve been mowed twice. Every machine here runs from an outdoor extension cord, and the lawn looks rough for a while afterward before it thickens up.
What matters
- A wider path, around 16 inches, for fewer passes on a big yard.
- Several depth settings, to start shallow and go deeper.
- A collection bag in the box, as some come without one.
- Overload protection, which cuts the motor if it hits a rock.
#1WEN DT1516 16-Inch 2-in-1 Electric Dethatcher (15 Amp)
$150–$200
A 15-amp motor spins the reel at up to 3,300 rpm across a 16-inch path, and the heads swap between 24 steel tines for pulling thatch and 20 blades for scarifying. Overload protection stops the motor if it hits a rock or the edge of the patio, which saves the blades.
What owners say: Owners call it a workhorse on moss and are amazed by the heaps of dead grass it drags out, and they like how little it weighs. Most wish the bag were bigger, as it fills fast, and a few had a breakdown within a couple of uses.
A closer look: Start with the tine head on the highest setting, then go over the lawn again a notch lower if plenty is still coming up. Switch to the blade head for a pass before overseeding so the seed lands in the slits, and empty the bag every couple of lengths so it keeps picking up.
- Overload shutdown protects the blades
- Scarify before overseeding
- 2-year warranty
Best for: Big yards and mossy lawns
- Motor
- 15 amps
- Working width
- 16 in
- Reels
- Tines and blades
- Depth settings
- 5
- Collection bag
- –
- Weight
- 33.7 lb
#2Greenworks 14-Inch 2-in-1 Corded Dethatcher (13 Amp)
$150–$200
A lighter 14-inch machine at 28 lb, with 20 stainless steel tines for dethatching and a scarifier attachment that swaps in on a quick release. It starts at the push of a button, and the handles fold down to tuck it away in the garage.
What owners say: Owners report it lifting startling amounts of thatch and dead weeds, one clearing a whole yard in about an hour, and they like the power for its size. Durability is the divide, with a few saying it broke after a handful of uses.
Heads up: Greenworks says this one comes without a collection bag (a grass catcher is sold separately), so have a rake ready, or run the mower over the thatch on a high setting to gather it.
A closer look: At 14 inches it suits a small yard better than a big one, and it’s easy to lift over a step. Its 20 tines are stainless steel, so they won’t rust if it goes back in the garage with damp thatch caught in them, though a quick brush-off before folding the handles keeps it tidy.
- Stainless steel tines won’t rust
- Push-button start
- Handles fold for storage
- Quick-release head swap
- 3-year warranty
Best for: Smaller yards
- Motor
- 13 amps
- Working width
- 14 in
- Reels
- Tines and blades
- Depth settings
- 3
- Collection bag
- Not included
- Weight
- 28.2 lb
#3BILT HARD 16-Inch 2-in-1 Electric Dethatcher (15 Amp)
$100–$150
A 16-inch dethatcher with a 15-amp copper motor and a 20-tine dethatching roller and 16-blade scarifying roller that swap without tools. Flat-free wheels, 7 inches at the front, ride over bumpy lawns, and the 14.5-gallon bag lifts off to empty.
What owners say: Owners say it pulls the dead grass up completely and is light, quick to assemble and simple to use. The bag gets mixed marks: roomy to some, though everyone ends up emptying it often.
A closer look: A lock-off switch stops the motor from starting by accident while you plug in or empty the bag, and overload protection shuts it off if the motor strains. The handle folds and the knobs lock without tools, so it packs down small for storage between seasons.
- Flat-free wheels
- Lock-off switch
- Tool-free roller swap
- Overload protection
- Folding handle
Best for: Bumpy ground, no flat tires
- Motor
- 15 amps
- Working width
- 16 in
- Reels
- Tines and blades
- Depth settings
- 5
- Collection bag
- 14.5 gal
- Weight
- –
#4Sun Joe AJ805E 15-Inch Electric Dethatcher (13 Amp)
$150–$200
At 23.4 lb it’s easy to lift in and out of the car or over a step, yet it cuts a 15-inch path, with a 24-tine dethatching reel, a 26-blade scarifier and a 13.2-gallon bag.
What owners say: Far easier than raking by hand, owners say, and they’re surprised how much thatch comes out of their yards. Some find the bag right for a small or mid-size yard and others too small, and several had one break the first time out.
A closer look: Sun Joe’s manual keeps the two top settings for raking, the lower two for scarifying and the middle one for moving it around. Push slowly in straight, slightly overlapping rows, and keep it off wet grass, which clogs the reel.
- Spring steel tines
- Keep it off wet grass
- 2-year warranty
Best for: Lifting over steps or into a car
- Motor
- 13 amps
- Working width
- 15 in
- Reels
- Tines and blades
- Depth settings
- 5
- Collection bag
- 13.2 gal
- Weight
- 23.4 lb
#5TIECTOWN 16-Inch 2-in-1 Electric Dethatcher (15 Amp)
$150–$200
Up to 3,600 rpm from a 15-amp motor over a 16-inch path, with separate depth ranges for its dethatching and scarifying heads and a 14.5-gallon bag. The handle sets at three heights and folds for storage.
What owners say: Its power wins praise, with one owner pulling up thick layers of thatch, and it goes together without tools. How long it lasts and the bag split them: some expect years from it while one died on its first outing, and several call the bag too small.
Heads up: Use a heavy outdoor extension cord: TIECTOWN asks for 14-gauge up to 50 ft and 12-gauge up to 100 ft.
A closer look: A clip and holder on the handle keep the extension cord out from under the wheels, and the plug is sealed against damp. The heads change without tools, and on any one lever setting the tines sit a little higher than the blades, which suits a lighter rake.
- Three handle heights
- Cord clip on the handle
- Sealed, waterproof plug
- Tool-free head change
- 3-year warranty
Best for: Thick, matted thatch
- Motor
- 15 amps
- Working width
- 16 in
- Reels
- Tines and blades
- Depth settings
- 5
- Collection bag
- 14.5 gal
- Weight
- 30 lb
How they compare
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| Feature | #1WEN DT1516 | #2Greenworks 14 in | #3BILT HARD 16 in | #4Sun Joe AJ805E | #5TIECTOWN 16 in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best budget | ||||
| Picked Rating | 8.9 | 8.8 | 8.8 | 8.6 | 8.6 |
| Price | $150–$200 | $150–$200 | $100–$150 | $150–$200 | $150–$200 |
| Motor | 15 amps | 13 amps | 15 amps | 13 amps | 15 amps |
| Working width | 16 in | 14 in | 16 in | 15 in | 16 in |
| Reels | Tines and blades | Tines and blades | Tines and blades | Tines and blades | Tines and blades |
| Depth settings | 5 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Collection bag | – | Not included | 14.5 gal | 13.2 gal | 14.5 gal |
| Weight | 33.7 lb | 28.2 lb | – | 23.4 lb | 30 lb |
| Best for | Big yards and mossy lawns | Smaller yards | Bumpy ground, no flat tires | Lifting over steps or into a car | Thick, matted thatch |
| Buy now | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
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