Sun Joe Electric Dethatcher & Scarifier, Corded, with 8-Gal Bag, 12.6-Inch Cutting Width, 12-Amp Motor - Heavy-Duty Yard Trimmer for Lawn Maintenance, AJ801E

So, I purchased this item after my boss told me about it. He showed me pics of his usage, and I figured, why not? It was relatively inexpensive, costing about the same as a one-time rental of a dethatcher from the local rental place. I figured if I get 2 uses out of it and destroy it, I'm ahead of the game. Plus, I could use it at my convenience and not have to worry about returning it. We take pretty good care of our lawn/yard (it's not perfect, especially in the area that used to have an above ground pool, but we try). It's a larger lot (about 1/4 acre) in our neighborhood, and we mow every week with a push mower. We alternate weeks of mulching and bagging, so we really didn't think there would be very much thatch coming up. Boy were we wrong. We started off with my husband cutting and bagging the grass in one direction, and, as he moved to a different section of the yard, I started with the Sun Joe going in the opposite direction, using the dethatching attachment. I followed him around the entire yard doing this. Because we didn't use the bag on the Sun Joe (see "cons" below), he then went OVER the thatched material with the lawnmower to bag it up - first in one direction, and then he did the entire yard AGAIN in the other direction to ensure that it was all picked up. We were going to use our Billy Goat blower, but figured that would make an absolute mess, so we opted for the mowing route. Total time for about 9000sf - 4 hours. And well worth every minute. I should have taken photos, but rest assured that I was completely and utterly dumbfounded at the amount of dead grass and compost-like material that we raised, and it takes quite a bit for me to be impressed by a yard machine. Pros: - easy to assemble - only tool needed was a Philips head screwdriver (also, make sure you push the angled handle portions of the metal tubes ALL THE WAY into the body of the machine - many review complain about this, but I can see where the issue is not pushing in all the way). The rest of the handle is assembled using large, easy to turn plastic thumbscrews. Very convenient. - the height/depth settings are easy to change. Simply push the green t-handle in and move it to the setting you choose. I tried the "0" setting first so as not to damage any grass, and found that moving it to the "-5" setting worked even better and caused no damage. On the areas where we had moss, I moved it to the "-10" setting. Moss no more. - works exactly as described and as needed - they're not inflating the value of this machine, I can safely say. Cons: - the bag. As most other reviews stated, the bag is a joke. True, but we just left it off. See above for how we picked it up without breaking our backs raking. Notes: seriously - make sure you're using the right size extension cord. I used a 12 gauge cord at 100 feet and had ZERO problems. Machine didn't shut off, overheat, or otherwise explode. Also, you can use a tiny bungee cord to wrap around the handle to keep it powered as you move through your yard. The angle of the power switch can get a little uncomfortable over time. Overall - 5 out of 5. I wouldn't change a thing - even the bag. It would take a REALLY big bag for it to be convenient, and the only other option would be a giant vacuum, so I can't count that against them.

Had it for 5 years. It worked great! Definitely worth it even if used just once a year. I used to rent one but that weighed over 200lbs. $50 to rent for a few hours and a pain to pickup and dropoff. This one I can carry with one hand and honestly, it works just as well and removes as much thatch as the heavy one. I got my money's worth for sure. I even lent it out a few times. Yesterday I grazed a paver with the scarifier and the gear that connects the motor to the drive belt shattered into pieces. Belt was still like new. Would have preferred the belt to break but I guess it's not designed that way. It's made of die cast aluminum and it's not a replaceable item. If not for this, I figure I would have gotten a few more years out of it. I'm definitely buying another.

First off, hat's off the the people who came up with this product idea. Regardless of longevity, it's nice to see an affordable homeowner de-thatcher. That said, there are some issues people should know about, or at least my experience and suggestions. 1. The instructions mention NOT to use this product on moist/wet ground. Also, not to spray it off with water to clean it. These warnings should be taken very seriously. Not so much for fear of electrocution, but because the unit's electronics are definitely not well sealed. Yards to be de-thatched or scarified should be very dry in regard to both the grass itself AND the soil. Most homeowner's are going to expect to be able to just use their lawn equipment as they have time to do so. I would recommend being very careful with it comes to moisture with this product. 2. Because it's not all that well sealed inside, it's not all that unlikely that you won't have a buildup of material inside from de-thatching etc.. Because it tends to build up between the framework and the electrical motor there is a potential for both overheating and possibly fire. I have found that after summer use, I need to remove the body screws and do a thorough cleaning using an air hose to remove all the buildup. Also, as stated above, if you even suspect you may have gotten moisture inside I would suggest removing the cover and taking the time to ensure there's no water inside before using this thing. 3. Disassembly. I'm sure they would prefer you don't remove the plastic cover, but given the issues noted above, I think it's fairly likely that you will need to occasionally. I had to return my initial Sun Joe because of electronic failure. It worked until I went in for lunch, and when I came out it didn't. Sun Joe customer service is great, but their solution seems to be to just replace the unit (within 1 year). Not sure how they respond after warranty, so my advice is periodically do some under the cover cleaning and never use when there's any moisture on the ground. As for cover disassembly itself, it's not difficult but obviously make sure to unplug the unit first. The screws can be problematic because the channels fill up with muck so you will need to dig that out to get to them. The manufacturer definitely should have put plugs over the screw holes to avoid that problem. Also, the last screw is hidden under the stick on label. 4. Use.... Everything else considered, I have found that for lawn de-thatching (or in my case moss buildup removal), it doesn't work all that well with the wire drum unless you use it on a negative setting, which they do not recommend. Since I mainly purchased the machine for this purpose I was disappointed with the result, but then decided to just go negative and see what happened. What happened was pretty much lawn removal and wear out of the wire on the drum. But, if that's the result you need before reseeding and you don't mind springing for a replacement drum for around $30, then there you go. That said, I found the metal scarafier drum to be just the ticket. It's designed to be used at a negative setting and it works very well for moss removal at the -10 setting. Doesn't maim the grass too much and does the job. Might need to cross hatch the lawn to get it all but it's a good result. So in my opinion, set the wire drum aside and just go with the heavy drum for the whole show. So in summary, good product but could be better designed on the inside to avoid malfunction of electronics and buildup of dried material under the cover. Plugs over the screw holes would be great but probably won't happen anytime soon so just sub small pieces of electrical tape or whatever to keep the screw channels clear of debris. Definitely store inside a dry area and do not even plug it in if you see signs of moisture on the product. It isn't sealed all that well.

This review has two parts: 1. Product Review 2. Snow Joe Customer Service Product Review ----------------------- Let's start with the challenge I had to solve for. I have an lawn that spans 2000 sq. ft. that has never been dethached in the last 7 years. The lawn health has been steadily decreasing and no amount of chemical fertilizers or weed control have been able to restore the lawn to its early glory. After giving up on the chemical treatment path, I tried aeration. Presumably it helped, but I saw no real improvement in the health of my lawn. Finally, I hit upon dethaching. My lawn has become a patchwork of living and dead grass. I picked up the Sun Joe AJ801E for three reasons: 1. It had the highest powered motor (amp consumption) on Amazon for dethaching 2. It had a scraper / scarifier, which presumably will allow me to more easily reseed targeted areas of my lawn. 3. My "Mow, Blow, & Go" gardener claimed that all the dethacthers for a lawn my size were rented out to golf courses. Assembly is super easy, but I had some issues with one of the metal arms not fitting correctly into the main dethatcher. More on that later.... Product performance: I ran the Sun Joe at 0" across a small section of my lawn. In one pass across 10ft of lawn, the catch bag was full of thatch! I was shocked. Looking at the lawn, I could barely tell that the Sun Joe had actually lifted anything out, but the full bag told me otherwise. I ended up covering 200 sq. ft of my lawn, having to run multiple passes to get all the thatch. This little machine is super efficient, but I found the catch bag filling up way faster than expected. I've got another 1600 sq ft of lawn to cover, but will have to attack it one week at a time. Just covering 200 sq ft filled my yard waste bin. Pros: - Easy to assemble. - Efficient in picking up thatch. May need multiple passes if your lawn has been neglected. - Safety switch makes it impossible for my young children to accidentally turn this on. - Dethacther and Scarifier rollers are easy to swap Cons: - Small catch bag - Safety switch is a bit of a bear when you need to stop and empty the catch bag often. - Assembly requires some force to get the bent metal arm into the main dethatcher or the screw holes will not line up. - Changing the Dethatcher roller for the Scarifier requires a 10mm wrench. Not a big deal if you have a crescent wrench or socket set. It just took me by surprise since I thought they would use sizes a little more common for the American do-it-yourselfer that has minimal tools. Time will tell if this holds up over the 2-year warranty, but so far I am really happy with the performance. Customer Support --------------------------- All too often we hear about poor customer support. I am here to tell you that Sun Joe has top-notch customer support. When assembling the Sun Joe, you must insert the metal poles / arms into the main unit. If you look at the product picture, I'm referring to the black metal arms that support the power switch and push point. The portion that connects to the actual unit is bent at approximately 135 degrees. You must use a bit of force to get the arms into the main unit or the screw holes will not line up. On the unit I purchased, I was not able to push in the metal rod far enough to line up the screw holes, even after putting my weight into it. I was reluctant to use a rubber mallet for fear of bending the actual metal rod. When I called Sun Joe, the gentleman listened to my concern. He immediately said they would ship a new one out. Here is what totally blew me away.... Sun Joe support never questioned my ability to follow instructions, troubleshoot, or even verify that I followed the instructions correctly. I was preparing myself to verbally defend myself, which is exactly what you need to do when calling for support from nearly any other manufacturer. Nope. Not here. Sun Joe sent a brand new unit and provided a pre-paid slip to send the old one back. They didn't even ask for any credit card information to secure a deposit! Sure, I could have gone through Amazon to do the return process, but I wanted to give the manufacturer a chance to own the problem. No question about it, Sun Joe actually made it easier than Amazon.

Hands down worth every penny. This is so easy to use, and the work it can get done is amazing. Was able to get my entire backyard scarified and ready for seeding in about an hour and that’s going over everything twice at different heights. It’s lightweight and easy to move. It can be a little noisy but with what this does, it’s not that bad honestly. Highly recommend this.

Can't say how well it worked and easy to operate. Nice to have and now I can thatch anytime I want. Grass looks so much better and easy to maintain with water and fertilizer. Highly recommend. 10,000 square feet of lawn.

Honestly shocked at how well this works. Easy to assemble and very lightweight. Yes the cord is a bit of a nuisance but you get used to working with it pretty quick and the amperage you get seems to be spot on for aggressive dethatching while also not destroying your lawn like the gas powered models. Honestly I couldnt see a battery version doing this well (at least not w the current tech) My lawn actually looked nicer immediately after dethatching heavily. My only caveat is the back cover that shields any potential material spitting back can also trap alot of thatch. I dont see this being a problem down the line but expect this if you have a heavy amount of thatch in first use. Outside of that a great purchase and worth the price.

(no endorsements here. Just my two cents) _My yard was getting worse. I had to research how it fix it soon. I had thinning grass. To many worm hills. possible fugus. And other issues. _I came across a you tube video by a guy who calls himself the "the Pest and Lawn Ginja". He was entertaining and packed with tons of knowledge. (As goes with most of his videos) One video had a review on this device and it got me interested to learn more. Looking at the reviews here, it seemed somewhat of a gamble, as many were saying how this device is not sturdy and breaks. _ Well. I'm here to say. Mine was REALLY put to the test and won with flying colors!!! I had heavy debris and made about 6 passes in the front yard and about 4 passes in the back. I have about 1500 square feet in front and about the same for the back yard. So the use was equivalent to about a single pass on a 1/3 acre of land!! My hopes were- if this unit just held together to the end of this project, it would have served it's main purpose. But I can happily say that this has worked far more than that! _I had to get this project done with less work involved so that I could continue with my lawn renovations/repairs. My purpose was to aerate and pick up the dead debris that was choking out the grass and creating a fungal issue. I decided to bag my debris instead of putting in my compost area. If there was any fugus that was damaging to my lawn, and I used this compost again for a later lawn fix, I would just reintroduce this fungus into my lawn. There ended up with much more debris that I had thought. It did a REALLY GOOD JOB!!! _As the aforementioned video states it's a good light duty unit that's far cheaper than a commercial unit but an extra pass does the job. I thought that if it's light weight enough, this is a good compromise from buying or renting a professional unit. I was hoping that this unit will pay for itself in the first use. Any time I needed it after that, it would have been a good investment. I am happy to say that it has been a good investment so far. I like this unit and how affective it is. I might use this every year to keep things well groomed. _The solid tines that come with this unit could be useful but I wasn't interested in scalping my existing grass. I did reseed, but I used tons of new topsoil so I didn't need to use it. Plus, my thatch wasn't to bad and I didn't need to aerate the old soil before I put the top soil down. But if the thatch does get a little to thick in the future, I'll look forward to using this Sun Joe for my next reseeding. I will update this review if I do. _Also Note: Core aeration is something I do yearly. But not this fall. Aeration is very popular for this claylike Colorado soil. I serves a real purpose here. But the holes are often to deep to use this practice for over seeding. So the solid tine attachment will be more useful for proper soil contact and germination in my future. And aeration will be left for the seasons I don't seed. _Also Note: Some people out there have been misusing the term dethatching. Thatch is the dead root system and other dead debris that is IN THE SOIL not ON THE SOIL. This layer is has some soil nutrients, but to much of it can cause the rest of the healthy and living root system to suffocate (among other reasons). The spring tines are to pick up the debris. Which is the dead grass and stuff on the surface of the soil. That was what I had. I also have WAY TO MUCH worm activity and it was destroying my grass and surface. It was hard to walk on. The tines helped knock down these hills to provide me with a more flat surface. _Work day one: Easy enough to assemble. I like the light weight so that I can lift and maneuver with less effort. This was especially important because I had a solid TWO FULL days of other heavy work to accomplish this task, and I didn't want to put more effort into this than I had to. HOLY COW!! I knew I had a lot of debris, but this was a lot more than I was expecting. First off. Others who had problems with their unit. I saw what they were trying to mow threw grass that was way too tall. THAT'S RIDICULOUS GUYS!!! Use your tool wisely! _So plan ahead_ Mow your lawn 30 percent lower, then wait a few days. Then continue until you get the last mow down just above the crown so you can start with this task. If the lawn is to tall, I wouldn't be surprised that you end up over taxing this device. _The other reason for device breakage: Improper setup. Watch a video on how to use this correctly. Be aware the correct way to install the tines. And don't go to deep. Start high and be aware of your various yard surface heights and adjust accordingly so that you are not going to deep into the surface. _overall observations_ Flimsy: but use with care and this is not much a problem Light weight: can be thought as cheap. But simple is best here. It's much easier with less effort to get the job done. and is more affordable this way. A product that is not under designed, just not over designed. Yes there are better units for heavier use (like commercial). But this is not my use. Easy installation: Be aware how to correctly install the tines. Corded hassle: Yes. I hate cords with a vengeance. But it still is the lesser of evils compared to a heavier, more expensive unit. Durability: well. It might be if used correctly. Time will tell. But I've used mine about 11 times so far... I believe it's paid for itself. So that's a WIN for me. :) Handle/operation: As said before. light flimsy. And the power ON feature needs your attention to correctly activate with side button (as a safety measure obviously) but still a little clumsy. _overall_ great value. I'll try to post some before and after pictures. I power raked with this Sun Joe on September 18th on a hot summer day. And my after pictures are in chilly November 19th!!! One word. Success!!! :)

Funcional máquina para principiantes, muy buen costo beneficio! Gracias por su atención.

What I liked was that it came with a scarifier blade. Don't need the dethatcher tines. The scarifier gets down to the soil level and prepares it for taking seed. In doing so it also dethatches at the same time. This is very light weight and did a much better job than I could have managed with a rake. I'm too old for that! This machine worked really well on our front lawn which has been neglected for many years. This was the first time is had been dethatched in over 20 years. It is lightweight so I can easily lift it up to get to different levels of our lawn. It is foldable and easy to store when you don't need it. I do recommend a heavy duty extension cord to prevent the motor from bogging down and overheating. I bought an AmazonBasics 12/3 SJTW Heavy-Duty Lighted Extension Cord and it worked really well. There were no real problems or complaints but at this price you need to have realistic expectations of what you are getting. It feels really flimsy because it really is. A few times the machine couldn't pull through the thatch and uneven ground and when I twisted the handle to free it, there was a lot of flex. The motor is very strong, up to the job, and never stalled out, but the chassis is questionable. Still it got the job done and am satisfied with the machine, so not a deal breaker for me. I didn't want a big heavy steel machine that I couldn't lift. The catcher on the back is almost useless. It works but has a very small capacity. I kept a bucket at each end of the lawn and emptied it after each pass. I just hate raking that much! Our back yard lawn was in much better condition so I just left the catcher off and did a light raking afterwards. Still not a deal breaker for me. A bigger catcher would mean bigger stronger chassis and a heavier machine which is not what I wanted. I'm only going to use this once a year so it was ideal for my purposes. So knowing what I know now, I would definitely buy it again. The scarifier blade works great. Relatively easy way of preparing the lawn for overseeing and Spring cleanup. Just remember to get a 12 gauge extension cord.

me gusto su fácil manejo y el resultado que logras con esta operación, se de verdad quieres tu césped no dejes de hacer esta labor para lograr un césped sano, bonito y disfrutable

Although it doesn't look it, and it doesn't feel it either because it's quite lightweight, this little machine has some serious power! Don't be fooled. It works very well. It's both a de-thatcher (power-raker) and scarifier. You can also control the depth which is great. The only negative comment (which others mentioned, too) is that the collection basket is too small (I'm guessing because the machine itself is compact and it's a question of balancing its weight). It fills up very quickly. I need to empty it every 2-3 minutes (of course depending on the particular function and depth). It doesn't bother me as much, because the machine does all the hard work. Raking with a heavy rake and bending over to pick up all that is a lot more work.

So far I’ve only used it once, but are my first impressions. Pro: compact and powerful , easy to use. Worked great on my yard, Con: handle feels weak like it will break if I try to turn, collection bag is small so it needs to be emptied frequently (5 min to fill),