I’ve looked at some of the most commonly purchased electric dethatchers (and scarifiers) purchased by yard-owners today to curate this list. I’ve purposefully omitted from this page the heavy duty commercial units because they aren’t normally purchased by homeowners, they are usually rented.
For the most part the units I’ve included on this page are best for routine use in normal residential lawn settings.
I’ve purchased, used, and reviewed three of these machines on my own yards and I’ve only included on this page what I believe to be the best options for typical homeowners, those who are either looking to manage thatch layers in their lawns a bit better or those who need to power rake surface debris out of their lawns regularly.
Of the units I haven’t personally purchased and used I’ve included the units I would consider buying and the reasoning for the selctions.
To date, I’ve bought and used the Greenworks 14″, the SunJoe, 15″, and the VonHaus 15″ dethatcher/scarifiers. On my “purchase later list” include the Greenworks 40V battery dethatcher/scarifier and the budget-oriented WEN 14″ 20v battery dethatcher.
All of these machines offer homeowners a step up from traditional thatch rakes but they only cost only a fraction of the heavy-duty gas powered dethatching machines that are usually purchased by landscapers and tool rental companies for thousands of dollars, making any of them an excellent addition to a tool shed.
First however, let me share with you my feelings on why dethatching is important in the first place:
The Cheapest Options
In my own yard I have used a long-handled thatch rake regularly since 2019 and I spray my own DIY liquid thatch digester onto the lawn to manage the layer throughout the year.
More importantly though I also regularly use my electric dethatcher(s) for light scarification of my thatch layer and the stoloniferous growth of my lawn.
Using the power rake rollers, I can easily remove dead grass and surface debris from the lawn whenever I think it needs it.
All of the basic electric dethatchers will do this but they all have their own quirks and price points that can make them better or worse options to buy. Let’s go into a quick summary of what I believe to be the best electric dethatchers (scarifiers) and then we’ll take a look at a few important product comparisons as well as alternatives.
These Are The Best Corded Electric Dethatcher Machines For Sale Today
1. Greenworks 10 Amp 14-Inch Corded Dethatcher – This is the electric dethatcher I use in my lawn. It is a very commonly owned model in the residential space. It comes with replacement tines in case you break or lose a few of the originals. I think this works fine but it doesn’t allow you to switch the tines out for scarifier blades. The cost is very affordable and this is usually used in my yard as a power rake. Pricing check available through this Amazon affiliate link.
2. Sun Joe 15-inch 13 Amp Electric Scarifier + Lawn Dethatcher – This is possibly more popular than the Greenworks version. It has a wider path and the tines can be swapped out for blades. It also comes with a small collection bag which can be handy if you are only using it for spot treatment. It usually costs a pinch more than Greenworks but it is still quite affordable for homeowners to invest in. Amazon affiliate link here.
3. Earthwise 13-Amp 16-Inch Corded Electric Dethatcher – Even wider and similarly priced although not quite as popular. Amazon affiliate link here.
I’ve actually preferred using my VonHaus unit for the past 18 months however it’s not always available for sale so I don’t have it listed in my top three. If you’d like to see my reasonings for liking it over SunJoe then watch this video:
Alternative options include:
- VonHaus 12.5 Amp Corded 15″ Electric 2 in 1 Lawn Dethatcher Scarifier and Aerator (LINK)
- Greenworks 40V Dethatcher / Scarifier w/ Battery & Charger(LINK)
- LawnMaster GV1314 Scarifier and Lawn Dethatcher 15-Inch 12.5AMP (LINK)
- WORX WG850 12 Amp 14 Inch Corded Electric Dethatcher (LINK)
What Most People Don’t Understand About Dethatchers
Now with that summary out of the way I now want to show you a video I made not long ago warning you about the biggest problem people make when using electric dethatchers.
Now assuming you fully understand that all of the dethachers, scarifiers, power rakes, and thatch rakes on the market won’t actually remove entire thatch layers without ripping all of your grass up at the same time then let’s look into into which of these machines are best for different people with different needs.
► Managing and correcting thick lawn thatch is super important but sometimes squishy lawns have nothing to do with thatch at all. See the following article all about diagnosing thatch in a soft and spongy lawn.
► Here is another article I published not long ago about getting the timing right when using mechanical dethatchers: Should You Dethatch Your Lawn Every Spring?
Which Is The Best Electric Dethatcher (or Scarifier) For Your Unique Needs
Do You Have A Super Thick Layer Of Thatch? If your thatch layer is more than 3/4″ in depth then liquid dethatching products will probably be a better solution for you in the long run. Liquid thatch digesters take time to work and regular application but the products don’t cost as much as these machines do.
I’ve tested three different liquid thatch remover products in my own yard and decided to use N-Ext D-Thatch in most of my applications going forward.
Also, if your thatch layer is more than half and inch thick then you’ll also benefit from reading the following article on the best ways to remove lawn thatch.
Do You Want To Overseed After Dethatching? If you want to put grass seed down after using an electric dethatcher then you should go for a machine that offers a scarifier drum because they leave clean grooves in the thatch layer that grass seed can easily settle into. The most common homeowner model that gives this option is the SunJoe unit which is well reviewed by many influencers in the lawn care space, myself included. SunJoe’s dethatcher also comes with a collection bag and is one of the lower cost units too making it a good value.
Do You Want The Deepest Cut? If scoring your thatch layer deeply is your primary concern then the VonHous electric dethatcher will probably be your best bet. It includes a big collection bag for an electric dethatcher but more importantly it can be set to cut .47″ below surface grade which is the deepest of all the residential grade units on the market. Only a few gas powered dethatchers can cut more than half an inch deep. I also like that the cutting path is pretty wide too; it covers 15″ with each pass.
Do You Want The Lowest Price Unit That Is Also Well Made? If this is the case then go for the Greenworks dethatcher which I featured in the video above. It doesn’t offer a collection bag or a scarifier drum and it only covers a 14″ width but it does work well at removing surface debris from a lawn. It is a light duty dethatcher but a well performing power rake that many thousands of customers (myself included) are happy to have purchased.
Looking For A Large Collection Bag? If you want an electric dethatcher that comes with a big collection bag to make cleanup a little simpler then for for the VonHous electric dethatcher. A few of the alternatives provide bags but this one is the biggest at 45 liters (nearly 12-gallons). And make sure to use that collected thatch in the compost pile; no need to toss it in the trash. See this article on using collected thatch in compost for more info.
More Resources
If you have the need for a dethatcher then you should probably learn more about why thatch accumulates so that you don’t have to fix the problem as much or as often. See this post for more about what causes thatch to build up and how to stop it.
