# Brand Recommendation For Dethatcher/Power Rake/Slit Slicer



## jasonmar (Apr 9, 2020)

Hey all,

I inherited a serious thatch problem in my yard when I moved in 2+ years ago. KBG with several inches of roots growing above the soil. I've aerated, power raked with a commercial unit, and dethatched with a Greenworks homeowners model that burned up on the 3rd pass. Water issues are the culprit, which I'm addressing, but I also am serious considering buying a commercial dethatcher/power rake/slit slicer so I can use it at least twice a year. Looking for brand recommendations. I've been scouting out Billy Goat, Classen, Blue Bird, Husqvarna, and others. Anyone have any feedback on these? Are they mostly similar?

One thing that I saw with Billy Goat which is really nice is you can get their power rake dethatcher with the flail reel and then buy the delta reel (and a seed hopper if you want) to convert it to a slice seeder. Perhaps other brands have this as well, I haven't looked closely yet, but I like the idea of having both (especially since the delta reel is only like an extra $350 or so).


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## situman (Nov 3, 2020)

Sunjoe


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## MasterMech (Sep 24, 2017)

Is it really worth buying/storing/maintaining a unit that you need for 1-2 sessions? Usually I recommend renting one of these one needed as the rental is usually cheap and constant dethatching isn't usually necessary on a home lawn.


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## TulsaFan (May 1, 2017)

I agree with @MasterMech unless you find a really good deal you should consider renting.

I have owned Bluebird (Husqvarna) and Billygoat overseeders, Ryan Ren-o-thin & Mataway, & a Graden GS04 verticutter. I had $2k tied up into my Graden. So, I sold it and bought the cheaper Ryan Ren-o-thin. I couldn't justify the money that I had in it compared to how many times a year that I used it. For the $250 I paid for the Ren-o-thin, I can't justify getting rid of the it and paying rental fees.

The Bluebird had slots for depth levels which I did not like. The Billygoat and Ren-o-thin lets you dial in the exact depth you want.

The Mataway and Graden have a larger engine which turns the blades with three belts. Whereas, the Bluebird, Billygoat, and Ren-o-thin use a smaller engine which uses one belt to power the blades.


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## Colinwjholding (Apr 6, 2020)

Personally i would try and find the cheapest running commercial units you can find. I have a bluebird h30a paid 300$ for it. All it need was like 200$ and it is great. Same with my ryan-reno-thin. Got the unit for free. New motor for 200$ works money.


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## falconsfan (Mar 25, 2019)

If you really want to buy one check out Home Depot rental sales. They sell their the rental units and most of the time they are in good shape. You can search inventory online by zip code.


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

falconsfan said:


> If you really want to buy one check out Home Depot rental sales. They sell their the rental units and most of the time they are in good shape. You can search inventory online by zip code.


That's how I bought my Classen. It was a good machine. My only gripe was the notches for depth of cut. It was workable, but one of the machines with infinite depth of cut adjustment would be ideal.


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## Colinwjholding (Apr 6, 2020)

falconsfan said:


> If you really want to buy one check out Home Depot rental sales. They sell their the rental units and most of the time they are in good shape. You can search inventory online by zip code.


This was where i got my aerator too


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## crussell (Mar 12, 2018)

I also bought mine used from a local equipment rental/sales.

I think I overpaid ~$900, but regardless, it was a nice Husqvarna with Honda engine, and it has worked perfect since the day I picked it up. Came with the delta blade reel, only money I've put into it is replacing the blades every year or two. Despite what I paid, I feel like I have gotten my money's worth out of it already. The delta reels are much less aggressive, and can be used more frequently throughout the year without being destructive on your lawn. If you have the money and the space, it's worth the convenience in my opinion.


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## Redtwin (Feb 9, 2019)

I just bought one off of Facebook Marketplace for $500. It has the flail blades but I will be replacing with the fixed blade or delta blades. After all is said and done I will probably be into it for about the same as @crussell. It is extremely clean and looks to have been well maintained.


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## Mewwwda (Jul 15, 2020)

I'm looking to do some sprigging this year in the back yard. Which machine or which set of blades is best for pulling stolons from a healthy section of my bermuda?

I guess I'm not clear on what the differences are between power rake/verticutter/dethatcher... I'll be looking to rent something.


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## jasonmar (Apr 9, 2020)

Thanks everyone for your input and opinions! I'm leaning towards buying instead of renting since I'm always pressed for time with a toddler around and I think I'm going to need to use it over and over again over the years. I am curious what everyone thinks of the flail vs delta reel for kentucky bluegrass. Which one do you think would work best to tackle 2-3 inches of above ground roots?


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## MasterMech (Sep 24, 2017)

jasonmar said:


> ... and I think I'm going to need to use it over and over again over the years. ....


Not if you are changing the management of the turf so this is not a recurring problem. And if you're mowing low-enough , pushing the turf hard enough for thatch to be a recurring issue, you probably are going to want a different style of machine altogether.

That said, the delta style is probably what I'd go with.


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