# VonHaus 2 in 1 Lawn Dethatcher & Aerator - 12 Amp 13" Corded Electric - Review



## Redtenchu

*I'd like to review the VonHaus 2 in 1 Lawn Dethatcher & Aerator - 12 Amp 13" Corded Electric with 4 Working Depths.*

*Features:*
1. 2 in 1 corded dethatcher and aerator.
2. 13-inch working width and 4 working depths.
3. 1 x aerating and 1 x scarifying roller included.
4. Dual purpose drum with easy roller change.
5. 12 Amp / 1500W electric motor.
6. 10.5 Gallon (40L)collection bag.
7. Only 27lbs.
8. MSRP $150 USD ($120 @ Amazon).

*Bench Cutting Depths using Fixed blades: *
Level 4 = 1/4 inch above surface.
Level 3 = 1/8 inch below surface.
Level 2 = 1/4 inch below surface.
Level 1 = 1/2 inch below surface.

*First impressions:*
I must say, I was skeptical about this item after looking at it online. There is just an overall cheap look to it, the bright color plastics and small size just screamed cheap at me...

*Assembly:*
After receiving the unit, the assembly was very simple. Attach the handle (4 pieces) and attach the control/power cord to the handle assembly... it's ready to go! 









*Maiden Voyage:*
I started by using the Aerator roller attachment, as I felt it was the best option for my needs. I was VERY impressed with its performance, easily chewing through thick stolons of Bermuda. The action of the Aerator roller gave it a forward motion that allowed me to just hold the handle and guide the unit as it pulled. I never felt out of control using the tool, and overall had very little fatigue. The unit noise was comparable to an older vacuum cleaner, so I didn't feel hearing protection was a requirement. The collection bag was a total waste of time. 

































*Results from the unit:*
I was able to get a tremundus amout of dead matrial off the lawn in a single pass.

























*Final verdict:*
This budget-friendly unit is fantastic for that spring clean/scalp, getting the lawn ready for another season. I'm happy to say, I'd recommend this tool for anyone wanting to get that extra material off the lawn without dealing with the back breaking work of manual raking.

I don't feel it's comparable to a gas-powered unit in any way, and if available, I'd always recommend the heavier gas powered units over this.

*Future use ???:*
The jury is still out as to its effectiveness in living Bermuda Turf during the growing season. I plan to modify the roller in an effort to use it more like a Verticutting unit, I'll try and keep this thread update as I make progress.


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## Mightyquinn

Nice write up Red!! I too am surprised it did as good of a job as it did.


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## dfw_pilot

Thank, Redtenchu, for the writeup!

I'll bet you love how it starts on the first pull every time.


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## Redtenchu

dfw_pilot said:


> I'll bet you love how it starts on the first pull every time.


That's always a bonus!


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## Ware

Excellent review. It looks like it did exactly what you needed it to do.

I like the short (front-to-back) wheelbase - I think that is probably a limitation of my Classen if a lawn had severe undulations.

One thing in your photos that caught my attention was the double-offset blades. That's a unique way to get by with fewer blades.


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## lagerman72

Great review Red! I just checked Amazon and it's on sale for $109 now, so I think I'll grab one of these and use it a few times as opposed to renting a flail blade from local store.

........and I just ordered it for delivery tomorrow.


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## Redtenchu

lagerman72 said:


> Great review Red! I just checked Amazon and it's on sale for $109 now, so I think I'll grab one of these and use it a few times as opposed to renting a flail blade from local store.
> 
> ........and I just ordered it for delivery tomorrow.


Awesome! Feel free to add your 0.02 to the review!


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## Ware

lagerman72 said:


> Great review Red! I just checked Amazon and it's on sale for $109 now, so I think I'll grab one of these and use it a few times as opposed to renting a flail blade from local store.
> 
> ........and I just ordered it for delivery tomorrow.


That's not a bad way to look at it... even if you only got a couple uses out of it, it would likely be cheaper than renting a flail blade dethatcher a couple times. Not to mention it looks like it makes a cleaner cut.


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## Wes

Thanks for the great review. After seeing the price on this thing, I'm interested. It seems like a great value.

How much of a problem was the cord? I don't think it would sway my opinion much based on the review, but if you told me it was a major pain I might reconsider.

Also, I'm unsure that I understand the difference in using this as a dethacher vs. a verticutter. It essentially seems the same to me. Would someone mind chiming in on the finer details that I'm missing?

I totally don't get how it aerates the lawn. It appears to be much different than the typical aerators that punch holes (solid tine or hollow tine) that is typically used for this. So, some information here would be useful as well.


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## lagerman72

I just received mine, put it together and front is all wobbly on one side. I took it apart and below is where the weld is broken that holds the front wheel on:



I called Amazon and as it's third party they can't ship me one without me buying it first, just not sure if I want to do that or not. I can return it for a refund or see if it's worth getting this welded. Bummer is I really wanted to do this and scalp tomorrow.


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## Redtenchu

Oh.... That sucks Lagerman!


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## Redtenchu

Wes said:


> Thanks for the great review. After seeing the price on this thing, I'm interested. It seems like a great value.
> 
> How much of a problem was the cord? I don't think it would sway my opinion much based on the review, but if you told me it was a major pain I might reconsider.
> 
> Also, I'm unsure that I understand the difference in using this as a dethacher vs. a verticutter. It essentially seems the same to me. Would someone mind chiming in on the finer details that I'm missing?
> 
> I totally don't get how it aerates the lawn. It appears to be much different than the typical aerators that punch holes (solid tine or hollow tine) that is typically used for this. So, some information here would be useful as well.


The cord definitely wasn't helpful! :lol:

I think calling the item an "aerator" is just a form of marketing, they know people have heard good things about aeration!

The Dethatcher is like using a rake. It pulls and removes thatch or other matter from the surface. Dethatchers works best on Northern grasses that grow vertically like Fescue, KBG and PRG.










A Verticutter is like a slicer. It also removes thatch or other material from the surface but additionally cuts stolons and some rhizomes of southern grasses like Bermuda.


















Hope that helps Wes.


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## tbdh20

Red,
Thanks for the info and review. At that price, considering picking one up for the bermuda front lawn. Did you run it at max depth in one pass?
Thanks


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## Redtenchu

tbdh20 said:


> Red,
> Thanks for the info and review. At that price, considering picking one up for the bermuda front lawn. Did you run it at max depth in one pass?
> Thanks


Yes! Max depth was in the soil, but it's hard to see in these pictures because it was so dry.

That reminds me, I wanted to take a measurement of the depths!


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## tbdh20

Cool, could be a better option for leveling this season than a rental.


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## tbdh20

Taking a chance, I have one arriving Saturday.


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## Redtenchu

Edit: Added bench HOC to the original review


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## tbdh20

Plan on using the Vonhaus on 2000 sq/ft. this weekend if the weather cooperates.


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## Redtenchu

I glad you found that, mine only came with an assembly booklet. Those are some accurate measurements.


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## Redtenchu

Reporting back about the modifications made today. I took a dremel and sharpened the dull stock blades down to simulate a rotary mower edge for more of a cutting action and less ripping. I started out by only doing one side, so I could compare the sharpened side, to the insharpened side.










Unfortunately, this made zero difference. The grass was still being ripped from the ground at all available HOC.


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## jayhawk

Really hoping this was a solution for a smaller yard. My beauty strips are tifgrand and I am seeing that annoying dead material more than want. I assume a solution is vertically cut it, thin out the canopy. Trucut can't go any lower. 
I suppose I could 
A) topdress
B) free wheel it -use edger like a Verticutter 
C) scalp with string trimmer
D) rent a slicer version of de thatcher (burn cash)

Maybe others?


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## Iriasj2009

jayhawk said:


> Really hoping this was a solution for a smaller yard. My beauty strips are tifgrand and I am seeing that annoying dead material more than want. I assume a solution is vertically cut it, thin out the canopy. Trucut can't go any lower.
> I suppose I could
> A) topdress
> B) free wheel it -use edger like a Verticutter
> C) scalp with string trimmer
> D) rent a slicer version of de thatcher (burn cash)
> 
> Maybe others?


all I have done to this area is top dress trouble spots and used my pro plugger. Still mowing at 5/8" no problem. eventually I will need to run my verticutter over this area as it is gettting real thick. I only mow this area every 6-7 days. You can try manual raking it, then scalp, then top dress to get rid of all the dead material. verticutting is essential to keep things looking clean but this area has proved to me that with a little top dressing can help out a lot.


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## wardconnor

Yeah I was going to suggest a manual thatch rake.


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## ahartzell

Other than using this as a sort of pseudo-verticutter, how can I get my hands on a true verticutter?


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## Ware

ahartzell said:


> Other than using this as a sort of pseudo-verticutter, how can I get my hands on a true verticutter?


I think most people probably rent a dethatcher/power rake (flail blades) or overseeder (fixed blades). I think the fixed blades would be preferred.


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## ahartzell

Red - any updates on using this midseason with fixed blades as a verticutter?


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## Redtenchu

ahartzell said:


> Red - any updates on using this midseason with fixed blades as a verticutter?


No update.


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## MarkV

Redtenchu said:


> No update.


Do you see any utility besides in the spring for bermuda?


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## Redtenchu

MarkV said:


> Redtenchu said:
> 
> 
> 
> No update.
> 
> 
> 
> Do you see any utility besides in the spring for bermuda?
Click to expand...

It has potential, I'm not having any issues that would require a verticutter. If the issue does arise, I'll take it out and let it tear up some Bermuda then report back.

I wish the blade setup was thinner and spaced closer together. If so, I would add it to my maintenance schedule.

Unfortunately, life has been crazy and I've barely found time to mow! I may attempt to modify it in the off season.

:lol:


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## ahartzell

You know we are all just waiting for you to be the guinea pig


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## Redtenchu

I took the VonHaus out for a test yesterday. Left side is setting 3, right side is setting 2. I was too scared to try setting 1!



This was grass pulled out of the ground from the ripping action of the blades.


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## Ware

Can you snap a close-up of the grooves it cut?


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## Redtenchu

Here is a picture from a cut @ 0.375


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## Overfloater

I have the Greenworks corded electric dethatcher and it works great. It uses tines instead of blades but it will pull everything up without a problem.

Thatch isn't really an issue, however, I find it is the best way to remove the dead grass that inevitably accumulates and can give the lawn a brownish cast.


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## Redtenchu

Overfloater said:


> I have the Greenworks corded electric dethatcher and it works great. It uses tines instead of blades but it will pull everything up without a problem.
> 
> Thatch isn't really an issue, however, I find it is the best way to remove the dead grass that inevitably accumulates and can give the lawn a brownish cast.


Cool, I may install the tines later today and give it a third pass!


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## Iriasj2009

I just saw this post. I'm surprised you're experiencing more ripping than cutting. I have verticut often this year and I've had less ripping and more cutting the more I've done it.


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## Jericho574

I didn't bag my backyard when I scalped in the spring and now have some thatch problems. I just ordered the Sun Joe dethatcher to go at it before sanding this weekend. We'll see if these small corded machines are worth it.


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## Redtenchu

Iriasj2009 said:


> I just saw this post. I'm surprised you're experiencing more ripping than cutting. I have verticut often this year and I've had less ripping and more cutting the more I've done it.


I should've kept it on a monthly schedule, but that's how you learn. Right?


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## Iriasj2009

Redtenchu said:


> Iriasj2009 said:
> 
> 
> 
> I just saw this post. I'm surprised you're experiencing more ripping than cutting. I have verticut often this year and I've had less ripping and more cutting the more I've done it.
> 
> 
> 
> I should've kept it on a monthly schedule, but that's how you learn. Right?
Click to expand...

Maybe or maybe not. At least from pictures, your lawn looks perfect (I know, no lawn is perfect)and your texture looks amazing from a closeup you posted. Unless you are scalping/bobbing around/dealing with grain, then why verticut every month? I'm doing it because I was experimenting and I had the time. There's so much I can say on the topic of verticutting. I think it goes back to why it is needed. I can basically lightly verticut and be back to normal within 10 days now, but I haven't seen any benefits to keep this schedule forward. It's too early for me tell. But for a home lawn, I think a spring verticut and scalp and again at mid season, will be enough. Unless your maintaining a green. I think that's what Simon did on his (not his putting green) and his looked great. Thoughts? Others?!


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## Redtenchu

Iriasj2009 said:


> Thoughts? Others?!


I'd agree with your general statement about home lawns. SimonR is a BEAST!

I just feel that the lawn would be damaged less from the VonHaus if it was trained from April to accept the beating.

Thanks for the compliments on my lawn. I do have spots that need so work and spots that look amazing!


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## Ware

Iriasj2009 said:


> ...for a home lawn, I think a spring verticut and scalp and again at mid season, will be enough...


This has been my experience so far this season. I verticut in two directions when I scalped in the spring, and just did it again a week or so ago because I was getting some bobbing.

That said, since I own the machine, I am considering being a little more proactive and verticutting in a single direction a little more often - maybe every couple of months.


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## ahartzell

I found a place to rent a verticutter...going to rent one in the spring and start next season off with a scalp/verticut/scalp/sand and see if I can get it off to a good green smooth start.

Not sure I need (or want) to verticut more than first thing in spring and maybe mid-season. I too don't see a reason to do it once a month for a home lawn...but I'll definitely watch those who do and see what the results are. Thanks Red for being guinea pig with your lawn


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## kur1j

So what is the difference in this unit and say this

GreenWorks 27022 10 Amp 14" Corded Dethatcher https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0030BG1HM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_XkkEzbJFSB6MZ

They both are considered dethatchers. Would the version you got be worth 15$?

How is this different than verticutting?


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## Redtenchu

I took the VonHaus out for a run. I set her at .25 below 0 and did 2 passes.


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## Redtenchu

Before:


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## Redtenchu

The crew:


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## Redtenchu

During the Mayham:


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## Redtenchu

Honda clean up:


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## Redtenchu

The grass was lifted and I didn't even need to lower the HOC on my Toro to get a good scalp in.



It was a little muddy.


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## wardconnor

So rewarding.


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## Spammage

Did you use the blades or tines?


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## Redtenchu

Spammage said:


> Did you use the blades or tines?


Blades.


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## Iriasj2009

Redtenchu said:


> The grass was lifted and I didn't even need to lower the HOC on my Toro to get a good scalp in.
> 
> 
> 
> It was a little muddy.


Awesome! Hey red, can you update us on your groomer usage. Grooming with every mow? Seeing any benefits?


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## Wes

Okay, so I found one of these on Ebay for $89.95. I can rent a Classen (with flail blades for $80). Assuming I would only use this on the front yard (about 9.2k sqft) would you say the VonHaus is the way to go?

@Redtenchu


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## Redtenchu

@Wes I would say yes, fixed blades work much better for the spring scalp and just about everything else you might need it for during the season. The $90 VonHaus is something you can use multiple times over the year. Not to mention an electric unit is very easy to store and use next year without much concern about anything but keeping it dry.


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## Wes

Thanks. I just wanted to make sure you hadn't changed your mind about the tool for any reason. Mine should be delivered around the end of the month.


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## Redtenchu

Wes said:


> Thanks. I just wanted to make sure you hadn't changed your mind about the tool for any reason. Mine should be delivered around the end of the month.


No change. Still a great tool for the price!

I do have my eye on a much more expensive verticutter, but that shouldn't take away from the VH.


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## kur1j

@Redtenchu So do you think this VonHaus would suffice as a verticutter from your experience at this point?

Was thinking of picking up the new VanHaus or the Sun Joe. I've yet to see a verticutter pop up on FB Marketplace or Craigslist and not sure if I could spend the 500+ on one :-/.


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## Colonel K0rn

kur1j said:


> @Redtenchu So do you think this VonHaus would suffice as a verticutter from your experience at this point?
> 
> Was thinking of picking up the new VanHaus or the Sun Joe. I've yet to see a verticutter pop up on FB Marketplace or Craigslist and not sure if I could spend the 500+ on one :-/.


What he said. I'm gonna need to verticut soon™


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## Redtenchu

For the price, the electric units are hard to beat and works as intended/needed.

If a true gas powered verticutter unit is in your price range, I would recommend getting it over the electric units.


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## Smokindog

I don't know.... For $49 for the day it seems hard to beat the Sunbelt rental option  I always try to toss in with a neighbor when I rent something like this or an aerator ....

https://www.sunbeltrentals.com/equipment/detail/1160/0700011/dethatcher/


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## kur1j

Do the verticutters ever appear in any of the auctions?


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## gene_stl

They appear on Craigs List and FB marketplace from time to time.


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## kur1j

@gene_stl In my area they don't haha. Other than the people that really like to take care of their yard, this place is a blackhole for anything worth a damn landscape/lawncare wise.

I went to Ewing yesterday and they had no idea what 0-0-50 was and "have never heard of it".


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## gene_stl

@k@kur1j 
I don't doubt you know your own neighborhood. But I also would bet that if you watch carefully and long enough , you might find a deal. I could be wrong (it did happen once before :lol

One thing I don't care for about renting "dethatchers" is that they very rarely have the rotary blades or spring tines. They usually are the flail tine type, which tear the bejeebers out of the lawn unless you raise them all the way up. If you lower them they are more like a tiller.


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## cnet24

I have one of these and want to use it this fall as a verticutter to open up the canopy for a rye overseed project. For those that have used it, do you think the VonHaus is a good option and can get the job done? Or should I rent a gas powered machine?


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## SGrabs33

kur1j said:


> Do the verticutters ever appear in any of the auctions?


Rarely, I only remember seeing two in past auctions. I think many courses just use the verticutter REELs attached to their triplexes.


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## jht3

Just got one of these. It looks a bit different and the height adjusters are labeled +1, 0, -1, -2 or something. I put on the tine roller instead of the default blades and took it for a spin. I just cut my lawn at ~3" and even at +1 it did a number on my TTTF. I mean that is what I wanted but this was very aggressive. Considering putting the blades on and trying when the grass and soil are more dry. Or cut the lawn even shorter first?


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## jht3

Put the aerator blade on and kept the machine at +1. Still tearing up the fescue and I'm bagging as much green grass as I am brown. Can't really tell much of a difference between the tines and blades.

My goal is to remove the years of pine needles, dead grass, fine fescue, and moss to prep the back yard for over seeding with TTTF. I am exposing soil but I feel almost to much for the new seed to fill in. Really having my doubts on using this for the entire lawn.


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## Spammage

That does look a little aggressive for fescue. However, if you are overseeding it, then it has accomplished exposing the soil and should help your germination rate. I wouldn't use it during the years that you aren't overseeding though.


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## jht3

we have had a ton of rain and this is a shady section of yard, so the roots of the grass are not strong and i can easily pull it by hand. just this section netted me 2 full bags of grass. i don't think it stood a chance against this machine! the youtube videos of the greenworks model made it appear much more gentle on the grass, whereas this is VIOLENT. i attempted to run it with the rear hatch up so i could see the blades in action but that idea quickly came to end when my legs were getting hammered with dirt and grass.

i'm going to try and wait for the soil to dry out more, and speed up my walk in an attempt to minimize the amount of grass torn from the earth.


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## JRS 9572

@Redtenchu Just curious. I see these draw 12 to 14 amps. I would need a long extension cord considering where the outlets are on the outside of my house. Knowing that I would need a beefy, long, extesion cords which are a pretty penny. That is unless I want less than optimal juice to supply to the unit.

Am I thinking right? What's been your experience with it?

My other thought is I have a honda generator for Tailtgating. I can station it closer to the unit for portable power, and a short extension cord to it.

Theory is the longer you run a cord the more power you lose from the outlet. Unless you use a cord with wire around 10 gauge or bigger.


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## Redtenchu

@JRS 9572 you are correct in your thought process. Some online reviews state the unit can overheat without the proper gage extension cord. I have a large commercial grade 100ft extension cord that was gifted to me, so I didn't have any issues.


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## JRS 9572

Any idea of what gauge wire your extension cord has in it?


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