The Best Dethatchers - 2021
We looked at the top 6 Dethatchers and dug through the reviews from 6 of the most popular review sites including and more. The result is a ranking of the best Dethatchers.
Why Trust The DWYM Score?
DWYM is focused on helping you make the best purchasing decision. Our team of experts spends hundreds of hours analyzing, testing, and researching products so you don't have to.Learn more.
Our Picks For The Top Dethatchers
- The Best Dethatcher
- 1. Greenworks 10 Amp 14-Inch Corded Dethatcher
- 2. Sun Joe AJ801E 13-Inch 12 Amp Electric Lawn Dethatcher
- 3. Agri-Fab 40-Inch Tine Tow Dethatcher
- 4. Brinly DT-40BH 40-Inch Tow Behind Dethatcher
- 5. WORX WG850 12 Amp 14-Inch Corded Electric Dethatcher
- 6. Craftsman 40-Inch Tow Lawn Dethatcher
Easy OperationA comfortable design and plenty of power makes this dethatcher among the easiest to operate.
Handy and EffectiveThis robust electric dethatcher is designed to revitalize small to midsize lawns.
40-Inch WidthThis manual dethatcher creates a 40-inch wide swath to help you cover plenty of ground.
Useful and Multi-PurposeThis manual dethatcher has a mode that digs into soil, making it perfect for reseeding projects.
Why we recommend these dethatchers?
Products Considered
Products Analyzed
Expert Reviews Included
User Opinions Analyzed
Our experts reviewed the top 6 Dethatchers and also dug through the reviews from 6 of the most popular review sites including and more. The result is a ranking of the best of the best Dethatchers.
DWYM is your trusted roduct review source. Our team reviews thousands of product reviews from the trusted top experts and combines them into one easy-to-understand score. Learn more.
The Best Overall
Greenworks 10 Amp 14-Inch Corded Dethatcher
Our Take
With a 10-Amp motor and 14-inch dethatching path, this dethatcher gets the work done with less manual labor on your part. The ergonomic design, padded grip and adjustable handle keep you comfortable while you work. You'll also get a three-position tine depth that you can adjust to get to exactly the level you need.
What other experts liked
What other experts didn't like
Our Dethatcher Findings
Greenworks 10 Amp 14-Inch Corded Dethatcher
What We Liked: With a 10-Amp motor and 14-inch dethatching path, this dethatcher gets the work done with less manual labor on your part. The ergonomic design, padded grip and adjustable handle keep you comfortable while you work. You’ll also get a three-position tine depth that you can adjust to get to exactly the level you need.
Sun Joe AJ801E 13-Inch 12 Amp Electric Lawn Dethatcher
What We Liked: Built with a 12-Amp motor, this dethatcher rakes a 12.6-inch-wide path to cover more ground in each swipe. A collection bag ensures clippings are easily discarded to reduce mess. It has spring steel tines to grab the most thatch possible.
Agri-Fab 40-Inch Tine Tow Dethatcher
What We Liked: With this manual dethatcher, you’ll get 20 durable spring-loaded tines that plow through lawn thatch capably. The tines are rust-proof and heat-treated to give you years of reliable use. If the tines ever do wear out, they’re replaceable. You’ll also get a tray for holding turned-up matter.
Brinly DT-40BH 40-Inch Tow Behind Dethatcher
What We Liked: This dethatcher can work as a straight dethatcher or operate more aggressively to get down into the soil. There’s also a transport mode to let you move it easily cross driveways and walkways. An all-steel design makes it easy to tackle tough jobs, and a heavy-duty tray can hold up to 70 pounds of organic debris.
Our Dethatcher Buying Guide
A healthy green lawn adds significantly to the curb appeal of your home. But lawn maintenance can be a lot of work. Luckily, there are plenty of tools that can help.
One of those tools is a dethatcher. A dethatcher helps remove the loose layer of grass stems, roots, and leaves that forms just above the soil but underneath vegetation. A thin layer of thatch can be a good thing because it acts like a mulch, moderating temperature and moisture levels. But, once it reaches a one-inch thickness, it can start keeping air, water and nutrients from getting to the soil. You also may have issues with insects and lawn diseases.
Preventing thatch buildup is the first step. Thatch forms when new organic matter accumulates faster than the old organic matter decomposes. So as tempting as it can be to water and fertilize your grass, too much of this can create thatch. Try to avoid overwatering your grass. If you use a fertilizer, make sure it isn’t too high in nitrogen.
But once you have thatch, it’s time to get rid of it. You can use a rake to pull it from the soil, but if you have a lot of ground to cover, or thatch is a regular issue, you can buy lawn equipment that will do that job more capably and with less manual labor.
Dethatchers, or scarifiers, can be manual or motor-powered. You’ll want to look at how powerful the engine is as well as how much lawn it can turn up in one swipe. You might also wish to find one that holds organic debris in a bag or tray.
DWYM Fun Fact
Grass looks nice, but having a nicely-tended lawn also serves a function. Keeping a well-maintained green makes you a good neighbor, beautifying your community in accordance with local customs and creating open spaces for children to play. Also, grass lawns may reduce traffic noise and cool down an area slightly. When it rains, they can also help keep runoff at bay, absorbing some of that water to help prevent flooding.
But caring for grass can be tricky. Different types of grass require different types of care, so it’s important to make sure you’re following the directions specific to your type. It’s also important to avoid doing too much thatching unless it has become a serious problem. Overthatching removes organic matter and can harm your lawn’s health.
The Dethatcher Tips and Advice
- To determine if your lawn is suffering from a thatch problem, stick your finger through it. If you can’t easily find your way to the soil, chances are, water and nutrients can’t, either.
- Some grasses are worse about thatch buildup than others. Kentucky bluegrass and bermudagrass are among the worst.
- Before you begin dethatching, it’s best to mow your grass to about half its normal height. This will help you get to the thatch more easily. You should also mark buried utility lines, sprinkler heads and other obstacles before you get started.
- If you have cool-season grass like Kentucky bluegrass, you can either dethatch in the early spring or early fall. With warm-season grass like bermudagrass, it’s best to dethatch in late spring.
- Dethatching will leave a lawn full of thatch. You can remove the mess with a leaf rake, but some dethatchers come with leaf bags to make cleanup easy.
- After dethatching, you may see a few bald spots. You can purchase products designed to reseed empty patches in your yard.
- If you’re dethatching before reseeding your yard, you can find dethatchers that are ideal for that. They dig a little deeper into the soil, aerating while they work.
About The Author
Stephanie Faris is a novelist and professional writer. She lives in a beautiful one-acre home in the suburbs on the outskirts of Nashville. Her home and garden work has appeared on popular home sites. She's a true homebody and loves looking at new houses for sale for inspiration on her own home remodeling projects.