Name: Greenworks vs Sun Joe Dethatcher
Brand: Greenworks
Rating: 8 (2 reviews)

December 28, 2021April 1, 2024

Sun Joe SPX3000 vs SPX3001 Pressure Washer: Buying Guide

SPX 3000 sun joe electric pressure washer in driveway

Sun Joe’s SPX3000 and SPX3001 are two pressure washers that have absolutely blown up in sales. I recommend the SPX3000 over the SPX3001 because it won’t topple over as easily.

And you are in the market for a new pressure washer. The Sun Joe SPX3000 seems to be the most popular pressure washer of all time, but right before you check out…..what’s this?

The SPX3001? Is it better? Do I need it? Let’s settle this once and for all.

Jump ahead:

Before buying a pressure washer
SPX3000 and SPX3001 feature breakdown
The winner (in our opinion)

The Sun Joe SPX3000 vs 3001: Breakdown

I am going to repost a bit from our full review of the Sun Joe SPX3000, because, well, all of the specifications are the same on the SPX3000 as they are on the SPX3001. Meaning they will be an absolute TIE in every category (except for one major difference, and not just the additional “1” in the name).

Usability and attachments

The Sun Joe SPX3000 comes with five different attachment tips. A zero degree, fifteen degree, twenty five degree, forty degree and soap tip. The larger the degree of tip you have on the front of this pressure washer, the weaker the spray and the larger the area of coverage.

If you are pressure washing an outdoor metal fence, you can use the zero degree tip to blast away anything that is not metal. If you want to clean off your car, try the forty degree or soap tip as to not hurt the paint or any of the trim features.

This Sun Joe SPX3000 and SPX3001 also have a twenty foot hose, allowing you to extend your work over a modest sized difference.

The SPX3000 and SPX3001 + soap

This pressure washer has two different detergent tanks that you can use to infuse the water in the pressure washer with soap. This means you can easily switch from your car (normal soap) to your deck (a bleach mixture).

Noise and the auto-stop feature

If your neighbor has ever used a pressure washer, well you would know because it is overly loud and obnoxious. I was walking with my wife in our neighborhood and could hear a neighbor about seven houses down using his pressure washer. As we approached his house, he stopped using the pressure washer and tried talking to us.

Let go of the trigger and the whole thing stops.

We were basically screaming at each other in the middle of the street until my wife faked a massive diarrhea attack and we took off to avoid the conversation (this is a lie).

The beauty of the Sun Joe is that it is a relatively quiet piece of equipment. For whatever reason, gas pressure washers are loud when they are in use and somehow loud when not in use.

The SPX3000 and SPX3001 have a feature that turns off the whole machine, then turns it back on when you squeeze the trigger. This feature is super similar to a car that turns off at red lights and kicks back on when you press the gas. While not a huge selling point, it makes a difference with your ears and with your neighbors.

Storage and maintenance

This product only weighs about 28 lbs, meaning it will fit into just about any portion of your garage, shed, or even inside your house. Being an electric device means that very little maintenance is required. You simply plug it in and it will do its thing, unlike gas powered pressure washers that rely on…gas.

The Sun Joe SPX3000 and SPX3001 are both super light, making them easy to store and maintain.

These pressure washers also come with a full two year warranty. While this is great, keep in mind that folks usually only use their pressure washer a couple of times per year. Make sure to get as much use out of it as possible for the two years are up in case anything is going to go wrong.

Sun Joe SPX3000 vs SPX3001: Final ruling

So…what is up with the 1? Should I make the upgrade?

It depends. The real difference between the SPX3000 and the SPX3001 is the hose reel attachment that comes with the SPX3001. Basically, the 3001 has this little hose reel attachment at the top that allows you to reel in the hose and pull it from that spot.

Hose reel attachments are great…..if they work. Sadly, the 3001 has the hose reel at the top of the piece of light equipment, so most pulls on it are going to topple it over. Frankly, this is pretty useless when pressure washing, but is nice for storage.

My final verdict: save a few bucks and go with the SPX3000 unless storage is a really big deal to you.

Knock it off your weekend checklist and grab it on Amazon. I’ve included the blue one below (which is just over $100).

Check out the best deal we found on Amazon.

Honestly though, there’s one that’s even better – the Sun Joe SPX3500 is by far the best version of their electric pressure washers.

Why we review electric pressure washer

The reason we started this website in the first place was because we had so much trouble trying to find reasonable, understandable, honest reviews for lawn equipment. And it’s not cheap! After hours and hours of research, trying products and returning them, and messing up our yards – we started this site.

Things to consider before buying a pressure washer

Some common considerations for those looking for a pressure washer include the following:

Ability to add soap to the hose instead of schlepping around a bucket with soap
Multiple nozzle types for whichever job you need
Length of pole (if cleaning exterior of house, not having one of these could limit how high you can reach)
Storage capability and maintenance requirements
PSI level for either commercial or residential use

What to look for in a pressure washer

When looking for a pressure washer, you want to have a good understanding of the jobs you want to get done. Most people use pressure washers to deep clean their patio, porch, driveways, windows, or other external surfaces around the house. Most pressure washers are good for these jobs as they are relatively light work and do not require excessive force.

For those of us cleaning the spray paint off of our cars from our crazy ex-girlfriends, you might want one that has a little more “umph” behind it. Something with 3000 PSI with a wide nozzle that is gas powered like this Dewalt one.

About Mr. Joe and his sun equipment

Sun Joe produces electric lawn and home care equipment. They are popular for their super convenient and inexpensive dethatcher (you wouldn’t believe how satisfying it is), and of course their pressure washer. You likely found out about the pressure washer because it has more reviews than I thought humanly possible on Amazon. As of today, it has almost 45,000 reviews and 73% of them are five stars.

People love the SPX3000 but I can tell you right now, it is not for everyone. While one of the least expensive items on the pressure washer market, it certainly has a target demographic. I’ll break down who the target audience is and why this is so popular.

We did a video review of the SPX3000 – check it out!

December 27, 2021April 1, 2024

Greenworks vs Sun Joe Dethatcher: Comparison Guide

The Greenworks dethatcher vs Sun Joe dethatcher is exactly like Tom Brady vs Peyton Manning. Both absolute greats, but Peyton clearly being the best. I like the Greenworks dethatcher better because it comes in at a lower price point.

My Greenworks dethatcher that I used when comparing against the Sun Joe dethatcher.

Just kidding – kind of. When looking for a lawn dethatcher, there are a few really important things to keep an eye on, and we will look at all of those here today.

Jump ahead:

Why you need a dethatcher
Electric dethatchers
Greenworks vs Sun Joe
Price comparison
Final ruling: Greenworks vs Sun Joe

***Spoiler: Both are great, but we recommended the Greenworks dethatcher because of the price point. If you want a nicer version, check out the new cordless Greenworks dethatcher that I tested out here.

Greenworks dethatcher vs. Sun Joe dethatcher

Now that we know the how and why of dethatching, let’s roll up our sleeves and compare the top two choices. We will do a head-to-head comparison of the Sun Joe dethatcher vs the Greenworks dethatcher to make sure YOU make the best choice for YOU.

To read our full product reviews, click here for the Sun Joe dethatcher and here for the Greenworks dethatcher.

The Sun Joe is slightly more powerful

Let’s start here with expectation setting. These tools are not yard beasts. They require an extension cord (remember those?) and a bit of time and patience. When looking at power, the difference is really marginal.

The Greenworks dethatcher comes in at about 10A of power, whereas the Sun Joe offers 12A. A here stands for Amperes, or units of electrical power output. In reality, this difference will not be very noticeable or even necessary. Power is not the name of the game, but being methodical and patient are.

When it comes to this head to head, I’d love to make it a tie but the numbers just don’t work.

Sun Joe takes this round.

Usability comparison for these dethatchers

Alright, both of these operate basically the same. You plug them both in, press a button, then start slowly walking. When it comes to using a dethatcher, the most important aspect of the usability is really how much time you are going to be out there.

The amount of time you are out there is dependent on how wide the dethatcher is. Just like with mowers, the larger the blade size is, the larger the cutting path. The same is true with dethatchers. While they are notoriously small, every inch matters.

The width of the Greenworks dethatcher is 14 inches, whereas the Sun Joe is only 12.6 inches. For usability, I am going to go with Greenworks dethatcher.

Add-ons to both Sun Joe and Greenworks dethatchers

The Sun Joe comes with a couple of add-ons that the Greenworks Dethatcher does not. Sun Joe offers a scarifier attachment and a bag for the thatch.

I don’t really think you need either. Definitely not the bag – the bag is useless because it is so small it gets full after about five feet of pushing. This will end up getting tossed.

The scarifier is an attachment that you can put on the dethatcher that has a few blades on it that can cut up the thatch before using the dethatcher. I’m iffy on this one as well and don’t ever use it. Others seem to like it, but I never have time for it.

The Greenworks is a bit cheaper

The Greenworks dethatcher comes in at a slightly lower price than and the Sun Joe dethatcher will cost you a slight bit more last time I checked.

As a reminder, the Greenworks does not have the attachments that the Sun Joe dethatcher has, but is wider.

Our ranking table comparison

Hands down – the Greenworks dethatcher is the way to go here, folks.

Category	Greenworks dethatcher	Sun Joe dethatcher
Power	+	+
Usability	+++	+++
Price	++++	++
Appearance	++++	+
Overall	++++	++

The Value of My Dethatcher

Dethatchers are a lesser-known lawn tool but that’s because most folks don’t care enough about their yard to use one. If you are reading this post, you are in the elite subgroup of yard enthusiasts who give a darn and are about to be the envy of all of your neighbors.

Dethatchers work by pulling up dead grass that is stuck to your lawn’s soil.

“Wait a second, that stuff is bad?”

Well, maybe not BAD, but it limits the amount of nutrients your soil can take in. We go out and pull weeds in the garden bed because they can overtake our flowers and bushes. The same goes for our grass. The thatch is not going to take over your yard and is dead, but it is still taking up valuable real estate that could help grow more grass.

Thatch when it sees any open space in the soil.

When to dethatch your lawn

Dethatching your lawn should take place just prior to aerating and overseeding – so generally in the fall. For those of us that live in the South, this is sometime around mid to early October. If it’s too hot, the seed will dry up and not thrive. If it’s too cold, well, it is too late.

You can also dethatch at the end of a brutal winter to allow your soil to open up and breathe again before it warms up. So many lawns continue to limp into the spring because they are mushy and have a ton of moist thatch just clogging up the yard. Get rid of that.

Electric Dethatchers 101

Okay, let us make our way into the meat of this post. Old-school dethatchers are fine-toothed rakes that require you to physically make your way across the yard and pull up all the dead grass like a cave man. I do not recommend this to anybody that enjoys having a back.

On the flip side, there is a reason that motorized dethatchers are not gas-powered. Dethatchers, even motorized ones, require a slower movement across the yard. And honestly, that is a good thing. There’s no way to go through the process quickly. If you had a gas-powered dethatcher, you would basically till your entire yard and you might as well plant something else if you do that.

Check out our web story about electric dethatchers and how satisfying they are.

Electric dethatchers are perfect because they are super light, easy to use, and simply hover across your yard, pulling up all the dead thatch. The two most popular electric dethatchers are the Greenworks dethatcher and the Sun Joe dethatcher.

October 13, 2021April 20, 2024

Why Is The Sun Joe SPX3000 So Popular? My Experience

The Sun Joe SPX3000 is one of the most popular electric pressure washers because it is inexpensive and easy to use. It sounds a little scary to mix electricity and water like this, but for whatever reason – people are loving it.

The Sun Joe SPX3000 comes in two forms: the normal SPX3000 and the SPX3000-XT1. The XT1 version is the “XTREAM” version, and boy is it extreme (ha!).

Let’s get stated by looking at the following – click to jump ahead

Sun Joe’s power problem
Using the SPX3000
Cool features
SPX 3000 video
The SPX3000 vs the SPX3001
Criticisms of this pressure washer
A summary review chart

Sun Joe SPX3000 Electric Pressure Washer Review: Features

Sun Joe produces electric lawn and home care equipment. They are popular for their dethatcher (you wouldn’t believe how satisfying it is), and of course their pressure washers. You likely found out about the pressure washer because it has more reviews than I thought humanly possible on Amazon. As of today, the Sun Joe SPX3000 has almost 45,000 reviews and 73% of them are five stars.

People love the SPX3000 but I can tell you right now, it is not for everyone. While one of the least expensive items on the pressure washer market, it certainly has a target demographic. I’ll break down who the target audience is and why this is so popular.

The Power Struggle of the Sun Joe SPX3000

The Sun Joe SPX3000 boasts a 2030 MAX PSI with 14.5 Amps. As a reminder, most pressure washers run about 2000-3000 PSI and are used around the home for cleaning decks, windows, driveways, cars, boats, and siding.

Something to note here that I think has caused a stink among some people who have purchased the SPX3000. The 2030 MAX PSI advertised in the product name means that it has a PSI of 2030 at an absolute maximum. When not using the strongest setting (which is the zero degree setting) that shoots a straight pinhole sized beam of water, you will not get the 2030 PSI.

To learn more about PSI on pressure washers, read our about how to tell the difference between PSI and GPM and why they matter.

Why some people dislike this pressure washer

This is a huge frustration point to many who purchased this for a steal who think they will be able to do everything an industrial power washer can do. It even says in the Amazon product description “Cleans Cars/Fences/Patios”.

Well my friends, it says what it means. This thing is not going to blow off 10 years of grime from your second floor siding from 30 yards away. It is going to provide a pressured wash to items that can withstand moderate pressure like cars, fences, and patios. And it will do a dang good job at just that.

The heavy duty nozzle on the Sun Joe SPX3000 provides a lot of power, but not a very wide stream.

If you have the right expectations for the type of pressure washer you are going to get when you purchase the Sun Joe SPX3000, then you will be fine.

Why this is a best seller

Now you can see why this product is such a hot seller over at Amazon. Most people want to use a pressure washer for relatively light work around their house, condo, apartment, or townhome. They want something light, inexpensive, and tough enough for the job at hand.

The Sun Joe SPX3000 has everything you need for light work – but make sure to keep the work light.

The many nozzles

The Sun Joe SPX3000 comes with five different nozzle attachment tips. A zero degree, fifteen degree, twenty five degree, forty degree and soap tip. The larger the degree of tip you have on the front of this pressure washer, the weaker the spray and the larger the area of coverage.

The five different attachment tips on the SPX3000.

If you are pressure washing an outdoor metal fence, you can use the zero degree tip to blast away anything that is not metal. If you want to clean off your car, try the forty degree or soap tip as to not hurt the paint or any of the trim features.

This Sun Joe SPX3000 also has a twenty foot hose, allowing you to extend your work over a modest sized difference.

The SPX3000 and soap

Noise and the auto-stop feature on the Sun Joe SPX3000

We were basically screaming at each other in the middle of the street until my wife faked a massive diarrhea attack and we took off to avoid the conversation (this is a lie).

The beauty of the Sun Joe is that it is a relatively quiet piece of equipment. For whatever reason, gas pressure washers are loud when they are in use and somehow loud when not in use.

The SPX3000 has a feature that turns off the whole machine, then turns it back on when you squeeze the trigger. This feature is super similar to a car that turns off at red lights and kicks back on when you press the gas. While not a huge selling point, it makes a difference with your ears and with your neighbors.

Storage and maintenance on the Sun Joe SPX3000

The Sun Joe SPX3000 is super light, making it easy to store and maintain.

The SPX3000 also comes with a full two year warranty. While this is great, keep in mind that folks usually only use their pressure washer a couple of times per year. Make sure to get as much use out of it as possible for the two years are up in case anything is going to go wrong.

Watch our Sun Joe SPX3000 Video Review

Check out the full length Sun Joe SPX3000 video review from our YouTube channel!

Sun Joe SPX3000 vs SPX3001

The only real difference between the SPX3000 and the SPX3001 is the hose reel. The SPX3001 comes with a hose reel that allows you to reel back in the hose instead of having to disconnect it and hand-wind it. This is a nice little convenience that comes at only $2 more on Amazon (right now). I think this is definitely worth the extra cost because you can more easily store your pressure washer.

What I didn’t like about this pressure washer

The Sun Joe SPX 3000 has a ton of reviews. While most are good, some are quite negative. Keep in mind that this product does not pretend to be an ultra strength pressure washing system. It is a mild strength pressure washer for light work.

If you’d like to pressure wash a big driveway or walkway, I recommend a larger, more powerful gas pressure washer. You can get decent pressure from the Sun Joe SPX3000, but the size of the spray at 0 degrees will only be an inch or two thick. It would take a very long time to wash concrete of decent size with that spray width.

Pressure issues aside, others have found a leaking issue with their pressure washer. Around the base where you connect the hose to the pressure washer, a plastic adapter was used. More recently, this has been replaced by an aluminum connector that has reduced the leaking issue.

This plastic fitting gives a lot of people problems.

This pressure washer is super cheap

Do not get your expectations up way too high for this product. It is plastic and costs somewhere between $150 and $200. This is a very inexpensive pressure washer, especially when compared to some of the gas powered pressure washers.

For the power that it provides, the cost that it is, and the jobs that you can do with it – it is a great value.

Our overall review: The Sun Joe SPX3000

The Sun Joe SPX3000 is a great pressure washer for people who are doing lighter jobs. I would recommend this pressure washer for cleaning cars, boats, windows, or very small deck or patio work.

If you are wanting to blast off a long sidewalk or a driveway, you will absolutely need a gas powered pressure washer. The power from this pressure washer simply will not get you good results for tough, dirty jobs.

That being said, if you live in a condo, townhome or apartment, this is the best pressure washer for the money. You can easily store this in a utility closet and will likely not have a job too big for the Sun Joe SPX3000. This will be great for your small patio, walkway, or outdoor furniture. You truly cannot beat the price.

The Sun Joe SPX3000 is currently on sale over at Amazon for about $40 lower than the listed price. Buy it today and start the Spring with a fresh clean.

Feature	Sun Joe SPX3000	Gas powered pressure washer
Difficulty to use	Less difficult to use	More difficult to start
Durability	Somewhat durable	Very durable
Maintenance	Easiest to maintain	Less easy to maintain
Value	Medium value	Medium value
Small jobs	Highly recommended	Recommended
Medium jobs	Not recommended	Highly recommended
Heavy jobs	Not recommended	Highly recommended

Why we review lawn tools

As people who had to learn the hard way, we want you to know exactly what you are signing up for before you purchase a piece of equipment. That’s why we are committed to providing honest, easy-to-understand reviews that mean something. Always feel free to leave a comment or request a review using the form you see at the top of this page.

October 1, 2021April 9, 2024

Greenworks Electric Dethatcher Review (+ How-To Guide)

My Greenworks Dethatcher is a lawn tool that I became obsessed with the second I started using it. Dethatchers work by pulling up old, dead grass that is embedded in the soil of your lawn. This provides the most satisfying experience ever when you use it.

This dead grass, or “thatch”, prohibits your living grass from getting nutrients and can cause your grass to appear thin. Dethatchers have historically been tough-looking heavy rakes that you could pull across your lawn by hand.

Let’s get started!

Dethatching 101
Greenworks dethatcher overview
Greenworks vs. Sun Joe
The final ruling

When and why to use a dethatcher on your yard

Dethatching your yard is one of the most satisfying lawn tasks. If you are one of those people who likes pimple popping videos or loves to peel off the plastic of a new appliance, then dethatching will be your jam.

It basically pulls up all this dead grass that is stuck to your lawn and pushes it to the top of your yard. You can almost hear your yard start breathing again.

The time of year to dethatch your yard is just prior to the aerating and overseeding process. For us, this time of year is in October, but can vary depending on where you live. Dethatching right before aerating and seeding gives the best possible chance for your seeds to make contact with soil.

First, you pull up the dead grass with the dethatcher. Once you have pulled all of this up and gotten rid of it, then you can aerate. You will want to aerate your lawn immediately after dethatching, then overseed the lawn. This will put seed straight on the open soil and give it the best success to grow into a thick, luscious lawn.

The Greenworks Dethatcher features

The Greenworks dethatcher comes in at a slightly lower price point than the Sun Joe Dethatcher. It is also one of the most popular dethatchers available on the market. Let’s review what makes this so popular.

Psst – check out our comparison of the Sun Joe vs Greenworks Dethatcher.

My experience using this dethatcher

I used my Greenworks dethatcher for the first time this year on my relatively newly sodded lawn in Austin, TX. Despite only having a year or two of life, I got an insane amount of thatch off the ground. Here’s how it worked.

The Greenworks Dethatcher comes with an easy push to start functionality. This push to start feature allows for guaranteed starts after being stored through a cold winter. It boasts a 14 inch width for the tines (the little spikes that pull up thatch), which gives it an immediate advantage over some of its competitors.

The handles fold in and allow for easy storage. As do other dethatcher in its class, it does not use any batteries and requires no charging. Rather, the Greenworks dethatcher requires an extension cord. As I mentioned in my last dethatcher review, a fifty foot extension cord is recommended. Longer extension cords can become quite heavy and cumbersome to move throughout your yard.

The start and stop features on my Greenworks dethatcher.

Comfort is important to me, and as a tall person I highly value the longer handles that come with the Greenworks dethatcher. These are much more comfortable and help me stay out in the yard longer.

This is surprisingly powerful

Not sure what kind of power you can expect with an electric dethatcher. This is not a gas guzzler and is not meant to really provide any power. But it does have 10A of power running through it. It does not have a self propelled feature persay, but does inch forward with the help of the thines moving forward trying to pull up grass.

When I was using this dethatcher and testing out the power, I noticed that it wasn’t an issue – the issue was moving slowly, which is basically just what I have to do when I use a dethatcher.

You can check out the cordless version of the Greenworks dethatcher.

This dethatcher is simple and durable

While most people scoff at plastic and electric lawn tools, I think this one really does have great durability. I have not put too much use into mine, but have heard others talk about the longevity of the tines. The tines are the little pieces of metal that actually pick up and displace the dead grass on the bottom of the dethatcher. You would expect some wear and tear, but they appear to last quite a while.

This is really a simple machine that does not require any maintenance. When broken down to its functional components (kind of like active ingredients in supplements), it is just an electric power circle of little spikes. Not much can go wrong.

This one was really easy for me to break down and fold in half in my garage, basically just like how it came out of the box.

My yard now looks way better after using this

My Greenworks dethatcher will pull up the dead grass from the top of my yard without fail. As long as it is moderately dry outside, it will not have a problem getting to the thatch and giving your grass some room to breathe.

Clean-up, however, is a different issue. Compared to several other electric dethatchers, the Greenworks dethatcher does not come with a bag. Do not fret! The bags that come with the dethatchers are almost comically small.

Height settings on my Greenworks dethatcher.

I was surprised with the amount of grass that came up from this tool. You will likely fill your bag after about 5 to 8 feet of pushing. With that in mind, most people use all dethatchers without bags.

To clean up, simply grab your mower, put it on a high setting, slap the bag on, and do a quick run over the yard to suck up all the thatch. You can always use a blower, a heavy duty rake, or whatever you would like to clean up the yard.

Comparison: Greenworks dethatcher vs Sun Joe dethatcher

If you are looking at an electronic dethatcher online, you are likely picking between these two. Both are the top sellers on Amazon and combined have over 20,000 reviews. Both look very similar and both have almost 5 stars on Amazon.

Luckily, I have owned both and even tested them side by side to see which one did a better job of pulling up thatch.

Functionality and power

To compare the two, let’s start with functionality. They function identically. Both are powered by an extension cord, move at the same speed, and electronically pull up thatch. The advantage goes to Greenworks here because they have a slightly bigger tine deck. 14 inches in the Greenworks vs 13 inches in the Sun Joe dethatcher. You will get more out of each pass using the Greenworks.

Add-ons

Something else to consider when comparing these products is the availability of add-on features. Greenworks offers zero add ons to their product, whereas Sun Joe offers a scarifier and a bag. As mentioned previously, the bag is meaningless and most people trash it. The scarifier applies blades to the soil to help cut through and tough thatch and provide a modest amount of aeration. The advantage in this category goes to Sun Joe.

Tines at the bottom of my Sun Joe dethatcher.

Cost and value

As of right now, the Sun Joe dethatcher costs around $150 and the Greenworks dethatcher comes in right around $130. Both are going to last a long time and both are of very similar quality. If it were me (and it is me), I am going with the Greenworks.

Overall comparison: Greenworks dethatcher vs Sun Joe dethatcher

Y’all this is a relatively easy one for me. I will save $20 and go with the Greenworks dethatcher if I had to do it over again. It operates the same, has great durability, is slightly wider, and a good bit cheaper.

Check out our web story detailing the competition between these two.

You can grab the Greenworks dethatcher on Amazon (on sale right now for 35% off) for an awesome price. You can also get the Greenworks 27022 dethatcher straight from the Greenworks website.

September 24, 2021April 8, 2024

Sun Joe Electric Dethatcher Review (+ Full Video)

The Sun Joe dethatcher AKA Sun Joe AJ801E, is a tool that has recently blown me away. I had never used a dethatcher before – and boy was I missing out. Not only on the results but on the complete satisfaction this tool provides.

Ever gotten really close to the soil and wondered what all that dead grass was doing? After it rains it is all of the super soggy, dirty, twisty grass that sits at the base of the grass and clogs it up. I can tell you what it is doing – it is called thatch and it is clogging up the soil and suffocating your lawn just like it was mine.

When I started dethatching my lawn at least once per year, especially before I aerate and overseed, has yielded amazing results. Getting rid of those dead strands of grass gives my yard room to breathe, take in nutrients, and grow more luscious throughout the season.

Let’s get started – click to jump ahead

Dethatchers demystified
What its like to use a Sun Joe dethatcher
Electric connection
Cleaning up after I dethatch
Sun Joe Dethatcher Durability
Renting vs. purchasing the Sun Joe dethatcher
The Official Review

How I tested the Sun Joe dethatcher

In short, I bought it and recorded a long video of myself using it in the yard. So if you want to see it in action, check it out on Youtube.

But I have about a half acre of tall fescue and I took this puppy through my entire yard – twice. It dug up so much dang thatch that I had to put it in my trailer. When I was evaluating it, I was mostly looking at its power, convenience, durability, and value (price to performance ratio).

It was pretty sweet.

Sun Joe dethatcher features and benefits

At first glance, the Sun Joe dethatcher appears to be a big plastic box with a metal bar. In fact, it looks weak and wimpy. It feels kind of unsturdy and cheaply made.

Do not be fooled. This thing is a workhorse! You will notice once you get it going that it has some serious power to pull up the dead grass. Yep, that same dead grass that broke my back with the rake is coming up super easily by a plastic box. No reason to feel embarrassed.

Plug and play

The downside of this dethatcher is that it needs to be plugged in to operate – it is not battery powered. A nice, long extension cord will help get the job done. I recommend a fifty foot extension cord. One hundred foot extension cords tend to get really heavy and difficult to maneuver.

The dethatcher from the front with bag attached.

Clean-up after dethatching – bag or no bag?

The Sun Joe dethatcher leaves quite the mess behind. I was be surprised to see the amount of thatch that comes up from beneath my grass. That being said, Sun Joe provides a bag that can be mounted to the dethatcher. I suggest using this to clean as you go. Otherwise, go over the loose thatch with your mower and collect it in that bag. Another option is to grab the rake, but obviously would be a last resort.

Sun Joe Dethatcher Durability

At first glance, this chunk of neon green plastic that is only about 13-15 inches wide does not look like it would be super durable. Frankly, that is exactly what I thought when I first looked at the Sun Joe Dethatcher (or really any Sun Joe product).

The truth is, the little throngs at the bottom poking out are called tines. The tines on this machine are, in fact, super durable. These tines will work to dig up all of the thatch and leave my lawn looking great. Truly, the plastic casing and wheels are deceptive, as they simply serve as a cover for an otherwise low-output (meaning not getting super hot or vibrating) tool. I have no concerns with the durability of this equipment and have had zero issues with tines. The tines can also be replaced if needed, giving the Sun Joe dethatcher a high durability ranking.

Setting expectations

While the Sun Joe dethatcher is a powerful tool that will save my back, it isn’t for everyone. If you have a massive yard, you are better off getting a commercial size dethatcher that can be hooked on to the back of a riding mower.

Assembling the Dethatcher right out of the box.

To level-set expectations, the Sun Joe dethatcher has a width of almost 13 inches ranging up to 15 inches with the largest model. This is not going to be “a few passes in the yard and you are good to go”. It will require you to move relatively slowly and make many passes to cover the entirety of your yard. But boy, will you be surprised by the amount of thatch you pull up.

It is ideal to use the dethatcher on your yard right before you aerate and seed. This gives your yard a fresh slate to work off of for the most aeration and overseeding. All of those gaps that you notice between the blades will become filled in (if only this could happen to my hair).

The scarifier attachment on the Sun Joe Dethatcher

This machine also comes with a scarifier attachment. Honestly, I had never used or even heard of a scarifier before I used the dethatcher. It basically looks like someone removed the blades out of my blender and put them in this machine.

Basically, the scarifier cuts little grooves in your yard to somewhat aerate and cut through small roots and other tricky pieces that might give the dethatcher a hard time. In my experience, I would just use the dethatcher then switch over to a normal aerator to get the job done prior to seeding.

Renting vs buying the Sun Joe Dethatcher

This is a very easy question for me to answer. Simply put, once I used the dethatcher on my lawn one time, I was addicted. It is incredibly satisfying to pull up a bunch of old grass that has been plaguing my lawn.

The Greenworks dethatcher is the main competition – we own it, too.

Renting a Sun Joe dethatcher simply is not worth it. This is something I will want to do to my lawn every couple of months. The dethatcher is relatively inexpensive compared to other lawn items, ranging from $150 to $200 depending on where and when you buy. It is on sale on Amazon right now, which is where I got mine.

The Cordless Sun Joe Dethatcher: A new version

For an additional $100 or so, you can purchase a cordless dethatcher. I do not generally recommend getting the cordless version and I will explain why.

The range of the batteries on these will not get me much further than the limit of an extension cord. Meaning, I will not get much of a benefit besides not having to worry about pulling around or tripping over an extension cord. I also hate having clutter in my garage and already have enough battery chargers for my other tools. This comes with two batteries that will simply add more clutter, chargers, and things that I will fall and break my neck on in the garage.

The official review: Sun Joe Dethatcher

Feature	Sun Joe AJ801E
Difficulty to use	Much easier to use than a rake
Durability	Medium durability
Maintenance	No maintenance required
Value	High value to own vs. rent
For lots <10,000 sq. ft	Highly recommended
For lots <1 acre	Recommended up to 0.5 acres
For lots >1 acre	Not recommended

Our breakdown.

The Sun Joe dethatcher will absolutely change your yard. While this can be a tedious process, it beats out the alternative of breaking your back with a rake. We here at The Lawn Review highly encourage purchasing this product and giving it a try. Once you do your first pass in your lawn, you will be addicted!

Check out our comparison web story we made stacking this one up against the Greenworks dethatcher.

You can grab the Sun Joe dethatcher AJ801E on Amazon for sale right now.

Why would I buy a Sun Joe dethatcher?

I am not really sure who Sun Joe is, but he makes electric yard tools like dethatchers, pressure washers, electric air compressors, and more. Traditionally, dethatching is done with a fine rake across the entirety of your yard. Other than the damage this does to your weekend and lower back, it can put a lot of stress on your living grass.

The Sun Joe dethatcher AJ801E provides an electronic way for you to simply scoot across your lawn and pull up all of the dead grass. This saves you time and back pain and is much more effective.

Sun Joe also has a line of winter products, aptly named Snow Joe.

When to use a dethatcher

Dethatchers are great for people who do their own lawn care. Where I see dethatchers being most useful is at the beginning of the spring when the snow has melted. Snow plows and general use around your yard can cause dirt, debris, and rotten roots.

Another great time to use the dethatcher is right before aerating and seeding, typically around October (depending on where you live). This gives the seed fresh ground upon which to grow and takes away competing sources of nutrients like sunlight, nitrogen, and water.