No More Basic Lawn Aerators: The Home Depot Find That Does Two Jobs At Once

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If you want to grow a healthy lawn, you need to do more than just water and fertilize it regularly. Sometimes you might also have to deal with compacted soil or a thick layer of thatch. Both of these things can impact the grass by reducing the availability of air, water, and nutrients, making your grass look dull and weak. The fix is easy! Get an aerator and a dethatcher. Or, did you know you can buy a machine that can perform both of these lawn care tasks? Take, for instance, the RYOBI ONE+ HP 18V dethatcher/aerator, available at Home Depot.

It is a cordless, walk-behind lawn care tool that comes with two interchangeable reels: a scarifying reel and an aerator reel. The first features 16 stainless steel blades that loosen and remove thatch and moss. In comparison, the aerator reel creates shallow openings in the soil. The tool also has a 14-inch working width, a brushless motor, and four height settings that allow you to adjust how deeply the reels work. You can also fold it down for easy storage. In terms of price, Home Depot sells the tool-only version for around $399, without batteries or a charger. However, you can also purchase a kit with two 4.0 Ah batteries and a charger for around $479. 

As for buyer feedback, shoppers at Home Depot have mixed views. Some say it aerates the lawn well, while others note that it is easier than using a manual dethatching rake. There are, however, quite a few negative reviews, too, with a lot of buyers complaining about its poor battery life.

If you decide to buy the RYOBI ONE+ HP 18V cordless dethatcher/aerator, do not forget to use the correct reel for the job. You cannot use its reels interchangeably. Just make sure that when you are changing the reels, you follow the manufacturer's guidelines, that the mower does not have any power, and that its start key and batteries are out. Similarly, when using the machine, pay attention to the working-height adjustment and assess the lawn's condition. Start with the highest setting, and then, if needed, lower the height, or you could end up removing more grass than necessary.

Setting a lower height could also make the RYOBI ONE+ HP 18V cordless dethatcher/aerator work harder when aerating, which will reduce its battery life, and this is not something you should neglect, as many buyers noted that its batteries drain quickly. Some even noted that they needed multiple battery changes when dethatching or aerating the lawn. Put simply, avoid excessively deep settings. Plus, clear the lawn of debris and sticks, and work in manageable sections that you can easily remember rather than going over the same spot again and again.

Lastly, keep in mind that the RYOBI ONE+ HP 18V cordless dethatcher/aerator might not suffice at times. It just perforates the soil. This is not as effective as core or plug aerators, which remove plugs or chunks of soil from the ground. In fact, in some cases, such aerators can make the compaction problems worse by pushing the soil particles close together. So, if your soil is severely compacted, avoid using it and instead consider buying a core/plug aerator or call the pros to help aerate your lawn.