Quick verdict
Bermuda needs scarifying as much as dethatching, because its runners form a mat that tines lift and only blades cut. The Greenworks 40V has both reels and no cord; the WEN DT1516 has the most power and a bag; the Sun Joe AJ805E is the value with a bag. Dethatch Bermuda in late spring once it is growing hard, set the depth shallow on the first pass, and feed and water after.
Greenworks 40V 15-Inch Cordless Dethatcher and Scarifier with 5 Ah Battery
Bermuda builds thatch faster than any common lawn grass and a dethatcher with quick-swap reels does both jobs it needs: tines to lift the thatch and a scarifier blade to slice the runners and open the soil. The Greenworks 40V 15-inch has both reels, a brushless motor, five depths from a quarter inch above to nearly half an inch below grade, folding handles and a 5 Ah pack with rapid charger, with no cord to drag across the lawn.
The best dethatchers for thick Bermuda grass: Greenworks 40V 15-inch cordless with both reels, WEN DT1516 16-inch 15 amp with bag and Sun Joe AJ805E 13 amp with bag, compared on power, reels, depth and collection.
The picks at a glance
| Tool | Best for | Score /100 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greenworks 40V 15-Inch Cordless Dethatcher and Scarifier with 5 Ah Battery | Best Cordless for Bermuda | 8.9 | Check price |
| WEN DT1516 16-Inch 15 Amp Dethatcher and Scarifier with Bag | Most Power With a Bag | 8.8 | Check price |
| Sun Joe AJ805E 15-Inch 13 Amp Dethatcher and Scarifier with Bag | Best Value With a Bag | 8.4 | Check price |
The picks, reviewed
Greenworks 40V 15-Inch Cordless Dethatcher and Scarifier with 5 Ah Battery
Bermuda builds thatch faster than any common lawn grass and a dethatcher with quick-swap reels does both jobs it needs: tines to lift the thatch and a scarifier blade to slice the runners and open the soil. The Greenworks 40V 15-inch has both reels, a brushless motor, five depths from a quarter inch above to nearly half an inch below grade, folding handles and a 5 Ah pack with rapid charger, with no cord to drag across the lawn.
Reasons to buy
- Dethatcher and scarifier reels included
- Brushless 40V, no cord
- Five depths
- 5 Ah pack and rapid charger
Reasons to avoid
- 15 inches is slow on a big lawn
- Battery runtime limits a thick lawn
- No collection bag
WEN DT1516 16-Inch 15 Amp Dethatcher and Scarifier with Bag
A 15 amp motor turning at 3,300 RPM is the most muscle in this group, and the WEN DT1516 puts it through a 16-inch path with a 24-tine dethatching reel and a 20-blade scarifier, five depths from a quarter inch above to half an inch below grade and a collection bag that catches the mat so it is not raked twice. Corded, so runtime is unlimited.
Reasons to buy
- 15 amp, 3,300 RPM
- 24-tine and 20-blade reels
- Collection bag
- Half-inch depth
Reasons to avoid
- Corded
- Heavy
- Bag fills fast on Bermuda
Sun Joe AJ805E 15-Inch 13 Amp Dethatcher and Scarifier with Bag
The Sun Joe AJ805E runs a 13 amp motor through a 15-inch path with a scarifier reel, five depth settings, four easy-glide wheels and a large removable collection bag at the lowest price here. It is the corded dethatcher most owners buy for a small Bermuda lawn.
Reasons to buy
- 13 amp motor
- Five depths
- Large collection bag
- Low price
Reasons to avoid
- Corded
- Less power than the WEN
- Plastic build
Why Bermuda is the dethatching grass
Bermuda spreads by runners above and below ground, and those runners pile into a thatch layer faster than any other common lawn grass, often half an inch in a single season. Left alone the mat holds water on top, blocks fertilizer and hosts fungus. Removing it takes two actions: tines to comb out the dead layer and blades to slice the living runners and open the soil, which is why the best Bermuda machines carry a dethatching reel and a scarifier reel. The three here all scarify, two carry both reels, and they differ in power, cord and bag.
This guide is built from the published specifications of each machine and from recurring owner feedback. We have not run these machines ourselves.
How the three compare
| Machine | Width | Power | Reels | Bag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greenworks 40V | 15 in | 40V brushless, cordless | Dethatcher and scarifier | No |
| WEN DT1516 | 16 in | 15 amp corded | 24 tines and 20 blades | Yes |
| Sun Joe AJ805E | 15 in | 13 amp corded | Scarifier | Yes |
Greenworks 40V: both reels, no cord
The Greenworks 40V is the machine for a Bermuda lawn with no outlet nearby or a lot of obstacles, because a dethatcher drags a cord through everything. It swaps between a tine reel and a scarifier reel, runs a brushless motor from a 5 Ah pack with a rapid charger, sets five depths from a quarter inch above grade to nearly half an inch below and folds for the shed. It has no bag, so the mat is raked, and a thick lawn may need a second charge.
WEN DT1516: the most muscle
Fifteen amps at 3,300 RPM through a 16-inch path is what cuts through a Bermuda mat without bogging, and the WEN DT1516 adds a 24-tine dethatching head, a 20-blade scarifying head, five depths to half an inch below grade and a collection bag. It is corded and heavy and it does a neglected Bermuda lawn in one afternoon that a lighter machine does in two.
Sun Joe AJ805E: the value with a bag
The Sun Joe AJ805E is the corded dethatcher most small-lawn owners buy: a 13 amp motor, a scarifier reel, five depths, four easy-glide wheels and a large removable bag, at the lowest price. It has less power than the WEN and does a small Bermuda lawn in two passes with a stop to empty the bag every few rows.
Dethatching Bermuda well
Wait for late spring, when the grass is fully green and growing hard. Mow low and water the day before. Make the first pass shallow with the tine reel, rake or empty, then a second pass with the scarifier at a deeper setting, across the first. Bag or rake everything; it is a surprising amount. Fertilize, water deeply and keep off the lawn for two weeks while it fills in. Dethatch yearly, which keeps each session light.
Which one should you buy
Buy the Greenworks 40V for both reels with no cord. Buy the WEN DT1516 for the most power and a bag on a thick lawn. Buy the Sun Joe AJ805E for a small Bermuda lawn on a budget.
How we research
This guide is built from the published specifications, manuals and warranty terms of each product and from recurring owner feedback. We have not run these products ourselves; where a maker does not publish a figure we say so rather than guess.
What to look for
Scarifier reel
Bermuda runners need a blade reel, not just tines. Buy a machine with both or with a scarifier.
Depth range
The first pass on thick Bermuda is shallow; later passes go to half an inch below grade. Five settings cover it.
Power
Bermuda mat is dense. 13 amps is the floor; 15 amps or 40V brushless does not bog.
Bag
Dethatching Bermuda produces bales of material. A bag halves the raking.
Our verdict
Bermuda needs scarifying as much as dethatching, because its runners form a mat that tines lift and only blades cut. The Greenworks 40V has both reels and no cord; the WEN DT1516 has the most power and a bag; the Sun Joe AJ805E is the value with a bag. Dethatch Bermuda in late spring once it is growing hard, set the depth shallow on the first pass, and feed and water after.
FAQs
Late spring to early summer, after green-up when it is growing hard enough to recover. Never in fall before dormancy.
Both. Dethatch to lift the dead layer, scarify to cut the runners and open the soil. Machines with both reels do it in two passes.
More than half an inch between the soil and the green growth. Bermuda reaches that in a season or two.
Rake or bag the debris, mow, fertilize, water deeply and let it recover for two weeks. Bermuda fills in fast.
