Without a doubt, proper removal of thatch is essential for a healthy and thriving lawn. However, investing in additional machines such as a lawn dethatcher requires a bigger budget.
But, there’s good news for you: you can opt for the best dethatching blade for the lawn mower. This is a budget-friendly alternative that you can easily install on your lawnmower.
Hence, you’ll be able to dethatch your grass without the need for a distinct machine. Moreover, these blades are easily installed on almost any mower model out there.
However, since finding the best blade for dethatching can be challenging because of the array of products available, we’ve made a list of the top ones currently.
Check them out below!
Top Pick
Arnold’s 16-Inch Dethatching Blade is our best pick because it offers sturdy construction, easy installation, and universal fit. This blade does its job and it’s built to last!
Budget Pick
Max Power 16-Inch Dethatching Blade is a real bargain-you get 3 blades in the set which are efficient, universal, and easy to install. Budget-friendly and easy to use, it’s not to be missed.
Quick Navigation
- Why Do I Need A Dethatching Blade?
- How To Dethatch With A Lawnmower?
- What Does A Dethatching Blade Do?
- Which Factors Should I Consider Before Buying?
- How to Install a Dethatching Blade on a Lawn Mower?
- Should I Mow Before Dethatching?
- How to Care For My Dethatching Blades?
- Dethatching or Aerating?
- Dethatching Blade Reviews
- Final Thoughts
Why Do I Need A Dethatching Blade?
In addition to being less expensive than dethatching machines, dethatching blades are a user-friendly way to keep your lawn free of thatch.
These blades that are sold separately are designed to be easily fitted on a lawn mower. To make sure it does its job, you should pick the right blade according to the type of lawnmower.
The good news is that most blades out there and the ones we chose can be installed on most lawnmowers; however, always check their compatibility with your lawnmower before clicking ‘buy’.
Of course, since lawnmowers aren’t designed to eliminate thatch but to cut grass, you can’t expect the same efficiency and optimal work as from a dethatcher.
These specialized machines don’t just save money, but also ease cleaning and are long-lasting. Still, a dethatching blade will certainly come in handy!
How To Dethatch With A Lawnmower?
To dethatch grass using your lawnmower, you need to change out its standard blade with the dethatching blade.
After installing them, another important step is to set the mower’s height to the appropriate setting. Begin by testing it on a small, less visible part of the lawn and keep moving.
Remember that a dethatching blade, when left in one place, will create crop circles and take out big amounts of material in a single area!
Then, observe the area. If needed, lower the blade height until it makes the best contact with the grass. The correct height will remove brown and dead thatch without harming the live grass.
While dethatching, you should also make pauses to check the blade.
The tines may bend or blunt while working. This will decrease their efficiency and if happens, replacement with another is necessary.
To collect the thatch and other debris later, you can use a rake.
What Does A Dethatching Blade Do?
The way these blades work is that they pull the wires or springs they have through the grass.
As these springs move around, they pull and rip out thatch, i.e. dead grass and other debris. After you’re done, you clean the debris and that’s it.
Which Factors Should I Consider Before Buying?
Without a doubt, before we buy something, we need to make sure it meets certain criteria.
For a quality dethatching blade for your lawnmower, make sure it checks out these features:
- Quality materials and construction
For your dethatching blade to last and perform optimally, it’s necessary to be made of quality metal or plastic.
The former is strong and doesn’t wear off fast, although they may be more expensive than the latter.
The latter may be cheaper and gentler, but may not be as durable and tough as metal.
- The tines
Tines of dethatching blades are often made either from metal or plastic. The metal spring tines will dig deep into the thatch layer and eliminate it efficiently.
They’re long-lasting and strong. If you want a gentler option, plastic twines are amazing because they won’t cause excessive damage.
- Size (width)
For a dethatcher blade to fit your mower, it needs to have the same width. If the cutting deck has a smaller width than the blade, the installation will be challenging.
Moreover, the width also matters for the area you plan to dethatch.
If it’s a smaller or a medium lawn, a 16-inch would do just fine and it will help you finish the job timely.
However, although you can use the same for larger surfaces, remember that it will take you more passes than you would need with a larger option like 21 inches.
- Is it universal or not
One of the best advantages of dethatching blades is that most of them are universal, that is, no matter the brand of your lawnmower, they will be easily installed.
Moreover, they usually come with all of the needed washers and adapters for an easy, effortless installation.
In this way, frustration is brought to a minimum and you can dedicate your time to the dethatching process!
- Price
A major advantage of dethatching blades, especially if you already have a lawnmower and not a dethatching machine, is that they’re budget-friendly.
Namely, since you can find models in the range between 15 and 20 dollars, going a lot over it would end up damaging your budget, rather than helping you save.
How to Install a Dethatching Blade on a Lawn Mower?
In a couple of steps, you can easily transform your lawnmower into a dethatching tool.
First, you need to dethatch the spark plug wire and tilt the machine on the side. Find the spindle bolt that’s holding the blade on the underside of the deck.
Put a wooden block between the deck and blade to prevent the blade from turning. Use a socket wrench to take out the spindle bolt.
Put the blade aside and install the dethatching one on the spindle with the springs/tines faced down.
Tighten the bolt to keep the blade secure. You then reattach the plug wire and adjust the height. To put back the lawnmower blade, repeat the steps in reverse.
Should I Mow Before Dethatching?
Before you do the dethatching of your lawn, it’s recommendable that you’ve mowed it so that it’s at a lower height. And, when dethatching, do it when the soil is moist, not very dry.
Avoid dethatching on wet grass since it can yank the turf out by its roots and make big bare spots!
How to Care For My Dethatching Blades?
When you care for your dethatching blades properly, they will function optimally and last longer.
To keep it this way, ensure you sharpen it regularly, always install it the right way, and replace any worn-out parts.
Dethatching or Aerating?
Both dethatching and aerating are essential lawn care procedures that we do during late winter through late spring.
And, they both serve to ensure the grass-root gets the key nutrients as well as oxygen and water. In this way, the grass will have better chances of growing and staying healthy.
However, on one hand, aeration causes the compacted soil to break down while dethatching will remove the thatch layers, dead grass, and other debris from the top of the soil.
Despite having similarities, every procedure has its advantages, and each is done with different tools.
Dethatching Blade Reviews
1. Arnold’s 16-Inch Dethatching Blade
Product Information
| Package Dimensions | 16.75 x 2.25 x 1.5 inches |
| Item Weight | 1.8 pounds |
| Manufacturer | Arnold |
| Price | $25.42 |
Highlighted Features
- Made of durable materials
- Easy to install
- Easy to use
- Suitable with most lawn mowers
Easily installed on mowers, this metal dethatching blade with dethatching springs will transform the mower into a 16-inch dethatching blade.
Thanks to it, you will dethatch and restore lawns and allow the grass to loosen and breathe.
It’s a sturdy, compact, and long-lasting blade.
It enables easy penetration of air and nutrients into the soil.
After the quick installation, you just need some adjustments to the height to start doing magic. Customers who purchased this blade gave it the most kudos for being durable, easy to use, and easy to install.
2. Maxpower 16-Inch Universal Dethatching Blade
Product Information
| Package Dimensions | 26 x 4 x 3 inches |
| Item Weight | 1.6 pounds |
| Manufacturer | MaxPower |
| Price | $14.75 |
Highlighted Features
- Very sharp blade
- Easy to install
- Long-lasting
- Doesn’t tear grass
Made in the US, this dethatching blade boasts a strong metal construction and offers longevity. It’s made universal so it can be easily installed on any type of lawnmower.
Constructed using premium-grade high-carbon American steel, it’s not a blade that ever disappoints. It’s heat-treated to be safe and reliable. It’s really sharp and cuts better with less vibration and less wear and tear on the grass.
In this set, you get 3 blades, which is useful and makes this product a good bargain. It will fit the John Deer G110 Series riding lawn mowers best.
The manufacturer claims that their blades require 20 percent less power to drive the blade and to perform optimally.
Customers praised it the most for being easy to use and install and offering good value for the money.
3. Stens 16-Inch Dethatching Blade with 2 ¼ width
Product Information
| Package Dimensions | 16.14 x 2.28 x 0.16 inches |
| Item Weight | 2.1 pounds |
| Manufacturer | Stens |
| Price | $21.88 |
Highlighted Features
- Long-lasting
- Best for small to medium lawns
- Universal fit
- Sharp
Adaptable to most mower models and suitable with 370-011 power rake spring, this blade helps your grass remain healthy and nourished.
It will help you loosen dead grass easily. However, since it’s shorter, it will require a longer time to finish a larger area than some other longer options.
It’s, therefore, best for smaller to medium lawns.
Being universal, it’s adaptable to almost any type of lawn mower out there. Made of strong metal and metal spring tines, its long-lasting and hard work won’t reduce its sharpness and strength.
The customers who purchased it said it was easy to use, easy to set up, and offering good value for the money.
4. Arnold Inch Dethatching Blade for Walk-Behind Mowers
Product Information
| Package Dimensions | 24 x 3 x 2.4 inches |
| Item Weight | 12.8 ounces |
| Manufacturer | Arnold Corporation |
| Price | $31.12 |
Highlighted Features
- Best for larger lawns
- Less damage on the grass
- Easy to install
- Great for walk-behind mowers
Perfect for tackling bigger lawns faster, this is a large dethatching blade with its 22-inch cutting width.
Compatible with a lot of walk-behind mowers including Snapper, Ego, Toro, Poulan, Honda, Sears, Yard Machines, etc., it’s perfect for dethatching.
Unlike other blades with metal springs, this dethatcher has plastic twines that lift the thatch.
They’re effective, yet inflict less damage on the grass than metal tends to. According to customers, it will do an optimal job as long as the grass isn’t very deep.
Those who purchased this blade gave the most praise for being easy to install, easy to use, and offering good value for the price.
5. Oregon 16-Inch Universal Dethatching Blade
Product Information
| Package Dimensions | 24 x 4 x 4 inches |
| Item Weight | 1.89 pounds |
| Manufacturer | Oregon |
| Price | $37.80 |
Highlighted Features
- Made of strong materials
- Long-lasting construction
- Easy to install
- Universal fit
If you want to dethatch effortlessly, you can do it with this universal dethatching blade.
It works in a 16-inch width and it’s ideal for small to medium lawns. It will dethatch effortlessly and remove moss.
The package includes the blade, but also other necessary hardware to easily install it onto your lawnmower in a couple of minutes.
The spring tines will fit into slots at either end. After you’ve installed it, adjust the mower’s cutting deck for the perfect working height so that you thatch without stripping the grass to the roots.
Made of heavy-duty plastic, this blade has metal spring tines. It’s a durable and efficient blade that will perform optimally for a long period of time.
6. Oregon 18-Inch Universal Dethatching Blade
Product Information
| Package Dimensions | 24 x 4 x 4 inches |
| Item Weight | 1.7 pounds |
| Manufacturer | Oregon |
| Price | $39.37 |
Highlighted Features
- Larger width
- Great for big lawns
- Easy to install
- Universal fit
If you want to dethatch your large lawn fast and efficiently, this dethatching blade is what you need.
With an 18-inch width, it’s great for tackling larger grasses effectively and quickly. It comes equipped with all the necessary hardware for installation.
It’s made using quality materials and it will last for a long time. Since it’s easy to install, you can dedicate yourself to the dethatching process.
Make sure you set up the height of the cutting deck after installing the blade to ensure you don’t strip the grass to its roots.
Customers who bought this blade said it offered easy installation and good value for the price.
7. Cutter Force 16-Inch Dethatching Blade
Product Information
| Package Dimensions | 23.1 x 4 x 3 inches |
| Item Weight | 2.05 pounds |
| Manufacturer | Cutter Force |
| Price | $24.89 |
Highlighted Features
- Perfect for small & medium lawns
- Easy to install
- Easy to use
- Made of strong materials
This 16-inch universal dethatching blade adapts to most lawn mowers easily. The kit features the blade, as well as washers and other necessary hardware.
You can therefore install it very easily. After installation, remember to adjust the height deck to ensure maximum dethatching.
The grass will be loosened and all of the nutrients and water will penetrate easier. Made of strong material, this dethatching blade is sharp, long-lasting, and durable.
Customers who purchased it are very satisfied with how effortlessly it dethatches and also praised its construction.
8. Rotary Corp 16-Inch Dethatching Blade
Product Information
| Package Dimensions | 16 x 3 x 1 inches |
| Item Weight | 3.52 ounces |
| Manufacturer | ROTARY |
| Price | $20.83 |
Highlighted Features
- Best for small to medium size lawns
- Universal fit
- Easy to install
- Made of strong materials
This dethatching blade features a 16-inch width and it’s a universal fit, meaning it can be easily installed on any model of lawn mower you have.
In this way, you save money because you don’t have to invest in a dethatching machine.
This is a suitable blade for small to medium lawns if you want to do the dethatching quickly and efficiently.
Of course, you can use it for larger lawns too; however, you may need to work a bit longer.
Made of strong materials and constructed to last, this sharp stainless steel dethatching blade is a smart investment for optimal lawn maintenance.
Final Thoughts
Although it has its benefits, surplus thatch will pull out the life from your grass if you don’t remove it regularly.
Ideally, the layer should be thin enough to keep the roots safe from excessive winds and heat and allow the nutrients and water to penetrate easily.
To keep your grass healthy and beautiful, you need to dethatch it in early spring. Knowing that a dethatching machine can be costly, consider something less expensive, but efficient and potent like a dethatching blade.
With it, you can use your lawn mower to dethatch.
Our best pick is awesome for those looking for a quality dethatching blade that performs optimally and lasts for a long period. But, our budget pick is also awesome, but less costly!