Picked the $30 hand trowel over the $120 power one for my patio job in Phoenix

I was resurfacing a 400 sq ft concrete patio last week and figured a power trowel would save my back. Rented one for $120 but it kept bogging down on the edges and I spent more time fighting it than smoothing. Swapped to a $30 marshalltown finishing trowel and got way better results in half the time, lol. The rental place guy even laughed when I brought it back early and said I made the right call for a DIY job like mine. Has anyone else had a tool that looked better on paper but totally flopped in practice?

2 comments

2 Comments

miabennett1d ago

lol the "fighting it more than smoothing" part is exactly what my uncle told me about his pressure washer last month. he got some high end gas one that was supposed to be amazing but it just kept stalling and vibrating like crazy. ended up using my cheap electric one for the whole driveway and it worked perfectly. i swear sometimes the simpler stuff just works better for regular people jobs.

the_joseph1d ago

What's the brand name on that gas one he bought?