Here’s a link to this plate compactor: rebrand.ly/ghm-evo-hulk-electro Use discount code GOSFORTH for 10% off. If you use that code I earn a small amount of commission per sale. More info about affiliate links in the description. Thank you! 👍

thanks for your content... i bought a Schappes from Aldi for 300 and used it for a driveway reconstruction... and sold it a year later for 250...that allowed me to take time with the job as it was going to cost me 100+ to hire similar machine . please dont be guided by the bound up surface...what really matters is compaction through the full depth of foundation, this can be achieved by keeping surface moist, and building up in thinner layers...normally max layers 2.5 times max aggregate size... Freeze thaw and frost is the enemy to poorly compacted slabs so thats why many thinner layers within the capacity of machine is better...

Would be handy for prepping for concrete floors inside the house where petrol fumes would be an issue. Great review Andy, many thanks.

I’ve had one for about 5yrs and I think I paid about £140 at the time for it. Day job is a highway engineer so am use to bigger machines, that being said this has made its money back over and over again. I’ve only used it for small paths and done my mot in 4 layers so abit more time consuming but it does the job, just wish I had brought the mat at the same time. Downside is the cord, nice and long but does get in the way and that cord holder is pants. The bolts also have a tendency to work there self loose. For the amount of work it has done I can’t fault it, however if you keep your eye’s peeled then Lidl of all places have machines come up that a lot of landscapers seem to get for the smaller jobs.

Helpful review, thank you; I was curious about these leccy whackers! 🙂

Thank you for the review. Even though I’m not likely to buy a compactor, I just enjoy watching your reviews. 😊

Got one last summer for a job with the intention of selling it on but I have a soft spot for it now so ive kept hold of it. It rattles it's bolts loose on occasion and the cord is a bit of a pain in the arse but I was very happy with it's performance for the cost. Has to do it in several smaller layers than with a bigger machine but it is what it is. Would quite like to be able to fold up the handle for storage. I didnt think about hanging it as you mentioned so may give that a look into

At 4:22 you put the cross brace with rubber nubs on backwards. The rubber nubs rest against the plate edge when stored. They are not power cord holders.

Hi Andy, Handy little compactor for garden projects. A good demonstration on your green house base, and as always great honest video , Take care👍

Shay checking in from dublin Ireland thank you ❤❤

Thanks, I will buy one!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sling the cord over your shoulder then you won't risk going over it at all, same trick works wonders with electric lawnmowers as well.

I also saw this device and I am not sure if it has enough power for my garden projects. I also need to renew floors in the basement of my house. Electro device would be great for indoor projects. Perhaps I wait until there is a bigger, more powerful device.

Hi Andy, great little tool by the looks of it for the intended purpose, but as you said don't expect big plate performance. For re-sanding driveways it looks ideal, as the hard compacting will already have been done.

I've watch a few reviews on this over the last year or so and most of them say it's a good machine. One suggestion was build up in thinner layers. People get use to the chord after a while. I've seen it used in a house on the whole ground floor before the slab etc as ventilation was restricted. As you say for DIY or a handlful of jobs it looks a good option. Happy New Year.

Good honest review. As you say DIY at best . I’ve always thought that the weight Would be an issue and that bloody cord 😫🧱👍🏼

Thanks for this. Ive been thinking about this, or maybe one of the attachments for my breaker. This would be quicker for sure.

your conclusion is the same as mine, I've had one for a couple of years, used it a few times for smaller jobs and it's worked well each time. For my gravel drive with MOT sub base I've ended up using time and vehicles to compact it (then scrape it flat again and a bit more time) it's flat enough and doesn't move significantly under a 40t truck so is ok :)

Looks okay for small jobs

I've just got a manual tamper. For home use, shed bases etc it's good enough, no need for petrol or electric machines

Looks as if it would compact my plates a treat! Would be able to get loads of them in the dishwasher after treating them!!

Thanks Andy, horses for courses I guess, for a one off job it makes sense to hire, if you're going to be doing regular larger jobs then definitely bigger, heavier, petrol model, but if you've got a few smaller diy jobs lined up this could be just the job and you avoid faffing around with fuel etc ! Btw those two handles on the top of the housing look perfect for slinging a 25kg bag of sand across - that would make it heavier and less jumpy ! 😉

Can't fault this compactor! I bought one of these Nov 2017 it was £139 back then! Laid 80sqm of patio with it also taken on numerous light duty jobs over the years since, folds nicely to fit in the car boot. I had a problem with the lead early on just a lose connection but Evolution collected it replaced the lead and it was back to me within a few days, I was very impressed!

Happy New Year, Andy. Could you add some extra ballast? Bag of sand?

Thanks for the great review. I am going to be putting in some brick pathways and a good size brick patio this summer. With only having evenings and weekends to do this, it will take a good few months in many small segments to accomplish this. Thus it just wouldn't be economical to rent a plate compactor either for the entire period, or for a day here and a weekend there. I saw this electrical compactor, but thought it would be far too light to really get a good firm level of compaction so that the bricks won't settle. So it is good to see that it can compact the hard base sufficiently for foot traffic. But still I would be a little happier if it weighed a bit more. To add some more weight, what do you think of building a little wood tray of plywood with a rim of a plywood strips and clamping it to the bars on top. Then 5-10 kg of heavy things (perhaps plates from a weight lifting or concrete retainer wall blocks) can be layed in the tray to add a bit more weight. A square of foam under the weights would help keep them from bouncing and clattering about. Oh, and cushioned hose or pipe clamps could be used to hold the tray in place while providing some protection to the bars and eliminating clatter. Do you think the additional weight would help better compact the base to any meaningful additional degree, or would it just overload the machine and wear it out faster. BTW, the rubber pad is supposed to allow the compactor to go right on top of the bricks to help level and seat them without requiring a thick layer of protective sand on top like you would need with a larger more aggressive compactor. This helps solve the dilemma of what to do with all of that protective sand at the end of the project. Thanks again.

Cute. Much more manageable than a Whacker brand packer.

Nice one Andy. Don’t try hanging it up in the shed with magnets tho.😉

what kind of wood did you use for your raised beds? it looks a nice size

I looked at one of these last year, I'd a large shed base to do. Looked at hiring, but given the time I'd need it, buying was the best option. In the end I got an absolutely unbeatable deal on a Scheppach petrol one and it had wheels, essentially the same as the Hyundai, but this one was a strong contender for a long time.

Great vid Andy, can we have a review on different types of MOT, cant get my head round it all, tatty bye 😀👍

I think that the downward force should be considered with respect to the area of the plate. 5kN of force over a small plate produces the same pressure as a force of 10kN over a plate with twice the area. It seems to me that the real performance downgrade with the compact machine is that it takes longer (twice as long in this example) compared to the bigger machine, and not the compacting ability.

The Scheppach HP110S Petrol Compactor from Aldi gets excellent reviews, though need wait til its back on again, was 250 quid.

I think what's missing from this discussion and the comments is the moisture content or otherwise of hardcore filling. even a 100 kg whacker plate would be useless if the screenings or hardcore filling is dry. if you hose down and soak hardcore filling and come back when its soaked away, half of the compaction work will have been done, if left for a time it will also settle it quite a bit. The effectiveness of a light compactor will be increased if the material has the optimum amount of moisture content. Finally, just to say, If the foundation hasn't been dug deep enough it wont make a difference how good the whacker is... you cant make the base strong enough for pedestrian, or vehicular traffic. So the argument regarding the weight of a whacker has many other variable factors to consider...

Do you think this could be used for compacting polymeric sand in between pavers? The driveway’s already installed and the base was compacted by a petrol plate compactor already but those workers are long gone and I’ve got to do the polymeric myself.

i love my 2nd hand Robin 5Hp. Only paid 200 quid for it and yes its battered but it works. The main issue is you have to dismantle it to take it anywhere cos it's so damn heavy. I think the EVO is ideal for paths and stuff.

Could you strap a breeze block on top to give it a bit more weight!😆

Surely the most useful cost comparison, for DIY use anyway, would be with the cost of hiring a decent one for a day?

I just took a chance buying the Evolution dry wall sander. I don't have the budget for Mirka or Festool at this time :( Anyway, for £150 it's brilliant for my needs. It has LEd lights round the head & LED spot and long reach. Bit heavy but perfect for occasional use. Basically, I'm taking Evolution a bit more seriously now.

Hey Andy! Do you suppose you could strap a bit more weight to the top of the compactor to get a little more downforce? Just another 10kg or so? Do you think it would reduce the effective vibration too much? Just a thought. Cheers.

could you just strap a sandbag to the top to give it some more heft and weight?

Cable tie a bucket on top and add more weight? Will it still work or will it struggle?

Could you drop a bag of sand on top to make it a bit heavier? Might reduce the vibration a bit too.

I wonder with that metal construct going over the top of it...........could you add more weight? giving more down force?

Good review, you pointed out well what this tool is suited for and what not. For the kind and amount of work I have to do a petrol one of 10-15kN is probably a better choice. Anyway, you can sell these quickly after your project is done, and when using it for more than a week it's cheaper than renting one. Looking by the jumping at the front end it could use a bit more weight, and do a bit better job, just don't overload it, when it stops rattling it's too heavy.

I have 2 questions. 1 I have to fill in a pond with earth from elsewhere and it's to be paved over. It will be multi passes. Is it upto it. 2 What the hell do you do with it afterwards?

Probably better of renting a petrol one if u only need it for couple occasions

How was it done in the old days without these

Looks like a nice DIY toy for only £200. Here’s hoping 2024 is healthy and successful 🌞

Why did you leave that bare patch in the middle of the pad?

The fact you can pick it up so easy tells me all I need to know. I’ll stick with my Lumag.

according to what u say if my car is 2800kg i need same force in wacker before... sorry byt im not having 28kn

130W! There must be cordless versions if that's the case. Whacka do, whacka day.

Nooice!

Why would any diyer buy that lightweight when they could hire a 'real' compactor for a fraction of what that costs?

Strap a couple of bags of sand to the top of it to stop it from bouncing around.

Think id use that for a back massage. Thats about it

Hire one for twenty quid you get over twice the compaction and no cables to worry about I've just sold mine was a waste of time all right if your compacting fairy dust I suppose

you would just rent one for the day

being quite low power why don't they scale it up :)

mmm for 200quid id just hire a proper one for the day

Be cheaper to hire one if all you're doing is a bit for a greenhouse.

I don't understand the market that the company is trying to hit. Even at that low price, a homeowner would be better off going to the local rental center and rent a real one for the day. If you're a contractor, then you're gonna go out and buy a real one.

That vacuum's rubbish it didn't suck up anything 😒

It's a diddy whacker ... small jobs only.

Seems totally useless, i think it would be quicker to put a bit of wood on the ground and jump up and down on it!

Lol useless just say it

You do babble a bit

Is this channel done then, no substance left other then Evolutions product line and other freebies? Not to be harsh, just not what I signed up for.