I should have read the reviews more carefully before buying this. As I look back, I see that many of the 5-star reviews are after a few uses, or even the first use. The tool will not eliminate bending, so one may as well bend and really get weeds out. It is very difficult to position the tool and work the lever to grab a weed. I had to manipulate the lever with my hand (bending). And when the tool grabbed a weed, with considerable effort on my part, I was only able to get part of the weed out. I knew when I bought it that it would only be a good tool for weeds with clear centers, so I only worked on such weeds. . One should not expect a tool like this to work with rhizomes (you just have to get on the ground and get them all out). As others have noted, you have to bend down and remove whatever part of the weed you pull out. I also found that I was unable to get out long roots (like dandelion roots), so they will be back after the next rain! The tool has a short handle. I am 5'9 and I am too tall to handle it comfortably. I have been gardening for 30 years and weeding on my hands and knees for that long. Every gardener wants a reprieve from weeding, especially as we face physical limitations. I wish this tool was the answer, but it is not. Using it is more work than bending to remove the weeds (I can no longer get on my knees, unfortunately)--and, as previously stated, it doesn't remove the need to bend, one is just doing it with a cumbersome tool in hand!

I debated and debated about ordering this product. After much consideration, I decided to try it and I was so disappointed. It just did not do what it said it would do. I finally decided to return it and initiated a return. I thought it odd that I had to print out a return label, because for other returns I have not had to do that. I noticed I was being charged for the return to UPS, and then noticed I was supposed to return it in the original packaging. The original packaging was delivered to me completely torn up; in fact, the weeder was half out of the box, so it was no longer useable. I drove to UPS to see if they could assist. The charge for a box there was $15.00. I refuse to pay 15.00 + $5.99 to return something I don't want. Grampa's Weeder, you must do better. Thank goodness for helpful Amazon customer service who just refunded the whole amount to my account.