Evolution Power ToolsH320-E Hulk Electro Plate Compactor, Electric - Ideal For Levelling Pavement, Artificial Turf Ground Preparation, Patio, Blockwork, Sand, Soil & More - 3 Year Warranty, 230V

Great little machine. Only using it for DIY patios and shed bases. Be aware this obviously is not as powerful as the petrol Wackers, however compact thin layers at a time (less than inch) and go over as many times and the type 1 is really solid. I was running it in 10 mins intervals with a short break in-between to make sure she motor was not over worked. If the handle starts shaking loads check the bolts are tight with the Alan key. Great little machine

Okay, this is a five star tool because it's well priced and is in a very small category of one when it comes to electric whacker plates but dropped A Star for a less than perfect handle. It is specifically aimed at the home gamer who is perhaps more enthusiastic than most when it comes to DIY and garden projects not the professional (or in my experience mostly unprofessional) builder.So my review is based entirely on the fact that this is ideal for home use and the price is far less than a reasonable quality fuel powered machine.So, firstly the really good thing. It's electric. And that means a couple of things. In use it's fairly quiet and that counts if you are doing work in your garden over the weekend and don't want to drive your neighbours nuts. Secondly, you don't have to mess around with petrol and lube oil which, inevitably means a cleaner and quicker job.The tool itself does a really good job of flattening sand and other aggregates. In fact, just as good as a half reasonable petrol one which, I was quite surprised about. I had fully expected this to take a much longer to do what I've done before having done a garage build when I borrowed a mates petrol machine to flatten down the hoggin base.The cable is robust and plenty long enough to reach most areas in a moderate sized garden or drive. No problems there.I also noted that in the review section one of the 'Star ratings' was for 'Lightweight' which, is a bit dumb. It isn't meant to be light because it's a whacker and that needs some heft. And by gum, it is pretty weighty. So if you are blessed with arms like Olive Oil then best you prepare yourself....Now, the bad - which I've seen other comments on. The handle is assembled using knobs so that you can disassemble for storage or transport. All well and good but....it's a whacker and therefore vibrates like a ladies bedroom toy on acid. And that means the handle knobs unscrew and fall out. You can tell when they start to slacken off immediately because the vibration in the handle increases dramatically. Given the design there is no way you can stop this because the rounded hollow bars that have the knurled knob tighten against will never allow enough friction to hold anything tight.This would be a problem but to be honest having spent my life on ships, building them and in the offshore oil construction industry and having been pre-warned by other reviews I figured I could MacGyver it some how. If you are not happy with mechanical tools and don't want to have to do a little home work on this, then I could imagine this whacker ending up on EBay quickly...Overall, this is a great bit of kit that works well. However, the handle falling apart will need to be dealt with and if you are not able to do this or don't feel inclined then it will be less than an ideal choice for you.

Does the job very well, great price

Arrived in great time and perfect condition

The compactor was delivered quickly.Assembly was delayed as the instruction manual shows 4 thumbscrews also any videos I've watched show the same thumbscrews, these weren't in the box so I decided to contact Evolution customer service.Complaint form not working.Live chat not working.Phone number not working.Email not answered.I finally discovered my self that the unit design has changed and instead of thumbscrews there are now Allen bolts already inserted on the handle.The unit itself is small and suitable for small jobs and has the advantage of being portable compared to petrol units.Seems OK so far and hopefully it doesn't break as the customer service is so poor.

I've only started using this compactor, having chosen to buy and take my time rather than hiring and being instantly against the clock. So far I am very impressed and it is very good at compacting MOT type 1. I am using it in a narrow space and it's small dimensions and relative light weight mean it is perfect for my job. If you build up shallow layers of the hard core as you should do in any case, you will find this machine can easily do the job. Very happy with my purchase.

I really wanted to like this plate compactor, especially with the promise of electric convenience and the 3-year warranty. However, it’s been a frustrating experience. The unit constantly cuts out during operation, often after just a few minutes of use. It doesn't seem to handle continuous work well, which is a serious issue when you're trying to level a patio or prep ground efficiently. I’ve checked all the connections and even tried different outlets—same problem every time. For a machine meant to compact soil and sand, it just doesn’t deliver reliable performance. Not what I expected from Evolution. Definitely wouldn’t recommend if you need something dependable.

Still yet to use this wacker plate so cannot comment on the build quality. However I cannot complain about the price. Certainly feels heavy duty and good quality. 4 stars just because I’ve not tried it yet.