Customer Reviews

Smart Solar 0400RM1 Solar Mole and Gopher Chaser

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(14)

 

 

The only way this item would get rid of moles (or voles) is if you accidentally stabbed the mole while putting the stake in the ground! I purchased one of these, just to test it, several months ago, and although I still saw a mole hole or two in the flower bed, the roses seemed to perk up a bit. Then, in August, I purchased two more for heavily infested areas. The moles have tunneled into the ground right next to the base of this product and tunneled under and completely around it as well. Apparently they enjoy a good massage every day. I am thoroughly disgusted with the three "mole chasers" I purchased and if it were within the return period, I would send them back in a heartbeat. My dog does a better job detering the moles by just sitting on their mounds!

I am a self employed maintenance gardener. Gophers and moles can be very destructive at some of my accounts. I purchased and installed 2 of the Solar Powered mole & gopher chasers. Within 1 week, the criters left the lawn areas. I have moved them around the different garden areas when I notice new activity. I am very happy with the results. Less damage = less work for me! Definately worth the price.

This product works great. As far as the actual distance its effective, its less than advertised. So buy an extra one.

This product looked like a pretty good idea. However, there are several problems. First, the solar panel charges a battery that only lasts a year. My last mole chaser had traditional batteries that had to be replaced every six months. With the solar panel I'm not saving that many batteries and I'm sure these rechargeables will be harder to find and more expensive than those D cells I used before. Second, the head is large (much larger than the solar panel itself). When you combine this with the need to put it in direct sunlight you end up with a big plastic disk with a solar panel in the middle of your yard. It's impossible to hide and only slightly more attractive than a mole hill. Finally, mine didn't seem to be well made. The buzzer came detached from the inside of the spike with only the gentlest tug on the wires. It looks like a case where two drops of glue rather than one would haves prevented this.

I'll leave others to debate whether or not these kinds of devices work. I've had a different brand before and it drove my moles away. Your results may vary.

I've had two of these in my back yard for about 6 weeks. At first the units worked great. Gophers stopped invading the lawn and moved back up the hill; or to my neighbor's lawn!?? These are a great IDEA for people who want a nice lawn but have a "do no harm" philosophy just be prepared to buy new ones every couple of months. This weekend we had to insert new (expensive, rechargeable) batteries because the units were hardly working even with the solar charger. While they still beep the noise is very faint; gophers have begun making a salad bar out of our garden and lawn area. I think a desire to make these units more durable (stakes fall apart when trying to move them in the yard) these things could be quite useful. Unfortunately the all mighty $$ comes first and quality components are last. I would be willing to pay more for something that worked longer, at least a summer. I've sent a complaint to customer service but apparently they don't care enough to contact me about the flimsy things.

My neighbor recommended the mole chaser, saying one worked for him. But it didn't work for me. I found a couple of problems with the product, in addition to the fact that it didn't actually solve my mole problem.

It is made of 3 parts: The large solar panel section at top, a central shaft, and a bottom spike that penetrates the ground. The battery and vibrator are in the center section.

My garden has pretty tough, clay soil. Getting it in the ground wasn't as easy as pushing it down into the ground. I needed to dig a hole and basically bury it, because I felt like it was going to be damaged if I tried to just drill it down into the soil.

Once the soil becomes compacted around it, it's virtually impossible to remove. You can take off the top solar panel easily enough, but if you try to pull the stake out of the ground, the base of the spike remains buried because there isn't really anything to keep the two lower sections attached. And that is the end of your functional mole chaser.

The battery continued working for about 2 years, the spike buzzing about once a minute. But in trying to get the spike out of the ground to move it, I ended up destroying it because the parts separate. Even trying to dig it out is futile, because once separated, the lower section is filled with soil, and if you pull up, the wires break.

End of story.

Can't heartily recommend this product.

WE bought three and sofar there is no vibration from them. I truly hope when the sun shines more it will activate them. They have been in the ground two months.

This product did not work. A gopher actually dug a whole just below it. Clearly, the quality is simply too low. I assume that the product can work, but mine did not.

We purchased five of these units and sadly report that three of these units have already failed after a month of use.

They have a solar cell on top which powers a burst of 400 Hz sound every 30 seconds. They use no batteries. A great idea but I just wish they were reliable.

They only come with a 6 month guarantee - that's the first RED FLAG.. Only one season of use and they write off their responsibility.. Also the instructions state that the unit is not water resistant and it's not sturdy enough to withstand freezing temperatures!! - ("Remove the unit from the soil if the ground freezes or when flooding occurs)"

This thing BREAKS easily. The pointy part that goes into the ground will stay there while the rest of it comes back out. Don't buy it. Oh, as for reading the instructions? Good luck. It is Englishish, but not exactly. I have no idea if the two I managed to get into the ground are functioning or not. I find it doubtful.