Can this thing edge overgrown thick grass? I have tried an edger attachment on my gas trimmer and it got stopped by thick patches of grass.

I had one of these long ago - then upgraded to a gas unit, which I sold when I was selling the house. I plan on getting one of these on this deal. It cuts well, but just be patient and let the trimmer do the work. I have a long driveway where I need to cut away the overgrown grass each year. Sure you're balancing the thing on one wheel a lot of the time, especially if you are working with an asphalt driveway - but again just take your time.

The gas powered Weed Eater branded unit I ended up with made this unit look (and perform) like a toy, but for the price.....

If you think you will need a stronger unit, there are refurb deals on the Weed Eater PE550 I ended up with. Worked flawless for years, and was under $100. That WE unit would cut asphalt without trying!

I've got one of these. It may not be the EXACT same model, but it's extremely close.
Don't remember what mine cost either.

Mine has a stationary metal plate underneath that acts as a guide for edging. You sink that metal edge in between the grass and the sidewalk, and that's what keeps the edger in place. You can control the height of the blade based on your preference. The blade will actually cut below the sidewalk/curb line, which creates a thin trench between the two. So yes, it will cut through grass creeping onto the sidewalk and then some.

It can be tough to get through all of that dirt, especially if you haven't edged before. Of course this is dependent on how deep you want the thing to go.

Haven't tried it for trenching.

It does a great job and it's faster than doing it by hand, but don't expect it to be a magical device that makes edging "easy". I don't smile while using it the way those models do. It's easy to do, but harder than pushing a lawn mower.

The downside is that it is loud and causes a lot of vibration which can numb your hands and could cause blisters, but that's true with just about any handled tool.

The motor on the thing is very powerful, and if the cutting blade hits a rock in the ground (or if you push it into the cutting guid, it will spark. I suppose if conditions are right this could cause a fire, but I would consider that highly unlikely.

Overall it's a good tool to have. It's harder to use than a weed-eater/edger, but it does a MUCH better job. To handle curbs, just get that cutting guide between the curb and the grass and go slowly and carefully to keep the wheels on the ground and the angle true.

Thanks... got one...

In for one - thanks OP.

My refurbished edge hog is missing the bolt and knob that connect the tubes ! Otherwise the unit looks neat and clean. The box it came in was torn somewhat and was enough to have those bolt and knob slide out during transit to me. Will need to contact either of Black and Decker or Amazon. Hope others got their units without missing parts. Quite dissappointing start.