Hello,

Thank you for your review. We appreciate your honest feedback! The deck is 25" but the cutting swath is slightly less as this allows the blades to rotate. We apologize for any confusion. We are working to obtain the high lift blades but right now, they are not available to purchase separately. This unit has innovative Smart Cut technology which adjusts the power or runtime based on the thickness of your grass. The unit can detect where more power is needed and when it might not be a requirement. The two blades are supposed to create a vacuum-like effect that pulls the grass to the blades to be cut which eliminates the possibility of a strip being left behind in between the blades. A sharp blade will greatly enhance the performance of the mower, especially when cutting high grass. Be sure to check the blades and sharpen them or replace them at least once per year. Here are a few other tips to achieve a cleaner cut: 1) Set the mower to the highest cutting height (or 1/3 of the length of grass), mow no more than 1/3 of the total length at a time. 2) Ensure that the grass is dry when mowing. 3) Alternate mowing patterns each time you mow. As grass develops a grain based on your cutting direction it will lean towards the direction of your mowing path. Changing the pattern allows better vertical growth and helps to keep the cut neater. For best results keep the grass under 4" in length and walk at a slow but steady pace to allow the blades to cut efficiently. We hope these tips will help you with the issues you have encountered! If not, please feel welcome to contact us directly at 1-888-909-6757 or send an email to info@greenworkstools.com.