David adds: “On the day of treatment, you’ll immediately notice a large amount of organic matter being brought to the surface, but don’t worry. This is to be expected.” Petrol scarifiers. If your lawn is larger than 100 square metres, you might want to invest in a petrol scarifier. Although they’re quite expensive, and can be a little noisy, they’re the best lawn scarifier, especially if you’re looking for maximum efficiency. These options aren’t the best lawn scarifier for beginners, but if you know your stuff, they can’t be beaten. Depending on the type of aerator you’re going to choose, there are several key features to look for:

However, it is important to note that the Hyundai 1800W Electric Lawn Scarifier does require an extension cable for larger gardens, as the included power cable measures only 10m in length. Additionally, it is worth mentioning that the scarifier is primarily constructed from plastic, which may result in a slightly reduced level of durability compared to other materials. Lastly, for optimal results, it is recommended to mow the grass before utilizing the scarifier, which does add to the preparation time. When it comes to safety features, the Bosch Universal Lawn Rake 900 has everything you could need, from its easily-visible bright red power lead to the safety button that prevents the machine from accidentally turning on. It’s not a noisy machine either – in fact, it was probably the best lawn rake in terms of volume. This is another mid-budget electric scarifier and aerator that offers a lot of value, given what it costs. Manual Rolling Drum Aerators – these are time and labour saving, as you simply walk across the lawn pushing the roller Electric lawn scarifiers are quiet, lightweight and cost effective. They are great to use on small to medium lawns. Electric scarfiers do a great job of hauling the moss and thatch from your grass with minimal effort on your part. They won’t need re-filling like a petrol scarifier either. However, they’re not always as powerful as petrol scarifiers and you may find yourself restricted by the cord length.Chris adds: “You can hire or buy one if you have a large area to cover. This method will remove a lot more material and be useful if you want to overseed afterwards. This may result in seeing soil patches where the moss has been removed - but that is what you need to overseed, so don’t panic.” Start by tearing up the thatch by combing through the grass, carefully covering every area of your lawn. Set the blades on the scarifier to the appropriate depth, which will depend on the severity of thatch buildup. It's generally recommended to start with a shallower setting and adjust afterwards if it's needed,’ Ionel says.

Electric corded aerators: Lightweight, quiet and often at the budget-end, these are best suited to small and medium-sized gardens with a power supply. Most come with a collection box, which is a useful, time-saving feature, but the cord length can be restrictive as well as potentially hazardous. Alternatively you can use a petrol or electric scarifier, which is talked about in more detail in the next section of this article. Out of the lawn scarifiers I tested, the AL-KO Comfort 38E has the widest lawn raker width at 38 cm. It is powered by an easy to start 212cc 4-stroke engine which provides enough power for fast and efficient lawn raking and de-thatching.

My opinion of this AL-KO lawn rake and scarifier kept improving after I started scarifying my mossy lawn. It didn’t take long for the machine to pull all of the moss and thatch out, and its large 1500W engine prevented it from overheating when it was used for longer stretches. David adds that is worth bearing in mind that while scarificationmachines can be bought online and aren’t that expensive, they’re far more like motorised rakes and so shouldn’t be confused with or compared to the kind of machine professional lawn care experts use. The Wolf Garten Moss Remover is one of the best manual scarifiers on the market. The quality is simply unmatched and the performance outstanding, It really does remove moss and thatch easily, and the 10-year guarantee is really the cherry on top. But you do have to provide the handle and the person-power to make it work.

Perfect for large lawns of 100m2 or larger due to the absence of a power cord. In these cases, a petrol scarifier really is the only viable option.Value for Money: I compared the features, performance, and price point of each scarifier and rated their value for money accordingly. Scarifying is the process of removing debris (moss and thatch, leaves, grass cuttings) from the lawn by catching it in bladed teeth.

The collector bin has a 28 litre capacity which isn’t enough unless you don’t mind repeatedly having to empty it. This model will also require the use of an extension lead due to the short 10m power cord. The AL-KO 38P has a working width of 37cm, that’s wider than the usual 30cm you usually find on domestic models. To switch between scarifying and aerating, you need to switch between two cassettes, which look like rollers. The underside is difficult to clean and the instruction manual isn’t the easiest to read but limitations are expected at this price point.A scarifier is not the same as an aerator. A scarifier removes thatch and moss from within the lawn. An aerator either punches lots of holes into your lawn with a set of spikes (often on a big roller) or removes lots of tiny cores from your lawn. This allows water and lawn feed to go into the holes and reach the grass roots. Aerating does not remove any moss or thatch which is a big difference.