Best Lawn Scarifier Reviews UK

Best Electric Lawn Scarifier

Detailed independent research and analysis has been performed on all the products we review. If a purchase is made from a link on our page we may get a small commission but it will not affect our product suggestions.

A lawn scarifier is a gardening tool used to maintain lawns. Although they look like a lawn mower, a lawn scarifier doesn’t cut the grass but instead aerates the soil using teeth, blades, or claws. These dig into the soil and pull out lawn thatch such as grass, moss, and other debris.

Doing so helps the lawn to breathe better, allowing more water, air, and nutrients to pass through the soil and nourish the grass. So, when using a lawn scarifier a lawn becomes much healthier and more vibrant, making it a worthwhile investment for anyone looking to maintain the perfect lawn.

The reason a lawn scarifier is an important tool for lawn maintenance is because of thatching. This is when natural debris accumulates on the lawn over the months, with the material like dead leaves, weeds, moss, and grass clippings building up on the lawn surface to create a lawn thatch

This tends to occur during the winter months when there is less time spent mowing the grass due to the weather. All the material builds up on the lawn, leading to thatching that effectively chokes the grass, stopping it from receiving air, water, and nutrients.

As a result, your lawn health takes a big hit and becomes much less attractive, with less growth and lots of patches developing.

One way to overcome this issue is by using a lawn scarifier, which uses blades or teeth to rip into the lawn thatch and penetrating the soil, removing all debris from the surface area and allowing the lawn to breath once more.

This results in a healthy and vibrant lawn, so a good lawn scarifier is a worthwhile investment for anyone looking to maintain the perfect lawn. They’re very simple to use, working similarly to a lawn mower, while there are also manual models available that are great for aerating smaller lawns.

Bosch AVR 1100 Verti Cutter Lawn Raker
Bosch AVR 1100 Verti Cutter Lawn Raker
Bosch AVR 1100 Verti Cutter Lawn Raker

The Bosch AVR 1100 Verti Cutter Lawn Raker is a multipurpose lawn scarifier capable of aerating and scarifying the lawn. This means it doesn’t just remove the thatch, it penetrates the soil while shredding up all debris from the surface, helping your lawn breathe and get much needed nutrition.

Powered by a robust 1100W electric motor, the AVR 100 features an efficient Jet-Collect System that combines steel cutting blades with airflow inlets. The former removes and shreds all lawn debris while the latter pierces the soil for better aeration.

A robust cylindrical drum is fitted with 14 sharpened steel blades that rotate at high speeds, making them very effective at removing all kinds of debris, including moss, leaves, and weeds, removing them from the lawn to improve airflow and irrigation.

You can switch between four height settings (5/0/-5/-10 mm) that can cut just above the soil or penetrate a few millimetres inside, allowing you to either remove thatch, aerate, or do a combination of both.

The lower height settings get quite deep into the ground too and will likely rip up some grass growth, although this isn’t necessarily a bad thing as it allows plenty of space for regrowth. Plus, when there is more space for regrowth the newer grass comes through much healthier – just be prepared as your lawn may look scalped when using deeper settings!

Also, when scarifying the lawn, it does remove a lot of debris, so you’ll likely need to empty the collection bag a few times!

Pros

Cons

BOSCH AVR 1100 Verti Cutter Lawn Raker
  • Fast verticutting without tool blockage
  • Fast and complete collection of moss and thatch
  • Comes with a 50 Litre collection box, vibration emission value ah: 2.5 m/s²,...

VonHaus 2 in 1 Lawn Scarifier

VonHaus 2 in 1 Lawn Scarifier - 1500W Electric Garden Lawn Rake with 4 Working Depths & 10m Power Cable
VonHaus 2 in 1 Lawn Scarifier - 1500W Electric Garden Lawn Rake with 4 Working Depths & 10m Power Cable
VonHaus 2 in 1 Lawn Scarifier - 1500W Electric Garden Lawn Rake with 4 Working Depths & 10m Power Cable

The VonHaus 2-in-1 Lawn Scarifier is a powerful dual functioning model that both aerates and scarifies your lawn, making it an ideal solution for year-round lawn maintenance. Packed with a powerful 1500W electric motor, the lawn scarifier has all the power it needs to remove aerate, scarify, or a combination of both.

There are four different depth settings you can work with on each roller, with the aerator operating at heights from 11mm to -5mm and the scarifier operating at heights from 4mm to -12. The lowest settings go deep into the soil, providing efficient aeration and scarifying, although be careful with the latter as this can end up removing a lot of grass along with the thatch.

The only real drawback of these rollers is the fact that you need to manually swap them out. Many dual functioning lawn scarifiers automatically switch between each mode, so swapping them out by hand is somewhat time consuming, although not too difficult to complete.

Plus, it helps to avoid accidental scarifying when you only meant to aerate!

A 32cm working width is a good size for lawns sized around 100-150sqm, allowing for fewer passes that helps to reduce the time spent working on the task.

Scarifying takes longer because it goes deeper into the ground and cuts up the debris but this isn’t too notable thanks to the lightweight (9.9kg) design, making it easy to operate in both modes and at all depths.

Given the impressive power of the scarifier, it’s worth mentioning that using on the lowest height settings results in a lot of scarifying or aerating, which can result in bare looking lawns. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, as the regrown grass comes back healthier than ever, although it can look unsightly until it regrows.

Pros

Cons

Sale
VonHaus Lawn Scarifier/Aerator/Rake Electric 1500W – for Dethatching/Raking Grass of Thatch, Moss,...
  • GARDEN MAINTENANCE: Keep your garden in tip top shape with the the VonHaus...
  • BUILT TO LAST: Your super-tough VonHaus scarifying rake will last & last. With...
  • MULTI PURPOSE: Whether you want to collect leaves, moss or dead grass, or aerate...

Flymo Compact 3400 Electric Lawnrake

Flymo Lawnrake Compact 3400 Electric Lawnrake, 750 W, Cutting Width 34 cm

The Flymo Compact 3400 is an electric lawn rake that aerates your lawn by removing builds ups of moss and thatch with speed and efficiency. Although not designed for scarifying larger lawns, the aerating function is just as important for maintaining a healthy lawn, while being the better option for dealing with small to medium size lawns.

Using this at the beginning and end of the growing season (early spring and late autumn) will remove any build up that’s preventing air, water, and nutrients from reaching the soil and root systems, resulting in a healthier, more vibrant lawn throughout the year.

All loose debris is quickly gathered by the internal cylinder rake, which is covered in multiples tines that easily attach to lawn thatch and moss. In just a few passes you can have all the debris blocking the soil removed entirely from the lawn, with an option of four height settings (8mm to -5mm) for different lawn conditions.

This is an ideal aerator for smaller lawns that doesn’t have too much thatch or moss build ups. When there isn’t too much of a build up powerful scarifiers may end up scalping a lawn and leaving very little behind, so models such as the Compact 3400 ensure a healthy amount of thatch and moss is removed.

It won’t cut up the thatch as it gathers or pierce deeply into the soil like a scarifier does, but not every lawn requires such extensive work, making the Compact 3400 a great option for lawns that aren’t in terrible condition but could still use some maintenance.

Pros

Cons

Flymo Lawnrake Compact 3400 Electric Lawnrake, 750 W, Cutting Width 34 cm
  • 750 watt motor
  • 34cm rake width
  • 6 rake heights (-5mm to +8mm)

AL-KO Combi-Care 38 E Electric Scarifier

AL-KO Combi-Care 38 E Electric Scarifier, 1300 W, 38cm

The AL-KO 38 E Comfort is a powerful electric lawn sacrifier that also aerates/rakes lawn thatching, allowing you to maintain the perfect lawn throughout the year. With a 1300W electric motor and two interchangeable rollers, the lawn scarifier is a versatile tool that will leave your lawn looking better than ever.

Not only does it gather and shred moss and thatch, it also pierces into the soil to further improve airflow, all with the upmost ease and efficiency. Both rollers are equipped to deal with lawns of varying condition, with five depth modes letting you adjust the rollers depending on the lawn.

For instance, the lawn rake roller features 24 steel spring tines that quickly attach to moss and thatch that are choking your lawn, gathering it all in a large 55 collector bag so you don’t need to stop and empty too often.

When it comes to more challenging lawns that are covered with leaves, weeds, moss, and a dense thatch, you can switch out to the sanctifying roller. Equipped with 14 razor sharp steel blades, the roller makes short work of tougher lawn growth while piercing into the soil at various heights.

Having the option to either rake or scarify the lawn is useful because sometimes only one is needed. Raking is recommended as regular maintenance, while scarifying is required less often but still worth doing whenever the lawn condition begins to falter.  

Pros

Cons

Sale
AL-KO Comfort 38E Combi-Care 2 in 1 Electric Lawnrake & Scarifier/Aerator with Collector 1300W...
  • Lightweight, electric scarifier with 38cm working width and 14 steel blades....
  • 3INONE function - Scarify, Aerate and Grass Catch: Scarifing and catching is...
  • No battery or petrol is required as the scarifier is powered by a 1300 watt...

Darlac Lawn Scarifier & Moss Aerator

   Darlac DP888 Telescopic Lawn Scarifier Moss Aerator Grass Scarifying

Not all lawn scarifiers need to be powered by electricity – this manual lawn scarifier is just as effective as its electric powered counterparts!

Granted, a manually operated lawn scarifier does require a little more effort to operate, especially in larger lawns, yet it still does a great job removing moss and thatch to help the lawn breathe and get more water.

It features a 11 bladed roller so can get quite deep into the soil to remove tougher thatch, while the blades can remove a significant amount of growth on each pass. You may need to work it a bit harder in rougher lawn conditions, although you can sill expect it to improve these lawns by removing all unwanted thatch and moss.

You can easily adjust the length of the lawn scarifier thanks to a telescopic handle, with the length adjustable from 97cm to 1.5m. Just switch on the handle and it will collapse or extend to the desired height for comfortable operation.

This can also be used to adjust the depth of the blades, with deeper penetration better suited for larger lawns with a lot of thatch build up. Made from powered coated steel, the scarifier is a robust tool that can be pulled at angles of 45-degrees.

It may require a bit more effort than an electric model but it still gets the job done! Plus, its available for a very affordable price and is a great way to see whether scarifying has any benefits to your lawn without paying for an expensive model.

Pros

Cons

Sale
Darlac Lawn Scarifier – For Lawn Care & Maintenance – Made From Strong Powder-Coated Steel –...
  • DARLAC LAWN SCARIFIER – Our award-winning Darlac Lawn Scarifier will help you...
  • EASE OF USE – Designed for easier raking, our scarifiers for lawns have a...
  • RELIABLE AND DURABLE – We’ve built our Darlac Lawn Scarifier to last. Next...

Buying Guide

Thinking of buying a lawn scarifier but aren’t sure what to look for? There are certain types of scarifier and various functions that you may require depending on your lawn, so be sure to check the guide below for all the information you need to know to choose the best lawn scarifier.

Types of Lawn Scarifier 

Lawn scarifiers are categorised by their power sources, with electric, petrol, and manual models all available. Each one has their advantages and may be a good option for your garden.

Electric

As with electric lawn mowers electric lawn scarifiers are the most widely available and are perfect for small to medium sized lawns between 100-500sqm. This makes them suitable for most UK gardens, with the electric powered rollers fitted with claws, teeth, or blades making short work of overgrown lawn thatches while quickly aerating the soil.

Petrol

Just like petrol lawn mowers this type of scarifier is powered by a petrol engine, these scarifiers are the most powerful so are best suited to larger gardens that above 500sqm. Despite being much more powerful, they do require more maintenance and are usually the most expensive.

Manual

Just like a manual push mower these lawn scarifiers are not powered by anything, instead being manually pushed over the lawn where the roller pierces into the thatch and soil. They’re perfect for smaller lawns up to 100sqm and are very affordable, although they do require a bit of effort to operate.  

Aerator or Blades?

Along with their power source, lawn scarifiers are classified by the cutting mechanism used to pull up lawn thatch and pierce the soil, either being an aerator or bladed. Both do the exact same thing, just through a slightly different mechanism, while the size of the lawn will determine which is more suitable.

Aerator/Lawn Raker

An aerator (also known as a lawn raker) features a cylindrical roller that is fitted with vertical teeth or claws called tines. When this roller rotates, the tines attaches to the lawn thatch to help remove debris clogging the lawn, allowing more water and air to penetrate the soil.

Aerators typically perform best on lawns that are no larger than 300sqm and are mostly covered in moss, which tends to build up on shaded areas of the lawn and during the winter months. Lawns that have significant issues due to thatch and other build ups may require a more intensive treatment provided by a bladed scarifier.

Bladed Scarifier

Bladed scarifiers feature a cylindrical roller that features a series of blades instead of tines. These blades cut through the thatch just like an aerator, but also penetrate the soil where it cuts root

The blades also chop and shred the debris as it pulls it up from the lawn instead of just removing the thatch like an aerator, making them better equipped at removing leaves, weeds, clippings, and just about anything that builds up on the lawn.

They also collect all the freshly chopped debris into a bag for easier disposal and are generally more efficient than aerators. This makes them suitable for large lawns upwards of 300sqm or for anyone looking to reseed, as they have the power to cut through roots and remove a of the surface if needed.

Which is Best?

Each type has its value and it depends what you want to do with your lawn.

For instance, if you have a larger lawn that is struggling to grow properly, then a bladed lawn scarifier is a great choice. Anyone with smaller lawn should be fine with an aerator, just bear in mind it only removes the thatch rather than chopping it up, so may struggle to remove certain debris.

However, many modern lawn scarifies now have dual functions, letting you switch between aerating and scarifying, giving the best of both worlds!

Last update on 2025-02-15 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

About The Author