Every gardener strives to get that perfect, healthy looking green lawn. The kind of lawn you see on the front of gardening magazines or covering large areas of botanical gardens and stately homes.
Sadly though, such lawns are quite hard to achieve in reality, and require a great deal of care and maintenance to get looking perfect and pristine.
Some of the biggest issues preventing these dream lawns from coming true are a build up of unwanted growth, such as moss or thatch, as well as soil becoming compacted over the winter months.
If you’re close to losing hope of ever achieving the lush, green space you’re longing for, we’re here to tell you that there is a way you can still get the lawn of your dreams!
One of the most effective tools you can add to your gardening arsenal to help you achieve this is a lawn scarifier.
Lawn scarifiers are designed to rake up and remove moss, thatch and other unwanted growth from your lawn by the roots, ensuring that it can’t grow back and allowing the existing grass to soak up the nutrients it needs to grow strongly.
They are also perfect for aerating your lawn, which doesn’t only prevent the underlying soil from becoming hard and compacted through excess rain or snow, but also helps you prepare the soil effectively ahead of applying lawn seed in spring or autumn.
However, as with all gardening equipment, there are a plethora of different makes and models of lawn scarifiers to choose from, and finding the right one for your garden can become a bit of a confusing task.
To help take the confusion out of it, we’ve listed five of the best lawn scarifiers available below, along with a super useful buying guide that will help you ensure you find the best option for your own individual lawn care needs.
So, take a seat, grab yourself a cup of tea, and join us as we take you on a journey through the best lawn scarifiers. Before long, your garden will have a beautiful, green lawn that will be the envy of all your neighbours!
In a hurry? This is our winner!
- POWERFUL LAWNRAKER FOR SMALL TO MEDIUM LAWNS - 20 spring tines rotate 60 times a second to thoroughly comb your lawn and remove moss, thatch and weeds whilst scratching the surface of the ground to improve drainage and aeration for healthier grass growth
- 4 WORKING DEPTHS AND 30L COLLECTION BOX - simply adjust the single lever to change the height of the rake from -9mm to +5mm for deep or gentle raking, whilst the large collection box means fewer trips to the garden bin
- EASY TO MANOEUVRE AND STORE - large 19cm wheels make it very easy to move over rough and uneven terrain, and it has a comfortable handlebar for easy handling which folds down to save storage space when not in use
Best Lawn Scarifier – Comparison Table
Best Lawn Scarifier – Reviews
Greenworks G40DT35 Cordless Lawn Rake Moss Scarifier and Dethatcher, 3600rpm, 36cm Working Width, 4 Depths, 30L Collection Box WITHOUT 40V Battery & Charger, 3 Year Guarantee
Featuring a powerful 600W motor and a cutting width of 30cm, the GD300 Lawnraker from Greenworks will make short work of cutting thatch and moss from your lawn, and leaving it perfectly aerated.
The adjustable height setting gives you the opportunity to choose the perfect positioning against the length of your grass, and makes it fantastic for year round lawn maintenance, allowing you to dethatch on longer grass throughout the winter and on shorter grass during the summer months.
It also features a large, 30 litre collection box located on the front, which picks up all of the debris you’ve collected whilst in use and allows you to easily dispose of it in your compost heap or garden waste.
Perfect for small and medium sized gardens, the 10 metre cable gives you plenty of room to comfortably manoeuvre it around your lawn without having to worry about extension leads, and it’s safe intelligent design features a safety lock-off switch that stops the machine from operating as soon as you let go of the handle.
- A powerful 600W motor and a 30cm cutting width take all the hard work out of scarifying your lawn
- Three adjustable height settings allow you to care and maintain for your lawn all year round
- Features a large, 30 litre collection box for easy disposal of debris and cuttings
- The 10m cable makes it easy to manoeuvre around small and medium sized gardens
- Also features a safety lock-off switch that cuts the machine’s motor off as soon as you let go of the handle
- The 10m cable is perfect for smaller gardens, but you’d need an extension lead if you wanted to use this lawn scarifier on a larger outdoor space
Bosch 060088A071 Electric Lawn Raker UniversalRake 900 (900 W, Operating width: 32 cm, Capacity of collection box: 50 l, in carton packaging) | Classic Green
The ALR 100 Lawn Raker from Bosch is packed full of innovative features that, when paired with the powerful 900 watt motor, make scarifying your lawn, clearing moss and preparing for reseeding a total breeze.
Featuring a super efficient ‘Jet Collect System’, the BOR steel blades and special airflow inlet vents offer fast cutting of moss and thatch, all of which are collected in the spacious 50 litre collection box.
The large capacity of the collection box also means you can carry on scarifying without needing to stop as frequently.
A total of four height settings allows you to dethatch and keep your lawn looking in perfect condition all year round, and as well as providing a faster cut, the ‘Jet Collect System’ also prevents any blockages from occurring as debris is cut from your lawn.
Once you’re done scarifying, you can easily and compactly store the lawn raker away in your shed thanks to the folding handle and stackable collection box, which makes it an ideal choice for anybody with limited storage space.
- Features a ‘Jet Collect System’ that allows the BOR steel blades to cut at a super quick speed
- The innovative ‘Jet Collect System’ also prevents any moss or debris from clogging up or blocking the blades
- Has a large 50-liter capacity collection box that allows you to carry on scarifying without stopping to empty it as frequently
- Four height settings mean that you can keep your lawn free from moss all year round
- Stores neatly and compactly thanks to folding handles and stackable collection box
- Previous customers found that the plastic construction of this lawn raker made it feel a little more lightweight than they would have liked, however it still did a fantastic job or scarifying their lawns
BLACK+DECKER Lawn Raker 600 W with Large Capacity Front Loading Grass Box and Heigh Adjustment System GD300-GB, Orange, 24x50x50 cm
Perfect for small and medium sized gardens, the Electric Lawnrake from BLACK & DECKER contains a host of features that will help to ensure your lawn is kept looking green and healthy all year round.
It’s sharp, cylinder rake with a 34cm cutting width is powered by a 750 watt motor that will take all of the hard work out of clearing moss, thatch and debris from your grass, whilst the generous 12 metre cable gives you ample room to move freely around your garden without the need for an extension lead.
All of the cut moss and thatch is collected in the large 34 litre collection box, which has been cleverly designed not only to catch the trimmings as you scarify, but also compacts them down so you don’t have to stop and empty the box as regularly.
Six adjustable height settings ranging from -5mm to +8mm give you the opportunity to keep your lawn clear from unwanted growth all year round, and is perfect for preparing your lawn for reseeding in the spring or autumn. It’s also compact enough to store away neatly when not in use.
- Uses a sharp, cylinder rake with 34cm cutting width to remove moss and scarify effectively
- The 750 watt motor provides a good amount of power and the 12m cable gives you freedom of movement around small and medium sized gardens
- A 34 litre collection box compacts any cuttings down, meaning you don’t have to keep stopping to empty it
- Has six adjustable height settings from -5mm to +8mm for year round lawn maintenance
- Stores away neatly and compactly when not in use
- The metal raking tines do need to be replaced eventually, however they do last a long time before this needs doing and they are really easy to find online
Einhell GC-SA 1231 electrical scarifier/aerator (1200W, 31cm work. width, up to 9mm op. depth), fold. handlebar, 28L catch bag, incl. aerator cylinder
Ideal for scarifying and aerating lawns measuring up to 300m square, the Dual Purpose Scarifier & Lawn Rake from Einhell doesn’t only keep your lawn free from unwanted moss and thatch, but also effectively prevents the underlying soil from becoming compacted over the winter months.
A total of eight high quality double blades are powered by a 1200 watt motor to make sure that moss and weeds are pulled out by the root, leaving only perfectly green grass behind. These blades are interchangeable with the included 42 claw aerator, giving you the perfect tool for preparing your lawn ahead of reseeding.
Three adjustable height settings allow you to find the perfect cutting or aerating length for your lawn at any time of year, keeping it longer over the colder months and shorter during spring and summer.
Meanwhile, the 10 metre long cable allows you to freely move around your lawn without worrying about the power cutting out.
All of the cuttings are collected in the generously sized 28 litre collection bag, which can be easily removed and emptied onto a compost heap. And, once you’ve finished scarifying your lawn, the foldable steering bar gives you the ability to store this fantastic tool away neatly and compactly.
- Perfect for removing thatch and aerating lawns up to 300m square in size
- Features interchangeable blades – 8 cutting blades for clearing unwanted growth from the lawn, and a 42 claw aerator for preparing soil and preventing it from becoming compacted
- Has three adjustable height settings for keeping your lawn healthy all year round
- The 28 litre collection bag is easy to remove and empty
- Can be stored away neatly thanks to the foldable steering bar
- Unlike some other scarifiers, you do have to change the blades over depending on what you’re using it for. However, this is really quick and easy to do.
VonHaus 2 in 1 Scarifier & Lawn Aerator 1500W – Electric Grass Rake for Dethatching/Raking All Lawns – Large 30L Collection Box, 10m Cable, 4 Height Settings, Large Working Width – 2 Year Warranty
Featuring a powerful 1.5 kW petrol engine, this Scarifier & Lawnraker from Vonhaus is perfect for use on larger lawns and gardens where access to electricity is hard to come by.
The lawn rake attachment features steel tines that are perfect for pulling up and removing moss, thatch and other unwanted growth from your lawn without causing any damage to the existing grass, and the interchangeable aerator attachment features specially designed blades for turning over soil and preparing the ground for reseeding.
Both of these attachments are easy to change as required without the need for any tools, and the 55 litre fabric collection bag is easy to remove and empty. The underside of the machine has been designed to allow for easy cleaning after use.
It also features an easy-twist dial that allows you to effortlessly switch between five cutting heights, giving you the opportunity to keep your lawn in great shape all year round, and a working width of 38cm means that you can cover more ground at once.
- The petrol motor is ideal for using on larger lawns or in gardens where access to electricity isn’t available
- Includes a lawn rake attachment designed for clearing moss and thatch from your lawn, and an aerator attachment that can be used for turning over soil and preparing a lawn for reseeding
- Both of these attachments are easy to switch between without the need for any additional tools
- Five adjustable cutting heights allow you to care for your lawn all year round
- Comes complete with a large 55 litre collection bag that is easy to remove and empty
- Although the petrol motor is ideal for anybody that hasn’t got easy access to outside electricity, you will need to make sure you have a ready supply of petrol to top it up with as required
Best Lawn Scarifier – Buyer’s Guide
Whether you’re repairing an existing lawn or trying to keep your grass looking green and healthy all year round, a scarifier is an essential tool to help you achieve your gardening goals.
However, there are a few things you need to give some thought to before making your purchase in order to make sure you get the perfect lawn scarifier for your needs. We’ve outlined some key points below for you to bear in mind when you’re shopping around.
Power
The first thing you need to think about is how much power you need from your lawn scarifier, and how you intend on supplying it with power as well.
Let’s start with the wattage that you require. Removing unwanted growth such as moss and thatch from your lawn, whilst ensuring you don’t accidentally cause any damage to the existing grass, requires a fair amount of force, so you’ll need a scarifier with a decent amount of wattage to it.
The amount of wattage to go for, however, can usually be determined by the size of your lawn. If you have a smaller or medium sized lawn, then a scarifier that has somewhere between 600W and 1000W of power will be adequate for a smaller area. If you have a large garden then you should choose a model that has around 1000W to 1500W of power.
The next thing you need to think about is what source of power is best for you. Scarifiers and lawn rakers are available with motors that are either powered by electricity or petrol, and your choice between these will usually also come down to the size of your garden.
Electric scarifiers are a good choice for smaller and medium sized gardens, as you’re more likely to have closer access to an electrical outlet. They also tend to have power cables that are around 10m-12m in length, which allows you to move freely around your lawn without needing to use an extension lead.
If you’ve got a larger garden, then a petrol scarifier may be the best option as you’ll be able to move freely around a large amount of lawn without needing to plug in multiple extension cords in order to cover the entire area. Bear in mind, however, that you will need to have a ready supply of petrol available to you in order to prevent the scarifier from cutting out on you as the tank empties.
Blades
The purpose of scarifying a lawn is to remove unwanted growth, allowing your grass to take up more nutrients, prevent the soil from becoming compacted over winter, and to prepare the ground for reseeding in spring or autumn. With this in mind, you need to make sure that the scarifier you choose has all the correct blades or attachments in order to carry out all of these tasks effectively.
Most scarifiers contain blades and tines that are able to do all of this thanks to their powerful, sharp blades. However, there are some models available that allow you to switch and interchange between raking and aerating blades rather than relying on a ‘one size does all’ approach.
These interchangeable blades are great for giving you peace of mind that you’re carrying out the exact task you set out to do, and also give you the opportunity to remove and clean the blades as necessary. They are also usually easy to remove without the need for any additional tools, allowing you to quickly switch between them without any hassle.
Cutting Height
Whilst most people only really think about dethatching their lawns and preparing the ground for reseeding at certain times of year, it’s actually really important to ensure that you’re maintaining the health of your grass all year round.
One way to make sure you’re doing this is to look for a scarifier that comes with different cutting height options. This will allow you to get as close to the ground as possible whilst the grass is cut shorter during the spring and summer (and when moss and thatch is most actively growing), and will allow you to aerate the soil when the grass is longer during the winter, making sure that the ground doesn’t become compacted through rain, snow and ice.
Collection Bag
A good lawn scarifier will also come complete with a collection bag, which will pick up and store any unwanted growth you’re removing from your lawn, without it falling back to the ground or requiring you to manually rake it all up afterwards.
When you’re looking at your potential lawn scarifier’s collection bag, make sure that it has a capacity that matches the size of your garden. Anything too small and you’ll find yourself constantly stopping to empty it out onto your compost heap, resulting in the job taking twice as long as it needs to.
There are some scarifiers that come with collection bags that have been designed to compact the clippings as they collect them. These are a good choice for larger gardens, as they’ll be able to fit much more into them without you stopping to empty it.
Another thing you’ll want to make sure of when you’re looking at the collection bag is that it is easy to remove from the scarifier for emptying, and that you can easily clean it in order to keep it in good condition.
Safety Features
A scarifier is a potentially dangerous piece of gardening equipment, so it’s important to make sure there are some safety measures in place to keep you protected from any accidents or injuries.
One really good safety feature you’ll find one some scarifiers is the power cutting out as soon as you let go of the handle. This means that there is no chance of the machine getting away from you if you lose your grip, and also means that you don’t have to worry about fully switching it off every time you need to empty the collection bag.
Another fantastic safety feature is an integrated cord holder, which will help you make sure that the electrical cable is kept secure and prevents you from accidentally running over it as you move around your lawn.
Storage
Finally, you should give some consideration to how you intend on storing your scarifier when it’s not in use, and how much space you have in order to keep it neatly stashed away until you’re ready to use it again.
One good feature to look out for here is a foldable handle. This will allow you to totally remove the height of the scarifier, so you’ll be able to compactly store it underneath a work surface in your shed or neatly lean it up against the inside wall of your chosen storage area without it taking up a huge chunk of space.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between lawn raking and lawn scarifying?
Lawn scarifying is a generic term that is used to describe a lot of different lawn care techniques, including lawn raking. There isn’t really a difference between the two, as one element of lawn scarifying is raking up unwanted moss growth in order to let your grass take up more nutrients and grow healthily. Scarifying a lawn also includes aerating the soil and preparing the ground ahead of sowing new grass seed.