There is no level indicator or vision window on the Bosch ALR 900 so it can be little difficult to know when the collection box is full. The Flymo Lawnrake Compact 3400 does have a collection box window, this is a nice touch – well done Flymo. This again does put it slightly ahead of the Flymo Lawnrake Compact 3400. Features found on some lawn rakes don’t make the job easier but are “nice to haves”. The Jet Collect system is clearly a feature that makes a real difference to the job in hand, the collection box capacity is increased and the ability to collect the debris is improved – Great job Bosch! If you have a lawn, and you want it to be healthy, then you really should be using a scarifier or lawn rake from time to time and then get busy with a lawn aerator (or save time and buy a 2 in 1 like the VonHaus).
Scarifiers, also known as de-thatchers, remove grass cuttings, moss and other garden debris, by cutting into the soil and sifting your grass with blades. This action also helps to keep the soil free of weeds and healthy by improving the circulation of air and water drainage. When scarifying is ignored, the debris known as ‘thatch’ can form and cause a variety of problems for your lawn, such as making it seem ‘spongy’ or not draining water properly ( waterlogging). Dead thatch removed by a lawn rake scarifier

You should always start scarifying with the machine on its highest setting, and so this is what I did when I turned on the UniversalRake 900. However, this barely made a dent in the grass, so I moved it down one step lower. Again, the results weren’t anything to get excited about, so I put it down to its lowest setting. 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.

Its 900W motor makes the Bosch scarifier the least powerful of all the machines I tested. In comparison, the cheaper VonHaus and Hyundai scarifiers have a 1500W motor, while the even cheaper Einhell electric scarifier provides 1200W. This is actually an improvement on the arms of the Makita and other top models in this review – their direct competitors I might add: Nobody wants to spend a fortune on a separate scarifier and aerator, especially considering that it’ll only be used once, or twice at most, a year. That’s what makes the Einhell GC-SA 1231 Electric Scarifier and Aerator so instantly appealing – not only does it promise to scarify and aerate, it boasts a pretty reasonable price point to match. The Einhell doing a great job! Incidentally, the best for weeds and roots are the Makita and the Bosch. So following on from that you probably want to understand how deep it can rake and scarify so you can workout what tool you’ll need for your garden specifically: How deep can it scarify?

Does this make it more practical than it’s closest competition? well, yes I think it does for people with smaller lawns and limited space for storage with the ability to get the job done without emptying the collection box as often. There is also a very handy and well positioned central handle that makes carrying the almost 10 kg rake to the garage or shed very easy. My favourite design feature? The twist dial at the front of the machine that you can turn to adjust the height. Every other scarifier that I have ever used has had a lever, rather than a dial – not only does the dial make height adjustment easy and convenient, but it also gives the machine a more upmarket feel. Blades: The best lawn scarifier that you can buy is one with sharp knife blades. These knife blades help in the precise removal of all dead moss and thatch. For this reason, electric grass scarifiers are in high demand as they can rotate down into the grass with all its vertical blades and give a clean and precise cut without any loss of healthy grass.

The electric scarifier has a durable housing made of high-quality impact-resistant plastic. Under the hood, there is an efficient, powerful and reliable engine that works at high torque and provides desired results. It has 3 working depth adjustments. So, you can use both scarifier and aerator attachments according to the lawn conditions. Apart from the three depth, GC-SA 1231/1 has a standing position that protects the surface as well as its attachments. Scarifying is a process in which a tool is used to remove moss and thatch from the top of your grass. The idea is that the unwanted material on top of your garden makes the movement of nutrients and oxygen to your grass harder. Removing it allows the grass to breathe and grow and ultimately more grass seeds are planted giving a fuller, less weedy lawn. How do you know you have a thatch problem? Lawns with an undergrowth and thatch problem tend to feel excessively bouncy and springy. And if you try to look through the grass and into the soil, all you see is a confounding mess of dried grass, moss and decaying plant matter. You can easily find grass scarifiers and aerating tools along with an interchangeable head at a lower price point. Budget machines are the ones that attract the attention of buyers. Buy such budget models only if you have to use them over a small garden. Aerating drums of lawn scarifiers have blades which can make slits in the surface of the soil. Don’t set the machine for too low since it may cause undue stress on the functioning, and may have operational issues in the long term.