Removing thatch and moss from your lawn is a very important step in keeping it healthy and fresh
But finding quality and easy-to-use scarifiers and aerators can be a real struggle…
Enter the Einhell 2-in-1 Electric Aerator and Scarifier, an efficient and reliable combination to help you get that perfect lawn!
Today, I’ll be reviewing the Einhell Electric Scarifier/Aerator to help you decide if it will suit yours and the needs of your lawn.
It runs on a powerful series motor with a 1200 W rating and high torque for continuous progress and accurate results.
The housing is made of high-grade and impact-resistant plastic so it can withstand both the elements and the stress of scarifying your lawn.
What I’ll Cover…
- How it works?
- Best features
- Technical specifications
- Pros & Cons
- Customer opinions
- Is it the right choice for you?
- Alternative options
OK, let’s get started…
Before I go over the product, let’s first talk about the importance of scarifying and aerating and how it benefits your lawn.
Related: Check out my guide on how to get the perfect lawn
Scarifying is the penetration of the lawn with blades that cut into the turf and remove big amounts of organic material. During that process, they leave holes in the ground, allowing enough air and water to get through to the roots of the grass.
Some machines only do aerating, which is just leaving tiny holes in the ground. However, a 2-in-1 scarifier/aerator, like the Einhell version I’ll be reviewing, carries out both tasks and removes a lot of material.
This essentially removes all the thatch and prevents it from blocking the growth of the lawn.
Okay, now that we got that out of the way, let’s dive in a little deeper into the Einhell Electric Scarifier/Aerator and see how it can help you improve your lawn.
Key Features
Let’s start by looking at the key features at a glance:
KEY FEATURES
- 8 high-grade stainless steel blades
- Adjustable depth
- Compact & lightweight design
- Large catch bag
8 high-grade stainless steel blades
In order to remove all that thatch and moss buildup, the Einhell GC-SA 1231/1 features a ball-bearing mounted cutting roller with 8 high-grade stainless steel blades. The quality and strength of the blades ensure that everything is removed thoroughly.
In addition to this roller, the second part of this Einhell 2-in-1 machine is the also ball-bearing mounted aerator roller, with 42 stainless steel claws. It’s very easy to switch between the two, with only a couple of screws to undo.
Adjustable depth
All lawns have different requirements based on the soil and the vegetation around them. That’s why the Einhell Electric Scarifier/Aerator features an adjustable blade.
The working depth can be adjusted to 3 different levels at a max depth of 9mm. There’s also an additional stand-by position for when you’re not using the machine so you don’t have to worry about damaging your lawn.
Pro tip: start off with a higher setting and then lower it to get more thatch out.
Compact & lightweight design
Nobody wants to turn their lawn care into an exercise which can leave you feeling extremely tired after that. With a lightweight machine, like the Einhell GC-SA 1231/1 at just 9kg, you can take care of your lawn without breaking a sweat.
Pushing it around your lawn is very easy, and the wide wheels ensure that the minimum amount of stress is exerted on the lawn.
In addition, the handle can be folded to half the length so it won’t take up much storage space in your shed.
Large catch bag
To catch all the thatch that will come out of your lawn, the Einhell Electric Scarifier/Aerator comes with a 28L catch bag.
For an averagely maintained law, that should be enough to cover up to 300 m2.
However, some users complained that the bag can get clogged with thatch and won’t let the rest of it inside the bag, resulting in dumped thatch all over the lawn.
In such cases, they found it much faster to just simply leave it there and rake it up later.
Here are the highlights…
Quality
- Stainless steel blades
- Powerful 1200W motor
Usability
- Lightweight design (9kg)
- 31cm working width
Trustworthiness
- 2-year warranty
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Performance
- Adjustable working depth
- Removes thatch with ease
Technical Specifications
- Mains supply: 230 V | 50 Hz
- Power: 1200 W
- Working width: 31 cm
- Number of knives: 8 Pieces
- Number of claws: 45 Pieces
- Wheel diameter front: 18 cm
- Wheel diameter rear: 10 cm
- Capacity of catch bag: 28 L
- Working depth: 3 settings | 9 mm
- Noise: 94 dBA
- Handlebar vibration: ≤ 2.5 m/s2
What are People Saying…?
With more than 500 5-star reviews on Amazon, it’s clear that customers who bought the Einhell Electric Scarifier/Aerator are satisfied with their purchase.
The main positive points that are most talked about are the ease of use and how amazing it is as taking out moss and thatch. What used to be hours worth of work, now can be done in less than 30 minutes, and that’s something every user would appreciate.
Let’s see one of the positive reviews:
This is an excellent bit of kit. Very easy to assemble following the photos in the user manual. Once assembled it is not at all heavy, and the top half of the handle can be folded down for storage. My advice would be to try the scarifier on a small, inconspicuous area of grass first, in order to get the right height settings set up before you move on to the main lawn area. I used it on the highest height setting, and it took out an amazing amount of moss and weeds. An area that would usually take me many hours of back-breaking manual raking took me as little as 30mins. Once set up you simply use it as a lawnmower. – Steve G.
What’s the Downside…?
Like anything in life, this is not a perfect machine. Many people seem to have had problems with the grass box that either fills really quickly or gets clogged up.
However, that problem was easily resolved by simply leaving all the thatch on the lawn and picking it up with a rake afterward, which turned out to be a faster method.
Looks like a good product and certainly the scarifying is very efficient – only used at setting 1 depth and this did an extremely good job. The lawn rake also does a very good job. I think if the collection bag was modified to have drop-down back then this could possibly act as a funnel to pile the debris into a neat row for manual collection or running over with a lawnmower set a bit high. A bigger, better, more accessible collection bag would make this easily a 5 out of 5. I would probably recommend you not using the bag and cleaning up later.
Advantages
- Very efficient thatch and moss removal
- Easy to use
- Lightweight & compact
- Easy assembly
- Adjustable height
Disadvantages
- The bag can sometimes clog or fill up too quickly
Is it Suitable for You..?
If you have a medium-sized lawn, up to 300 square meters, then this 2-in-1 Electric Scarifier/Aerator will suit you just fine.
It does an excellent job at picking up moss and thatch with incredible speed and power. You can finally turn the exhausting task that is scarifying into an enjoyable activity, similar to mowing the lawn.
Alternatives Options
The bottom line…
The Einhell Electric Scarifier/Aerator provides an easy and effective way to improve the overall health and look of your lawn. It picks up moss and thatch with incredible power, allowing your lawn to finally breathe and absorb water properly.
You can adjust the height to suit your specific needs, and the lightweight design at only 9kg ensures you won’t feel tired at all after completing the job.
Overall, a very worthy investment that will both improve your lawn and save you precious time and energy.
Verdict
- Reliability
- Noise
- Cost
- Features
- Quality
- Very efficient thatch and moss removal
- Easy to use
- Lightweight & compact
- The bag can sometimes clog or fill up too quickly
The Einhell 2-in-1 scarifier does the job excellently and removes any thatch or moss buildup, leaving your lawn healthier than ever.
Approx. price: £102
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Do you scarify or aerate first?
A: It’s more a heavy scarification or light scarification than aeration and scarification. Start with the scarification blade and see if it looks like it needs more afterwards.
Q: Are replacement scarifier rollers available?
A: Yes
Q: Why does it mention up to 300m2 for? I have a large lawn but will this pack in after 300?
A: The motor does get hot. Our lawn is about 320m2 and it did it no trouble. As you are constantly stopping to bag the moss, etc, the motor does have a chance to cool down. So I would say they are being cautious over the overheating aspect.