The best cordless scarifiers, compared.
Top pick: EcoBuild HB-GS2110 40V kit Best value: Einhell GC-SC 18/28 Li bare – Highest score at or under £120 with at least 100 reviews: 4.4 from 425, score 78, at £104.95. A 5.0 from 3 reviews is not best value. Updated 22.10.2026.
A cordless scarifier is a walk-behind tool that combs moss and thatch out of a lawn on a battery, so you are not trailing a lead around the beds. In the United Kingdom you buy one for a domestic lawn you will treat once or twice a year, in autumn while the grass can grow back. You judge a suitable machine by the drum, by a depth you can keep shallow, and by whether the batteries are already in the box. A line that says aerator usually means a second roller, not a hollow tine. Blades cut thatch and springs comb moss. Some machines need one pack and others need two at once. Narrower suits a small garden. A wider drum fills a collector sooner. Scarify if you cannot see the soil, and leave the moss if you prefer it. Do not work frosted or waterlogged ground. Take the battery off before a jam. A charger in the box should have a BS 1363 plug. Season and a shallow first pass are set out in the [how to scarify guide](/hub/lawn-and-garden-equipment/cordless-scarifier/sub/cordless-scarifier-how-to-scarify).
A cordless scarifier is a walk-behind tool that combs moss and thatch out of a lawn on a battery, so you are not trailing a lead around the beds.
22 products checked · 58 hrs invested · +21,400 readers
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
What is already in the shed?
The EcoBuild HB-GS2110 is a 38 cm kit at £169.99 whose title includes dual 20 V batteries and a charger, with a 50 L bag and both a blade roller and spring tines claimed in the bullets. amazon.co.uk shows 5.0 from 3 reviews, which is too small a sample to treat as a settled opinion, and the score on this comparison penalises a count under 10. The spec table does not state the amp-hour or a runtime, so do not borrow a minute figure from another brand. One of the three reviews says 4.0 Ah, and two describe interchangeable rollers, which is not enough to prove every parcel includes the second drum. One reviewer tried the machine on dry stubble after a hot summer and only marked the soil. The same small set describes a side button plus a bail handle, and one person's inspection of a Class II charger with a 3 A fuse, which is one sample rather than a certificate. Self-propelled is not answered on the listing. The body weighs 13 kg, and the title spelling Ecobuid does not match the brand field EcoBuild, so check model HB-GS2110 on the parcel.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You own no battery family and you want a 38 cm kit with packs and a charger in the title, accepting a three-review history.
Less suitable: You want a large review sample, a stated amp-hour, or packs that are documented to fit a mower you already own.
Specifications
Common questions
Are batteries in the box?
The title says dual 20V batteries and a charger. The spec table does not state the amp-hour. One of three UK reviews says 4.0 Ah.
Does it include both rollers?
The bullets claim a blade roller and a spring-tine roller. Two of the three reviews describe interchangeable rollers.
Is it self-propelled?
The listing asks that question and does not answer it. Treat self-propelled as not stated.
Across 857 amazon.co.uk reviews, the Einhell GE-SC 35 Li (model 3420685) is a 35 cm bare body at £207.99 that will not start until two 18 V Power X-Change packs are fitted, and neither the packs nor the charger are in the box. The parcel does include a blade roller, a fan roller, and a 28 L basket, which UK reviews often find too small once a 35 cm drum starts lifting thatch. The listing claims 90 minutes. One UK review describes about an hour on a 4.0 Ah pack, and those two figures should stay labelled rather than averaged. An owner of a lawn around 500 m² found the machine underpowered, so a large neglected lawn is a different job from a typical back garden. Ignore the bullet about a 28 cm suction nozzle: that sentence is vacuum-cleaner copy, and the spec table says a 35 cm cutting width. The spec table lists three depth positions, while one UK review counts five, so you check the lever on the machine you receive. Brushless is stated, and the body weighs 11.3 kg before the two packs go on.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You already own two Einhell 18 V Power X-Change packs and want a 35 cm drum with both rollers and a basket in the box.
Less suitable: You have no Power X-Change packs, or you want one charge to finish a lawn of several hundred square metres.
Specifications
Common questions
Are the batteries included?
No. The style name says battery and charger are not included. The bullets say the body needs two 18V lithium-ion packs.
What is the 28 cm suction nozzle?
That line is vacuum-cleaner copy on this listing. The spec table says a 35 cm cutting width.
Is a collection bag in the box?
Yes. The components line lists a 28 L basket, a blade roller, and a fan roller. UK reviews often call the basket too small.
The WORX WG855E.9 is a 36 cm brushless bare tool at £229.99, rated 4.5 from 330 amazon.co.uk reviews, and it needs two 20 V PowerShare packs that are sold separately. The listing claims four depth positions, a 40 L bag, 45 minutes, and coverage up to 400 m². BBC Gardeners' World reported about 15 minutes of scarifying on this model with two 4.0 Ah packs, and watched the 40 L box fill in under a minute. A UK review of a pair of 5 Ah packs also describes about 15 minutes, and another review puts the ground covered at about 20–80 m² on two 20 V packs. Those review and magazine figures sit beside the listing. They are not a blended runtime. One UK review says the aerator head is blades, not hollow plugs, so this is not the tool if you need cores. The spec table lists 10.4 kg before the packs go on.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You already own two WORX 20 V PowerShare packs, ideally 4 Ah or 5 Ah, and you want the 36 cm drum.
Less suitable: You have no PowerShare packs, you need hollow cores, or you expected the listing's 45 minutes to match the magazine session.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this WORX include a battery?
No. The item type says bare tool, battery and charger sold separately. Reviews fit two 20V packs.
How many depth settings are listed?
Four. The listing does not print the millimetres for each step.
Is the collection bag included?
The bullets claim a 40 L bag. UK reviews say it is small for the amount of thatch.
The Einhell GC-SC 18/28 Li is the lightest body in this set at 6.65 kg: a 28 cm drum with 12 blades and three depth positions, priced at £104.95 on amazon.co.uk with 4.4 from 425 reviews. It takes one 18 V Power X-Change pack, and the battery and charger are sold separately, so the shelf price is not a machine you can switch on. The catcher and the aerator roller are optional extras, and reviews say a basket fills in minutes once you fit one. The item type says scarifier and lawn aerator, while the style name is Scarifier Only, so the second roller is not in this parcel. The listing claims 45 minutes and up to 200 m², while UK reviews more often describe about 15–20 minutes, including one report of overheating at about 15 minutes, and also small gardens finished on one charge. One owner of a lawn over 300 m² suggests a 6 Ah pack, which is a review rather than a spec line, and another says the lever made a hand ache. Brushless is stated on the listing.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A small garden, one Einhell 18 V pack you already own, and a willingness to rake because the basket is extra.
Less suitable: A wide lawn, a wish for an aerator roller in the box, or no Power X-Change battery at all.
Specifications
Common questions
Does it need one battery or two?
One 18V Power X-Change battery, and a charger, both sold separately.
Is the grass box in the box?
No. The bullets list the catch basket as an optional accessory. Reviews say that basket fills in minutes.
Is an aerator roller included?
No. The style name is Scarifier Only. The aerator roller is listed as a separate accessory.
The Ryobi RY18SFX35A at £216.07 is a 35 cm brushless bare tool with 16 stainless blades, four depth positions, and folding handles, rated 4.4 from 298 amazon.co.uk reviews, and the body weighs 9 kg. The bullets say two ONE+ batteries, the spec line says one lithium-ion battery is required, and batteries are not included. UK reviews run two packs, which matches the bullets and Ryobi's own UK page for this body. A debris catcher and an aerator reel are sold separately, and one UK review expected a bag and did not get one. This amazon.co.uk listing prints no runtime. Ryobi UK claims up to 525 m² on two 5 Ah packs, and that figure is the maker's claim, not a line on the captured listing. One review says the machine stops when the pack drops a bar, and others describe a lawn that looked ploughed after a deep pass. One reviewer put batteries on top of the body and described an all-in near £400, which is one review rather than a second price list.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You already own two Ryobi ONE+ packs and you accept a separate catcher.
Less suitable: You own one pack because the spec line says one, or you wanted a bag and a second roller in the box.
Specifications
Common questions
How many batteries does the Ryobi need?
The bullets say two ONE+ batteries. The spec line says one lithium-ion battery is required, and that batteries are not included. UK reviews run two packs.
Is a debris catcher included?
No. The bullets say a separate debris catcher and aerator reel are available.
Does it fold?
The bullets say folding handles for storage.
The Bluemars BM-GP4001 is a 38 cm kit at £169.99 with two 20 V 4.0 Ah packs and a dual charger in the bullets, rated 4.2 from 28 amazon.co.uk reviews. The listing claims three depth positions, 16 scarifier blades, 24 aerator tines, and a 50 L catcher, and it does not state whether the motor is brushless or how long a charge lasts. UK reviews disagree on that missing runtime: one charge lasted about 10 minutes, a 100 m² lawn needed a charge at about two thirds, and other reviewers finished large lawns on one charge. The catcher splits the same way. Reviews include a bag that drops thatch out of the front and a bag that held only a small share of the debris. One reviewer says the machine they received is a scarifier only, not an aerator, so the 24 tines are a claim to check against the parcel. At 15.4 kg it is the heaviest body in this set, nothing on the listing says it is self-propelled, and the packs are not stated as Power X-Change, ONE+, or PowerShare.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You own no battery family and you want stated 4.0 Ah packs and a charger in a 38 cm kit, knowing the 28 reviews already argue about the bag and the charge.
Less suitable: You need a settled runtime, a catcher the reviews agree on, or batteries that fit a platform you already own.
Specifications
Common questions
Are the batteries included?
Yes. The bullets say two 20V 4.0Ah batteries and a dual charger.
How many depth settings are listed?
Three. The listing does not print the millimetres.
Does the catcher stay on?
A 50 L catcher is claimed. UK reviews include a bag that drops thatch out of the front, and a bag that held only a small share of the debris.
Six amazon.co.uk listings were scored from the published star line, not from a lawn trial. The score is the star rating times 16, rounded, plus a sample bump: 12 if the review count is at least 1,000, 8 if at least 100, 4 if at least 30, 0 if at least 10, and −8 if under 10. That bump is a point adjustment, not a second weight. The top pick is the tied 80 with the larger count. Best value is the highest score at or under £120 with at least 100 reviews. A magazine session is a separate source and is not folded into the score.
Amazon.co.uk star rating
100%The stored score is the amazon.co.uk star rating multiplied by 16, then rounded, plus a sample bump. The bump is 12 if the review count is at least 1,000, 8 if at least 100, 4 if at least 30, 0 if at least 10, and −8 if under 10. That bump is a point adjustment on the same star line. It is not a second weight, and it is not a lawn trial.
Judge a cordless scarifier by the batteries, the drum, a depth you can keep shallow, the width against your lawn, and the collector. A body-only price is not a ready-to-run price. A listing that says aerator on this kind of machine usually means a second roller, not a hollow tine. Shelf figures below are the six amazon.co.uk listings kept for this page on 22 October 2026, not a market survey.
A cordless scarifier is a walk-behind tool that combs moss and thatch out of a lawn on a battery, so you are not trailing a lead around the beds. In the UK you buy one for a domestic lawn you will treat once or twice a year, in autumn while the grass can grow back. If you cannot see the soil between the plants, scarifying is the job. If you like the moss, you can leave it.
A body-only price is not a ready-to-run price. Some machines need one pack. Others need two packs at once, even when the spec line says one. Add a starter kit before you call a body the cheap option. One UK review described an all-in near £400. That is one review, not a price list.
Set the depth high for the first pass. About 2–3 mm of skim is the Stihl UK figure, and about 4 mm is their ceiling for a neglected lawn. Test a strip. A new lawn is not ready. Do not scarify frosted or waterlogged ground.
Listing claims, UK reviews and a magazine session do not average into one number. A 5.0 from three reviews does not outrank a 4.4 from several hundred. The score on this page already reduces a count under 10. It is not a lawn trial.
The first check is whether the batteries are in the box, or whether you already own the family the body uses. A body-only price is not a ready-to-run price. Some machines need one pack. Others need two packs at once, even when the spec line says one. On this shelf the 28 cm body takes one 18 V pack, and the 35 cm and 36 cm bare tools take two. The two 38 cm kits name two 20 V packs and a charger in the title or the bullets. Those kit packs are not stated as the same family as the bare tools.
The drum decides the job. Blades cut thatch. Springs comb moss. A second roller is only useful if it is in the parcel. A listing that says aerator on this kind of machine usually means that second roller, not a hollow tine that pulls a core. If you need cores, or water sits after rain, that is a hire or a professional, not a deeper notch. Set the depth high for the first pass. About 2–3 mm of skim is the Stihl UK figure. About 4 mm is their ceiling for a neglected lawn.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You want a body that shares packs you already own. The Einhell GE-SC 35 Li bare tool is the top pick on the star line: 4.5 from 857 amazon.co.uk reviews, a 35 cm drum, a blade roller, a fan roller and a 28 L basket. It will not run until two 18 V packs are fitted, and neither the packs nor the charger are in the box.
You want the charger in the parcel, and you accept a short review history. The Bluemars BM-GP4001 is a 38 cm kit at £169.99 with two 20 V 4.0 Ah packs and a dual charger in the bullets, rated 4.2 from 28 reviews. Those reviews already disagree on runtime and on the catcher, and the packs are not stated as a mower family you already own.
You want the lightest body and you will rake because the basket is extra. The Einhell GC-SC 18/28 Li is the best value row: 28 cm, 6.65 kg, one 18 V pack, 4.4 from 425 reviews, at £104.95. The battery, charger, catcher and aerator roller are all sold separately.
The top pick is the Einhell GE-SC 35 Li bare tool. It ties the WORX WG855E.9 at 80 on the star line, and the larger sample decides it: 4.5 from 857 amazon.co.uk reviews, against 4.5 from 330. The box includes a blade roller, a fan roller and a 28 L basket. Two 18 V packs and a charger are not included. The best value is the Einhell GC-SC 18/28 Li, the highest score at or under £120 with at least 100 reviews: 4.4 from 425, score 78, at £104.95. A 5.0 from 3 reviews is not best value. This score is not a lawn trial.
Einhell GC-SC 18/28 Li bare
Highest score at or under £120 with at least 100 reviews: 4.4 from 425, score 78, at £104.95. A 5.0 from 3 reviews is not best value.
Editorial
Peter F. is the editor for DIY & tools at productscompared.co.uk. Comparisons in this category are checked against amazon.co.uk listings, review evidence and public UK sources.
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
Sources listed in the research digest. Last checked on 22 October 2026.
This page contains affiliate links to amazon.co.uk. If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Links use the tag pcuk26-21. Prices and ratings come from the UK listing and public sources, not from a lab test.
