Awarded a BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine Best Buy award for performance, this is an excellent choice if you want to scarify your lawn by hand. An adjustable handle is a useful feature, along with the ability to vary how deeply the blades cut into the turf. It comes with a generous 35 year-long warranty.
What are the Darlac DP888 Lawn Scarifier's main features?
Awarded a Gardeners’ World Magazine Best Buy award for performance, The Darlac DP888 Lawn scarifier is a super tool if you’re looking to remove moss and thatch from your lawn by hand. Easy to assemble, the shaft is attached to the head with a screw, so you will need a screwdriver and it's made using high-quality steel that has been treated with anti-corrosion protection. It’s lightweight but durable, and feels sturdy to use. The handle is 97cm long and extends to 1.5m, while the head is 32cm wide and features 11 sharp blades. It also has two wheels to help it move smoothly along the lawn.
What’s the Darlac DP888 Lawn Scarifier like to use?
This lawn scarifier is easy to use: simply pull it back-and-forth over the lawn to collect moss and thatch. We love its telescopic handle, because you can easily adjust the height by simply twisting the shaft to unlock and extend it. There’s no need to stop what you’re doing to undo a catch, which is often the case with adjustable handles. The handle is comfortable to use too, which is important given that scarifying is a strenuous task. An angle of about 45˚ degrees is recommended when using this Darlac DP888 Lawn Scarifier, however, a higher angle will raise the blades off the ground, and a lower one will dig them into the soil, so you can adjust it to find the best angle to remove the amount of moss you have in your lawn. The overall result after using this tool was great as the lawn looked fresh rather than mangled.
Who is the Darlac DP888 Lawn Scarifier most useful for?
If you don’t mind a bit of exercise – using a manual scarifier is a strenuous job – this tool is perfect for a small to medium sized garden. It’s also a good choice if you’re tall and an adjustable handle would be useful, and if storage is an issue, as it isn’t as big as a machine-powered scarifier.
Is the Darlac DP888 Lawn Scarifier good value for money?
This is not the cheapest of its type (other manual scarifiers range from £25 to £65) but it does come with two great features – the telescopic handle and the option to vary the angle the blade cuts into the turf. It also feels sturdy, the blades are durable and built to last and it comes with a generous 35 year-long warranty. We therefore think it’s great value for money.
Have a bigger lawn? Our experts have tested powered machine that are ideal. Check out our reviews of the best lawn aerators and best lawn scarifiers. We’ve also put together expert tips on lawn care, and you can watch Alan Titchmarsh, who shows the best way to scarify a lawn. You might also find our round up of the best cordless mowers and best robotic mowers useful.
For more cordless garden tools, read our best hedge trimmers and best pressure washers guides.
This review was last updated in October 2021. Unfortunately, prices change and things go out of stock so we apologise if anything has changed.
