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Written on: 10/04/2013 by Keengardener (1 review written)
The scarifier works well! However, the collection systm is extremely badly designed: The bag is too small When full the machine is top heavy, falls over and releases all the grass By holding it upright with one hand it is just about possible to remove the bag without losing the contents, however, unlike most mowers, you can't remove the bag up through the forks of the handle, it has to be taken to the side,risking losing the contents, and can also catch on the cable Because of the narrowness… Read Full Review
Written on: 04/03/2011
I would not recommend one of these scarifiers (despite being a "best buy" from Which?) They do the job when they decide to work but they are very tempremental. I bought one in Spring 2008 after I suffered a slipped disc and wanted to protect my back from further injury. The thing worked intermittently but has now 3 years later given up completely. It is not worth spending the money getting it repaired for only a few uses a year. I am back to using the old fashioned garden rack. More work but… Read Full Review
Written on: 05/09/2010
1. Very cheaply made from flimsy plastic!
2. The bag (if used) is extremely had to put on as the plastic lid you lift up doesn't allow it to fit correctly!
3. The bag if used doesn't actually pickup the debris! You will need to use your lawnmower afterwards!
4. It doesn't stand upright when not held it just falls over due to poor design!
5. It will rip your lawn to shreds pulling out grass as well as moss a thick green lawn will quicly be thinned out - I highly recommend a rake used with…
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Written on: 09/05/2010
Good value machine. Works well -Plenty of power.
But:
Fiddly to clean - lots of cavities make it hard work.
Catcher cover makes life difficult when fitting catcher.
Rear wheels clog up fast. Front wheels sticky from day 1.
I bet the designer never tried the final product!…
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Written on: 14/03/2010 by WoodyNut (1 review written)
The Al-Ko 38VLE rake and scarifier worked better without the collector. I found it easier to first rake the lawn using the machine and then using my hover mower with the blades set high to pick up the rakings. Cleaning the machine after use was quite a chore as there are so many nooks and crannies for the cuttings etc to cling to during operation. Connecting the collector bag was fiddly and was a bit of a let down, I do not envisage using the rake with the bag fitted very often. Overall I… Read Full Review
Written on: 15/07/2009
I've had my ALKO combi scarifier for just over one year and the performance is impressive, with effective removal of thatch and many types of weeds.
Having a fairly large lawn, the collector bag is of limited use, and I found it better to use the scarifier and then collect the debris afterwards using my lawnmower.
A motor bearing failed recently (repaired under the 2 yr warranty). I was surprised at the amount of dust, grit, grass and other debris that had got into the motor housing, which…
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Written on: 13/05/2009 by Frank Cole (1 review written)
In Use
I am very impressed with my ALKO 38VLE Combi Electric Scarifier. Nice throaty roar, it digs up thatch thoroughly, the grass bag holds a decent amount and the controls are easy to use. There are a few niggles though:
Design
The cable can get caught in the back cover when fitting the grass bag so it is best to run the cable on the outside of the handle. This is not explained in the instructions. It would have been better if the cable cut-out in the top cover had been 1-2cm nearer the…
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Sturmason2002's Comment
Written on: 17/03/2014
I also bought one for exactly the same reason. Mine broke down after less than two years. Unfortunately it is next to impossible to get them repaired, unless it is petrol driven. I gave mine away to the tatters. You're better off with an ordinary lawn rake