Bosch ALR 900 Electric Lawnraker

The new Bosch ALR 900 seems well up to the job of scarifying as well as raking the lawn. The machine was easy to assemble and the instructions were clear and simple to follow.

The 900 watt motor never seemed under pressure when I used the machine continuously throughout the day for scarification.

The 50 litre collection box (which is large for an electric model) does fill quickly but, even so, it is an appropriate size for this machine which is quite light and relatively maneuverable. The box empties easily into a standard dustbin bag.

The wire tines remove a considerable amount of debris from the lawn and you need to be prepared to dispose of plenty of moss and thatch after use.

The "jetstream" collection is excellent; the debris all goes straight into the collection box until it is full to capacity which is every few minutes.

This lawn raker is ideal for a medium to large lawn with the obvious restriction that it is mains powered so your range will be determined by the length of your extension lead. Although I use a petrol mower, I thought this product was about right for me considering that scarification is probably a once or twice a year task.

Although it "folds away for convenient storage" when not in use it will still occupy at least as much space as the box it arrives in - which is worth considering if you are short of space.

It has four height settings that are easily selected by adjusting the height of the front wheels with the two levers. The higher settings are used to collect surface debris, such as leaves, while the lower settings scarify thatch and moss and, inevitably, some grass.

The only downside is that if your lawn is very uneven, you may find it hard to find a setting that will perform as you expect. This is a powerful piece of kit and, naturally, it will remove almost everything it finds indiscriminately so test it on the higher settings first.

So unless you have a huge lawn and you are prepared to spend a lot more money on a petrol scarifier or you can manage happily with a smaller model, this does seem an excellent choice and good value on Amazon at under £100.

Update July 2012 - the machine is still going strong but I have just replaced the tines (prongs) for the first time and it is raking out moss just like new. So, if your ALR900 seems to be less effective than it was, it is easy to fit new tines. You will just need a pair of pliers to make removal and re-fitting easier.

Operates well with a good sized collection box BUT there seems to a design problem with the spring lawn raker tynes. Bosch supplied two spares with the machine which should have warned me. After three days use on a flat lawn three of the tynes unwound and sprung off into the collection box. I phoned Bosch technical department, they apologised for the problem and said that they would send replacement tynes in about a week. After 4 weeks I am still waiting. Today they said that there was a delay in getting spare tynes and would I phone back again (rather than they would phone me).

IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING BUYING AN ELECTRIC LAWNRAKER UNDER £100 DO NOT LOOK ELSEWHERE. I PURCHASED THIS BOSCH MACHINE TO REPLACE A SIMILAR SIZED BLACK AND DECKER MACHINE WHEN THE MOTOR BURNT OUT. THE DIFFERENCE IS AMAZING AND I WISH MY BLACK AND DECKER HAD BURNT OUT A LONG TIME AGO!!! THE BOSCH IS SO MUCH LIGHTER AND QUICKER TO USE AS WELL AS PACKING IN MORE MOSS BEFORE IT NEEDS TO BE EMPTIED. AS WELL AS THAT, IT HAS A REAR COLLECTING BOX SO NO STONES ETC. ARE THROWN FORWARD, UNLIKE THE MACHINES WITH COLLECTING BASKETS TO THE FRONT. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT AND I DON'T NORMALLY WRITE REVIEWS.