Description
The Ryobi RY18SFX35A-0 18V ONE+ Brushless 35cm Scarifier is perfect for maintaining lawn health by removing thatch and moss. This allows water and nutrients to reach the soil underneath instead of sitting on top of the surface. The scarifier has four working depths so you have complete control over the lawn health. The RY18SFX35A-0 requires 2 x 18V ONE+ batteries. The RY18SFX35A-0 is sold as a ‘bare’ tool (without a battery or charger) but is compatible with all batteries and chargers across the 18V ONE+ system.
Jamey –
Pretty good, but don’t bother with the accessories (collection box or the other roller)I have a couple of badapters that allow me to use DeWalt batteries in Ryobi tools and picked up a cheap Ryobi 36v (2 x 18v) mower a while ago to use which I’ve been really happy with. I thought I’d try the scarifier and I do like it a lot, but here are some points worth noting:* Don’t bother with the collection box, it does nothing. Clogs after a few seconds of use. Just use it without the collection box and then ‘hoover’ up the debris with your mower on a high setting afterwards.* The other roller/cylinder (with the spring tines, that’s a bit like a rake) doesn’t appear to do anything different to the stock one that comes fitted, so I wouldn’t bother with that either.* Somehow this manages to blast grass into the inside of the battery compartment, even when it’s fully closed. I think it’s through the small holes in the floor of the compartment but it’s a bit annoying, and this doesn’t happen with my Ryobi mower.* Because of the motion of the roller this is almost self-propelled to a certain extent. To the point where you have to hold it back a little if going downhill. It’s quite nice uphill though.* Folding down the handle for storage isn’t great, it’s more of a faff than you want it to be. The mower has quick release compression fixings but this is much more fiddly.* While it’s quite light, it doesn’t have a convenient carry handle on top, and the main push handle is just a bit too flimsy to feel great about constantly picking it up by that all the time. Would have liked a handle on top of the main unit somewhere.
Lyndon Cross –
Shreds the LawnVery, if not over efficient. Had to purchase the collector bag as the amount of collection was huge. Pity it didn’t come with one? I have a hard clay base living in Oxfordshire. So i had tom wait till it was soft enough to use. But it absolutely shreds it. My lawn looks like a ploughed field with very little grass left that has still not recovered. I’m not sure if its a scarifier or a rotavator/tiller? The fact that you need two batteries to operate it is a negative and extra cost consideration. And they didn’t last long, and I’ve only a small lawn. But it is lightweight and very easy to use if you want that bare look. Maybe i just need to over-sow repeatedly after use. But if the grass isn’t well rooted it just gets ripped up. If that the case then I’m not sure its worth all the hassle!
j0rz –
AmazingWhat can I say it took me 30 mins to get the perfect lawn… with a rake it took me 12 hours and the results were not even close to what this machine can do, If you have two 5amp batteries buy one you won’t regret it.
Julian Bonser –
A Great machine – BUT you have to learn how to use it effectivelyI like the Ryobi One range so their scarifyer was the obvious choice for me. When you buy a tool of any description, you HAVE to learn how to use it properly to get the best results. A bad work-person will inevitably blames their tools if things go wrong. I’m sure that Ryobi have done plenty of research in order to get their scarifyer design right. For me, it’s produced good results, but I had to experiment to get the process right. I prepped the lawn several weeks ago with weed and feed to kill of the moss, in particular. Then I gave the lawn a close cut in dry weather when the ground was moist.To use the scarifyer I set the height to max and found that walking forward with a steady unhurried pace gave a good result. I’d bought the catcher, but took it off after a while as it filled up within 5 or so yards and needed constant emptying. Instead I gathered the debris with a plastic tine leaf rake and then vacuumed the whole lawn with the mower. Avoid going back and forth over the same area as if you’re using an upright vacuum cleaner or you’ll damage the grass. Also, do several light scarifications rather than a harsh one that risks leaving large bare patches and ripping out perfectly good grass.I’ve realized that I can’t put my heavily weeded and moss-laden lawn right in one hit. So I’ll scarify again early Autumn and in the interim persist with the weed and feed and re-seeding. Hopefully, this time next year I’ll have a good lawn. You can’t hurry Nature in one’s garden but the results are worth waiting for. This scarifyer can also take an aerator attachment instead of the scarifying blades. I shall order this item as it really will be the lazy person’s way of aerating the soil, which is badly needed for my lawn.
Amazon customer –
Worth the buy but be aware if the plastic build.Worth the but beware the rear wheels are fastened to flimsy plastic.The results after my first and only use are great, it cuts through the weeds and thatch with ease. The bin collector does a great job too saving taking up or mowing weed seeds everywhere which defeats the object of removing them.I would recommend to buy this product but I would keep an eye on the rear wheels. So far not an issue but if it gets worse I’ll prob ask for a replacement.If you have ryobi one+ tools this will fit in seamlessly to your existing range. Great on the environment as less batteries and chargers are needed and the garage is clutter free too!Tip: do not set this too deep or your lawn will get cut up. You just need to cut through the thatch and the very top layer of soil at most to cut through the weeds that grow along the top of the soil under the grass. Most of my weed grass has been cut through so for me this is job done and I cannot wait to give it a go in a couple of months again. I will now overseed my lawn to thicken it out.
Nick Harris –
So much moss and thatch!This is great. Very light and easy to use. As others have mentioned this pulls up so much moss and thatch that the (not included) collector would be a waste of time. Just make sure you have a large rake (or powerfull blower).
Theo Currie –
Works greatWorks great, but you need to know how to use it to get the best out of it, also don’t expect your lawn to look amazing straight after it will take a week of too before you see results, you can’t rush nature. Great machine and so handy not having and wires/cords trailing around after you. If you have Ryobi products already you won’t be disappointed.
Amazon Customer –
So easy to use…I’m a big fan of Ryobi, like another one of the reviewers on this item, I too have over 20 Ryobi One tools. I haven’t seen this scarifier in the UK before but by chance and ordered one to replace two previous scarifiers from years gone by that burnt out after little use. Both were 240V and a pain to use with having to throw the cable out of the way all the time. This arrived yesterday and after assembling it I gave it a go on my back lawn, which I thought was in pristine condition. As soon as I tried it I got carried away and did the whole lawn. As I mentioned, I thought it was in excellent condition but this scarifier proved me wrong, pulling up moss and coarse grass, the latter including its roots. It states 95dB but I don’t think it’s anywhere near that noise level and the vibration level is equally low. Being cordless, it’s really easy and quick to use and very effective!Well done Ryobi, another great tool added to my collection.
Dave –
FantasticI have just done my lawn which is quite large, I can’t believe how good this machine is, it has removed so much thatch and weed from my grass it’s really unbelievable. I also had the grass box as an extra and I am really pleased I did. This machine removes so much I filled my wheelie bin in no time, my grass was short and I didn’t expect to get much out. Well worth having in your collection. Well made easy to assemble, I have other tools which have batteries one large 18v and a small one for my drill, I mixed the two together and it worked fine and did my whole lawn. Highly recommend
E. –
Very handy machine at a reasonable priceI bought the Ryobi lawn scarifier because I had 20+ Ryobi ONE+ tools and expand-it garden already, and I fed up with manual raking of the dead moss etc. for 200 sqm.I had a Qualcast electric scarifier In the past, but it was too powerful and damaging the lawn. This Ryobi scarifier has just the right power for the job, and it is cordless. It has limited options for the height adjustment, but it was doing a good job on my mostly flat lawn. I didn’t buy the collector with the sacifier, and used a lawn mower to pick up the raked up moss instead.For those who are complaining the machine is not doing what they want, it’s more likely they don’t know how to do lawn maintenance in the first place …