Tiller & Cultivator Buying Guide
First conceived in 1912 by an Australian farmer using a steam-powered traction engine, the powered tiller has certainly come a long way in the last century or so. Tillers and cultivators (or rotovators as they are sometimes known) come in a range of shapes and sizes these days, from light-duty and easy-to-use electric models by affordable brands such as Handy and Al-KO, through to high-performance commercial-grade machines from leading manufactures Honda, MTD and Husqvarna. When choosing a tiller or garden cultivator there are a number of considerations, including plot-size, soil-type and the nature of the job you wish to undertake - front-tine tillers are ideal for secondary tillage; rear-tine tillers allow you to prepare virgin ground. Whichever machine you opt for, you can be sure that you'll get the job done far more quickly and with a lot less effort than you would have done with a fork!
Electric Tillers & Cultivators
Electric tillers are compact, lightweight and easy to handle machines, which are ideal for manoeuvring between crop-rows when aerating established beds. They also excel at weeding. Their quiet-running motors mean that residential use will not prove a problem, and they require considerably less looking after when compared to a petrol-powered machine. Obviously, the main drawback is going to be the restrictive nature of the mains cable and you should also bear in mind that the power of these machines is considerably less than larger-sized petrol models. Popular models in this category include the Mantis Electric Tiller/Cultivator and the Handy TH-ET Electric Tiller/Cultivator.
Petrol Mini Tillers
Similar to the electric tiller in shape, size and application, petrol mini-tillers such as the Al-Ko MH370-4 and the Handy TH-TILL offer a combination of improved strength and durability and increased power output. This means that you'll be able to tackle tougher, more compacted soils without difficulty. The downsides of the mini-tiller, as with any petrol-driven machine, are the increased maintenance which is required, and the potential for troublesome cold-weather starting. Their compact design, however, makes them easy to transport and store.
Front-tine Petrol Tillers/Cultivators
Ideal for larger-sized vegetable gardens and allotment plots, front-tine petrol tillers are our most popular type of machine. They use the rotation of the tines to move over the ground and some models of front-tine cultivator feature a reverse gear to aid manoeuvrability. Popular models include those by MTD and Rally. Other features found on front-tine tillers & cultivators include adjustable tilling-widths and crop protection discs. This allows you to move carefully between rows, without fear of damaging existing plants.
Rear-tine Petrol Tillers/Cultivators
Powerful, heavy-duty machines for use on virgin ground, rear-tine petrol tillers usually come equipped with large-wheels, deep-tread tyres and power-drive for exceptional manoeuvrability. Models such as the Rally RT5 and the Husqvarna CRT51 feature two sets of counter-rotating tines, which are highly effective, even on the most difficult soil-types. These tillers are intended for heavy workloads and will cover large areas of ground.
Professional Rotavators
Aside from power and build-quality, the main benefit of these machines is that they can be used with either heavy-duty tines for primary tillage (virgin ground), or as a cultivator for secondary tillage (maintaining existing plots). Fine examples of these machines are Honda's excellent F510 and F720 models.
Attachments
Some tillers can be used with a range of easy-to-fit accessories, including dethatchers, edgers and scarifiers. As well as our best selling Mantis range, look out for Ardisam's MS43ES 'Earthquake' and Apache's Euro-1 Garden Tiller.
