What small tiller, mantis or ?

[nod]

My wife is bugging the s??t out of me for a mini tiller like the mantis. There is so much bad feedback about all the mini brand tillers that I do not know what to do. I've never had much problems out of 2stroke motors and I leave gas in them year round. I have read many problems from people that have 2stroke and 4stroke tillers? Mantis, Honda, Earthquake? What else? What is a good dependable mini tiller?

 

[zzvyb6]

Timely thread. My neighbor asked me a week ago to take a look at her year old Mantis because it would not stay running more that a few seconds. She said it never had run very well. I took the carb apart and found sludge in the screen but when put back together, it still would not start easily or stay running more that 3 - 4 seconds. She called the company in Pennsylvania thinking the warranty would do something buit they said NO because she did not drain the gas out of it (ethanol death).

I ordered a new "genuine" Zama carb on ebay for a Mantis ($10.95 + free shipping) and it came today. Took me less than 5 minutes to remove 2 bolts, disconnect throttle cable and 2 fuel lines and install the new carb.

It popped on the first pull and ran for as long as I wanted on the second pull. I took it down to her house and she ran it for 1/2 hour no problems. WTF ???

I took another look at the old carb: high speed jet screwed in solid (not adjustable to more than 1/2 turn with the California no-tamper crap). Low speed jet set to 1/2 turn out (same nylon jet caps).

They are all over the place on Craigslist in this area for less than $40 (same issues). My local U-Pull-It junk yard has baskets full of them (with no carbs).

Turns out my close by Rural King sells the Stihl version for $499 (Mantis + training wheels). Same Zama carb. Tilling rotors available as parts on display, too, that fit a Mantis.

I saw the ads for a Mantis on TV a while back showing how you can til a pile of fresh sawdust and laughed out loud. But after watching Pam tackle her flower garden with it yesterday, I was impressed. I believe I heard her singing "Born To Be Wild" when she was walking it along.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I guess I've owned 4 different mini tillers... I still own the Mantis and the Honda...

First off, I do NOT have good luck with the E10 **** fuel so I no longer use it. I've run "canned" 2 stroke fuel in the Mantis and it ran like a top, even starting and running good the following year. UNLESS you plan to run a Mantis a LOT, I'd be putting canned fuel in it.

I do believe the Honda and the Mantis are the two best models, and the difference between the two is...

The Mantis is annoyingly louder, has better designed tines "IF" you have stones, but I like the quietness of the Honda 4 stroke. Both wrap long weeds like crazy into the tines...

I wouldn't want to be stuck with a mini tiller, IF it was my only tiller! They are best for cultivating or tilling already loose ground.

SR

 

[ProjectKing]

I love Mantis tillers. They work awesome. Yeah they are two stroke and can be fussy sometimes. But the only thing that till as well is my 6' Tractor mounted tiller!

I think Mantis also has a 4stoke Honda and an electric version. The two stroke is a Echo engine. Echo also offers an Echo badges Mantis.

 

[GLyford]

Bought my wife one of the little 4-stroke Hondas 2nd hand. Worked fine for a couple of years until the carb gummed up. Rather than have me look at it, she brought it to a shop who "worked on it" until it "sort of worked" and sent her a bill for $100. She never paid or picked it up. Since I only paid $45 for it, I didn't feel too bad...but I am never using that shop for anything again either. Little tiller worked good, when it worked. I liked the whole centrifugal clutch thing, don't spin the tines until the engine is making power, very intuitive to use, and small enough for my wife to handle. If I found another one on a "deal" I'd probably buy it.

Was using a friend's full size MTD for a couple years, briggs motor. Carb was gummed, pulled bowl, cleaned needle and the jet (tiny hole in bowl nut) and it would run long enough to till the garden...pretty much the same routine every year. Too big for the wife to run, which also means she wasn't tempted to mess with it. I am actively looking for one of these. I suspect one of the midsize troybilts would be about the same too.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

My wife is bugging the s??t out of me for a mini tiller like the mantis. There is so much bad feedback about all the mini brand tillers that I do not know what to do. I've never had much problems out of 2stroke motors and I leave gas in them year round. I have read many problems from people that have 2stroke and 4stroke tillers? Mantis, Honda, Earthquake? What else? What is a good dependable mini tiller?

What did you end up with? Are you happy with it?

My mind says buy the Honda FG110, but the tines all have 90 degree bends on the ends and they say they don't do well if you have some rocks. Well, I have a few rocks... They sell a set of tines like the Mantis, but they are over $200 freaking dollars.

The Mantis has the right tines, and you can buy it with the 4 cycle Honda motor as cheap as $350 at Lowes, BUT, it looks to me like the handlebar grips are at an awkward position and like one poster said "tires out his arms quickly"...

I just wish Shindaiwa would make them again and IMPORT them here.

Echo and Stihl, too many "too hard to start" complaints.

 

[mopardude318]

I've had the Mantis with the 2 stroke Echo engine, and the Honda unit with the 4 stroke engine. They both were great units, the Mantis was a little more temperamental and needed a carb rebuild every season. The honda never gave me any serious problems. Although it's been a few years since I've had one, I'd certainly buy another. Handy little buggers.

 

[thepumpguysc]

I gave up on the small tillers.. I use my 14" husque to till the first time.. wait till the weeds die & till again..
THEN do my planning & lay down HAY in the walk areas & around plants..
The HAY keeps the weeds at bay for the entire season.. acouple of square bales & I'm done "weeding" for the year..
AND it keeps the soil moist..
IF I do see "A weed" pop up.. I just bend down & pluck it up.. the roots/soil is so moist they just pull right up..
I just thought I'd pass that along..
AND on top of the no weeding.. it looks nice.. like something outta home & garden..

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

I gave up on the small tillers.. I use my 14" husque to till the first time.. wait till the weeds die & till again..
THEN do my planning & lay down HAY in the walk areas & around plants..
The HAY keeps the weeds at bay for the entire season.. acouple of square bales & I'm done "weeding" for the year..
AND it keeps the soil moist..
IF I do see "A weed" pop up.. I just bend down & pluck it up.. the roots/soil is so moist they just pull right up..
I just thought I'd pass that along..
AND on top of the no weeding.. it looks nice.. like something outta home & garden..

I've got nutsedge really bad.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I gave up on the small tillers.. I use my 14" husque to till the first time.. wait till the weeds die & till again..
THEN do my planning & lay down HAY in the walk areas & around plants..
The HAY keeps the weeds at bay for the entire season.. acouple of square bales & I'm done "weeding" for the year..
AND it keeps the soil moist..
IF I do see "A weed" pop up.. I just bend down & pluck it up.. the roots/soil is so moist they just pull right up..
I just thought I'd pass that along..
AND on top of the no weeding.. it looks nice.. like something outta home & garden..

That's the exact right answer and what I've been doing for MANY years in my gardens,

VERY LITTLE to no weeding!!

SR