Mini tiller/cultivator/edgers?

wdn · Apr 12, 2002

Friends,

I am looking to purchase a mini tiller/cultivator that can have an edger attachment. Looking for your advice if you have owned one of these before.

I want to turn over an existing 1200 square foot garden surrounded by a hedge. So -- can't get a tractor in there. I also want to edge a 400' driveway once in a while, and around the shrubbery beds also. A big rear tine tiller is out of the question because we need the edger and my wife wants to use it for weeding also.

The models I have looked at are the Mantis tiller, the Honda Harmony FG-100, the DR cultivator, and the Troy-Bilt mini tiller. All of these are in the 20-30 pounds range, have a 1.5 to 2 HP engine. The Honda and the Troy-Bilt use the Honda 1.5 HP 4 stroke. I am leaning towards one of these because I am not a big fan of 2 strokes. The Mantis uses an Echo 2 stroke, and the DR uses a Robin (Subaru) 2 stroke.

Any experiences with these models you'd like to share? Thanks.

rancar · Apr 13, 2002

Bill,

Sounds like you've already done some homework here. My wife and I researched the Mantis and were going to take the plunge when my father-in-law loaned us his Troy-Bilt mini-tiller to try. We will try it this week coming up. The only concern we have about these tillers are the fragility of the tines and potential these will snap when they encounter larger rocks. But my wife wants one to do similar work you'll be doing...smaller flower beds and the like. Will try to let you know how this works out this week.

Bob

jwstewar · Apr 15, 2002

Have you looked at the Ryobi Quick Link System? I have one with the cultivator and have also used my father-in-laws Mantis. I like my Ryobi better. It has a little heavier build on the tins. With this you can get several attachments including weed cutter, heavier rotary type cutter, edger, snow blower, tree pruner, a blower, and a yard vac. I happen to have the 4 Cycle version. I have all attachments except the edger - Quality had one last year when they were going out. Should have picked it up but instead I got the tree pruner. Should've gotten both. I have had it now for probably 4 or 5 years and runs great. I put the cultivator when I put the drain tile in for the spouting and it ran almost all do. I think I went through about 5 or 6 tanks of gas that day running it pretty hard. People look at you kinda strange though when you tell them you need to do an oil change in your weed eater./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

Anonymous Poster · Apr 17, 2002

Same idea here except I went the John Deere system.

kbarrett · Apr 17, 2002

I have the RYOBI tiller as well. However, my weed whacker is the 2-stroker. I'm surprised at how useful it ended up being!

Anonymous Poster · Apr 19, 2002

I am also in the market for one of these tools. I believe it was Popular Mechanics or Popular Science that tested them a few months ago and picked the Echo/Mantis as the best. They said the tines didn't hang on rocks or roots as bad as the others. Because of this article and the great service I have had from two of their other products I am leaning towards purchasing the Echo even though they are more expensive. I would like to hear from someone who has the Echo.

Also how useful are these things for weeding in a garden? Will they cut thru sod?

jwstewar · Apr 19, 2002

My Ryobi does a pretty nice job. It is a little bit heavier than what my Father-in-laws Mantis is. Here, at least with my soil conditions, it work faster and easier than the Mantis. I've used it around my tomato plants quite a bit after I've negleted them and it went right through pretty much everything except the wire cage I had around the plants /w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif.

Anonymous Poster · Apr 19, 2002

I don't have experience with any but the Mantis and Honda. The Honda is a "mean machine". I bought one last week and believe it to be about all one could ask of a mini- cultivator. It will do the work of a Troy Bilt Horse ( I have one for heavy duty tilling) if you are willing to put in the time and energy.