Rototiller Recommendations Wanted

brandoro · Feb 19, 2010

I don't have a garden myself but find I get enough produce by tilling gardens for others

. I picked up a well used LandPride tiller a few years ago, replaced the tines and chain case seal. Works like a charm.

ModMech · Feb 19, 2010

We just purchased a new LandPride RTR1058 a couple weekends ago. While I agree the KingKutter makes perfectly good tillers, I do not like the forward rotating models one bit after using our new reverse rotation tiller. The difference in machine control and vibration is significant, the planting bed turns out much better with one pass using the reverse rotation than overlapping passes produced with our previous forward rotating tiller.

When looking at prices I considered GOOD walk-behinds first because that's what she (thought she) wanted. After realizing that a quality PTO tiller was about 1/2 the price for 2x the width and better overall quality, the additional $200 for reverse rotation was a steal.

IslandTractor · Feb 19, 2010

I'm not so sure reverse rotation tillers would be such a great idea in rocky soil like we have in New England. Forward rotation allows the tiller to kick out or jump over rocks and keep going. A reverse style would kick the rocks forward again and again.

I find the forward rotation to do a fine job. You control how finely you want the soil tilled by adjusting tractor speed. For planting prep go slow. For tilling the old crop under in the fall go fast.

wildwillie · Feb 20, 2010

Sounds like the King Cutter is the way to go. 60" unit is $1850.00 at the local Big R. Way cheaper at Northern but freight kills you. Thanks to all for the input.