Nothing is quite as satisfying as a freshly tilled garden. Unless, of course, your garden tiller isn’t cut out for the job. Best Garden Tillers Compared – Which Models To Buy
Tilling with the wrong type of garden tiller can be more than a hassle – it can be a nightmare. The first time I tilled my garden was a sweaty, frustrating, and time-consuming disaster.
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It doesn’t have to be that way. Tilling your garden can be a rewarding and straightforward task, provided you have the best garden tiller for your needs.
If you want quick recommendations on the best gas or electric tillers, they’re right up front. Afterwards, you’ll find a long article on everything you need to know about tillers!
Best Garden Tiller Reviews
There are many devices which are considered best tillers. You will need to determine what power your garden will require, and make choices on the best tillers for your specific uses. Best Garden Tillers Compared – Which Models To Buy
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But having said that, we’ll go over a list of the best garden tillers on the market right now. Each of these is extremely useful, and they all have their place in the world.
Since tillers come in so many varieties, there’s no universal “best tiller” out there, but we’ll certainly get you in the right direction!
| Items | Description | Features | price |
|---|---|---|---|
 | BEST GAS |
| Check Amazon Price |
 | BEST ELECTRIC |
| Check Amazon Price |
 | ELECTRIC CULTIVATOR |
| Check Amazon Price |
 | SMALL GAS |
| Check Amazon Price |
 | BEST FRONT TINE |
| Check Amazon Price |
 | MINI TILLER |
| Check Amazon Price |
 | SMALL ELECTRIC |
| CHECK AMAZON PRICE |
Best-Rated Garden Tiller: Best Garden Tillers Compared
1. Earthwise 16-Inch 13.5-Amp Corded Electric Tiller/Cultivator
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More than 40 percent of reviewers describe this electric garden tiller as powerful. Best Garden Tillers Compared – Which Models To Buy
One reviewer, who used this on a flower bed that hadn’t been tended to in decade, said, “It powered through everything, the roots of old rosemary shrubs, weed stems, larger chunks of old mulch, it ground them all up and dug deep into the dirt and mixed it all up nice.”
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Another reviewer, working with hard clay soil, writes, “It practically cut through concrete and was able to go to a depth of 6-8.”
But reviewers with soft soil like it too: “The soil itself was fairly soft and unchallenging, but even at that, I was shocked at how quickly this tiller busted it up into a surprisingly fluffy soil.”
Many also say it’s easy to operate and appreciate that it comes almost completely assembled. Plus, it’s electric, which is a huge selling point for many.
“Unlike my gas ones though, it’s easy to turn it off, and it actually starts right back up again, doesn’t stink, and you don’t run out of gas halfway through … so far has made short, albeit back breaking, work of tilling up my garden,” explains one reviewer.
The only fear one reviewer has is that it has “almost has too much power, so you have to be careful when you hit a rock or thick root as you can break a tine or overheat the motor; but the quick release stop works great.”
Best-Rated (Less Expensive) Garden Tiller: Best Garden Tillers Compared
2. Earthwise 7.5-Inch 2.5-Amp Corded Electric Tiller/Cultivator
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“I didn’t have high expectations for this product considering its low price, it being electric, and the toughness of the dirt where I live,” writes one reviewer, but their fears were eased once this tiller arrived. Best Garden Tillers Compared – Which Models To Buy
“As soon as I pressed the power button, this thing took off like a rocket. I live in north Georgia, right at the North Carolina line and our soil here isn’t all that friendly when it comes to landscaping or digging because of the thick red clay and large natural stones.
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This tiller dug in without any issue.” And much like our best-rated tiller, this one from Earthwise also gets a lot of praise for its smaller size, especially for those with small gardens or flower beds.
“Used this to till for a 20×20 foot wildflower plot,” one reviewer writes. “Did a great job of cutting through the fairly thin turf and the clay soil, tilling down a few inches.”
Another says, “It was very easy to put together and has just the right amount of power needed in a flower bed.”
And one says, “There is enough power to even work through the hard clay we have.”
The flip side, however, is that “It takes more passes than a full size tiller because it is small, but overall I still think it was easier because it is just so easy to use.”
Best 12-Amp Electric Garden Tiller: Best Garden Tillers Compared
3. Sun Joe 16-Inch 12-Amp Electric Tiller and Cultivator
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“This thing really is the little roto-tiller that could,” one reviewer writes of this Sun Joe machine. “We have VERY heavy clay soil that is full of rocks/stones and roots ranging from pencil thickness to several inches in diameter. Best Garden Tillers Compared – Which Models To Buy
This bad boy took it all on no problem. It simply chucks the rocks out of the way.” And though it looks like a toy, one reviewer swears, “This machine is a BEAST.
I tilled up a hundred square feet of rock-hard ground that is a clay and river cobble mixture to a depth of six to eight inches in short order.”
Many say this is also the ideal tiller for a small garden. “My vegetable garden is about 20 by 35, it is a perfect tiller for something around that size,” one says, while another used it to till their 360-square-foot “garden area in an hour or less.”
And while many reviewers prefer electric tillers to gas ones because they don’t require multiple cranks to start up and you don’t have to fuss with mixing gas and oil to fuel it, one downside is needing to plug in with a cord.
However, it’s not a deal breaker. As one reviewer explains, “The cord is a pain, but I have found a way to control it and don’t have to worry about having enough gas in the gas cans.”
Best 13.5-Amp Electric Garden Tiller: Best Garden Tillers Compared
4. Sun Joe 16-Inch 13.5 AMP Electric Garden Tiller/Cultivator
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This Sun Joe electric garden tiller is nearly the same as the one previously mentioned, but it’s got a slightly more powerful motor with 13.5 amps, rather than 12. And according to one reviewer, “No regrets paying more for the 13.5 amp motor.” Best Garden Tillers Compared – Which Models To Buy
They describe it as a beast, explaining, “My backyard had a mulched area that was kept in disarray by the previous owner.
I wanted to get rid of the iris, weed and other undesirable plants. This tiller shredded the area pulling out the weed and the roots.”
Others agree that the extra power gets any size job done. “I tilled ground that was clay and compacted with rocks, buried pieces of wood, fabric pieces decomposing, beer bottles,” one writes, adding, “The tiller cut through this like butter.”
Another says, “I did an area about 40×25 in no time on our first nice day, and it never lacked for power.” And even though it packs a punch, it is still easy to handle, according to more than a quarter of reviewers.
One reports it “handles as easily as a vacuum cleaner albeit more bouncy.” One word of warning, since this tiller is not cordless: You’ll need “AT LEAST a 14-gauge extension cord … Long runs over 50-feet will need 12-gauge which isn’t cheap but nice cables to have anyways.”
Best Cordless Electric Garden Tiller: Best Garden Tillers Compared
5. Black + Decker 20-Volt Lithium-Ion Cordless Garden Cultivator/Tiller
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While reviewers admit this tiller isn’t powerful enough to break through new ground, they do say it’s ideal for mixing up soil in their flower beds. Best Garden Tillers Compared – Which Models To Buy
“I have 200 sq ft of 4×4 raised beds and this is perfect for turning over the soil in the whole box or just a space between plants,” says one reviewer.
Another who calls this “a kitchen mixing machine for the soil” says, “It’s not a rototiller, it instead is great for breaking up soil in one spot, like if you want to plant something like a rose bush and you need to break up the soil and/or mix in soil amendments.”
Another compares it to an egg-beater, because “it loosens dirt adequately to about a 4-inch depth and keeps me off my aging knees.”
The fact that it’s cordless keeps this tiller lightweight and easy-to-operate, too. Reviewers say batteries last between 30 minutes and an hour, enough for these smaller projects, though one reports that one charge “made it for 2+ thorough passes of a 15X3 ft space.”
Best Two-Cycle Gas Tiller: Best Garden Tillers Compared
6. Schiller Grounds Care Mantis 2-Cycle Tiller Cultivator
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“This little machine will dig to China if you let it,” says one reviewer, and 75 percent of reviewers give this Mantis gas tiller five stars. Best Garden Tillers Compared – Which Models To Buy
One reviewer, with “decades of experience with Mantis tillers,” says, “You really can convert an established lawn into a plantable bed without first scraping off the sod” with this thing.
Another says that despite the power, it’s still “very easy to make it till or cultivate.” They continue, “Rocks I couldn’t see did not stop this mean machine.”
And while some note it works in their small gardens, others have taken this to their entire backyard: “We did an entire backyard border with the Mantis tiller and it did an amazingly excellent job of prepping the soil.
It was powerful, dug deep for planting shrubs and whatever we wanted. Cleaning it is a breeze and its light weight makes it very enjoyable to use.” As for fuel, one user says, “I can till my entire garden on less than a tank.”
Best Four-Cycle Gas Tiller: Best Garden Tillers Compared
7. Schiller Grounds Care Mantis 4-Cycle Tiller Cultivator
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“It is light, but, man, does it dig in,” one reviewer says of this four-cycle gas tiller. One says it’s “Great for gardening, installing landscaping beds, trenching for rock borders, Hell, I even used mine to dig a 3-foot deep trench for a drain-tiled downspout.” Best Garden Tillers Compared – Which Models To Buy
The main advantage of this four-cycle tiller, compared to the two-cycle above, is that it doesn’t require a mix of oil and gas.
That means the set-up is pretty quick. “Thirty minutes out of the box to tines in the ground. Oiled, gassed up, and primed, it started on the second pull; bonus, it’s quiet,” one reviewer writes.
Another says it “has the torque and ease of operation wrapped into one unit,” and others say it also offers more control.
“It really digs in when tilling and In an established garden, you can get right in around your plants without destroying half the garden.”
What Is A Tiller? Best Garden Tillers Compared
Is your garden actually more like a mini-farm, making a tractor more efficient? If so, you’re going to want a tiller. Best Garden Tillers Compared – Which Models To Buy
Whether you call it a tiller or rotavator for garden use, these devices chew through and break up the soil, cutting easily through roots or plants that might be in the way.
The best garden tillers or garden rotavators feature two to four blades that churn through hard material easily, loosening it and making it easier to work in. They also do a marvelous job of working compost or fertilizer into the soil.
A powered soil tiller is not absolutely necessary, of course. You could do the work with a hand tiller as well.
But if you’ve got a lot of ground to cover, a heavy duty tiller may save you from some serious aches and pains. Even a small tiller can reduce strain on your back and arms.
Electric Tillers
Electric tillers are perfect as small garden tillers. With an electric tiller, you never need to worry about running out of gas, although you do have to work near a power outlet or have a long extension cord.
Electric tillers tend to be less powerful than gas-powered tillers, but this is not necessarily a problem for small gardens.
The other thing to consider when looking at tillers is maintenance. Electric tillers start easily without having to pull a cord.
Compared to gas tillers they are relatively maintenance-free. Electric tillers also tend to be cheaper than gas-powered tillers.
Gas Tillers
Gas tillers pack a punch. These are the tillers you want in your corner if you need to till large areas at a time or if you are breaking new ground.
Gas tillers are more powerful than electric tillers and can handle weeds, rocks, and compacted soils with ease.
All that power comes at a price. The downside of gas powered tillers is that they are significantly harder to push and maneuver than electric tillers.
Your forearms will definitely get a workout, along with the rest of your body, so be prepared to break a sweat.
Gas powered tillers also come with more maintenance tasks than electric tillers, so if you are not mechanically inclined this might not be the right tiller for you.
Cultivators vs. Mini-Tillers
Cultivators are not rototillers, although the two terms are often used interchangeably.
Like tillers, cultivators come in gas and electric models, but cultivators are used to loosen the soil in an existing planting area and to weed (think soil maintenance vs. breaking new ground).
The tines on cultivators are not designed to cut as deeply as tillers. As a result, they are easier to maneuver than the average tiller and are perfect for cultivating – just not tilling.
A mini tiller, on the other hand, has the deeper slicing tines of a tiller in a smaller package.
Front Tine vs. Rear Tine Tillers
One of the most important distinctions you need to make is whether you need a front tine or a rear tine tiller. Best Garden Tillers Compared – Which Models To Buy
Rear tine tillers cut more deeply into the soil and are typically more powerful than front tine tillers. This makes rear tine tillers the better tiller choice for breaking new ground or dealing with heavier soils.
There are mid-line tillers as well that act as a middle ground between front tine tillers and rear tine tillers. While these are fairly uncommon, they can be very effective and adaptable.
Front tine tillers do not cut as deeply as rear tine tillers, but they are perfect for dealing with already loosened dirt.
They are easier to push through slightly loosened soil than rear tine tillers, making them ideal for gardens that don’t require regular deep tillage or for gardeners who till several times throughout the season.
Before You Buy… Best Garden Tillers Compared
Now that you know about the different types of tillers, it is time to ask yourself a few more questions. The first, and for many gardeners the most important question, is about your budget.
1. What Is Your Budget?
Not all of us have bottomless pockets. Tillers range in price from $100-$3000. The trick is finding a tiller in your price range that does not sacrifice efficiency for economics.
Buying a cheaper tiller that is too small or not powerful enough for the job is not worth the investment.
On the other hand, spending hundreds of dollars on a machine that is way too powerful for your small garden is definitely a waste of your funds. The trick is to find the balance in-between.
2. How Big Is Your Garden?
The size of your garden plays a huge role in determining what type of garden tiller to buy. If you have a small garden, consider investing in a smaller, electric tiller instead of a larger, gas-powered tiller.
If your garden is large, then you want a tiller that is going to be able to run all day and cover a lot of ground, which means a gas-powered tiller is probably the better choice.
3. What type of soil do you have?
If you are lucky enough to have fine, loamy soil rich in organic material and that is relatively weed-free, congratulations.
You can get away with buying a less powerful tiller that is easier to use and probably cheaper. If your soil is heavy, clay-based, very gravelly, compacted, and/or full of rocks, then you need a more powerful tiller.
4. Are you breaking new ground or re-tilling?
Breaking new ground is tough work, which is why you need a tough tiller to help you. If you are re-tilling, then a smaller tiller, front tine tiller, or electric tiller might be enough to suit your needs.
5. How versatile do you need your tiller to be?
Some tillers come with multiple attachments. If you are looking for a “multi-tool” tiller with other accessories then that will play a large role in your decision-making process.
Just keep in mind that the same selection standards apply for versatile tillers as they do for stand-alone tillers. Don’t sacrifice quality for versatility.
6. What manufacturer do you want to go with?
Some gardeners have manufacturers that they know and trust.
If you have a preferred company that you have purchased things from in the past. Or if there is a company in your area that manufactures good-quality tillers. Then the first place you want to look is in their showrooms or catalogs.
7. Does the manufacturer have a decent warranty or guarantee?
Let’s face it. Anything that you use in your garden is guaranteed to encounter unforeseen circumstances. Like very large rocks, buried twine, and a host of other things that put stress on tilling twines, engines, and parts.
Warranties and guarantees protect your investment and give you the peace of mind that most of us like to enjoy while gardening.
Tillers can be dangerous. Use a low gear any time you are operating a heavy tiller on a slope or in loose soil and turn it off immediately if you feel the tiller is getting out of control.
When it comes to powerful tillers, machine beats man every time. Don’t try to wrestle the tiller into submission. Instead, take a minute to regroup and start again.
Common Garden Tiller Questions: Best Garden Tillers Compared
You should ask a lot of questions before investing in a tiller. Here are the answers to some of the most common garden tiller questions that seem to come up. Best Garden Tillers Compared – Which Models To Buy
1. Why Won’t My Tiller Start?
Sadly, tillers don’t always turn on when we need them. There are several reasons why your tiller might not be starting.
If your gas tiller has been sitting in a shed for months then you might need to clean the old fuel out of the carburetor.
Fuel that sits around for months can cause problems, and in a worst-case scenario you might need to replace your tiller’s gaskets and diaphragms, so make sure you read up on the best way to store your tiller.
If your pull-string has no resistance and your engine does not fire up, you might have dirt or debris caught in your pawl catcher assembly.
Read through your owner’s manual or contact the manufacturer for the best way to clean this out.
Your tiller also could be out of gas, out of oil, or suffering from damaged parts. If you’ve tried everything you can and your tiller still won’t start, contact the manufacturer or a repair person to investigate the situation further.
2. Can I turn my backyard into a garden using only a tiller?
It would be nice if all it took to turn your backyard into a garden was a tiller, but tilling is just the first step towards a new garden.
Once you have tilled the soil, you will need to prepare it for planting by adding organic material – which you can do as you till – and by shaping the beds, if you prefer a raised bed or square foot gardening method. You also might want to smooth out the soil further using a rake.
Tilling certainly makes transforming your backyard into a garden easier, but do some research into preparing your garden for planting before you start sticking seeds in the ground.
3. Should I buy a gas or electric tiller?
The decision to buy a gas or electric tiller depends on the size of your garden and whether or not you are tilling or re-tilling, among other factors.
In general, electric tillers are ideal for small gardens and gas tillers work better for larger gardens.
4. How do I maintain the tines?
The best way to maintain the tines on your tiller is to remove the tines after each use and clean them of dirt and debris.
Once they are clean, spray the tines and the tine shaft with a light lubricant like WD-40. This will protect the tines from rust and prevent them from freezing onto the shaft.
5. How often should I replace my fuel filter?
You should replace your fuel filter after 100 hours of running time or every 3 months.
The Right Gardening Tiller For You: Best Garden Tillers Compared
Part of the battle of finding the best garden tiller is knowing what to look for. Now that you know the right questions to ask yourself as you search for the perfect garden tiller, you are well equipped to make an informed decision about the best product for you.
Tillers are a big investment.
While all of this information might initially feel like information overload, choosing the right tiller the first time around will save you money and make gardening easier, more rewarding, and more productive.
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