Features

• Reversible tines
• Double insulated motor
• One-Piece diecast gear box
• Fold down handles
• 3 speeds

Reviews (13)

Excellent Workhorse, Well Made - In The USA
This little workhorse is well made, easy to assemble, and simple to maintain.It's light weight and ease of handling make it a pleasure to operate for hours.None of the noise, hard starting and exhaust issues since it's electric.

I use it to till and de-weed my suburban garden areas and planter boxes (total about 2000 square feet, several times a year). If you currently use a shovel to turn soil (or an oversized gas tiller), this will be a welcome replacement (at $259, with free shipping).

This is a small tiller that it so easy to handle that it makes you want to push it farther and harder than what it is intended for.Just remember it's a small tiller, don't expect it to replace a 10hp or tractor mounted tiller and you won't be disappointed. It was never intended to till 10 acres a day, or to break concrete, so don't knock it if it can't.

This little tille can really dig!
Two years ago I sold- really, gave away- a 2-stroke tiller that made a lot of noise and smoke, but didn't move a lot of earth. Every year, when it came time to prepare my garden, I ended up renting a 5HP Honda tiller that was really too big for my use, but that was the smallest usable tiller I could rent.

Around that same time a friend who's a professional landscaper told me he'd just bought a Mantis gas tiller, and that he was very pleased with it. He and his crew are pretty hard on equipment, so I assumed anything that could hold up to his crew must be welkl made; most of his gear consists of heavy 3-gang mowers, 12HP tillers and the like. I thought about getting a Mantis, but the price still seemed a bit high, and I was slowly getting rid of noisy, smokey gas powered garden equipment and replacing it with manual and electric equipment.

A few weeks ago I was thinking about buying a Remington tiller on sale, but after looking at it in detail, decided to bite the bullet and order the Mantis from Amazon. It was twice the cost, but it looked to be more powerful, and the Mantis tines looked as if they'd cut a lot better than the simple bent tines on the Remington.That, the free shipping, and that fact that Amazon was running a great sale on yard equipment clinched the deal.

The Mantis arrived today, and it only took me twenty minutes toi assemble it. (Hint to buyers: Watch the video first- or at least read the manual through before you start to unpack it.) I took it out to the vegetable patch and following the instructions, set the speed to the lowest setting and pulled the trigger.

The tiller jumped in the air and felt like it wanted to take off. It also rapidly dug a hole in the packed earth, slicing through the foliage like it wasn't there. I tried the higher speeds, and found that this little tiller can churn through earth like a 5HP gas unit- and best of all, it does it with no noise or smoke.

I spent an hour out there preparing the ground, clearing some new patches, digging out weeds, and preparing some areas for new grass seed. Frankly, I can't say enough good about this little beast. It'll pay for itself through saved rental fees in six years, but more importantly, it'll be there in my garage whever I need it through the year. I expect to be using it for years to come.

--

Update: Since writing my initial review, I've used my Mantis to till my girlfriend's vegetable garden and my own garden, which was overgrown with last year's plantings and herbs that had gotten out of control. I weed whacked the the existing plants, raked the surface, and then used the Mantis to dig out the roots. Another followup with the rake and I had a clean, tilled surface ready for planting.

Most impressively, I used it to dig up a thick patch of overgrown day lillies that proved almost impossible to dig out with a shovel. The Mantis just tore through the lily bed, tossing the bulbs to the surface. It encountered a dozen rocks in the 6-8" range buried in there as well, and tossed them to the surface, too. Amazing.

As for the reports from some reviewers of "bouncing": The Mantis won't bounce if you hold it firmly and let it dig its way into the ground. Once it's made a hole, pull it towards you and a moderate pace, and it'll make a beautiful tilled furrow. Rake it smooth and you're ready to plant.

Love My Electric Mantis
After ordering the Mantis Electric Tiller, I was a bit skeptical about using an extension cord to till. However, I really love the Mantis tiller. It starts in a breeze, it is easy to take off the tines and clean them.
Naturally, you would not want to use this little tiller on previously untilled ground. And yes... it does bounce a lot, because it is so light and my ground even tho tilled is very rocky.
However, I deal with this and really enjoy my Mantis Elec.
I have had another tiller before that starts with a T and ends with a Y and really was quite put off by it.
Get a Mantis, you'll love it!!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Landscaping Tools    2. Tillers   

Features

• Adjustable tilling depth up to 6"
• 5.0 HP Honda OHC GC engine
• Rear-mounted counter rotating tines, for small- to large-scale groundbreaking
• Cast-iron and bronze gear-driven transmission
• 16" tilling width, 10" tine diameter

Subjects:  1. Landscaping Tools    2. Tillers   

Features

• Perfect for working and weeding raised beds
• Powerful 12-amp electric motor means quieter, cleaner operations
• More output torque than comparable gas mini-tillers
• Quick flip wheels for easy transportation and storage
• Cultivates gardens, landscaping and flowerbeds

Reviews (5)

Better Than Expected
After moving to a city home, we found our gas tiller to be too big and awkward for most jobs.In searching the internet I came across the electric Garden Wizard but almost no user reports.Finally, when Amazon offered the tiller for under $200 with free shipping we decided to take a chance.

I am happy to report that we're extremely pleased with the product.It digs in agressivly, does an excellent job of preparing the soil for planting and it's easy to handle.Fears that it's light weight wouldn't let it till effectivly were unfounded.I was a bit concerned that it lacked a stake to keep it from surging forward but it's actually easy to hold.Our neighbor has a gas powered Honda of similar size and the Wizard works as well or better without the hassle and noise of gasoline.Can't speak for it's long term reliability but so far we're extremely pleased.

Obviously it's not for heavy tilling or sod breaking but for an existing small garden and flower beds, it's perfect.

Performed flawlessly
This is my first experience with a tiller, and I needed to till my backyard to prepare for laying sod. I have compacted clay soil about 4 inches below my current topsoil. I did my best to rake and clear out rocks and roots from nearby trees before using this tiller. This tiller is ready to go right out of the box without any assembly. I already purchased an outdoor rated 16 guage ext. cord just for this, so, I immediately spread mulch on top of the existing soil and started tilling. I was very impressed with the power and I noticed while tilling it was kicking out a lot of rocks deap inside the soil and big clay clods. This tiller, also got caught on a heavy root that made a big noise and snapped the root but, once again didn't seem to bother the tiller. After doing a first run I again cleared the rocks that I could see, because I was worried about breaking a tine or something. But, this tiller again did not seem to be bother with the rocks that were still hidden within the soil and it just kicked them out. It is an effort to control once it hits the compacted clay soil, but with arm power of holding/pulling back and forward it ate the clay soil up without a strain on power. So, for my first experience with a tiller and a flawless day of use, I give this 5 stars.

Great tiller - with proper understanding
A note of caution on the tiller: it has two components which I've discovered I don't like.The first is a plastic sprocket gear that transfers power from the motor to the driveline and tines.Guess what happens when the little Garden Wizard gets tangled up in a tree root... yes, it completely strips the teeth out of the plastic gear.(Here you can correctly assume it's very cheap to mold a plastic gear instead of machine a metal one.)Second, the thing that's supposed to help eliminate the gear stripping problem is that Remington has a built-in circuit breaker right on the trigger housing."How convenient", one might think at first, except that the breaker is made in Indonesia under questionable quality control and that the breaker is only rated at 7 amps.The tiller has a 12 amp motor.Why bother advertising that it has such a great feature like a 12 amp motor when the ciruit breaker shuts it off at less than a 60% load?

If you plan to use this product in already tilled and established planting beds, I would say that it's not a bad machine and you'll probably never have a problem with it.If you are trying to break established sod - be forewarned that tree roots or rocks will most likely cause you an instant breakdown. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Landscaping Tools    2. Tillers   

Features

• Ideal for gardens up to 750 sq. ft.
• 16in. tilling width

Features

• Powerful Honda 1.5 HP mini 4-stroke engine
• 9in. tilling width

Reviews (2)

Better than the others
I've had two mini tillers in the past this is my third. I broke the first one VIA abuse. I think it was a Mantis. The second was Craftsman, really liked it too, left it back east when I moved. The Honda seem good so far. I bought it because it's a Honda (reliable) and a four cycle engine (no gas/oil to mix). As with the previous two tillers I use it without the wheels. It'll till down 10 inches in a hurry. Advantages over others. . .
Pros: *Four cycle engine* *carry handle*
Cons (of this tiller): Easy to bump the kill switch during use.
Cons (of all the mini tillers I've owned): Rock jams! All of these little tillers easily get "tennis ball" to "soft ball" sized rocks jammed between the tines and the drive gear box. I've found they can be easily removed with a short handled, 3lb. sledge hammer and a 12 inch (or so) steel rod. I've used a long 1/2 inch drive ratchet extension in the past. Pound it out the way it came in. If you garden is larger than 1200 sq. ft. consider a larger tiller.

Versatile
I've had mine for 2 seasons. It's a great tiller. Starts on the first pull every time, asuming I put the switch in the right position. I love the optional digging wheels. We're redoing the overage neglected landscaping that came with our house. I've planted over 50 new bushes with a smile on my face. You just set the 26 lb. Hamony on the spot, rev it up, and side step around the hole as it digs. In about a minute you got a hole big enough for a large bush or small tree. (You will have to shovel out the very loose dirt.) ... Read more

Features

• Height adjustable handle
• Powder-coated steel frame
• Twin End Furrow Plow channels seed rows
• Mold Board Plow works as plow and tiller
• 5 Tine Cultivator handles weeding and soil loosening

Features

• Adjustable from 30in. to 38in.

Editorial Review

Save yourself the trouble and expense of renting a huge tiller each planting season and bring this little workhorse home instead. Its four-cycle engine drinks straight gasoline, and it’s quieter than you’d expect. The fingertip throttle control gives you total maneuverability through any kind of soil, and the till depth is adjustable up to 5 inches. Width adjusts from 6 inches to 10-1/4 inches. It’s surprisingly light at just 26 pounds, but it doesn’t skimp on power. It’s extremely easy to handle, making it perfect for the home gardener. If you've wrestled with monster cultivators in the past, you'll love this hungry little digger.--Kris Jensen-Van Heste ... Read more

Features

• 26cc 4-cycle yard and garden cultivator requires no mixing of gas and oil
• Weighs only 26 pounds and comes fully asembled and is virtually ready to go to work
• Cultivating can be adjusted 6 inches to 10.25 inches width and up to 5 inch depth for versatility
• Fingertip throttle control for easy operation
• 2 year warranty

Reviews (23)

Not a good buy
The ryobi 510R 4-cycle yard & Garden Cultivator did not work for me. I started the tiller and it ran for about 5 minutes and it locked up and would not run. The local authorized service dealer repaired it but it took over a month to get parts.Then I tried it again and it ran maybe 10 minutes this time before it locked up again,same as before.Now its in the shop again and the dealer says he ordered the parts 3 months ago and has not receive the parts as of today.So I don't rate this tiller at all.You have heard about the LEMON, well I got one. the number to contact Ryobi is a joke,you never talk to anyone before they disconnect.

I like it!
I don't expect it to compare with the big guys, and for a hundred bucks less than the Mantis (neighbor has one) the Ryobi 4 cycle is the one for me.The first thing I did was to till a grassy area,,,, the grass got tangled in the tines,,,, to my surprise,, the tines come off very easily.

The unit starts easy, is light, not a powerhouse,, but hey it's only $200.

Nice little powerhouse
When I was reviewing this tiller before purchase, the reviews seemed to have conflicting information. However, there was enough positives, along with free shipping that I went ahead and ordered one. So far it's been a great little tiller. It starts and runs great and does what it's supposed to do. Contrary to some reviewer's opinions, I find that it's quiet - in fact my neighbor's first comment was "Gee.. that's really quiet". OSHA might disagree, but I don't feel that hearing protection is necessary. As someone pointed out, the current picture featured above is different than the actual unit - it is. The actual unit has a longer shaft between the engine and the tines - similar to the Ryobi 410 / 2-cycle unit. Speaking of that - it's great not to have to mix the oil & gas!
The tines will stop when you encounter the right size rock and it jams between the tine and the hood. This is pretty typical of any tiller that I've used.
It is small and will not till a large area very fast, but it does a nice job and sure beats shoveling! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Landscaping Tools    2. Tillers   

Editorial Review

The Tuffy is the smallest of Troy-Bilt’s line of small-frame tillers, powered by a 4-horsepower Briggs & Stratton engine. It fits perfectly between garden rows for cultivating, eliminating that back-breaking task. We like the one-piece handle frame because it offers more control, especially for smaller people, and the one-hand operation and power forward are nice features. The 10-inch diameter tines can be set to till down to six inches deep, and combined with the Tuffy’s 14-inch path, that’s just right for the homeowner and home gardener. It’s powerful enough to break ground, too, for that new garden plot.--Kris Jensen-Van Heste ... Read more

Features

• Cast-iron gear-driven transmission
• 1 forward speed
• One hand operation
• 14" tilling width, 10" tine diameter, adjustable tilling depth up to 6"

Reviews (2)

Been good to me!!
I've had my tuffy for 12 years and never had a problem with it.
It's great for the homeowner, and easy to move around.
Starts up every time.
I keep it warm in the winter!
Bill S.

Troy Tuffy Not so Tuff
I just purchased the Troy 4.0 hp rear tine tiller. In the first hour the tiller depth guide bent. I was using the tiller on the lowest setting. Less than 3 hours later one of the tines got stuck on the back panel and crushed it. It is a powerful tiller, but with less than 10 hours on it, now it won't start.

You get what you pay for. Should of gone for a more expensive model. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Landscaping Tools    2. Tillers   

Editorial Review

If your history with cultivators includes a sore shoulder from starting, an aching back from the heft of it, and blisters from hanging onto it like a team of wild horses, we have good news for you. Ryobi’s 31cc, 2-cycle cultivator is a cinch to start, lighter than any cultivator we’ve seen, and surprisingly easy to control. With the EZ-Start System, you just prime, flip, and pull for an easy start, every time—-really. The handles offer a nice, secure grip, and your speed is controlled with a fingertip throttle. Tilling width adjusts easily from 6 to 10-1/4 inches with a maximum depth of 5 inches, perfect for the home gardener. The 8-inch tines are heat treated for durability, and the heavy-duty gearbox is sealed and maintenance-free. When you’re done tilling, the handles fold for space-saving storage. The Ryobi 410R provides springtime turnover and season-long cultivating in a machine anyone can handle.--Kris Jensen-Van Heste ... Read more

Features

• Centrifugal clutch for consistent transmission of power to the tines
• E-Z Start System just flip, prime and pull
• Fingertip throttle control
• Adjustabe tine width 6" to 10-1/4"
• Cultivating depth up to 5"

Reviews (4)

Bad Buy
I bought the Ryobi for my Mother In-law as a Christmas gift. It will not start and has been at a repair shop for two weeks. Because it came from Amazon and not a dealer, the warranty may not apply...if and when it can be fixed.

Ryobi - Junk
I purchased this machine from Amazon, used it for an hour, doing a great job. Then I stopped only long enough to refuel, tried to restart, could not get the rope to pull out of the machine.My first thought was excessive fuel was creating a lock, so I removed the spark plug, no help. Called Ryobi Customer service suggested I take the machine to a Warranty center to repair or return to Amazon, but would not allow to be returned to manufacture. I took it to a authorized repair center, unit was there over one week. Today I went to the repair center thinking my machine has been repaired. It was not, but the technician told me the gears are defective. Technician has left several messages with Ryobi to get authorization to repair, but get no return calls from Ryobi. Also Amazon states that gas powered products are not returnable. Buyers beware of Royobi and Amazons policy.

light and handy
it's light an veryhandy in small gardens.
easy to start and handle.
recomend it to anyone who wants to start a garden'
the only thing i see wrong is i can't find repair
parts for it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Landscaping Tools    2. Tillers   

Features

• 7 HP Briggs & Stratton Intek OHV engine
• Cast-iron, bronze gear driven transmission
• Counter-rotating tines work against the wheels to dig harder and deeper into tough soil
• 16" tilling width, 12" tine diameter, 8" depth
• Features a protective one-piece bumper, adjustable handle height, and 13" pneumatic tires

Subjects:  1. Landscaping Tools    2. Tillers   

Features

• 7HP Briggs and Stratton Intek OHV Electric Start
• Cast-iron, bronze gear driven Transmission
• 2 forward / 1 reverse
• 16" tilling width, 12" tine diameter, 8" depth

Subjects:  1. Landscaping Tools    2. Tillers   

Features

• 5.5 HP Honda OHV Commercial engine
• Rear-mounted counter rotating tines, for commercial application groundbreaking
• Cast-iron and bronze gear-driven transmission
• 1 forward speed with power reverse
• 20" tilling width, 14" Tine diameter

Subjects:  1. Landscaping Tools    2. Tillers   

Features

• 10 HP Briggs and Stratton Electric Start
• Cast-iron, bronze gear driven Transmission
• 4 forward / 1neutral / 2reverse speeds
• 20" tilling width, 12" tine diameter, 8" depth

Subjects:  1. Landscaping Tools    2. Tillers   

Features

• 8 HP Briggs and Stratton Electric Start
• Cast-iron, bronze gear driven Transmission
• 4 forward / 1neutral / 2reverse speeds
• 20" tilling width, 12" tine diameter, 8" depth

Subjects:  1. Landscaping Tools    2. Tillers   

Features

• 8 hp Briggs and Stratton engine
• Cast-iron, bronze gear driven transmission
• 5 forward, 1 neutral, 2 reverse speeds
• 20" tilling width, 12" tine diameter, 8" depth
• Swing handle with adjustable height allows for one hand operation

Subjects:  1. Landscaping Tools    2. Tillers   

Editorial Review

Troy-Bilt classifies this as one of their small-frame tillers, but there’s very little that’s small about it. A 6-1/2-horsepower Briggs & Stratton Intek OHV engine and its cast-iron and bronze gear-driven transmission dig 10-inch diameter tines into the hardest-packed soil. The tiresome task of hoeing weeds and cultivating all summer becomes no work at all: The Super Bronco’s 16-inch tilling swath fits easily between garden rows and hills. One power forward speed and power reverse will let you finish the job without breaking a sweat, even when the tines are set to turn up perfect soil at six inches deep. A tough protective bumper is included, shielding the engine, and you can add frame weights for deep-digging balance. The 13-inch pneumatic tires are a step up from Troy-Bilt’s other small-frame models, too. Great for the homeowner with a little more land and the serious larger-scale gardener.--Kris Jensen-Van Heste ... Read more

Features

• Cast-iron gear-driven transmission
• 1 forward speed with power reverse
• One hand operation
• 16" tilling width, 10" tine diameter, adjustable tilling depth up to 6"
• Bumper included

Reviews (1)

Yee Haaa!
Pros: Brigss & Stratton engine starts on the first or second pull every time. Powerful and well built. Should last a long while.

Cons: Too light! Even with the accessory chassis weights this tiller is too light for "serious" sod busting.

The Super Bronco requires two or more passes (in my soil) to properly till. I suggest following the owner's manual instructions to start at 2 inches and progressively deepen the till. If you try to go deep on the first pass this tiller will show you why it has the name "Super Bronco"!

The Super Bronco is well made and will run all day without a whimper. I've used mine to till my entire front lawn and she just chugged along without balking. Once your garden has been tilled subsequent planting seasons will only require a single pass to prepare your soil. Very good on gas and easy to operate the Super Bronco should last for many seasons. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Landscaping Tools    2. Tillers   

Editorial Review

Troy-Bilt classifies this 5-1/2-horsepower unit as one of their small-frame tillers, but it sacrifices nothing in the way of power. The Briggs & Stratton Intek OHV engine and its cast-iron and bronze gear-driven transmission easily dig 10-inch diameter tines into packed soil. The tiresome task of hoeing weeds and cultivating all summer becomes no work at all. The Bronco’s 16-inch tilling swath fits easily between garden rows and hills. It doesn't handle like the old back-breaking tillers, either; you’ll be pleasantly surprised at its maneuverability. One-hand operation and power reverse gets you out of the garden without breaking a sweat, even when the tines are set to turn up soil at six inches deep. Excellent for the homeowner and hobby gardener for spring turnover and season-long cultivating.--Kris Jensen-Van Heste ... Read more

Features

• Adjust handle height and rear-mounted standard rotating bolo tines
• Cast-iron gear-driven transmission
• 1 forward speed with power reverse
• One hand operation
• 16" tilling width, 10" tine diameter, adjustable tilling depth up to 6"

Subjects:  1. Landscaping Tools    2. Tillers   

Features

• Powerful Honda 1.5 HP mini 4-stroke engine
• 9in. tilling width

Reviews (1)

Great little tiller
I have had mine for a year and love it. Our garden is about 40ft by 40ft and it tilled it up in about 45 minutes. I also have a retaining wall with beds built in it. The tiller is light enough (around 25lbs) that I can easily carry it with one hand and clime the wall to till up the beds.

On the negative, if you have rocky ground, it is probably not your best bet. The tines move at a high rate of speed but not a real lot of power to tear up sod of roots.

If you have existing beds, I don't think you will have any regrets! ... Read more