If you’ve never tilled or cultivated grass or a garden, you may not know how to start. It’s possible to handle both of these tasks with a few simple machines and a little bit of sweat and muscle.
Handling your own yard work will give you first-hand knowledge of why the grass is definitely greener in some areas and not in others.
The following best electric tillers reviews and buying guides will help you determine what type of equipment is best to use on your garden or lawn.
- Editor's Choice:Mantis Corded
- Editor's Choice:Troy-Bilt TB154E
- Greenworks G-Max
- Earthwise TC70016
- Powerworks 60V
Selecting the Best Electric Tillers in July, 2021
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1. Mantis Corded – Best All-Around Product
Make gardening even easier to do. An electric tiller is a fast and easy way to get the ground ready for a perfect garden. Electric tillers are quiet and don’t require any fuel.
This tiller from Mantis weighs 21 pounds and is one of the smallest tillers on the market.
As a company, Mantis is well-known in the garden device industry and trusted by many.
- Lightweight
- Easy to use
- Fold down handles
- Easy to store
- Industry-leading warranty
- Quality craftsmanship
- Difficult to control on compacted soil
- May not be suitable for large areas
- Corded – constricted by the length of cords
2. Greenworks G-Max – Freedom to Till Anywhere
Dig into the soil wherever you please with the Greenworks G-Max cordless tiller. The powerful garden machine uses lithium batteries to operate and delivers huge cutting paths about five inches deep in the process.
Push-button operation and powerful tines make the machine easy to use anywhere.
Are you tired of dodging extension cords while tilling the garden? Have you ever spilled gas or oil in freshly tilled soil? Both situations can be problematic and make the task more tedious.
DOCUMENTATION
- Push-button start
- Easy to maneuver
- Sold with a 4 Amp battery and G-Max charger
- Heavy at nearly 40 pounds
- Battery lasts about 120 minutes
- Charger and battery are very specific
3. Troy-Bilt Garden Cultivator
The Troy-Bilt TB154E 6-amp electric garden cultivator is easy to use and handles chores fast. An electric motor and adjustable widths make the machine extremely versatile. With the Troy-Bilt garden cultivator gardeners can expect to dig, turn, and tear soil with one machine.
The lightweight design makes it easy for anyone to use and the ergonomic design increases user-friendly features.
If you’re on the fence about whether you need a machine that can till and cultivate, you need to consider the soil you’re going to tackle. Is the area pretty clear already? What types of roots or weeds are present? Or, are you just turning over some dirt in a previously tilled garden space.
DOCUMENTATION
- Electric-operated
- Lightweight
- Digs, turns, and tears through the soil
- Dependent on cords and available electricity
- Tines are easily tangled
- Works better as a cultivator than a tiller
4. Earthwise TC70016 – Perfect Machine for the Casual Gardener
The Earthwise TC70016 is a combination of a tiller and a cultivator. The adjustable device features an ergonomic handle and is easy to store and transport.
The lightweight tiller is perfect for any casual gardener tending their flowerbeds or backyard garden.
This tiller/cultivator is an easy way to get a perfect backyard garden. With a push-button start it’s easy to get going.
DOCUMENTATION
- Versatile
- Compact
- Easy to store
- Some assembly required
- The start-button is in an odd position
- Manufacturer instructions are vague
- Tangled weeds require removal before continuing
5. Powerworks 60V – Endless Options for Your Entire Yard
The Powerworks 60V tiller is unique because it has a brushless motor! What does that mean? It means that the motor itself has less moving parts. You’re probably wondering why that’s a big deal. The less moving parts involved in the motor decrease mechanical failures and increase the overall lifespan of this machine.
It’s also battery-powered, which means it doesn’t rely on gas or oil for power. Even better, the long-lasting battery delivers torque and power that you’d expect from a gas-operated tiller. It’s recommended for areas 3/4 of an acre or less.
The Powerworks 60V tiller is great for gardeners that have tight areas to clean up and soft ground to till. It works best on areas that are free of grass. It will dig into the compacted ground with weeds and small stones, but it will take a bit more muscle and time.
The brushless motor design is advantageous because there’s less wear and tear on the item than in similar models with a different motor design. The last consideration to make is the battery operation of this device.
- High-efficiency tiller
- Battery-operated
- Push-button start
- Compact handles
- Easy to store
- Brushless motor
- Battery is compatible with many other Powerworks tools
- Jumps around a bit on hard packed soil
- Additional batteries are expensive
- Battery lasts for about one hour before needing to be recharged
- Battery takes 75 minutes to charge completely
6. Sun Joe TJ603E – Tames the Wildest Gardens with Ease
Every yard has weeds. Some yards are covered in them, and some only have a few problem areas.
The secret to taming even the wildest yards is to get a handle on weeds and that is exactly what the Sun Joe does with the TJ603E model.
This small tiller has a 12-amp motor which will get through dirt and allow air to get in, which makes it the ideal area for planting.
DOCUMENTATION
- Push-button start
- Versatile
- Collapsible handle
- Easy to store
- Environmentally-friendly
- Tiller/cultivator combination
- Corded
- Maximum extension cord length is 100ft.
- Trigger is small
- Guard on tiller makes it hard to see exactly where blades are
- Handles may be uncomfortable for some users
7. Greenworks 27072 Corded Tiller – Easy to Start and Use
Do you hate recoil cords? What about mixing gas for outdoor machines? With the Greenworks 27072 tiller you don’t have to worry about any of that.
The push-button start tiller is corded and easy to use. The high-performance tines are designed to dig into the ground quickly.
This Greenworks tiller is recommended for small yards. It will dig into the soil to get rid of grass in intended areas and is perfect for small gardens.
DOCUMENTATION
- No tools needed for assembly
- Push-button start
- Handle folds down
- Easy to store
- Unlimited run time
- Corded
- Some assembly required
- Assembly instructions are poor
8. SunJoe TJ604E – Electric Garden Tiller for Anyone
Not many electric garden tillers can create deep, wide cuts, and handle river rock, pebbles, and clay soil, but the SunJoe TJ604E does just that. It’s a great option for anyone.
The corded, electric tiller is easy to store, adjustable, and lightweight, so anyone can use it in their backyard.
Even better, since it’s electric, there’s no maintenance required. If you’re trying to decide what tiller is right for you, here’s what you need to know about this one.
DOCUMENTATION
- Adjustable
- No maintenance required
- Six tines
- Easy to store and transport
- Some assembly required
- Corded
9. Black+Decker Cordless – A Brand Worth Trusting
Black+Decker is a well-known retailer specializing in household items including power tools and garden equipment. The Black+Decker cordless garden tiller is exactly what you would expect from the brand.
The 20-volt, multi-purpose cultivator/tiller runs on lithium battery power and is paired with a powerful transmission. Each time the tiller is completely charged, it can till up to 325 square feet of yard.
Here’s what you need to know about this tiller. Black+Decker is a great brand, and this little tiller is ideal for small jobs only.
On prepared soil, the tiller will do exactly what you want it to do and help get air where it’s needed most. But, if you have weeds, dense soil, or extremely wet soil, it won’t do much but move the dirt around.
- Uses lithium-ion batteries
- Dual tines
- Lightweight
- Battery is interchangeable with other Black+Decker models
- Soft-grip handle is extremely comfortable
- Battery charger is Energy Star rated
- Tines counter-oscillate to prevent tangles
- Designed for use on prepared soil
- Wet ground has a tendency to stick to the heads
- Won’t remove weeds or dense grass
10. VonHaus Cultivator – Save Your Back and Reduce Garden Prep Times
Whether you’ve got stubborn weeds or just want to get your garden prepped fast, the VonHaus cultivator is exactly what you need. The combination garden tool is faster and easier to use than manual ones and will reduce your time spent to just a fraction of what it would be without it.
If you’re looking for a garden tool that will replace your garden hoe and give your back a break, you’ve found it.
If you need a brush hog or an industrial tiller, this is not the product for you. It’s designed for small jobs with a relatively simple soil.
- Powerful garden and lawn tool
- Features double handles
- Lightweight
- Created with a safety switch to prevent blade damage
- Not great for areas with lots of tree roots
- May be difficult to assemble
Best Electric Tillers – Buyer’s Guide
We’ve gone over the 10 best electric tillers on the market. We’ve even provided details about why each tiller is exceptional and pros and cons associated with each. Now it’s time for you to do your research and decide what tiller will work for your home projects. If you’ve read the reviews above, you may have noticed a few words and themes that were common in many of the descriptions. We’ve created detailed explanations to help you make even better choices for your yard and budget.
What’s a garden tiller?
Have you ever been driving through the country and seen a farmer plowing a field? He’s getting ready to plant crops and needs to get the soil in a tip-top condition before this happens. Think of a garden tiller as a miniature farm plow. Just like a farmer’s plow, a garden tiller lifts up soil in a particular area. Large clods of dirt are broken apart and existing dirt is turned and rotated. Doing this allows air to get in the soil. Aerated soil is loaded with nutrients that encourage seeds to grow and root.
Features to Consider When Shopping for an Electric Tiller
When you begin shopping for an electric tiller, you’ll notice that many products have similar features. So, how do you know what’s best? Here, we will go over the best features to look for and what to consider when shopping.
- Number of Tines – Electric tillers are created with two, four, or six tines. Tines dig into the ground and help prepare it.
- Cord Lock – It might not seem important when shopping, but consider how annoying it is when your vacuum comes unplugged at home. Electric tillers can allow gardeners to walk up to 100 feet away from the electrical outlet. If the cord comes unplugged often, you’ll spend a great deal of time walking back and forth to plug it back in. A cord lock eliminates this problem completely.
- Wheels – Does the tiller you’re considering have wheels? Wheels make tilling a whole lot easier. Just having wheels shouldn’t be enough to satisfy shoppers. Take a look at reviews and make note of any that mention the wheels. What do users have to say about the wheels? Are they sturdy? Do they come loose? Fall off?
- Rotational Speed – Rotational speed is measured in RPMs. Ideally, gardeners looking to till their yard or garden will want an electric tiller with RPMs of about 180 RPMs to 200 RPMs.
- Variable Speed – If you need to till deeply sometimes and lightly other times, you’ll want an electric tiller with variable speeds. Variable speed options allow the user to control how hard and deep a tiller can go.
Are garden tillers and cultivators the same thing?
If you read the reviews above, you probably noticed the terms used in conjunction with cultivators and tillers. Many models mentioned above have cultivating and tilling abilities, so what’s the difference? When deciding if you want to use a cultivator or tiller, you need to consider the size of a job.
We went over the role of a tiller above, so now it’s time to talk about the cultivator. A cultivator is used to loosen the soil in an area that has already been used for planting. Cultivators are good at tackling weeds in an area that crops are currently growing in. In general, a cultivator is smaller and a bit easier to use than a tiller is.
Understanding Tiller Tine Designs
It’s inevitable that you’ll have to decide what type of tines you want or need when you buy a tiller. Every tiller is created with some type of tine including those in the front, rear, or counter rotating. Each tiller type has pros and cons depending on where and how it will be used. With this in mind, it’s up to the buyer to decide what type of tines will work best. We’ll do our part by describing each tine type. It’s important to realize most tillers/cultivators on the market are designed with rear tines.
- Front Tine Tillers – Tines are located at the front of the machine. Wheels are located towards the back. Most models are made with front line tines. These machines are easy to use, but the challenge is not to run over freshly tilled soil and compact it down. If the ground is compacted after being tilled, it won’t let enough air in to encourage good seed growth.
- Rear Tine Tillers – Created opposite of a front tine tiller. Tines are placed in the back and wheels are put in the front. The change in design helps prevent tilled soil from being accidentally compacted.
- Counter-Rotating Tines – Just as the name suggests, this type of design features tines that move in different directions.
Are electric tillers as powerful as gas-powered tillers?
When checking out reviews for electric tillers, you are likely to find reviews that express disappointment in a product. Most times disappointment can be attributed to users having unrealistic expectations. To make sure that doesn’t happen to you read the differences between electric tillers and more powerful gas tillers.
First, you have to consider size. A corded electric tiller is almost always lightweight and small by design. When compared to a gas-powered tiller, an electric tiller is much smaller. The difference in size is exactly why most corded tillers are only recommended for light-duty tasks in small areas.
With small sizes, electric tillers are easy to store in sheds and garages. The electric tillers also leave very small carbon footprints, which is good for the environment. You could probably complete many of the same tasks associated with an electric garden till with a shovel and garden hoe, but it will take longer and require a bit more muscle and sweat. With the low-cost of electric garden tillers, there’s no reason not to invest in these small garden machines.
monika says
I don’t know how people can choose garden equipment depending on the reviews on the internet. I think they all are paid and don’t worth my attention. But I’ve read this page and I see that you don’t have any interest, so I can believe you. I hope I’ll find a great electric tiller.
Billy says
Earthwise TC70016 is a compact electric tiller which is easy to store, that’s why I recommend it for those who’re searching for good equipment.
Dan says
The high efficiency of Powerworks 60V makes me think it’s the best option on the market. If you’re searching for something good which will work no matter which values of work you have, but this electric tiller.
Alexander says
I still don’t know how to find the right electric tiller, even after reading this page. It seems like all the characteristics are so hard to understand. Can someone explain to me the same with the simpler language?
Yoko Shi says
Buy Sun Joe TJ603E and you’ll not make a mistake. Actually, I inderstand you. I’m a gardener, not a technician. So, I relied on luck and ordered this model. Great stuff!
Giavanna says
Sun Joe TJ603E is environmentally-friendly and this is the most important thing I’m searching for in everything. So, I undoubtedly recommend it for everyone who has a garden as it’s a nice option for coping with all the tasks.
Tarany says
Earthwise TC70016 is my fav electric tiller as it’s compact and easy to use. Recommend it to everyone.
brendan says
After years of disappointments and a few products thrown away, I understand that the most important thing about electric tillers is warranty. if it’s long and provided for a customer – you can take this product.
Isabella says
I don’t think that I would buy an electric tiller since I started living in my own house. So thanks for this article, it really helps not to get lost in the variety of them.
sajid says
That thing sure works good Helga, great helper as well. I smiled at the first shot of the green tiller in the green garden. I’d lose that in a second. Hey, I know that cat. 🙂 Oh yeah, that dude’s got some torque, Nice work, thanks for bringing us along.
Kate says
If you ask me which electric tiller is the best, I’d say it’s Mantis Corded. Not only because of its design but thank its quality craftsmanship.
Den says
Powerworks 60V tiller is the best tool if you have a small garden. I charge it right before use and the battery is enough for my entire garden of 3 acres. By the way, it’s quite light
Nick says
I studied the page for a long time, doubted a hundred times what to choose and re-read it again. Stopped at The Troy-Bilt TB154E 6-amp. Of all the options presented, it seemed to be the most profitable.
Dilan says
The Greenworks G-Max is truly a powerful machine. Yes, it is quite heavy, but this is the only thing that can cope with our rocky soil.
Peter says
I believe that electric cultivators are still better than gas-powered ones, simply because they are lighter and save power for other gardening
Herry says
Sun Her great model. Light enough to control a young girl. We have only 4 acres of land, so this device is enough
Brandon says
Joe (Sun Joe) works a treat, is a bit of a handful, however once mastered it is brilliant, use every spring to tiller the ground, makes it lovely and fine and perfect for planting out seedlings, great for my carrots 🙂
Joshua says
Greenworks cultivator does a really good job on a small flower bed. It digs it over in a few minutes.
Eric says
I have joe also. Love this cultivator, its quiet, strong and does a great job on the soil.
Christopher says
With Greenworks I did all in one go
under three hours (inc coffee break) now ready for my new lawns. 5 stars product
Nicholas says
Troy-bilt does give you a bit of a workout when it bounces, but can turn over a flower bed in just a few minutes and did my area of lawn (4mx3m) in 20 minutes)) Powerfull tool!
Joshua says
Why I bothered trying to get someone to do this work when with greenworks 27072 machine I did all in one go under three hours (inc coffee break) now ready for my new lawns
Antonio says
Using troy-bilt directly on the very compacted ground it tended to bounce around and not make much of an impression but I am sure using it on a lighter soil would be a breeze. We really could not have completed the task without the machine and ended up achieving what we wanted. With it that’s Okey)
Jackson says
Joe cultivator is quiet, strong and does a great job on the soil. I have Sun Joe TJ603E. Very good!
Lucas says
Is VonHaus Cultivator strong enough to prepare a lawn for re-turfing?
Richard says
Yes I dug all my hard soil last year at no effort at all for a new lawn you have 2 settings on for deep or just the surface also for weeding it’s a great machine
Den says
I moved into a garden over growing and I needed to get rid of the weedy grass so I bought VonHaus and it’s amazing hits of rocks it’s still going so glad I purchased this
Igor says
Add about VonHaus. Rotavated a 5×5 meter area to prep for a new lawn. Very powerful and even cut through old sods easily. I needed to go over the area several times but very pleased with the result.
Alan says
Rotavated a 5×5 meter area to prep for new lawn. POWERWORKS is very powerful and even cut through old sods easily. Needed to go over the area several times but very pleased with result.
Hordon says
I was surprised. When I first turned Troy-Bilt TB154E on, I thought omg this thing is a weeny and then it proves me wrong. I didn’t plan on using it where there’s grass or weeds, just small garden beds but I was just testing it out. So my favorite thing about it is how easy it is to remove the trimes to clean them. So far it more than meets my expectations.
Ken says
POWERWORKS really is a great rotavator – given its price and the fact that it is electric. It has a powerful motor and strong steel blades which cut through reasonable sized roots and did not get damaged by stones and bounced off large underground roots.
uta says
We do not have rocky soil, and are putting in a vegetable garden area and border around our yard, which is 1/3 acre. We needed something, but didn’t need a huge piece of equipment. Troy-Bilt is lightweight enough for me to use, and yet it gets the job done. Since I just hit 60 years old, I really appreciate how easy it is for me!