Best Tiller for Small Garden: Review of a Mantis Cultivator
Disclosure: Some of the links in this article may be affiliate links, which can provide compensation to me at no cost to you if you decide to purchase. As an Amazon associate, i earn from qualifying purchases.
Are you tired of hoeing your small garden? Do you want a small tiller to cultivate between the rows of your garden? Well look no further...
In this article, I am reviewing the Small Mantis 7924 2 cycle Plus tiller/cultivator with FastStart technology.
Here is the tiller folded for easy storage:
According to Spectrum news, about 43% of Americans are growing some kind of food on their own. My husband and I are two of those Americans.
My husband got me this Mantis tiller for my garden 3 years ago. I wanted a smaller tiller that I could handle and start on my own that could get into my garden beds, even the small ones.
Let me tell you about its features, the Pros and Cons and if I recommend it or not.
Mantis 7924 2 cycle Plus tiller/cultivator Features
2-cycle 21.2cc engine
Requires gas/oil mixture
10" tilling depth
9" tilling width
Recoil start with FastStart technology
Fold down handles
Ergonomic hand grips
lightweight-20 pounds
PROS of the Mantis Tiller
What I like:
Lightweight: I love that it's only 20 pounds and has an easy handle in the front of the handlebars close to the engine, so I can pick it up easily with one hand to move it to another garden bed.
the small width of 9 inches tills between my vegetable rows
Ergonomic hand grips: As a Physical Therapist in my other job, I find that these hand grips are cushioned well for vibration/comfort and have an out flaring for wrist comfort.
Fold down handle bars: This is a great way to store in small areas. It also came with a device to hang the tiller on the wall.
Recoil Start with FastStart Technology: This is where I had a little learning curve. You have to pump the primer button a few times then pull the choke before you pull the pull start. The cool thing about this system is that you don't have to pull hard like a chainsaw to start it, and it starts not on the amount of strength in your pull, but it starts on the recoil, which is much easier for me. After I got the hang of it, I love it and can till my garden with no assistance from my husband! Game changer!
It can till shallow for weeding or deeper depths of 10 inches in my garden for deep planting
You can switch the tines around for weeding all season and it gets into small areas
It has optional attachments for plowing, lawn aeration and removing thatch, which I did not buy with mine, but it’s great to think about in the future, if needed.
CONS of this Mantis Tiller
What I had to Learn:
There is a learning curve to the FastStart technology system. I had to learn that you don't have to pull hard like a chainsaw. It starts not on the amount of strength in your pull, but it starts on the recoil, which is much easier for me. After I got the hang of it, I love it.
The choke placement is ok for me, but my husband has larger fingers so it was harder for him to pull out the choke.
Is The Mantis 7924 Small Tiller Cultivator Worth it?
Overall, is that this was an excellent buy for us. As a woman who likes to be very independent, I usually shy away from equipment and tools with pull starts because I find them difficult for me to start.
Once I learned with new technology and steps to start the Mantis 7924 2-Cycle Plus Tiller(Amazon), I have had 100% success in starting this tiller and using it in my garden without assistance.
In the past, we have had big tillers and I needed my husband to help me get it out, place it in each bed and start it for me. The bigger tillers are also harder to hold back and maneuver. I have no problem maneuvering the mantis tiller, moving it from garden to garden or starting it!
I have 4 foot wide beds in a smaller garden and have a 32 x 32 garden for vegetables, and I use this 9 inch wide tiller for both. I will till up the garden before planting and then use it between the rows later as the weeds start. I find that a smaller tiller is easier to use, lighter weight and does not wear me out.
It's only 20 pounds and I can pick it up to move it from one garden to the next without help. It's 10 inch depth in tilling it more than enough to get through all the weed roots.
I absolutely think this purchase was worth it!!
I give this Tiller a 9.8/10 recommendation!!
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Disclosure: Some of the links in this article may be affiliate links, which can provide compensation to me at no cost to you if you decide to purchase. As an Amazon associate, i earn from qualifying purchases.