Best Tiller

I always plow the garden before tilling and it saves the wear and tear on the tines. Hal

I like the Troy Bilt. Had about 30 of them. Hal

Counter rotating tines are good for breaking ground but not very good for tilling loose soil. The wheels tend to spin and not go anywhere.

The rear tine tillers are nice that they move without much effort but are a pain in the rear when used in small spaces. they are difficult to turn and you really need a reverse gear.

The front tine tiller does tend to jump when you hit a rock or a root. They are lighter weight and easier to turn and pull backwards. My front tine tiller has longer tines than my rear tine tiller and consequently I get a deeper tilling with it.

If I had to pick one machine only and I had a garden of not more than 40 by 40 feet, I"d take a front tine from one of the big box stores.

Bob

In hard ground, the Counter-rotating tines do not catch and launch the tiller forward (into a tree or the fence).

I'm sure the Troy-Bilt dealer support is many times better than Sears'.

I looked at a BCS several years ago, and now really wish I had bought it - a much more versatile machine and many attachment options.

Nathaniel

In hard ground, the Counter-rotating tines do not catch and launch the tiller forward (into a tree or the fence).

I'm sure the Troy-Bilt dealer support is many times better than Sears'.

I looked at a BCS several years ago, and now really wish I had bought it - a much more versatile machine and many attachment options.

Nathaniel

If it's a small garden with a fence or any object to any side of it, and a rear tine tiller, you will want reverse. Because when you come to the end and want to turn around there isn't enough room.

My favorite is my Snapper Tiller. They also were sold as Merry Tillers.

I found out about them at the rental yard where they were the staple rental tiller followed by BCS for the big boy.

It's light, and powerfull. With it's flip away wheels and easy setting drag spike adjustments it's pretty nice. Once you learn it let it ride on the spike it gets the job done fast and easy.

Granted a big rear tine might be best for sod bustin', I 've spent a lot of time behind one being taken for a ride when it bites in and takes off.

• Link

If I am working a small area, a spading fork turns the ground nicely and provides more exercise.

Some of the commentary revolved around performance, soil conditions and how it relates to the ease of operation with a few manufacturers listed.

I've used a 8Hp mid 80's for quite some time, they're not bad once the ground is broken. Hard ground like the glacial till we have here, kind of a loam, with some clay and gravel, is hard tilling when the soil is dry, but even sod bound new areas that have a decent layer of top soil, will eventually till up nicely, have to make numerous passes and increase the depth gradually. If you prepare a garden area by excavating out unsuitable soils and replacing with a good mix with lots of oraganics etc., it makes tilling very easy. Working on flat ground is a help too, I used to till a larger garden that had a slight incline to one side, takes more effort from the operator. They used to be and probably still are quite durable, I thought they were well built. They used to be built a few miles from where I live, moved 10 years ago. Some of the other manufacturers may be better performing, best to see what works well in what soil conditions that are close to what you are working in.