Rototiller Buyer's Guide

Early civilizations recognized that loose soil results in a bountiful garden.

Modern-day gardeners and landscapers are ditching their shovels and spades in favor of a more mechanical method.

Rototillers will significantly reduce the physical toll of weeding or planting a new garden.

The size of your gardening or landscaping chores should determine which type of rototiller you'll need:

Cultivators
Sometimes referred to as "mini-tillers," cultivators are light-weight, portable lawn tools. These are the perfect tool for weeding gardens and cleaning between established beds.

Cultivators are either electric or gas-powered. They are propelled by the cutting tines, which rip through dirt and soil. If you've got a small garden, then a cultivator will do the trick.



Garden Tillers
Instead of investing in an old-fashioned oxen-power, garden tillers have powerful engines designed to break new ground.

Garden tillers come in three different styles: front-tine, mid-tine or rear-tines.

Front-tine tillers are typically cheaper and designed for weeding or stirring established beds.

If you want to break new ground, you'll need a rear-tine tiller - preferably with counter-rotating or dual-rotating tines to really break up hard soil or clay.