The 7 Best Tillers of 2024
The 7 Best Tillers of
For this list of the best tillers, we researched dozens of options and evaluated each tool's power, overall value, and maintenance requirements. We also considered how deeply it digs down into the soil.
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Tillers can run on gasoline, batteries, or an outdoor-rated extension cord. An electric corded or battery-operated tiller is the best option for small gardens or if you have limited storage space. They work for tending spaces such as flower beds or raised gardens . Gas tillers are especially helpful for tilling big gardens or working with especially hard, compacted soil, or clay soil.
When choosing a garden tiller, Noah James , professional landscaper and the owner of Liberty Lawn Maintenance, says size is crucial. "A small garden calls for a nimble mini-tiller, while larger spaces demand more power," he shares. Tillers that are user-friendly thanks to ergonomic handles, simple controls, and options to adjust tilling depth will also make your gardening project easier, he says.
Garden tillers&#;also called rototillers or cultivators&#;are especially helpful in the fall or spring for breaking up hard, compacted soil, dealing with difficult clay soil, or folding in compost or other amendments before planting vegetables or flowers . You can also use them year-round as long as the ground isn't frozen or soggy.
Best Overall
Greenworks Cordless Cultivator/Tiller
PHOTO: Lowe's
$299
What We Like
Runs up to 40 minutes on a single charge
Quick charging time
Easy to maneuver
Push-button start
What We Don&#;t Like
Not for use on soil with a lot of roots or weeds
Doesn't till as deeply as some other models
We chose this battery-powered tiller from Greenworks as our best overall pick because it starts easily, runs for up to 40 minutes on a single charge, and can break through compacted or clay soil. This cordless garden tool comes with a 40-volt, 4.0 amp-hour battery, so no smelly gas fumes, and no need to be close to an electrical outlet.
This is a front-tine tiller with four, 8-inch tines that dig down into the soil to a maximum of 5 inches. The tines turn fast enough so that the soil is struck 2,000 times per minute, slicing and dicing through your garden bed. It has two, 6-inch wheels that roll easily over the soil or other surfaces, and we love how easy it is to maneuver around obstacles while smoothly cutting through the soil.
Note, however, that this is not the best choice if your soil is full of roots, extensively covered with weeds, or loaded with rocks. But for existing garden beds with soil that's become compacted or heavy with clay, or that needs to have supplements mixed into the native soil, it's hard to go wrong with this offering from Greenworks.
You can set the tilling width to either 8.25 inches or 10 inches, which is very helpful when cultivating soil in a vegetable plot or other area requiring careful maneuvering. Unlike many gas-powered or heavier tillers, this one doesn't create excessive vibrations to bother your hands and arms while you work. Once you're finished gardening, the tiller's handles fold down to make it easy to store, too.
The battery takes two hours to charge and can be swapped with other Greenworks 40-volt batteries in their system.
Type: Front tine | Tilling Width: 8.25 or 10 inches | Tilling Depth: 5 inches | Power Source: Battery | Weight: 21 pounds
Best Budget
Earthwise 2.5-Amp Corded Electric Tiller
PHOTO: Earthwise
$100
What We Like
Lightweight
Quiet and no excessive vibrations
Ergonomic handle
What We Don&#;t Like
Not super powerful
Requires outdoor-rated extension cord
With this corded tiller from Earthwise, keeping your budget under control doesn't have to mean sacrificing performance. While this admittedly isn't the most powerful or the largest tiller out there, it does a great job at breaking up compacted soil, and can even chew through small weeds in your existing vegetable beds, flower beds, or garden beds beneath shrubs or trees.
You will need to supply an outdoor-rated extension cord, but once plugged in, it starts up at the press of a button, and is quiet. It doesn't create a lot of vibrations, and is very easy to use. It has a 2.5-amp motor that requires very little maintenance, as well.
The tiller has four front tines that dig down into the soil up to a depth of 6 inches. There are no rear wheels; this is a lightweight, handheld tiller that weighs a mere 9 pounds (the lightest option on our list), so you can lift it and reposition it wherever you need to work the soil with ease.
There's an ergonomic, soft-grip handle at the top, as well as a large second handle for extra control. This pick also has a set tilling width of 7.5 inches, which is good for working your way through rows of plants or between obstacles.
Type: Front tine | Tilling Width: 7.5 inches | Tilling Depth: 6 inches | Power Source: Corded electric | Weight: 9 pounds
Best for Clay Soil
Earthwise 13.5-Amp Corded Tiller
PHOTO: Earthwise
What We Like
Deep tilling depth
Wheels for maneuverability
Adjustable width from 11 to 16 inches
What We Don&#;t Like
Handles don't fold for storage
If you garden in an area with clay soil, you know how difficult it can be to dig through it, and how tiring it can be to try and work supplements into the soil. But with this sturdy corded tiller from Earthwise, you'll be able to get the job done easily and with little fatigue, thanks to its powerful 13.5-amp motor.
Like the other corded options on our list, you will need to supply an outdoor-rated extension cord, but once plugged in, you'll love the way this tiller smoothly chews through clay, hard-packed soil, and even roots. Keep in mind that it's important to stop the tool immediately and clear the tines should the roots tangle around them.
This tiller has six tines in the front, along with two rear wheels for easy maneuvering across the ground. You can adjust the tilling width from 11 inches to 16 inches; that means you can get even a large garden bed in tip-top shape for spring planting quickly. With a maximum tilling depth of 8 inches (the deepest on our list), you can work amendments deep into the soil or just get the dirt as fluffy and light as possible for healthy plants with strong roots.
At 34.8 pounds, this is the heaviest electric option on our list, and we do wish that the handles could fold down for storage. But other than that, we think this is a great tool for gardeners working with clay or compacted soil.
Type: Front tine | Tilling Width: 11 to 16 inches | Tilling Depth: 8 inches | Power Source: Corded electric | Weight: 34.8 pounds
Best for Small Gardens
Ryobi 18-Volt Cordless Cultivator
PHOTO: Home Depot
$280
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What We Like
Three-year warranty
Three speeds
Lightweight option
What We Don&#;t Like
Battery sold separately
If you're looking to get the soil in your vegetable plot, flowerbeds, or small lawn area ready for planting, or you need to mix amendments or compost into the soil before sowing seeds, then we recommend this battery tiller from Ryobi. Unlike many similar small tillers, this one has an adjustable tilling width of 6 to 8 inches, so you can tailor it to your needs.
It has four steel tines that can dig down to a maximum of 4 inches. The three-speed control is another great feature because you can use the lowest speed when working through compacted, hard soil; the highest speed when tilling relatively soft soil; and the medium speed when tilling in between the two extremes or when mixing amendments into the soil.
The handle is comfortable to hold, and there's a large secondary handle for better control. While not the most powerful tiller, it has enough oomph to handle most garden soils, and it's a perfect size for slipping between rows of crops or tilling a small flowerbed. The battery and charger are included, but you can also buy the tool only if you already have other 18-volt tools in the system with batteries.
Type: Front tine | Tilling Width: 6 to 8 inches | Tilling Depth: 4 inches | Power Source: Battery | Weight: 13.5 pounds
Best for Large Gardens
Champion Power Equipment 22 in. Front Tine Tiller
What We Like
Dual-direction tines
Control over tine spin speed
Adjustable tilling width
What We Don&#;t Like
Occasionally hard to start
Heavy
Our top recommendation for gardeners with a lot of land to cover is this gas-powered tiller from Champion Power Equipment. The 212cc, four-stroke engine provides enough power to chew through clay, compacted soil, and weeds that aren't too thick and it has the largest cutting width on our list, tackling a wider area at once.
It has four, 13.8-inch tines that can cut down to a maximum of 8 inches beneath the top of the soil. Controls on the handles let you adjust the turning speed of the tines, as well as set them to rotate forward or backward. The tilling width can be adjusted to a minimum of 16 inches or a maximum of 22 inches.
While that might be too much for working your way between rows of vegetables, it's perfect for preparing new garden beds, getting a stretch of soil ready for planting grass, or working amendments into the soil around trees and shrubs.
Like most gas-powered garden tools, you might need to yank the starter a few times before the tiller comes roaring to life, and it is louder than electric models&#;and additionally weighs a whopping 119 pounds, which can be difficult to navigate. But when you need power, it's hard to beat this gas tiller.
Type: Front tine | Tilling Width: 16 to 22 inches | Tilling Depth: 8 inches | Power Source: Gas | Weight: 119 pounds
Best Lightweight
Black+Decker Cordless Garden Cultivator
PHOTO: Amazon
What We Like
Ideal for small gardens
Cordless convenience
Ergonomic, telescoping handle
What We Don&#;t Like
Less powerful than other options
If you just have a small garden to tend to, or you don't want to handle a heavy tool, we recommend this offering from Black+Decker. The tiller has a comfortable, non-slip handle and a second handle for better control. The shaft is adjustable, so you can set it to the height that works best for you, and at a mere 11.7 pounds with the battery in place (the lightest cordless tiller on our list), it's not too heavy.
It runs on an included 20-volt, 1.5 amp-hour battery, so there's no need for an extension cord or gasoline. It can till up to 325 square feet before needing a recharge, which is enough for most small areas. With a 7-inch tilling width, it easily slips between rows of vegetables or around plants you want to protect.
The tool has two, 4-inch tines that move in a counter-oscillating fashion to avoid becoming clogged. It can also be used to remove small weeds, although it should not be used for removing grass or extensive stretches of tall weeds.
While this isn't the right choice for clay soil, heavily compacted soil, or soil that's loaded with roots, it's a great tool for those who can't wield a heavy tiller and only need to get a fairly small area ready for planting or sowing seeds.
Type: Front tine | Tilling Width: 7 inches | Tilling Depth: 4 inches | Power Source: Battery | Weight: 11.7 pounds
Best Heavy-Duty
Yardmax Rear-Tine Dual-Rotating Tiller
PHOTO: Yardmax
What We Like
Very powerful
CARB compliant
Forward or reverse control
What We Don&#;t Like
Very heavy
Requires periodic oil changes
If you need a beast of a tiller to handle clay or compacted soil, or to cover a lot of ground, then you need the power of a gas tiller like this one from Yardmax. With a 4-stroke, 209cc engine, along with 12, 13-inch tines in the rear of the tiller that can be set to spin forwards or backward, you'll soon tame even the toughest soil.
We do wish the tilling width was adjustable, like our best for clay soil pick, the Earthwise Corded Electric Tiller. But at a set 18 inches, it's wide enough to cover a lot of ground in one pass, but not so big that it's unwieldy. The maximum tilling depth is 6.5 inches.
At 205 pounds, this is a very heavy tool (the heaviest on our list), so you'll want an assistant to help assemble it. Once up and running, it does have large pneumatic wheels that help it glide across the terrain, but due to the weight, it can be a bit tough to turn sharp corners.
Like many gas-powered tools, it can take a few tries to start it, and you'll need to carry out periodic oil changes. However, there is no need to mix oil with the gasoline. This is a California Air Resource Board (CARB) compliant gas tiller, meaning that it meets that agency's stringent requirements for reduced emissions, although there might still be a low level of fumes.
Type: Rear tine | Tilling Width: 18 inches | Tilling Depth: 6.5 inches | Power Source: Gasoline | Weight: 205 pounds
Best Power Tillers
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