Reviewing the Mantis 58 volt Tiller/Cultivator.
A Tiller/Cultivator this is cordless?
Yep! Mantis has done it again.
I need to tell you this. I own and have owned for many years a Mantis 2-cycle Tiller/Cultivator and I love it. I use it for all kinds of things. But . . . it’s 2 cycle. That’s fine by me because I keep 2-cycle mix around all the time anyway for my chainsaws and blower. But it’s not ideal for everybody.
I reviewed the Mantis 4-Cycle Tiller/Cultivator and I thought it was a great machine and being 4-cycle you don’t need to mix oil into the fuel. Just regular gas will do. However, my advice is to always add a fuel stabilizer (any auto parts store) into all of the fuel that goes into your small engines. Today’s fuel just doesn’t hold up without it.
Then I reviewed the Mantis Electric Tiller/Cultivator and I was impressed with it’s performance, thought it a good machine for a small yard, great machine for ladies. Am I allowed to say that? I mean my wife could easily use that electric tiller, but chances are she’d have difficulty starting a gas powered machine.
Reviewing the Matis Cordless Tiller/Cultivator.
But the electric machine has a cord. That’s a downside.
Today I am reviewing the Mantis Cordless Tiller/Cultivator and I think it’s awesome because it doesn’t need fuel and it doesn’t have a cord! It can’t get any better than that! It’s powered by a single, 58 volt rechargeable battery. Simple as pie. Raise the little door, slide the battery in and start tilling!
But . . . can 58 volts deliver enough power to do the job?
That’s a great and fair question. I have a bit of a confession to make. I had the rechargeable battery on the charger for a long time and with most rechargeable batteries once they are fully charged they stop charging and can actually lose some charge while sitting in the charger. What I usually do is slip the battery out of the charger and put it right back into to start the charging cycle again if I know I’ll need that battery later that day.
I was supposed to do that today, knowing that we were reviewing this machine. I forgot! I meant to, but I flat out forgot to do it. So when we started our demo, started shooting video, I really had no idea how much of a charge the battery had. Shame on me!
How well did it work? See for yourself . . .
I honestly was impressed with this Tiller/Cultivator. This soil is pretty rocky and in the video you can hear and see the machine hitting rocks and digging them right out. Nice little tiller that is super easy to use!
Questions, comments, mean things to say? Post them below and I will respond appropriately.
Anna says
August 9, 2018 at 3:28 pmMy husband bought a mantis tiller for me when they first came out we had it for a long time then after I had a torn rotator cuff I couldn’t start it anymore. Then when the electric one came out I got one, I love it but it would be nice to have a cordless one.
Mike says
August 10, 2018 at 8:15 amAnna,
The cordless one is awesome!
Horace Ketchens says
August 2, 2018 at 1:02 pmHi. Mike,
I’m recovering from two strokes and I’m trying to get back to gardening.
I’m doing a lot better and the Dr. said too do things I enjoy.
I enjoy gardening more than anything else. Thanks for allowing someone to win the Tiller
Jennifer Goode says
July 28, 2018 at 2:12 pmHey Mike,
I live in the Texas HIll country where our soil is hard and rocky. I never know when I’m digging if I’m hitting a group of smaller stones or one big rock. Would a tiller like this work and be able to survive?
Thanks!
Mike says
July 29, 2018 at 8:53 amJennifer, these are small, light weight tillers. Typically they bounce off of large rocks which tends to not damage the tiller. ?????
Jennifer says
July 28, 2018 at 2:11 pmHey MIke,
I live in the Texas hill country where we have very rocky soil. When I dig. I never know if I’m hitting a group of smaller stones or one large rock. How would this tiller handle that?
Thanks!
Jan says
July 28, 2018 at 10:31 amMike
I saw the video of the tiller. Would it work in clay soil?
Mike says
July 29, 2018 at 8:54 amJan,
In the spring and the fall when the clay is not concrete hard I would think it would work. In the summer when clay is as hard as a rock it would be a challenge. But if you worked the garden in early spring a tiller like this would easily keep it cultivated as long as you till once a week or so.
Anitha says
July 24, 2018 at 10:21 pmHi Mike,
Hope you are well. And I am amazed by your great job. Gardening is my passion and I want to take it to the next level.
I have few questions because I live in Canada and my winters goes below negative 35, would it be possible to grow things here over winter?
And I saw your videos on buying rooted cuttings from USA, is it a possibility for shipping to Ontario Canada.
I rooted spirea from my yard and it’s all successful, thanks for your directions.
Thanks,
Anitha.
Mike says
July 25, 2018 at 9:19 amAnitha,
Any plants that do well in your climate can be grown by you. We do have some Canadian members that you can buy from in the members area, http://backyardgrowers.com/join
Charline Jolly says
July 28, 2018 at 12:34 pmHi Anitha,
We live in smoky California (big fires near Yosemite) There is a big market here for native, drought tolerant plants. We shopped a chain store called Summer Winds and found small Redbud (cercis) for $50! Needless to say, we did not buy it. I think you would do well to propagate manzanita and other native species.