Mantis Tiller Cultivator: Review

Review of the Mantis Tiller Cultivator

As of this writing, the Mantis Tiller Cultivator had 148 customer reviews and 23 answered questions on Amazon. I’ve read through the feedback and condensed the results into this review. I hope that this helps you when shopping for a tiller.

Best Features

check Powerful
check 4-cycle engine
check Lightweight
check Easy to store
check No need to mix oil with the gasoline

Item Specifics

The Mantis Tiller Cultivator is a powerful Honda 4-cycle 25cc engine that requires gas only (no fuel mix required). It comes with a 5 year consumer warranty on the entire tiller including the engine, plus a lifetime warranty on the tines. The mantis is a lightweight tiller, weighing in at only 24 pounds. It has a finger controlled throttle for speed control and ease of operation. The compact 9 inch width allows the tiller to get into tight spaces around your yard that larger tillers may not be able to reach. The tines can be used to till down 10 inches deep. You can also simply turn the tines around to cultivate the top 2 to 3 inches of soil. The Mantis Tiller Cultivator includes a handy kickstand for steady placement when not in use and for ease of fueling. Because it is so lightweight, it also folds easy for transport and storage.

Powerful with 4-Cycle Engine

Some people who have used the 2-cycle engine noticed a huge difference with this 4-cycle engine. With a 4-stroke instead of a 2-stroke, the fuel is consumed once every 4 strokes. 4 cycle engines are also heavier and more powerful than 2 cycle engines. 4-cycle engines are also a bit quieter than 2-cycle engines. Because 2 cycle engines are designed to run at a higher RPM, they also tend to wear out faster than 4 cycle engines. 4 cycle engines are also more environmentally friendly since less exhaust is released into the air. So what does this all mean for this 4 cycle Mantis Tiller Cultivator? It mean you will be getting a quieter, more durable and powerful engine as compared to the 2 cycle engine.

Many customers commented that they had the older version of a Mantis Tiller which was a 2 cycle engine and then bought this Mantis Tiller Cultivator. Of all of the comments that I read, people were happier with this 4 cycle engine. Here one describes the switch to the 4 cycle, “My first Mantis tiller was a 2-stroke that lasted five years, but was always a balky starter and finally wouldn’t even sputter despite multiple efforts.. This one is much better. Assembly was a bit awkward, but finally done is about an hour. The little Honda engine fired up instantly and starts easily every time. The machine buzzed right through my first project, which was tilling about 2,000 square feet of hard-packed soil.”

Another customer commented on the difference between the 2 to the 4 cycle engine, “I have had the two cycle and now the for cycle and the four is a better machine. It’s a little heavier but is not difficult to pick up or work with. This section of Arkansas does not have topsoil, so, I have to make my own. The current project is a back lawn which takes fifty yards of “delta” dirt to which I added a lot of compost. This Mantis, I am sure will handle the project of prepping the area for sod.”

No Mixing of Gas and Oil

With the older version of the Mantis which was a 2 cycle engine, the user had to mix gas with oil at a certain ratio. With this newer version of the Mantis Tiller Cultivator which is a 4 cycle engine, there is no need to mix any oil with the gas. Customers that had the old version and also customers that had a different brand of tiller that used an oil mixture were happy that they no longer needed to mix the gas with the oil. A happy consumer commented this, “looked at the 2 stroke but decided to go with the 4 cycle instead for the torque, not having to mix gas and oil and being able to slowly throttle it around the small plants when cultivating. When I received it I was amazed at the quality.”

Price

You are going to pay more for this little Mantis gas powered tiller than you will for similar size weight tillers that are electric. But it should be more powerful than most electric tillers of this size and you won’t have to be connected to an electrical outlet nor contend with a cord. The majority of customers were very happy with this powerful tiller. Keep in mind that this is not a heavy duty tiller, but it is powerful for it’s compact size. The size and weight also make storing it much easier.

Pros

plus 4 cycle engine
plus Lightweight
plus Powerful and durable

Cons

close More expensive than electric tillers of this size
close Louder than an electric tiller of this size

Mantis Tiller Cultivator Conclusion

The Mantis Tiller Cultivator is a lightweight yet powerful tiller cultivator. This is an updated version from the previous 2 cycle Mantis engine and people couldn’t be happier. It has proved itself to be able to till through rough ground and handle a wide variety of tilling projects. The price will be higher than a similar sized electric tiller but you will be getting a more powerful tiller. It is quieter than the old version of the Mantis Tiller yet, it will still be louder than an electric tiller. This is one of the most popular tillers on the market and for good reason. I recommend the Mantis Tiller Cultivator.

Common Questions

Here are some top questions that I found for people considering buying a Mantis Tiller Cultivator.

chevron-circle-right What kind of gas does this take and where can you buy it? You will want to use non-ethanol gasoline. It will cost just a bit more but will not ruin the tiller.
chevron-circle-right How much oil does the crankcase hold? It holds 2.7 oz. which is the same size as the oil you mix with gas for a 50 to 1 mix.
chevron-circle-right Would you recommend using this to dig up areas of my lawn that are uneven so that I can level it off and put down grass seed? The Mantis is relatively small, but with a lawn renovation project, you don’t need to dig very deep, so yes it could be used for digging up lawn.