5 Best Front Tine Tiller of 2022 [Top Picks and Reviews]

Planting happiness with each of the plants in my garden is absolutely my passion. The noticeable interest of my mother in this field led me to consider gardening as a hobby, task or necessity. It is not just something I do in my leisure or to pass my free time rather I am intensely passionate about it.

No matter which level of gardener you are, you want your soil to be the best tilled. Before starting any kind of work relating to gardening in a certain area, what is the pre-requisite? It is certainly to make certain ground or soil befitting to the procedures to be followed afterward. This takes us straight to soil or ground tilling. If you have tilled your ground the best the planting will be surely the best. That is why Tillers are in increasing demand.

Best Pick
Schiller Grounds Care Mantis 4-Cycle
Schiller Grounds Care Mantis 4-Cycle
10
Editor’s Choice
Southland SFTT142 Front Tine Tiller
Southland SFTT142 Front Tine Tiller
10
Budget Pick
Greenworks 10-Inch 8 Amp Corded Tiller
Greenworks 10-Inch 8 Amp Corded Tiller
10

A List Of The Top Front Tine Tillers

Carrying out a large-scale analysis of the recent market in this field and comparing different rototiller products, we have chosen to enlist five products as the best front tine tillers. A brief review and analysis of their features pros and cons will let you have a better idea about the individual products as well as make you clear as to your requirements.

1. Earthquake 2015 Versa Front Tine Tiller ​

Earthquake 20015 Versa Front Tine

Well when it comes to front tine tillers, the general requirements are stability, good control, powerful machine and easy manoeuver in different types of soil. Considering all these points, the Earthquake 2015 Versa Front Tine Tiller can be a good option.

Performance

The front tine tiller has been tested in different soil conditions like- dry, compacted soil, hard ground for vegetation, soil with more weeds, etc. The tiller performed satisfactorily in all these. It renders a quicker job in breaking even harder grounds.

Versatility

There are four front tines in this; the four-tine tilling can be switched to two-tine cultivating with ease by removal of lock pins. Whether you are preparing the ground, churning the soil, re-seeding your lawn or prepare a seed-bed for cultivation, you can easily rely on this machine.

Stability and Reliability

The front tines in this tiller offer the lowest centre of gravity that ensures closeness to the ground and hence the stability of usage. The tiller has been tested to start at the first pull that indicates its reliability.

Easy handling and convenient usage

The machine is light enough which ensures good control over it. Little effort is required to move it forward with the drive lever. As a tiller, it is comparatively quieter; the engine doesn’t make more noise than a usual lawn-mower.

Warranty: A 5-year industrial warranty is offered with the machine.

Pro Tip: Deep tilling or digging should be avoided at a beginner level as it may harm the tiller strength and condition. When tilling a new garden or through the soil that hasn’t gone through this process for a long time, tilling should be done with care and depth regulator settings should be used according to need.

Pros
  • Easy maneuverability
  • Lighter machine for good control and easy handling
  • Quieter yet satisfactory performance
Cons
  • The assemblage can be time-consuming

2. Greenworks 10-Inch 8 Amp Corded Tiller – Budget Pick

Greenworks

The best front tine tiller can be chosen by its powerful and smooth performance. The Greenworks Corded Tiller is undoubtedly amazing when it comes to strength and power. It is one of the best-rated front tine tillers. Let’s see a brief description of its features.

Powerful motor

The machine has a powerful motor of 8 Amp which can easily churn even the toughest ground. It can easily cut through weed and grass without getting stalled up. It also has a quick electric start and manages recoil cords with ease as well.

Ease of transportation and usage

A heavy tiller can tire you faster and manual tilling becomes harder. To make things easier for you, the Greenworks tiller is designed as a lightweight  (32 pounds) and simply structured machine with a lifting handle. This makes your task comfortable and faster. The wheels are about 6 inches so you can easily transport the machine and dig through soil comfortably.

Ease of storage 

The front tiller comes with a foldable handle which makes the storage and transportation convenient for you.

Rotating tines

The front rotating tines are 8 inches that go deeper into the digging soil and serves you with better performance.

Adjustable height and tilling width

The tilling width is flexible; can be adjusted from 8.25 inches to 10 inches for reliable performance. The height is adjustable as well up to 5 inches which offers versatility for digging through the desired depth.

Pro Tip: Beforehand setting of soil for a few days is necessary. Hence, the garden or soil can be considered to water a few days before the tilling process. This will make your job trouble-free and quicker.

Pros
  • Tilling depth is adjustable which is an advantage in case of cultivating as well
  • Bigger wheels for quicker and easier movement
  • You get more options for the kind of plots you want to prepare
Cons
  • Being an electric tiller, the cord might sometimes get in the way of ground tilling

3. YARDMAX YT5328 Compact Front Tine Tiller

YARDMAX YT5328

The Yardmax YT5328 Compact Front Tine Tiller is considered one of the best front tine tillers due to its extensive adjustability and versatility.

Powerful engine

The machine operates with a powerful 79cc engine that serves with a rotational speed of 180 RPM for digging through grass, weeds and tough soil. The self-propelling front tines ensure better results of churning and digging the ground.

Compact cultivation

adjustable tilling width of 11, 16 or 21 inches and tilling depth from 7 to 11 inches makes the front tine tiller suitable for residential gardening as well as professional contracts. The adjustable width and depth of the equipment result in compact and intense cultivation.

Depth control

The drag stake feature of the machine makes the turning of the equipment hassle-free. There is complete depth control for a better tilling experience.

Easy operation

The tiller can be set up in 3 different positions for the convenience of usage. The height of the handle is adjustable according to your requirements. The machine has a quick recoil start as well. All these features sum up to give you a satisfying operation.

Removable outer tines

Easy maneuvering can be ensured by the removable outer tines. The outer tines help to till even in compact, narrow spaces.

Pro Tip: Sometimes out of excitement and to take less time we might grab the handlebar with pressure and push it down for force tilling for digging deeper. This should be avoided for ensuring product durability.

Pros
  • Rapid rotational speed provided by the powerful engine
  • Suitable for both typical household works and professional tasks
  • User-friendly controls for ease of operation
Cons
  • Due to the compact design, the assembly can be a bit difficult at the beginner level

4. Southland SFTT142 Front Tine Tiller – Editor’s Choice

Southland Outdoor Power

The Southland SFTT142 has been considered one of the best tillers for breaking new ground. The operation, handling, performance all these make this front tiller stand out in the market. Investing in a machine like this is worth it.

Gear Drive System

The gear drive system is a mechanism to transform usually the angular velocities and torque of wheels to create rotator motion. This front tine tiller has a unique gear drive system with the inclusion of ply-V belt system for ensuring longer life and durability of the gear system.

Easy recoil start

The much-needed fuel delivery system ensures smooth operation and easy manual starting of the gear.

Adjustable width and depth

The tilling and depth are flexible and can be adjusted according to your requirements.  Tilling width can be adjusted to 11 inches, 16 inches or even 20 inches if required. The tilling depth can be adjusted to 11 inches. The adjustability and flexibility in tilling width and depth make it easier for all churning and tilling all kinds of soils with ease and saves your time and effort as well.

Easy transformation

The machine comes with extensive features like- drag stake and swing tail. These features make it easy for you to change the tiller to transport mode within a matter of moments.

Convenient maneuverability

The rear wheels made of durable material are 6.5 inches for convenient and easy maneuverability. The forward revolving tines are equipped with the feature of self-sharpening to give you a smooth tilling experience.

Easy operation

Due to the unique and befitting design of rear wheels and front tines, the operation of the machine becomes somewhat hassle-free and smooth. The loop grip handles are foldable that ensures trouble-free storage. The tiller is certified by EPA and CARB. It offers a limited warranty of 2 years.

Pro Tip: While tilling, you can walk in a relaxed 2ay that would render better performance as well as make the work look effortless. The wheels through rotation will take the machine forward while the tiners dig deeper and faster.

Pros
  • Easy transformation to transport mode
  • Durability and long life are ensured due to extensive features and durable material used
  • The forward rotating tines are provided with self-sharpening features
Cons
  • The assembly instructions might be a bit tough to follow up

5. Schiller Grounds Care Mantis – Best Pick  

Schiller Grounds Care

Previously in the 1980s, the t2-cycle original tiller was introduced later on recently, alterations and improvements led the manufacturers to build something that delivered better performance as well as an easy manual start. Let’s look at its features-

Powerful engine

The engine is a powerful factor when it comes to rototillers. The machine has a 25cc sturdy Honda engine with a 4-cycle tilling mode. The benefit of a powerful engine is that the rotation of the tines becomes faster and the task on the individual part becomes almost effortless.

Compact width

the front tine rototiller has a compact width of about 9 inches. The advantage of having a compact tiller width is that it can reach even the narrowest places and provide a better result undoubtedly.

Improved tines

The tines are sharp, twisted and with a newly upgraded design that not only gives the structure a better look allows deep tilling of around 10 inches. The tines can also be adjusted for minimal cultivation at the soil level of 2-3 inches.

Easy placements

The included foldable and handy kickstand makes the placement easy on different grounds. Fueling process is also made easier in less time by usage of the kickstand handle.

Easy transport and storage

Assembling instructions are easy to follow and assemblage is less time-consuming. The Foldable structure ensures safer and easier transport. Storage can also be done in narrow places.

Additional features

The machine is light-weighted about 24 pounds only and so less pressure is given to tines and that ensures tine speed about 240 RPM and also durability. Speed control is possible by the additional feature called finger controlled throttle, this is convenient for operation as well. Easy start of the machine is possible with recoil start manually.

Warranty

This great product comes with a considerably satisfying offer of 5 years warranty in terms of residential usage and about 2 years warranty for commercial usage.

Pro Tip: When tilling in the harder ground, you should be concerned enough to hold the handles tightly so that the machine or any parts do not get tangled up in the grass or weed.

Pros
  • Its lightweight makes the running of the machine easier
  • Additional accessories like- plough and lawn aerator included to make your job effortless
  • Tines are reversible for easy switching between tilling and cultivating mode
  • The assembly process is less time consuming and effort-free
Cons
  • The compact width of the tiller reduces the flexibility of operation of the machine

Hence, as you can see these were our top products on the list. Besides these few products, there is a huge collection of versatile rototillers that you can go through as well. And if you are still not clear to your requirements in a front tine tiller, then you can have a look at our complete buying guide which will show you what points should be considered while you buy a front tine tiller and ease your direction to follow up while choosing one.

Why do We Need A Front Tine Tiller?

Front tine tillers are the rototillers that generally have tines at the front side. Front tine tillers or a walk-behind tiller is used to loosen up the soil especially to let the soil nutrients to come up to the surface or vice-versa. A walk-behind tiller is used in light soils for smashing, churning, digging, mixing, etc, for weed removal, preparation for sodding and overall as a primary step to prepare the soil bed for gardening and cultivation. The machines are manual and so the operation is flexible and easier in all types of areas, especially small and medium pieces of land.

Why do We Use Garden Tillers?

Tilling includes churning and mixing of soil for a good period so that the soil nutrients can reach to all the parts. This heavy task cannot be carried out using only your hands especially on a larger scale of land. To let you bring your gardening dream into reality without having to go through much hardship, garden tillers have been introduced as wonders. The days of shovels for soil churning are over, the tillers are now the upgraded alternates.  They make your gardening experiences better as well as quicker with minimal effort.

Points to Consider Before Purchasing A Front Tine Tiller (A Compete Buying Guide For Front Tine Rototillers)

Each of the products we have picked has some distinctive features that differentiate them or their qualities from the former ones. Apart from our considerations, we give preferences to our customer choices and demands as well. And thus we have pointed out the necessary subject matters to be considered while choosing a product according to your requirements. This buying guide will help you choose independently understanding your needs and purpose of the product usage.

The gardening area

The land where you are going to carry out gardening procedures needs proper analysis and inspection. Your tiller type will vary according to the size of your gardening land. Small gardens less than 1500 square meters area require a smaller tiller or a mini-tiller to work on it. Your purpose shall be served by it only. For a medium area, you would require a bigger tiller with a good engine power capability. For a larger area more than 5000 square meters, a heavy-duty rototiller with a minimum of 6 horsepower engines is the need. The type of soil matters as well, the tougher ground needs a tougher walk-behind tiller. There are different kinds of tillers manufactured according to different needs. So inspection of the ground needs to be performed beforehand.

Purpose of usage

Before purchasing a front tine tiller, you need to be clear to yourself about the purpose you are going to use it for. Garden tillers are built differently for serving different purposes like- to break tough soil, churning the soil, breaking up or preparing clay soil bed for cultivation, etc. Heavy-duty tillers have additional wagons with them for carrying out projects in larger yards. Medium-sized rototillers are good for yearly or monthly loosening of soil or basic tilling jobs. Smaller tillers or cultivators are used in lawns or gardens to remove weeds or do other general stuff. The smaller tillers should not be underestimated because they supply great power as well.

Engine power

The engine types are either 2-cycle or 4-cycle engines. Now we need to understand the difference between these two types. The 2-stroke engines deliver more efficient performance and are more powerful as well but they are noisy, less fuel-efficient and create more pollution. The 4-cycle engines are more convenient than their counterparts as you do not need to mix oil and fuel every time you run the machine, unlike the 2-stroke engines. The advantages of the 4-cycle engines include less sound production, eco-friendly feature and good fuel efficiency. Due to the overall advantages of the 4-cycle engine, it is more significantly used in the front tine tillers. To choose the best front tine tiller the engine type should be considered.

Design and material of tines

The tines play the most significant role in terms of this product. The tines need to be sturdy and made of durable material for long-lasting usage of the machine and ensuring durability as well. The twisted and curvy tines with a longer depth reaching capacity are better for larger yards, they dig deeper into the soil and the mixing process is intensified. All these help to prepare a better bed for the cultivation of fruits and vegetables.

The adjustable tilling width allows tilling even in the narrow spaces. The tines are usually forward rotating which means their direction is the same as that of the wheels, this does not allow to dig deeper into the soil. However, they are good in soil aeration. Self-sharpening tines are a bit costly but serve most purposes with better performance. Soil maintenance becomes easier with better quality tines.

Maneuverability

What are the features that make maneuverability easier on your part? Well, a point of consideration can be the lesser weight of the machine or larger wheels that push the machine forward or make the movement of it easier and faster with less effort. Tillers that are a little more upgraded in terms of design might have additional folding handle-bars to make transportation effortless and possible storage in smaller places. Lower center of gravity is another feature that creates a better balance in the machine and makes transportation easier.

Design

Garden tillers are usually three types when considering about the tine placement and purpose. These are- front tine tillers, rear tine tillers , and counter tine tillers. Tines are placed at the front in case of front tine tiller and wheels are located behind, so after tilling over a ground surface, the wheels level them down again creating a compact and smoother surface. Now, you need to be clear about your demands from a tiller to choose between these three types.

Drag bar

A drag bar is a mandatory feature in your tiller that indicates the speed and depth you are choosing to churn the soil at. A drag bar can speed up or slow functioning of the machine according to your needs. This will give the tines more time to churn and mix soil. The drag bar in high-quality models is usually adjustable for providing consistency in the tilling process.

Price

Well, the budget is a great factor when purchasing a tiller. The more features you want, the more would be the cost. So you need to be aware of not exceeding your budget for fancy features. Deciding on your purpose of using a rototiller, you can make a rough list of your requirements in a front tine tiller and purchase the product accordingly.

PROPER USAGE

No matter what the quality of your rototiller is, for all kinds of tillers, you need to ensure proper usage of the product. The tiller needs to be used according to the instructions, assembled according to the manual and stored at a good place rather than a congested place. Without proper usage of your product, it will get damaged quickly and thus your money or the price you paid for it will not be valued.

Some of The Frequently Asked Questions

What do You Need To Level a Yard With a Tiller?

Leveling a yard or ground is necessary for better results in gardening. Tilling breaks up the soil or ground but for leveling, you will need to start from higher grade and move to the lower grade. To level a yard you will need –shovel, rake, water, wheelbarrow, etc. For leveling most easily, you need to cross the whole yard pushing it forward into the soil and returning parallel from the other side doing the same.

How To Use a Front Tine Tiller?

You need to start at one corner of your yard and slowly reach the other and till throughout the whole yard. You can speed up the engine by opening the throttle. More speed will give better output but it might make the controlling a bit difficult if you are not a pro. Tilling should be done from one side to another, in the same way, a few times to ensure completion of the process.

What are The Engine Capacities of a Front Tine Tiller?

Front tine tillers are usually used to break softer soil for preparing the ground for the cultivation process. They do not require much higher engine capacities. But they must be powerful enough to carry out tilling in different soil types and ground scale. The engine capacities of a front tine tiller range usually between 160 and 205 cc. This is the perfect engine power range for carrying out the tasks effectively.

Final Thought

After all the above discussion, I hope you have now set up your mind to your requirements of a front tine tiller. The points mentioned checking before you choose your dream product will give you a good idea about the essential factors to look for in a rototiller. The front tine tiller reviews will help you have a better idea about the objectives of the use of the individual products. Several rototiller reviews are thus enough to help you choose the best front tine tiller. The mentioned innovative and durable models will serve the purpose most efficiently still you can take the help of the buying guide for better consideration.

Your time and money are of great value. So choose wisely before making any choice. So get on with pursuing your dream right away!

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