Mantis Tillers

It's that time of the year -- prepping the garden for vegetables or making the planting beds in your yard ready for annuals or perennials. I have gone through the process of bed prep the old-fashioned way -- with a spade and rake -- but I much preferred my MantisTiller. It's faster, lighter, and beats the soil up much more efficiently than any hand tool I have ever come across. Probably the biggest advantage of the Mantis Tiller is its reduced size. If you are looking for a machine that is great for confined spaces or to get close to your home's foundation, this is the tool for you.

At 24 pounds, the Mantis Tiller is easy to transport and handle. It has curved teeth for easy slicing through compacted soil, and the tooth design helps to minimize the typical "bounce" you find on other small tillers. Be aware, however, that this machine is not designed for soil that is full of rocks or on a lawn that you want to change over to a garden or a planting bed. In cases like these, bigger is certainly better.

The Mantis Tiller tines carry a lifetime warranty against breakage (although not against wear); my experience was that it took several years of relatively constant use before I needed replacement tines. They will really take a beating.

The 4-cycle Mantis Tiller has an engine oil reservoir so you don't have to mess around with mixing gas and oil and trying to get the correct mixture so that the engine doesn't either burn up or foul the plug. This has the added benefit of requiring fewer maintenance items such as mix oil, separate gas cans, measuring devices, or funnels. Good stuff.

A new look to the Mantis Tiller is the electric version. I like this guy -- it's about three pounds lighter than the gas version, doesn't require fuel or oil, and is just as powerful. The principal downside is that you have to trail an extension cord around the garden with you -- keep in mind that the longer the extension cord, the less available power at the plug end. So, if your garden is several hundred feet from the nearest electrical outlet, you'd best opt for a gas model.

With a Mantis Tiller you'll spend less time working in your yard, and more time enjoying it.