Mantis Tiller

Pros: Great tool for keeping up lawn/garden. Anyone could use it.
Cons: Breaking ground for a large garden? May want to hire out a big tiller.

Although I use “no till” on my small vegetable garden, I’ve found that the space really needs some tilling between seasons. I also wanted to add an asparagus patch, a couple of flower gardens, and perhaps another small garden plot to keep my heirloom ...

Pros: Lightweight. Easy to use. Fits in small area. Perfect for my Wife to use.
Cons: Gas ratio. Clogging tines. A bit pricey.

Yesterday, a very rare thing happened at our house. My Wife asked me to show her how to use a power tool or in this case a garden power tool. She has at least 5 flowers beds around our house, and is having a bit of trouble controlling the weeds. So she ...

Pros: Lightweight at 20 pounds; tines are really strong; easy to use
Cons: Tricky to pull start

I used a Mantis Tiller for a number of years before I expanded the garden and it became too small to handle the rows. But, it was an exceptional mini-tiller for smaller patches of ground, or getting in where the tractors couldn’t go. ...

Pros: powerful, lightweight, ease of use, portable
Cons: none yet...

GARDENING, although greatly recreational at times, is work. When you strip away all the joys of this quite exhausting avocation, there is a great deal of effort and back-busting labor to get those vegetables, fruit and flora!

GARDENING: This...

Pros: A great garden helper managable by young and old.
Cons: Best suited for small jobs, larger tasks are challenging.

This summer, while stumbling around in the confines of my tool shed swiping at spider webs and cracking my shin against rake handles, I discovered a Mantis tiller. I dragged it out of the shed to inspect it and determine whether it was usable, or simply ...

Pros: Performance, versatility.
Cons: Somewhat pricey, somewhat flimsy. (Another person said engineering.)

I bought this tiller a few years ago to till around half of our back yard. We have fairly dense soil in our yard, and one area was pretty much without grass. Mantis had a special where you received a supply package, the edging attachment, and a payment pl ...

Pros: Light, powerful, clean, quiet, reliable, east to maintain.
Cons: None.

A few years ago I sold- really, gave away- a 2-stroke tiller that made a lot of noise and smoke, but didn't move a lot of earth. Every year, when it came time to prepare my garden, I ended up renting a 5HP Honda tiller that was really too big for my use, ...

Pros: Small, light weight, easy to use. Really does the job.
Cons: 2 Cycle engine, very noisy.

Last week I did my fall tilling and put away my Mantis for the winter. Made me want to write a review for here. I do not have a very large garden area, so certainly do not want a large tiller. I had borrowed my neighbor's Mantis in 2003 and was ...

Pros: Lightweight, easy to use, inexpensive, works hard
Cons: Doesn't always start the first pull of the cord, not meant to last forever.

Below is the original review I wrote on the Mantis 2-cycle tiller. The next few lines are the updated opinions I have of this little monster.I've since learned that the Mantis 2-cycle tiller can cause me to curse loudly and frequently. I had this ...

Pros: Commercial Engine, Lots Of Power, Easy To Start, Tills Well, Many Attachments, Light Weight
Cons: Cannot Till Heavy Sod,

Almost everybody you know has a garden, and some like to have vegetable gardens. To make the ground fertile for planting, sometimes you have to till it and even more so if you have clay soil! People run into issues when they just want a small perennial ...

Pros: Great functionality, rugged, lightweight, works well, quiet.
Cons: Expensive, everything is extra, minor engineering problems.

I purchased the unit with the Honda 4 cycle engine over 9 months ago. I chose the 4 cycle engine for several reasons: Honda reliability; quieter; cleaner burning; and less odors. I use it mainly to till a 20' x 9' vegetable garden with adobe (clay) soil....

Pros: Easy to start, quiet, powerful, no gas fumes.
Cons: The cord is somewhat bothersome, but it definitely beats a pull cord and gas fumes.

May 2008 UPDATE I would buy it again, in a heartbeat! It has been a year now, and the tiller is working very well. I have used it to make new flower gardens and most recently to remove a large area of ground cover. I would not want to give up ...

Pros: Light, Durable, multiple attachments increase functionality.
Cons: Price.

I'll admit it. The most enjoyable part of my wife picking up landscaping as a hobby is that I get to play with more toys (testosterone translation: tools). She has magazine subscriptions for gardening. She watches the Gardening Channel on TV....

Pros: It's light weight, the blades are guaranteed for life and can handle the rockiest soil, and it's a cinch to use
Cons: Won't turn established lawns into garden beds

The Mantis tiller is a perfect match for me. It's light weight, easy to start and does a superior job on my small(ish) garden.

We briefly owned a full-sized tiller - too big for me (a little old granny lady) to handle. Having seen an ad in a...

Pros: Light weight, powerful, easy to handle
Cons: Mixing oil & gas, cost

That's right folks watch out for this one. This little tiller chews dirt up and spits it out. The first time I saw one of these was when I borrowed one to do a little light tilling at my girlfriend's house. That one had been used so much that you...

Pros: Easy to handle and use.
Cons: Not good for large areas and a little loud.

First let me start by saying this is a wicked little machine! When I first received this as a gift, I really didn't think it would really do the job, but I was pleasantly surprised to find out it really does the job.

I received this tiller...

Pros: Light weight at 20 pounds, easy to use, fits in small places!
Cons: Weeds get caught in tines often and can bounce if the tines hit a rock.

I was lucky enough to find my Mantis at a yard sale. The woman having the sale was moving into a condo and wanted to get rid of as much stuff as she could. I always wanted a Mantis so I made her an offer of $1oo.oo cash, and she accepted!I am ...

Pros: Good for small jobs involving previously loosened soil.
Cons: Not appropriate for digging new gardens. Handlebars broke off after only 4 hours of use.

My wife and I recently purchased a Mantis tiller with great expectations, but returned it today due to poor product quality and inappropriateness for the task of putting in a “new” garden plot. Before you buy, make sure you are purchasing the right tool...

Pros: It works like a fiend!
Cons: None, unless you're a farmer

My Mantis tiller is, after my shop tools, my favorite power tool! For a little guy, it chugs and churns some dirt.

I saw the ads in my gardening magazines. I figured there should be an infomercial, but I couldn't find one. Of course, I'm...

Pros: Light weight, good for pre-loosened soil, dethatching attachment works great, lifetime warranty on tines.
Cons: 2 stroke requires pre-mix, hard to start, wear hearing protection.

Lot's of other posts here point out the weaknesses of this product. I have other Echo equipment and am thrilled with everything Echo OTHER than the Mantis (Echo engine).

My chief complaint is the carburetor's extreme sensitivity to fuel...

Pros: This thing digs like crazy.
Cons: Tends to jump around a bit. Hang on to it.

I've owned / used a variety of tillers - front and rear tined - and have been kicked around by all of them. So, thought I'd try a Mantis. On first look as it came out of the box I'll admit I was more than a little bit skeptical about the tilling ...

Pros: Light, Durable, Powerful
Cons: A Little Pricey

Edited on 6/13/00

My husband is a huge fan of infomercials and has wanted a Mantis Tiller for many years. He had the VHS tape that described in vivid detail every feature of this machine. He'd "hint" that he wanted it when...

Pros: Light weight allows unit to be carried deep into woods easily
Cons: OTHER people report problems that would be worth checking into.

I bought my Mantis tiller for one reason only,
To plant deer food plots.

It is a dream machine. It allows me, a senior at 62 to have a way to go deep into the woods and plant food plots for deer. I can quickly till a 10 by 10 area in...

Pros: Lightweight, easy to maneuver.
Cons: The pull cord start is a bit difficult to engage.

I am a passionate (some might say obsessive/compulsive) gardener. My passion was somewhat thwarted, however, by my move years ago away from the soft soil of a suburban garden to 2-1/2 acres of granite and clay. I am not easily daunted, but I am easily...

Pros: The biggest pro for this unit is that all the claims are true!
Cons: My biggest con would be I didn't buy it sooner!

I was like most people before purchasing my Mantis Tiller... skeptical. I was doubtful that it would perform like all their ads claim. Everyone I spoke with that had any experience with a tiller, said I was wasting my money. Well guess what.. they ...

Pros: Excellent tine cutting abilities.
Cons: Design and service flaws that are impossible to deal with for the money you pay.

The Mantis is indeed an incredible creature. I purchased one for a cost of $300.00 I used it a total of 3 times. After six hours of use, it required a major service. With the Mantis, service is comparable to a major overhaul. The accessability is ...

Pros: Small, easy to handle, does a great job tilling
Cons: Have to have an electrical power source, heavy extension cord. Other Mantis model more mobile.

My husband and I like to garden. But we are retired and have health problems and it's getting harder to do the work. So I researched for some kind of a small tiller that could help us. I found the Mantis Tiller and had the choice of one with a small ...

Pros: Small, lightweight, well built, strong tines, attachments available
Cons: Hard to pull start cord,somewhat expensive

This little 20 pound cultivator/tiller came with an easy to read and understand user's guide. Mine even came with a video. And WOW! a full year to try it out. If your aren't happy with it, send it back for a full refund.(Information on their website.)...

Pros: Light, easy to start, not a lot of storage space required
Cons: bounces in hard soil, roots get wound up on tines

I bought the mantis tiller to use around my 1/4 acre lot and in my 40'x20' garden. I'd like to have the space to garden with wide spaced rows and use a full sized tiller to prepare the beds, but I don't. Even if I did, I think I'd still like to have a...

Pros: Lightweight and easy to use WHEN IT RAN
Cons: Difficult to start. Very pricey, considering the engine barely lasted past the 2-yr warranty period

I am an avid gardener with a bad back, so a lightweight, easy-to-use tiller is an essential. Even though we considered it to be an expensive little tiller, we thought that Mantis was supposed to be one of the best and that the investment would pay off...

Pros: The best gift I ever received as a gardener. Turns dirt to potting soil.
Cons: Hard to pull starter cord, tines clog easy in mulch and leaves.

My wife bought this for me as a gift, and as a gardener, I can’t believe I was living with out it. I till and cultivate my garden, and up and down the rows once or twice a week. Its light weight makes it easy to just grab it and go. My garden looks...

Pros: From edging to breaking ground it does a lot!
Cons: Nothing really. Could use some safety modifications.

Since these forums have been so valuable for my research, I wanted to add this post about my Mantis Electric Tiller. At $300 plus shipping, and some of the concerns about bouncing, I did go back and forth on the decision, but once I finally pulled the t ...

Pros: Low price. Durable, no nonsense performer. Does everthing it promised to do and more
Cons: None

When I first got it I was not sure I made the right choice. Once I used it I wouldn't part with it for any other machine. I used it to break up grass by turning the tines around to the cultivate position like the instructions said. It cut through the ...

Pros: Portable, lightweight, Versatility of edger, and attachments. Easy to maneuver, turn, for precise rows
Cons: Nothing outweighs pros, like least: rocks catching in tines, 2-cycle engine maintenance, mixing fuel.

I've had my Mantis for over 20 years and still recommend it to all my friends. After using mine, my landscaper bought one. When you need to till a tight, small space, e.g. near a foundation, the only other alternative is hand tilling. I would buy ...

Pros: Lightweight, and powerful. Well made. Easy to start. Great for double-digging gardens
Cons: Not the tool for clearing large areas of grass. A bit noisy.

I got this tiller because we needed to get our raised beds in AND we had to plant a bunch of bulbs before snowfall. It did a pretty decent job of ripping out a section of lawn to extend the garden. Once through the grass, it was pretty easy. I would ...

Pros: easy starting, light weight, "gets the job done"
Cons: somewhat loud, tines fill easily with grass and such

A couple of years ago my wife and I bought a tiller to make a garden in the small plot behind the garage. After some searching of other products in the field we came to the Mantis. This was the only one that advertised a light weight, compact size, and...

Pros: its the best, easy to use, light weight
Cons: a bit expensive

My first experience with a tiller turned out to be disasterous. I wanted to get my garden ready while my husband was away on a business trip for 3 days. I went to a local rental place and told the guy what I wanted to do. The thing he recommended to...

Pros: This is a lite weight tiller for the everyday small gardener.
Cons: It gets a hot after a while and has to rest.

My husband and I purchased the Mantis tiller a couple months ago and we just decided to use it. At first glance you would think this tiller is not gonna do any kind of work, but boy were we surprised. You can purchase many attachments for many things. It...

Pros: Good digger, easy to use.
Cons: 2-cycle engine requires some understanding and care. Would be tiring on larger plots.

I've owned one with the 2 cycle Echo engine for about 10 years. In general I think it is a very good machine, but it does have functional limitations and can be a bugger to start and keep running if you don't care for it properly. Mechanical ...

Pros: Handy, Powerful for size, relatively lightweight.
Cons: Good upper body strength need to operate, may not suit all users

In a nutshell: A great tiller when your garden or flower beds are too big to turn by hand and too small for a bigger rear tined tiller. You need pretty good upper body strength to handle this lightweight. I LOVE mine to death as it fits my needs...

Pros: Good engine and strong tines spit out rocks well. Lightweight and easy to use.
Cons: Kickstand is lousy; on/off switch too close to hands; transmission has failed twice.

We bought this tiller after moving to Maine. We have a one acre property on which we do a lot of gardening. It has done a pretty good job considering the rocky ground we have. The tines handle the rocks well; they've gotten a little bent, but never ...

Pros: All Pro
Cons: No Con

I purchased my Mantis when I moved into my duplex in Northern Virginia about 12 years ago. I had a small back yard at that time and wanted a small garden area. Since I have a degree in horticulture, I also wanted to landscape the entire yard.
...

Pros: Very light and easy to use.
Cons: Takes longer to till a large area.

I owned one of the large tillers for 5 years. I finally got tired of it and started looking for a smaller tiller. The large tiller was to big and heavy and a pain to move around. You can't use the big tiller in small spaces and it had a tendency to drag...

Pros: Lightweight,ease of use,minimal upkeep,added attachments
Cons: Not for plowing under, the tines do get cluttered and need to be cleaned,grass etc.

May I start out by saying that my skills at gardening still leave a lot to be desired. I have tilled ground with a shovel, back spraining and blistered hands, real work. On occasion I was able to either rent or borrow the regular type tiller. I call...

Pros: A great workhorse with lots of power for small to medium jobs.
Cons: Big jobs take too long. Need to re-locate on/off switch.

I have been the proud owner of my Mantis Tiller for a little over a year. This tiller has exceptional power, is easy to start, will go and go and go...until you are exhausted! It is a great, little (please note little) tiller for your small to ...

Pros: fine in clean beds
Cons: hard to start and handle in weedy or rocky beds

I hate it!
I was prepared to love this product, and indeed, when I took over from my husband on my little prepared bed, it was great. BUT...I can't start it. I'm not the weakest person on the planet, but this machine leaves me feeling utterly...

Pros: Design, versitility, power
Cons: You won't know what to do with all the extra produce

Simply put, using the Mantis Tiller, I can do in one hour what would have taken me eight hours using hand tools.

Now if you're a typically avid gardener, you know what this means, and it doesn't mean you'll work 1/8 as hard, does it? No, what...

Pros: Strong once you get it running. Cute.
Cons: Price, Expense and and availability of repair parts, Difficult to start.

When I got this tiller in June of 2001, it had a stripped gear in the transmission, and a bad gas cap.
The tiller was out of warranty and about 5 years old.
The replacement gas cap cost a whopping 15.00!! I couldn't believe it!
Now for...

Pros: Lots of power for a little machine!
Cons: Some kickback when working in areas with large stones or big roots.

I was a bit skeptical when my wife bought this tiller for me for Christmas. I have a yard with a heavy clay content and lots of large stones in the soil. I'm a big guy and have used lots of bigger machines to till with. I was certain this light,...

Pros: 3 payment plan
Cons: Does not work as stated.

We purchased the Mantis tiller that is advertised on TV. It sounded really good, looked like it would make easy work out of tilling our large vegetable garden although it did seem costly.
We were able to make monthly payments via our credit card...

Pros: Quiet, powerful, light and easy to handle. No handling gas and messing with gas motors.
Cons: The only con is dragging the cord around.

My 3 year old 2 stroke engined Mantis Tiller was having trouble running smoothly and finally it stopped responding to the throttle. I had a bunch of tilling to do preparing plant beds so looked for a replacement. I saw the electric model which was not ...

Pros: Lightweight, easily managed, no maintenance
Cons: Noisy, expensive.

I've been gardening for 6 years and bought my Mantis 3 years ago. I would not do without it now. It is light enough that I can till up my vegetable garden and flower gardens by myself. I am a petite woman who can handle this little machine easily. It...

Pros: light, surprisingly powerfull
Cons: small

I think the mantis is an excellent gardening tool I have a big vegetable garden about 15x60 and normally with my old tiller it would take about 2 hours and i tilled it with the mantis in under an hour. the mantis has a small engine and i didnt think it...

Pros: Works well if the area has been dug up or tilled. Lightweight.
Cons: Difficult to start. The Honda engine option is the way to go.

I purchased the Mantis Tiller three years ago. There are a few different models; some have the better Honda engines, mine doesn't. This tiller isn't designed to break up hard ground, your garden will need to tilled with a larger tiller or dug up before ...

Pros: Durable/Powerful
Cons: Expensive/ Limited

As a Master Gardener,Coordinator of a county wide community garden organization and farmer I use a wide variety of equipment. I use several types of mini-tillers. The Mantis has some distinct advantages over most of the others. It is more powerful than...

Pros: very light weight, powerful
Cons: will not replace large tiller

this is a great product.light weight but very powerful Great for SMALL jobs.. Will not replace large tiller for large jobs.. Is very light weight and easy to use.. not alot of muscles required..Great for women , seniors,will not intimate you very user...

Pros: Portable, digs deep, fairly reliable
Cons: Not suitable for large jobs

I love my Mantis. I bought it used -- ten years old and put a new carburetor on it and it goes like crazy. It is, frankly, the perfect tool for a person who is wanting to dig up the hard-packed junk that contractors use to fill in the yards of...

Pros: Light weight, fast revolutions, durable (so far), ease of assembly
Cons: Too Light, throws a lot of dirt out of the tilled area

This is a very specialized tool, don't confuse it with the Troybuilt versatiller or other larger size tiller. You will be disappointed.

The Mantis is small lightweight, and easily adapts to many chores, but deep tilling of large areas is not...

Pros: depth of tines and weight of tiller
Cons: takes a long time to till large area

I purchased my mantis used over 10 years ago, and they purchased it shortly after it was introduced to the market. In other words, this is a very old machine. It has served me well for what I want from it. I use the tiller and edger attachments. I love...

Pros: lightweight and effective
Cons: assembly confusion and storage

I personally do not own a Mantis tiller, but I did use one at work for a year at a Earl May Nursery and Garden Center in West Des Moines Iowa. I found the Mantis to be very effective in tilling for gardens. It is most effective though when tilling...

Pros: light, mechanically sound
Cons: not for new plot

I have owned my Mantis tiller for four years and it has never needed any work. I actually share it with a neighbor. We have our gardens tilled with a larger tiller, then come behind it with the Mantis to get the beds ready for planting. The only...

Pros: Lightweight, easy to use
Cons: Not made for large areas.

After watching several infomercials on this product, I just had to have it. It is one of the very few products we have ordered off TV, that has not been a disappointment to us.
We've had the Mantis tiller for over 2 years and enjoy using it. Being...

Pros: light weight, good value, works in hard clay
Cons: sometimes difficult to start

I received the Mantis Tiller as a gift this past Christmas. I had been looking at them very seriously for about 3 months prior. My husband was hesitant because we live in Georgia and the ground is HARD red clay with quite a few rocks. My mother-in-law...

Pros: Takes a lot of the grunge out of an otherwise pleasurable hobby.
Cons: A little short for tall people - some back strain after more than a few minutes.

I bought the Mantis two year's ago (1998)to help take some of the "chore" out of my summer hobby. The Mantis was affordable, and it is a work-horse. It is perfect for the homeowner with a small plot. I wouldn't use this if I had to till a...

Pros: Light weight for light jobs. Quick and easy to use but has service limitations.
Cons: Not for heavy soils. Broke tines often and motor siezed just outside of warranty.

Great little tiller for smaller jobs. Purchased this to do a small garden in the north east. Soil is hard and has some rocks (up to fist size) and this little thing did a reasonable job. This is NOT for soil that's difficult to till, though (as it can be ...

Pros: It a tear it up digger with plenty of power for the tuff stuff.
Cons: It also flys- if you're not careful. Weeds and vines love the Mantis tines.

I'm in the mountains of North Carolina where rock and hard clay were born. You don't want to lug one of those heavy tillers up and down a mountain side when you can lift up your Mantis like a suitcase. You want something that's easy to start? I can start...

Pros: Amazingly strong tilling power for an electric device.
You get what you pay for and more!
Cons: None.

I've have had the Mantis electric tiller for a few months now and am thoroughly impressed by it.  All of my yard sections had not been tilled in approx. 3 years, most of which had little to no grass/plants, and the dirt became severely ...

Pros: Manageable, quiet!, no gas fuss, digger! True tine guarantee.
Cons: The limit of my satisfaction has been the length of my extension cord.

Two years ago I was looking for a manageable tiller for my established vegetable garden beds -- the rental 8hp was like surgery with an ax. Clicking around I noted a variety of small tillers that caught my eye, and then a "Mantis Electric Tiller". I ...

Pros: easy to maneuver; tough on hard packed soil
Cons: be careful that it doesn't jump too high and hurt you or someone else

The Mantis Tiller is perfect for small to medium sized tilling projects. It is very light weight but able to handle even difficult hard packed soil. My Mom purchased a Mantis a couple of years ago and she and I have used it to create numerous new...

Pros: light and powerful
Cons: expensive, poor starting

Have had experience with 4 different Mantis tillers. My parents had the only one that was fairly reliable. The other 3 belong to a couple of my friends and I. The three of us have had nothing but problems. The tillers after a year, even with minimal...

Pros: Great when new.
Cons: Starts breaking down after the first year to the point of being unusable.

I've owned my Mantis tiller for five years now. During the first year it worked great. During the second year I started having trouble with getting it started despite the machine receiving recommended maintenance and careful winter storage. Some parts ...

Pros: Does not compact the earth, light weight, fluffy earth.
Cons: Difficult to impossible to start, finicky about gas, I dread trying to use it.

My tiller is nearly impossible to start! I absolutely dread trying to use it because it gives me nothing but trouble. I've tried everything. When I first tried to use it my dad couldn't start it, my boyfriend couldn't start it, and I had to take it to...

Pros: Small but powerful!
Cons: None that I have found!

This little tiller has really served us well. We have been able to till so many things in our yard. We were even able to till a drainage trench to solve a flooding problem. We don't have much room in our garage, so the small size and the light weight...

Pros: Versatility. Ease of use. Light weight.
Cons: Not for large new gardens. I didn't get it 2 years ago.

I was tired of digging out flower beds for my mom by hand. So I decided to give the Mantis a try. I figured with a 1 year warranty there was no risk. It's a great little machine. Unlike a big tiller, I could get in and around plants my mom already ...

Pros: Does a good job if you can start it.
Cons: Hard to start, tines clog with rocks, grass.

I got the mantis maybe 5 years ago. I didn't get to use it at all this past summer 'cause it would never start. It won't bust up a new plot, but I generally turn the soil with a spade, and then go over it with the Mantis, which produces...

Pros: Good for smaller gardens
Cons: Taller gardeners (5'8" and above) would be best at handling the machine

I had a Mantis Tiller and found that it works well in small areas (such as flower beds). However, I needed to till my vegetable garden (size roughly 20 X 20), and it took longer than I had expected. The handlebars are so high that you are forced to...

Pros: Lightweight, good strength for a small tiller
Cons: Hard to start, gas/oil mix a major pain

I bought the Mantis tiller and really enjoyed it when I first got it. After that, it was extremely hard and frustrating to start. The only way I could get to start it was to drain all the gas/oil mix, and remix a new batch every time. It does bounce...

Pros: Reliable, Hard working, Hard working, Hard working, reliable.
Cons: None at this time.

I had mine for about twenty years, used it very hard, and have not had any problems with my Mantis at this time, it still has to have it's first tune up. I use it in my garden of about 3200 sq. ft. ( I have had it hard tilled with the tractor three times...

Pros: Good for established plot with good soil
Cons: Noisy, jerky, tines wore out in one season. Does not chop vegetation.

Mantis advertising leads one to believe that it's easier to manage than larger tillers. This is not true, since I found a large Troy-bilt much easier to manage. Vibrations from the Mantis left my hands and shoulders numb. It took months for the damage to...

Pros: lightweight, easy to start, works great!
Cons: balance isn't centered when carrying

I hate weeding!!! My garden is weedless today and it stays that way!

I absolutely love my Mantis, my garden has never looked so good. I particularly like pulling the machine backwards, it is so easy that way. Then a little gas and I walk it...

Pros: Lightweight, powerful
Cons: Unreliable to start and keep running, very costly to tune up

After three seasons of expensive ($98) tuneups on a tiller that still refused to start, I gave up and gave my Mantis away. The guy I gave it to could never get it started either, so it's sitting unused in his garage. I've since come to realize that ...

Pros: light weight perfect for small jobs
Cons: they want full payment for the elderly

The mantis is a great little tiller. The only grip I have with it is that if you are over seventy-five you will be required to pay cash. I imagine that the company figures that you will drop over dead before you can pay for the thing. I stars very easy...

Pros: light weight & easy to use
Cons: cost

If you have a small garden you will love the Mantis. Easy, even fun to use - this little tiller/cultivator is big on power and versatility. Till up your garden, reverse the tines and cultivate it. The Mantis can break through big chunks of clay with...

Pros: Lightweight, sturdy, easy to use
Cons: None

The Mantis Tiller/Cultivator is an absolute must for anyone who gardens, be it flowers, vegetables, herbs, or all three. Tilling the ground is one of those things I used to consider a "chore" - that is until I bought my Mantis!

I...

Pros: small, easy to handle, rugged
Cons: a little expensive

I used to own a mantis tiller and while I might buy a little heavier brand next time I did love my tiny tiller. I used it to till up a small garden space and flower beds and holes to plant trees and lots of other things. It was light enough for me to...

Pros: Lightweight, love the kickstand.
Cons: A little tricky to start, jumps a little.

Okay, I am changing my review here. At first I gave it low stars because it jumped so bad and I could not get it to start. Now that I have had time to work with it, I love it! There is a trick to starting the tiller, and now I can start it with no ...

Pros: light, compact, echo engine.
Cons: too light and too compact for larger jobs

My local Echo dealer has been trying to sell me a mantis tiller for my landscaping company for years, I just laughed...what am I going to do with that little thing? Then one day my father walked through the door with a mantis tiller in his hand. The...

Pros: Lightweight, easy to use, tough machine, durable
Cons: Not for very large areas

I only wish we hadn't waited for so long to finally buy it. This machine is fabulous. I can use it without the aid of my husband, and that's a great feature because I sometimes need to till my flower beds. We just finished doing all our tilling last...

Pros: Lightweight, works quickly and in small areas
Cons: Durability

Having 15 acres of land, and about 4 cleared for landscaping, I tried the Mantis tiller upon noting their money back guarantee. (Not being much of a risk taker, I like products that offer a "nothing to lose" trial period.)

This...

Pros: Easy to carry.
Cons: Refuses to start even after servicing

Yes, it is easy to assemble, and yes, it is lightweight. It also tills with good torque. However, after just a few uses, my husband and I couldn't get the thing to start. I took it to an authorized Mantis repair shop, and paid a hefty fee for them to...

Pros: A MUST HAVE FOR GARDENERS
Cons: NONE REALLY

I purchased this product for my husband's birthday. I have to say that it is the "BEST" piece of garden equipment we have. It's size may be small but the power it "TREMENDOUS". It works great in between the rows of your garden or...

Pros: My tiller is 3 years old. It worked well in small spaces.
Cons: The engine broke off from the plate it is (was) bolted to.

My 3 year old tiller worked well in small spaces. It was a lot of work to do the initial vegetable garden tilling (12x12 feet). The motor gets a lot of dirt due to the engine being so close to the tines. I still enjoyed it, though, and it weeded my...

Pros: Lightweight, small
Cons: Does not run smoothly, Cheaply built

Today I am going to tell you about the small portable Mantis Tiller. I bought a Mantis Tiller last spring to use for my small gardening needs

and flowers beds where I could not access with a larger 18 or 20 inch tiller. I have had problems...

Pros: Lightweight, tines, warranty & guarantee
Cons: Somewhat bouncy

Received my Tiller in June 2000 and have put it to the test ever since.. I have to say that I am pleased with it. I have broken in new ground with minimum problem. It's a tad bouncy but nevertheless controllable. The tines just chews through the ground...

Pros: light, various attachments available
Cons: weak handle, weak transmission

This is a revision of my previous review:

We like the Mantis tiller. It does well as advertised, and its edger attachment is very functional. However, we just broke the lower part of the handle at the elbow portion after having it for three...

Pros: Light weight, easy to handle.
Cons: Requires constant expensive repair.

I have had my Mantis for 3 years. Only the first year was it cost efficient. I have spent as much money in repairs as the little tiller cost. Now one tine is stuck and cannot be removed. I would not recommend this tiller unless you are willing to keep...

Pros: Size,versatility, and handle ability
Cons: None

Browsing through a garden catalog I found a mail in card for the Mantis Tiller. Having just moved into a new house with no landscaping I was in the market for a tiller. Advertisement stated that I had a year to try it out. I tried it out and had no...

Pros: Light, easy to start and use. Cleans in a few minutes.
Cons: Needs a bit of space to store. Neighbours want to borrow it. :-)

Let me start by saying my garden hasn't seen a spade in five years or more. The top soil is about 3 inches deep, then you get clay and then chalk. Add to that an unhealthy garnish of flint. When we moved in a couple of years ago I asked the bloke ...

Pros: Quiet, tills deep, fluffs soil
Cons: hard to remove weeds from tine base

I have a 40x60 garden plot and have walkways between the rows. Every few years I would remove supports, weed barriers and garden decorations and hire someone to till the area. I would then "re-build" the garden structure.
No longer will I have to do that since the Mantis electric tiller is so well behaved. I remember running a large tiller for my parents -- it was big and heavy and hard to move around. This tiller is light and can get just where you want it -- but it tills like the big boys. I stuck a ruler in the tilled soil and it was 10" deep of fluffed soil. Yes, fluffy soil, no large pieces at all which is amazing since I live in a clay area. The tiller is quiet in all speeds so one can till at any time. The cord was not a problem since I worked small areas at a time so just a little attention was needed.
The tiller was a great help at the end of the growing season end because I could easily till in soil amendments. I look forward to getting the garden ready for spring planting!

Pros: Does a good job tilling when it's running.
Cons: Doesn't run.

At the urging of my wife, we purchased a Mantis tiller from Veseys for our flower garden. I was able to start it with no problem but my wife was only able to start it once with considerable effort. It worked fine when it was running and did a fine job on the weeds in the garden and tilled down to about 10 inches. After storing it over the winter, it refused to start and cost me $50 to get it tuned up. However, my wife still couldn't start it. After working for two weeks, it would start but died whenever I attempted to rev it up.

Customer service requested that I have the engine shipped via UPS to Mantis for evaluation. You would think that Mantis would know that UPS refuses to ship used engines.

The Mantis now sits in the basement as a rather expensive piece of junk.

Pros: Great little machine. Good warranty on tines.
Cons: None

I have had a MANTIS TILLER for over 20 years and it is still going strong. Easy to use. Mantis replaced my tines for free after 18 years of use. I am buying another one only for the easy start feature. I would recommend it highly.

Pros: Powerful, sturdy, excellent engine, sharp tines
Cons: NONE

This is one powerful little tiller. Even though it is lightweight, it will dig like crazy. I had my Mantis tiller stolen and intend to buy another one. My tiller would get into tight places where I couldn't take my bigger Snapper tiller AND it would dig deeper as well. It comes in handy for working in flower gardens where you need to till just in one spot. Works great for digging a hole for one medium size plant. Also works great for cultivating around established plants in the flower and vegetable garden. I never had a problem with anything on this tiller....no belt's to change, no electric cord to get caught in the tines.

Pros: Light weight makes it easy to use.
Cons: Poor breaking up sod or hard soil. Hard starter. Requires constant tine clearing.

I bought one of these little tillers years ago. It took the joy out of my gardening due to its poor ability to do what is was supposed to do after I spent so much money on it. It is still sitting in my basement, unused for years.

First, the only model available then was the gas model, and it was VERY hard to start. Second, it constantly clogged up whenever it was used to break up any soil that contained vegetation. It had to be stopped every couple of minutes to pull the clogging weeds out of the tines. Of course, each time provided an opportunity to lose a cotter pin, so you better have a good supply on hand. Third, because of its light weight, it had trouble penetrating hard, dry soil.

The TV commercials like to show the Mantis churning up soil easily. Notice that the soil being worked is loose and really does not need any tilling. So, if you need a tiller that just mixes already loose soil, then buy a Mantis.

Pros: Power, light weight, zero maintenance, built quality far better than other electric tillers.
Cons: Can overheat after a couple hours of continuous use.

The Mantis electric tiller replaced a Craftsman 2-cycle mini tiller that died last fall. The Mantis is about the same weight but much quieter, and the tines are sharper and cut clods far more effectively. Dragging a power cord about isn't as much of a nuisance as I thought it might be. $240 on ebay for the tiller with edger attachment -- heck of a deal.

Pros: An unusual paperweight.
Cons: Extremely difficult to start; dies when I let off gas; not worth effort.

This thing is extremely difficult to start, and has been so since I bought the thing about three years ago. I have performed the needed maintenance, but neither I nor my son (who weighs 290 and can bench press over 500 pounds) can get more than a cough out of the thing. I borrowed my neighbors Craftsman mini-tiller, and it started on the second pull. He told me that he had not used it in a couple of years. Save your money and effort and buy a Craftsman. (No, I neither work for Sears nor do I have stock in the company.)

Pros: Power, light weight
Cons: Difficult to start, choke design, dangerous bounce

After reading a number of favorable reviews I decided to buy a Mantis tiller. I find the machine to be powerful and light weight. My chief complaint is that it is very difficult to start. This engine will flood in a heart beat and the choke control is difficult to grasp if you have large hands. The unit will also bounce like a rabbit on hard ground creating a danger for the operator. I understand that they make a model with a Honda engine which would probably be much better. After two months of pulling the starter cord until my hands are bloody I am sending my machine back.

Pros: Good for small flower beds with loose soil.
Cons: Not adequate for soil that is not already loose.

When I bought the mantis, the dealer called it a tough little machine. A year later, after a total of some 10 hours of (partly heavy) tilling, the motor was completely shot. The dealer then admitted it isn't really meant for a big garden.

Pros: Power, light weight, good return policy
Cons: difficult to start, dangerous bounce

After reading a number of favorable reviews I decided to buy a Mantis tiller. I find the machine to be powerful and light weight. My chief complaint is that it is very difficult to start. This engine will flood in a heart beat and the choke control is difficult to grasp if you have large hands. The unit will bounce like a rabbit on hard ground creating a danger for the operator. I understand that they make a model with a Honda engine which would probably be much better. After two months of pulling the starter cord until my hands were bloody I sent the machine back.

Pros: lightweight and compact
Cons: difficult to start, temperamental, doesn't have the power of a large tiller

I've had nothing but trouble starting my mantis tiller from the first day I tried it. Even following the instructions in the manual step by step yields inconsistent results.
If you decide to buy this tiller, make sure you try it right away to make sure you don't have the same problem. I waited too long - I didn't assemble it and try it out until the second season.
I took it to a certified service center. They told me that these types of tillers tend to be temperamental and difficult to start. The mantis tiller is also very sensitive to fuel that isn't absolutely fresh, so you have to pretty much drain any unused fuel after each time you use it (especially during a hot summer).
The mantis doesn't do well cutting through superficial tree roots (like those of maple trees). The roots will get all tangled up in the tines, and stop the motor. The accessory you can buy to help keep the tines free from tangles doesn't alleviate the problem all that much.

Pros: small, easy to start,
Cons: price, maneuverability, doesn't till new garden spots well

I purchased this tiller because I thought it would be easy for me to use. It starts well, but is difficult to use if you want to till up a new garden space. It takes alot of upper body strength to maneuver as you pull it towards you. If your ground is anything but extremely soft or already tilled, it hops and jumps around. Not like they show in the ad.

Pros: Small, light weight, stores easily.
Cons: Not good unless you're a 2 cycle engine mechanic. Requires constant adjustments. 

Save  your money. I bought one four years ago. I have a small garden so I bought this small tiller. Worked great the first couple of times, then the problems started. Hard to start, required constant adjustments, expensive to maintain, parts not readily available.  2 cycle engine is finicky and requires constant adjustments. Tines clog often. Bought this because I'm an ardent gardener and wanted something to help prepare the soil. I'm going back to the shovel and rake. Very few places to get the Mantis parts and repair/maintenance. Great idea, but essentially a piece of junk. Recommend you do not buy despite the flashy ads.

Pros: The Mantis parts department is very efficient.
Cons: The fuel system needs improvements. The diagrams in the manual could be much better.

I have 2 Mantis tillers. They both have the same problem: the carburetor fails to supply fuel to the engine. I know this because both runs fine as long as I squirt gas directly into the intake manifold. This problem is typical of many small engines, but this is the first one I have not been able to fix? It's proprietary; parts can only be bought from Mantis or an authorized dealer. I bought their best carburetor rebuild kit and install it. It ran well for a few hours and then quit. The second Mantis tiller was bought to compare to the first: no difference.

Pros: Lightweight
Cons: Hard to start, complicated to maintain.

Every time I have used the Mantis, I've had problems.  It floods every time I try to start it.  I get out the manual each time so that I know I'm doing it right, so I know it's not my fault. I spend at least 40 minutes trying to get it started before I can actually use it.  Once it's running, it's not easy to use like it says on the website and infomercial. Weeds and sticks get tangled up in it so it shuts off. It does bounce off hard dirt. It's hard for me to hold on to, even though the website says that old ladies can use it. The maintenance is fairly complicated, too. I admit I don't know anything about small engines, but if you read the owner's manual for all the things you have to do for this thing, it makes your head spin. False advertising. Hard to use product.  I'm going to try to return it.

Pros: When it works, it works well for a small tiller.
Cons: Electric motor will only run a short while before overheating and shutting itself off.

Recently purchased a Mantis electric tiller, and have been very disappointed in the result. The motor overheats very quickly during light-to-moderate use. It won't even till a 5x10 foot garden without having to stop several times when the circuit breaker shuts it off, and wait for it to cool down. About 10 minutes use till the first shut-off, then only about 30 seconds or less of use after each circuit breaker is triggered, unless the machine is allowed to cool down for hours. Extremely exasperating!!!

Pros: Does small to medium lawn and garden tasks fine.
Cons: None really to think of...aside from detangling the blades from weeds now and then.

I've been using the same Mantis tiller for about 8 years. I've had it serviced 3 times (tuneup). It starts every time, aerates my lawn, tills my vege garden and I'm about to buy the 30" hedge trimming attachment. Previous user, I'm sorry you got a lemon. It happens...

Pros: Lightweight
Cons: Price does not reflect value (by far). Unreliable is an understatement.

Let me start off by saying I feel this company should be sued for the extremely unreliable product they have been selling for years. I know of at least three other people that own this tool and we all share the same problem. Hard starting and a horrible carburetor design for the small displacement engine it is attached to. After taking a closer at this carburetor I feel a large part of the problem is the mixture screws are not tunable to a fine degree that they need to be. (in other words, the points should be at a greater angle and the shaft should have at least double the threads of what is there now.) Two of the people I know who own these tillers have been bought within the past two years and they started having problems within only a few uses. Mantis is well aware of this problem, yet has offered no solution other than to empty their customers pockets even further and leave the customer with the exact same problem they had to begin with.

Pros: It is small and light weight.
Cons: Difficult to use without a kickstand.

I find it difficult to use since there is no way to leave it running while you do some small task or to move debris that is in the way without a kickstand. They now include the stand with the tiller but will not help out previous purchasers with this obvious flaw. I use it less than I would and feel it was a waste of money.

Pros: SUPER POWER-TO-WEIGHT RATIO!!
Cons: None to speak of...

Although I do not own one of these little beauties yet, I am sure to soon remedy that condition. I had a fairly sizable spot, or two, in my yard that excessive oak leaves had killed the grass on. I decided to try out the Mantis to dig up these areas for reseeding. MAN-OH-MAN does this little powerhouse tear up the sod! I was VERY impressed with the strength and power-to-size ratio!

Pros: Once it starts, this Mantis tiller is kick butt. A real go getter.
Cons: My Mantis has a hard time starting after just a few days out of shop.

I've had my Mantis for some time now and it takes me forever to get it started. I've had it in the repair shop many times for this resean. Each time they fix it, I bring it home and use it. After about the third time I have to start it, it just fights me. My rope pulling arm is twice as big as my other arm. Is there a secret code I have to enter before trying to start it?