Anyone own a Mantis Tiller?

[HennysMom]

Looking to purchase a smaller tiller for myself as DH has the big one and I just cannot handle it in the garden. I want something small that I can walk between the rows to weed and whatnot and was looking at the Mantis but dont really know if its as great as it sounds.

Pros / Cons if you own one. Best place to buy?

If there's something similar to it thats not a manual type of thing, I'm willing to look at it also.

Thanks!

 

[jenjscott]

We use a mantis in the past, it was nice. Now we have a little honda which is very similar, starts easily, runs like a champ. You can change the tines if you need a different width, and has wheels you can put on if you just want to scratch the surface.

 

[smom1976]

I rented one yesterday matter of fact..

all that area to the right was tilled ... it was pretty easy to use.. easy to start.. I would give it 3 and a half stars out of 5 for toughness.. when I got under the tree there were some roots that stopped the tines from turning and they were about the thickness of my thumb.. ( about 1/2 in to 3/4 in roots.. ) other than that it was great. did the job.. I had to go over it a couple times..

light weight easy to handle.. pretty easy to clean..

 

[Katy]

I've had mine for several years and love it. It was a mother's day present to myself one year!!

 

[Reinbeau]

I have the four stroke Mantis with the Honda engine. I had the two stroke, and unlike many reports you will hear, I never had a problem starting it, I had it over five years before it was crushed in my shed (tree fell on it). I used the insurance money to buy the four stroke. I didn't like having to mix oil and gas, and the two stroke was louder. However, I kept it stored properly in the winter, in the spring it started every single time. That's the trick to it. Run it dry in the fall and keep it sheltered - I actually kept mine in the basement over the winter. The carburetor can be fussy, and old, gunny gas will plug it right up.

Now the new one is a dream, quiet, powerful and easy to start. We do have a Troy-bilt, and I'll use it if I have to do sod breaking, but for already established garden soil the Mantis wins, hands down.

 

[allaboutdemchicks]

I've had mine for quite a while, works really good but if you have alot of hard, rocky soil I find that my larger Troy build is actually easier to use while tilling. However, the Mantis is so small I can lift it with one hand and transport so easily.

 

[al6517]

I was looking for a small row tiller last spring, I did some shopping and was able to find a much better cultivator than the highly priced Mantis. I can't remember the name but I got it at Lowes ( a green color ), It had better adjustments and more power, but still very easy to operate, and it was inexpensive compared to the mantis. Just look around and ask a few Q's. good luck.

AL

 

[Tuffoldhen]

We have a Homelite the same size as the Mantis we have used in our veggie garden for almost 10 years now, works perfectly.

 

[maplesky7]

I like going to this monthly auction we have here. I found a little tiller I can operate no problem and only paid like $40 bucks...but that's cuz I was having a bidding war with another person...usually stuff goes for like $10-20.

I don't recall the name and it's not slender like I imagine the mantis but it's very managable. I can pick it up...move it around...start it...does great.

Now we have a BIG one too and I didn't have enough arm and oomph I guess to get it started so I called over the neighbor boy who got it started...well, then IT took me for a ride! ha ha! And I'd like to think of myself as a tough little cookie. So...I had to leave it. I just wanted to do a BIG job and do it by myself, you know? Got tired of waiting for dh to do any honey to do's...cuz it just would never get done. That's not me complaining...that's just me making an observation.

So how much are these mantis's anyway? I've often wondered.

me,
g

 

[al6517]

Quote:
I got mine last spring, it is a Bolen's 31cc 2 cycle, electric start. I bought it mainly because it was built more sturdy with stronger easier adjustments than the little mantis. It is a surprisingly strong little booger but handles like a cadilac, I used it every 2 wks and it sure does shine up your garden plot, I like that i do not have to manually pull weeds. I think I paid about $129.00 on sale at Lowes, If you have a serious garden these are a must have.

AL