I've had this about four months and have found it to be an aggressive and powerful rig. ru-vid.comUgkxjo0FLo5z3Y_qUcT3vSlOqpMaMdFjvsXa I've used several others in the past and the Sun Joe surpasses these, easily. I note that several people have commented that it bounces on rocky and compacted soil. I believe that would be the case with all tillers - the ground does need to be "broken", either with a larger tractor type unit or with a shovel, and rocks need to be removed. I'm living on a Pike silt loam here in the midwest and the Sun Joe turns my garden to bug dust in two quick passes. I use a technique where I do a short 2 foot run then pull it back and let it go over it again.
I love my Echo tc-210 Killer machine. tougher than a bag of hammers. I stored it down cellar for 2 years and it started right up when I gave it just a few yanks. Its good. Im a heavy duty gardener in Maine , and I approve of this message.
Old post but I find with all small cultivators (I own or have rented all of these brands and more) they work better stepping back ward, dragging the machine into the soil. The Mantis does kick up when it hits rocks, I like this feature. To use properly you need to get into a rhythm, much like riding a horse. Rocky soil makes that harder but the motion and rhythm still makes it much better. Mantis is the best in my opinion out of the named brands.
+Tony Mira I really thought this was some kind of joke at first. About the only thing he did do right was show how frustrating it was to start a stihl.
Exactly! As a long time Mantis user with a 2100 sq. ft. garden, I laughed throughout his struggles with the Mantis. Read the instructions before using -- set the tines in tiller mode and walk backwards while pulling it back and forth as you would a vacuum cleaner. Easy peasy.
Forget the Mantis. With the Stihl being a two-stroke and every down-stroke being a power stroke, does that give it more torque for the load? I'm in the market for a mini-tiller and it's between Honda and Stihl...
This is got to be a joke video. 🃏You always pull back towards yourself, so you don't walk on the fresh tilled soil. And 2 of them, he had the times on backwards! I've had a Mantis electric for over 5 years and it works beautifully breaking up clay & rocky soil.👍
I bought the stihl yard boss because I thought it would be great for flower beds..Biggest piece of shit ever... It ran the first year and after that it never ran again even after three times back to be fixed, which I paid for because it was over a year.. I will never buy anything Stihl makes again..
+MrTelecaster420 YUP - That's Stihl for ya'! They seem to be in competition with themselves between making the most frustrating crap on the market to operate - and - trying to be the biggest, arrogant jack-asses in the world when it comes to ethics and morals in doing what's right when a pissed off customer returns their garbage. Back before they joined all the other companies in stabbing the United States in our backs, they actually made some pretty good saws, and a few trimmers. Now they make a full line of high priced, ugly, cumbersome/awkwardly designed, high priced plastic covered boat anchors.
Just take it back every few months to “your authorized Stihl dealer” and they’ll be happy to take your money. I bought an Earthquake cultivator and it kicks ass in my root-filled soil at half the price and none of the hassle. Hell, I tried to buy a Stihl trimmer a while back and the dealer kept trying to up-sell me the whole time. So I left and bought an Echo from Home Depot and haven’t looked back. Plus my warranty is better.
You an't be serious. I'm a dumb blonde and I know you PULL it backwards. Are we being punked? I have never heard from one Mantis owner that the super-fine dirt compacts. Anyone else have input please?
