Best Powerful Tillers

Large agricultural machines are not very suitable for cultivating compact and narrow areas, so sometimes it's better to use small-sized cultivators like the AL-KO MH 360. This device has a distance between the outermost blades of 36 cm (approximately like a typical electric cultivator). This size allows for careful maneuvering without damaging useful plants and their root systems, enabling tilling and weeding between the rows in gardens or greenhouses. The tilling depth can be adjusted using a guide beam (drawbar) that is inserted into the rear part of the housing. The machine can be adjusted to the user's height by regulating the handle height. The machine is easy to operate, performing various maneuvers and turns, because it is very light (34 kg — quite a lightweight for petrol cultivators). For maneuvering between rows and flowerbeds, the cultivator has a front transport wheel, allowing you to simply roll the tool without lifting it.

The cultivator's power unit is a single-cylinder 4-stroke petrol engine with a displacement of 139 cm³. It is reliable and designed for long-term use (but note that the manufacturer is categorically against using this device for commercial purposes, as it considers it a household-class machine). The engine starts with a manual starter, but thanks to the "pear" (manual fuel priming pump) and good ignition system, starting procedures require virtually no physical effort. The cultivator has only one gear, but the engine output shaft speed (and, consequently, the blades) can be adjusted using the throttle lever, moving from low speed (icon of "turtle") to maximum speed (icon of "hare").

Unlike other manufacturers of garden equipment, which have long moved production to China, AL-KO makes its cultivators at a factory in Austria — this is a big plus in the eyes of buyers who prefer European assembly. But at the same time, despite being produced in Europe, the AL-KO MH 360 is a very affordable machine, successfully competing in price with "Chinese-made" counterparts.

The affordable Iron Angel GT06 petrol cultivator is a good aid for cultivating large areas for growing crops, as well as for loosening and getting rid of weeds. The unit, weighing a relatively light 57 kg, allows easy maneuvering around the plot, and its transportation to the work site will be simplified thanks to a convenient handle and transport wheels. The cultivator is simple and convenient to use, allowing it to be adjusted to your height due to the height-adjustable handles, which can also be angled if desired.

The machine is equipped with a single-cylinder 4-stroke petrol engine with air cooling E212 power 7.5 hp (5500 W), which has an overhead valve train (OHV). A fuel tank with a capacity of 3.6 liters, filled with AI 92-95 gasoline, is enough for extended operation without refueling. For filling the crankcase, SAE 10W30 engine oil should be used in the amount of 0.6 liters. The engine is started manually, and the gearbox in a cast-iron housing with a chain drive allows switching 2 forward speeds and a reverse rear drive.

The model comes complete with a set of tillers, consisting of 6 blades, each having 4 knife plates, and 2 disk covers for plant guarding. This framework allows soil capture up to 90 cm wide with a tilling depth of 30 cm. At the same time, a powerful motor with good torque and the mass of the power unit ensures effective soil loosening without exerting additional effort. The brand of agricultural equipment is registered in the Netherlands, but in fact, the brand's products are produced in China. Despite this, the cultivator turned out to be quite balanced and has an excellent price/quality ratio, with which in this category of budget machines it has no real competitors.

The mechanized Forte 80-G3 cultivator from a reputable Chinese equipment manufacturer is a good option for replacing heavy manual labor. The machine is designed for efficient soil cultivation for gardens and orchards up to 50 acres. The soil cutter is equipped with a petrol 4-stroke 7-horsepower engine, which starts with a manual starter with a choke. The filter with an oil bath effectively cleans the air coming for cooling from dust, increasing the engine's service life. The fuel tank holds 3.5 liters of AI-92 gasoline, and 0.6 liters of mineral oil 15W40 or semi-synthetics 10W40 is poured into the crankcase. The declared noise level is 78 dB, which is quite good for engines in this class.

The transmission is implemented with a cast-iron gearbox with chain drive, a 3-belt pulley with 2 V-belts, and a PTO for belt drive. The gearbox has 4 speeds: 3 forward and 1 reverse, allowing quick selection of movement tempo. A bonus is the possibility of adjusting the steering handle in height and in the horizontal plane without using special keys. Also noteworthy is the emergency engine shut-down button, mounted directly on the handlebar. Two 8-inch pneumatic wheels, instead of which 2 rotary blades with 3 sections of knives are installed on the left and right, also allow working with a trailer and other additional attachments for soil treatment. The maximum tilling width is 80 cm, and the maximum cutting depth is 30 cm. The front suspension tube with holes can be used as an additional handle for carrying or for mounting additional weights to increase the load on the soil for more effective tilling.

The practical and reliable Konner&Sohnen KS 7HP-950A gasoline cultivator is designed for processing soils of various properties: sandy, clay, peat, and limestone. The model belongs to the mid-price segment and has good characteristics and a wealth of possibilities. Thus, in terms of width and depth of furrow tilling 108x31 cm, the unit exceeds many devices in this class. The machine is not only good at loosening, but it also handles planting and harvesting, weed cutting, hilling, and deep plowing exceptionally well. To fully utilize the cultivator's potential, all that is needed is to purchase and install additional attachments. The cultivator received a powerful 7 hp KS 240 air-cooled engine with a displacement of 212 cm3, along with a gearbox with chain and belt drive, providing 2 forward speeds and 1 reverse speed. Mechanically simplified starter mechanism with pull cord is used to start the engine. Unfortunately, the control handles can only be adjusted in height. There on the handles, the clutch lever and ignition switch (left) are installed, as well as the gear shift lever (right).

For cultivation, a set of saber-shaped blades with 32 knives (2 groups of blades on each side) made of durable forged steel are used, which work equally well on cultivated and virgin soils. For protecting blades from damage and stable course in the track, metal protective disks are installed at the end part of the shaft, which are included in the supply set. Above, the soil cutters are covered with a special safety shield, which additionally reduces the ejection of stony soil particles. At the front on an extendable bracket, a transport wheel is mounted with a convenient handle for mobility, and at the rear, there is a coulter (a limiter stop) that allows for tilling depth adjustment, also serving as a parking stand. It should be noted that the model does not come with a pair of wheels on rubber, but they can be ordered additionally.

The Husqvarna brand is well-regarded, not only in its homeland of Sweden but also far beyond. This brand is represented by a wide range of equipment for working in the garden, on the farm, home plot, and in forestry. The practical Husqvarna TF338 motor cultivator is equipped with a single-cylinder 4-stroke petrol engine of its own design, the WM170FB/P-2 with a displacement of 212 cm3 and a nominal power of 4.9 hp (3600 W). The engine is started with a manual starter with preliminary enrichment of the fuel mixture. A simple step-by-step startup guide in the form of pictograms is applied directly on the engine. With a regular crankcase volume of 0.6 liters, the engine has a large fuel tank holding 4.8 liters of unleaded gasoline, allowing much less frequent refueling. For engine protection in dusty conditions, unavoidable when working with a cultivator, an air filter with an oil bath is used, requiring regular cleaning. A mechanical chain transmission provides forward movement at 2 speeds and the possibility of reverse movement (1 gear).

The control handles have a foldable design and are equipped with a height adjustment mechanism, allowing the cultivator to be tailored to the operator's height. On the left handle is the clutch lever, and on the right are the fuel control lever and the engine on/off buttons. The coupling mechanism, with a default-installed coulter in the rear, provides an interesting device feature by having an engine protective bumper that shields it from damage during transport. For ease of movement, the cultivator attaches 2 wheels with rubber tires, which are replaced on-site with attached tools. The cultivator is equipped with group rotary cutters, installed in 4 units on each side, providing a solid maximum working width of 95 cm. With a cutter diameter of 360 mm, the machine, due to its decent weight of 93 kg, easily penetrates the soil to a depth of 30 cm. By the way, the machine is multifunctional and can use additional soil treatment tools, which should be ordered separately.