This tiller is great – lightweight and easy to maneuver – I'm very happy with the purchase. The first time I started it up, I was shocked at how easily it dug straight into the dirt, and how easy it was to use. And if you're worried about the cord, it never really bothered me. You're moving slow enough when you're tilling that keeping the cord out of the way is not really a challenge. It's not unlike vacuuming, only slower going. That said, if you're thinking about buying it, and you've used a gas tiller before, you need to have realistic expectations.
A couple quick notes. It's absurdly easy to assemble. Contrary to a couple comments I read, I found the wheel adjustment to be very easy to use; you just pull the wheels toward you and put them in the notch you want.
We have a small garden, maybe 10 x 30. I used it yesterday for the first time for two or three hours, re-tilling some leaves into the existing garden, and breaking new ground to expand our plot. Last year, I broke ground with a front tine gas tiller I borrowed from a friend, basically a larger gas version of this tiller, so here's my comparison.
It was wet yesterday, and there's some clay content in our soil, and the electric bogged down two or three times. It just stopped turning, and there was a little smoke whisping off the motor, which made we nervous. But I simply stopped, cleaned the tines out, and let it spin free a little to clear the dirt, and it kept working just fine. That said, with the gas tiller, I never had this problem. Although the electric was surprisingly strong, the gas was definitely more powerful. My guess is that I'll end up having to do more passes with this tiller than with the gas. That said, a gas tiller is two to three times as expensive, and requires a lot more maintenance. For me, the trade off is worth it.
As for maneuverability, this lightweight tiller won hands down. Keep in mind, weight can be helpful for the tiller to sink into and break up deep soil. But, whereas I was absolutely exhausted after using the gas tiller last year, using this tiller really isn't that much harder than mowing the grass. As long as this tiller can get the job done, I would much rather use it.
There's a few reasons I gave this tiller four starts instead of five. In wet soil with clay content, the design makes it very easy for soil to collect between the tines, the top protective shield and the wheels, which ultimately leads to the tiller bogging down. I constantly had a big, clogged mass of soil and clay bunched between the protective shield and the wheel bracket. And, although I had no problems yesterday, I'd feel more confident about this tiller's life span if the wheels were more heavy duty. And, more importantly, I'd have liked it if they put heavier gauge handles on it. At times, when you're wresting with the tiller, the handle torques a bit, which makes me a little nervous about how long it will last. My guess is, I'll get several years out of this tiller, but not a couple decades, like you might from a gas tiller.
That said, I don't think the makers of this tiller are misrepresenting this it in any way. It's a great, easy to use, lightweight tiller, and it will probably meet our needs for years. While it's not suited for serious, heavy duty tilling, for the average home owner who's just gonna use it a couple times a year, it's a great solution.
UPDATE
Changed my original review from 4 to 5 stars. I've used it twice more on our garden plot, which we expanded to about 15 x 40. Second time, used it when the ground was fairly wet, and, because we have a bit of clay in our soil, it still struggled some, but ultimately managed to get through everything just fine. The third time, I added some soil amendments when we'd had a few dry days, and it worked perfectly. Really couldn't be happier. It's lightweight, easy to use, and more than powerful enough for our needs.
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From the manufacturer
Key Features
- POWERFUL 12-Amp motor cultivates up to 16 in. Wide x 8 in. Deep
- DURABLE 6 steel angled tines for maximum durability and performance
- EASY STORAGE handle folds for convenient storage and easy transport
- ADJUSTABLE 3-position wheel adjustment
Collapsible Handle
Provides an easy storage solution
Durable Steel Tines
6 rugged steel tines that effortlessly slice soil for maximum performance
No Gas
Reliable, push-button electric start
Height Adjustment
3-position height adjustment to
TJ603E
Compare Models
Corded Electric | Power Source | Corded Electric |
Plastic | Material | Alloy Steel |
27.8 lbs | Item Weight | 27.8 lbs |
12-Amp | Motor | 13.5-Amp |
Corded Electric | Power Source | Corded Electric |
Plastic | Material | Alloy Steel |
27.8 lbs | Item Weight | 18.7 lbs |
12-Amp | Motor | 6.5-Amp |
Corded Electric | Power Source | Corded Electric |
Plastic | Material | Alloy Steel |
27.8 lbs | Item Weight | 23.15 lbs |
12-Amp | Motor | 8-Amp |
Corded Electric | Power Source | Corded Electric |
Plastic | Material | Alloy Steel |
27.8 lbs | Item Weight | 30.5 lbs |
12-Amp | Motor | 13.5-Amp |
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Customer Review: Let the electric tiller do the work!
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I Was Surprised & Impressed - SunJoe Tiller Review
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This Item  Sun Joe TJ604E 16-Inch 13.5 AMP Electric Garden Tiller/Cultivator,Black |  |  |  |  |  | |
| Price | — | -24% $159.99 List: $209.99 | -5% $189.99 List: $199.99 | $149.99 | $159.99 | $159.99 |
| Delivery | — | Get it May 16 - 21 | Get it as soon as Tuesday, May 14 | Get it as soon as Tuesday, May 14 | Get it May 29 - Jun 18 | Get it May 14 - 15 |
| Customer Ratings | ||||||
| Easy to assemble | ||||||
| Light weight | ||||||
| Maneuverability | ||||||
| Easy to use | ||||||
| Sold By | — | Richmond Implements | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | EVEAGE Excellence Store | GoplusUS |
| power source | Corded Electric | AC | AC | AC | AC | Electric |
| material | Alloy Steel | Alloy Steel | Alloy Steel | Alloy Steel | Alloy Steel | — |
| operation mode | Electric | Electric | Electric | Electric | Electric | Electric |
| weight | 27.08 pounds | — | — | 24.36 pounds | — | 24 pounds |
Reviews with images
Steak knife on butter vs Styrofoam noodle on sourdough
This is a fairly detailed first impressions review with knowledge of strengths and weaknesses and tips to keep it up in order.I started assembling this.It took 5 minutes.I then took it to the worse part of my yard..My father had dumped a bunch of gravel in the poorly draining clay river soil so he could park his car almost 10 years ago.He passed away, so I'm cleaning it up.Working with the machine:I started by testing it on some good rich black dirt that was worn a path in it.It did fine. Perfect. It tore thru roots in 3 seconds.Then I did the gravel..It couldn't bite very easy so I did what another reviewer said and put a weight on it (a flat 1" thick 2' marble square slab up against the arms behind the green motor head)It weighed it down considerably, no more kicking n spitting little nothings out.It began digging nice n steady..I had started pushing it but found pulling it works much better..It took about 10 minutes to do 3 rows 4" deep and I am impressed. That work wouldn't been literal back breaking bone shaking joint rattling pain inducing with a hoe n shovel over a whole day with a 3 day rest halfway thru.i know this from experience.It was like slicing warm butter with a steak knife vs slicing 3 month old dried soughdough bread with a Styrofoam swimming noodle.I then took it up front to start releveling my yard and improving its conditions..It took me about an hour and half of tilling the area shown in the picture, about 6feet wide to 11feet wide and about 15feet long.[The picture is of after sowing the seed and throwing 1" of topsoil.. original tilling went down 4"-10".]It is so strong an old clay brick got stuck jammed in between the blades and the metal cover.It probably wouldn't have happened if I didn't have that marble slab on it still so I took that off.I used a hammer and railroad nail to get the brick out.It then spit stones a hands breath in size like sunflower seeds. No more jamming.I'd recommend only laying a weight on top when you know exactly what's in your ground. If it's gravel, small knuckle sized stones with a few larger stones it should be fine, but if the area was once a brickyard, coal breaker, industrial zone etc etc, go easy with the thing. Let it toss itself up.The main reason you buy these things is to gofrom breaking your body doing the work the good Ole fashion way to the way of modern convenience. Remember that... it's still work. Just 80% easier. It ain't supposed to be smooth as breathing in your sleep.The machine itself:The wheels are one of 2 shoddy parts of this machine. So you better go easy on them.. though they'll be easy to replace because the wheel brace is nice Quality metal.My big peeve and eye to the people who designed and built this is about the trigger, power button..OH MY GOSH ITS SO HORRIBLE I CANT KEEP THE THING COMPRESSED FOR 5 MINUTES WITHOUT GETTING WRIST PAIN.It's just so abysmally placed.. THE ANGLES ARE ALL WRONG!!!!I just HATE it. They could have put the safety on the inner left, near the thumb and the power trigger on the outer right and had probably the single best power mechanism on the market BUT NOOOOO... they HAD to put it in such a way as to cause a pain that starts in the hand, moves to the wrist, then takes over the entire forearm.You can get around it by constantly grabbing it with the meat of your hand though.. and that's what I ended up doing.. Like I was grabbing my mate in the rump, right between thighs and glutes.. the eager beaver man's grip.It just doesn't make sense because the thing is so light you naturally want to use your fingertips and just let it glide...By gosh that freaking trigger is the reason why this thing should NEVER sell for more than the $88 I paid.If they made an ergonomic grip power trigger switch I'd gladly pay $100+.. I would. I'd buy it again and give this one away free just for that... that's how HORRIBLE THE TRIGGER SWITCH IS ON THIS.MOVING ON.I was worried that the frame around the blades was plastic and would chip n break pieces contaminating my gardenIt's not.It's metal painted with a fairly thick matte paint. The motor housing on top is a rubberized plastic though. I don't mind that as much because the motor shouldn't be getting any rust falling into it as it ages.The blades are nice but beware. Bricks and large wide thick rocks may get stuck.Long grasses, vines and such will end up wrapping around the drive shaft. It's easy to remove though. I recommend checking it every 15 minutes or so and of course mowing your lawn before use.The arms of the thing are kinda dainty..Not cheap, drop a brick on it and breaks cheap.. but cheap after a solid use period (maybe 2 or 3 seasons) with twistings and what not cheap.. (or throw a brick at it like a baseball and dent it right up reducing structural integrity by half)I could see them bending pretty bad and probably cracking during first use after only a few months of rust exposure (paint wearing off exposing the metal underneath).You'll need to really keep up on the paint around joints, along seams and at the base. Frankly an extra millimeter of metal would have gone a long way to reducing maintenance and improving structural integrity for this thing. That's how close to the cusp of moderately cheap and not worth spitting on cheap the arms are on this thing.Maybe bracing with hose clamps and a few thin rods might help.. maybe not.. who knows how they'll hold up?I do know if you don't paint it every year or two it's surely a goner in 3.Still, with all that said I'm sure I'll get thru my 1/4 acre yard and sowing my winter rye fairly easily. Even with all the coal, clay, gravel and roots.
Top reviews from the United States
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Reviewed in the United States on February 22, 2021
A couple quick notes. It's absurdly easy to assemble. Contrary to a couple comments I read, I found the wheel adjustment to be very easy to use; you just pull the wheels toward you and put them in the notch you want.
We have a small garden, maybe 10 x 30. I used it yesterday for the first time for two or three hours, re-tilling some leaves into the existing garden, and breaking new ground to expand our plot. Last year, I broke ground with a front tine gas tiller I borrowed from a friend, basically a larger gas version of this tiller, so here's my comparison.
It was wet yesterday, and there's some clay content in our soil, and the electric bogged down two or three times. It just stopped turning, and there was a little smoke whisping off the motor, which made we nervous. But I simply stopped, cleaned the tines out, and let it spin free a little to clear the dirt, and it kept working just fine. That said, with the gas tiller, I never had this problem. Although the electric was surprisingly strong, the gas was definitely more powerful. My guess is that I'll end up having to do more passes with this tiller than with the gas. That said, a gas tiller is two to three times as expensive, and requires a lot more maintenance. For me, the trade off is worth it.
As for maneuverability, this lightweight tiller won hands down. Keep in mind, weight can be helpful for the tiller to sink into and break up deep soil. But, whereas I was absolutely exhausted after using the gas tiller last year, using this tiller really isn't that much harder than mowing the grass. As long as this tiller can get the job done, I would much rather use it.
There's a few reasons I gave this tiller four starts instead of five. In wet soil with clay content, the design makes it very easy for soil to collect between the tines, the top protective shield and the wheels, which ultimately leads to the tiller bogging down. I constantly had a big, clogged mass of soil and clay bunched between the protective shield and the wheel bracket. And, although I had no problems yesterday, I'd feel more confident about this tiller's life span if the wheels were more heavy duty. And, more importantly, I'd have liked it if they put heavier gauge handles on it. At times, when you're wresting with the tiller, the handle torques a bit, which makes me a little nervous about how long it will last. My guess is, I'll get several years out of this tiller, but not a couple decades, like you might from a gas tiller.
That said, I don't think the makers of this tiller are misrepresenting this it in any way. It's a great, easy to use, lightweight tiller, and it will probably meet our needs for years. While it's not suited for serious, heavy duty tilling, for the average home owner who's just gonna use it a couple times a year, it's a great solution.
UPDATE
Changed my original review from 4 to 5 stars. I've used it twice more on our garden plot, which we expanded to about 15 x 40. Second time, used it when the ground was fairly wet, and, because we have a bit of clay in our soil, it still struggled some, but ultimately managed to get through everything just fine. The third time, I added some soil amendments when we'd had a few dry days, and it worked perfectly. Really couldn't be happier. It's lightweight, easy to use, and more than powerful enough for our needs.
Size: 16-Inch 13.5 AmpVerified Purchase
EASY To Use And Maneuver, But Lighter Duty Than A Gas Tiller
Reviewed in the United States on February 22, 2021
This tiller is great – lightweight and easy to maneuver – I'm very happy with the purchase. The first time I started it up, I was shocked at how easily it dug straight into the dirt, and how easy it was to use. And if you're worried about the cord, it never really bothered me. You're moving slow enough when you're tilling that keeping the cord out of the way is not really a challenge. It's not unlike vacuuming, only slower going. That said, if you're thinking about buying it, and you've used a gas tiller before, you need to have realistic expectations.Reviewed in the United States on February 22, 2021
A couple quick notes. It's absurdly easy to assemble. Contrary to a couple comments I read, I found the wheel adjustment to be very easy to use; you just pull the wheels toward you and put them in the notch you want.
We have a small garden, maybe 10 x 30. I used it yesterday for the first time for two or three hours, re-tilling some leaves into the existing garden, and breaking new ground to expand our plot. Last year, I broke ground with a front tine gas tiller I borrowed from a friend, basically a larger gas version of this tiller, so here's my comparison.
It was wet yesterday, and there's some clay content in our soil, and the electric bogged down two or three times. It just stopped turning, and there was a little smoke whisping off the motor, which made we nervous. But I simply stopped, cleaned the tines out, and let it spin free a little to clear the dirt, and it kept working just fine. That said, with the gas tiller, I never had this problem. Although the electric was surprisingly strong, the gas was definitely more powerful. My guess is that I'll end up having to do more passes with this tiller than with the gas. That said, a gas tiller is two to three times as expensive, and requires a lot more maintenance. For me, the trade off is worth it.
As for maneuverability, this lightweight tiller won hands down. Keep in mind, weight can be helpful for the tiller to sink into and break up deep soil. But, whereas I was absolutely exhausted after using the gas tiller last year, using this tiller really isn't that much harder than mowing the grass. As long as this tiller can get the job done, I would much rather use it.
There's a few reasons I gave this tiller four starts instead of five. In wet soil with clay content, the design makes it very easy for soil to collect between the tines, the top protective shield and the wheels, which ultimately leads to the tiller bogging down. I constantly had a big, clogged mass of soil and clay bunched between the protective shield and the wheel bracket. And, although I had no problems yesterday, I'd feel more confident about this tiller's life span if the wheels were more heavy duty. And, more importantly, I'd have liked it if they put heavier gauge handles on it. At times, when you're wresting with the tiller, the handle torques a bit, which makes me a little nervous about how long it will last. My guess is, I'll get several years out of this tiller, but not a couple decades, like you might from a gas tiller.
That said, I don't think the makers of this tiller are misrepresenting this it in any way. It's a great, easy to use, lightweight tiller, and it will probably meet our needs for years. While it's not suited for serious, heavy duty tilling, for the average home owner who's just gonna use it a couple times a year, it's a great solution.
UPDATE
Changed my original review from 4 to 5 stars. I've used it twice more on our garden plot, which we expanded to about 15 x 40. Second time, used it when the ground was fairly wet, and, because we have a bit of clay in our soil, it still struggled some, but ultimately managed to get through everything just fine. The third time, I added some soil amendments when we'd had a few dry days, and it worked perfectly. Really couldn't be happier. It's lightweight, easy to use, and more than powerful enough for our needs.
Images in this review
Top reviews from other countries
Mia Fitzgerald
So powerful!
Reviewed in Canada on April 29, 2024Size: 16-Inch 12-AmpVerified Purchase
Lawrence Shaw
Easy to use, digs deep and turns soil well
Reviewed in Canada on June 8, 2023Dulce M.
Lo AMO, muy útil para dar tierra a los árboles, potencia buena, fácil armado y operacion
Reviewed in Mexico on February 5, 2022Size: 16-Inch 12-AmpVerified Purchase
Dulce M.
Reviewed in Mexico on February 5, 2022
Images in this review
YU H
Not for EU countries!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 5, 2022Size: 16-Inch 13.5 AmpVerified Purchase
YU H
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 5, 2022
This is not suitable as by my calculations this rotates it requires at least over 1600watts. A small inverter would not be powerful enough to run the rotavator. It's also a point of failure. I don't see it lasting very long. If you're from the UK / euro I would avoid buying this.
We've started the return process. We're very disappointed as it was a long wait for delivery.
Images in this review
