Initial Review (Will Follow Up if Necessary)
I skeptically purchased this because a) I live in an area with very thick clay, actually the hardest/thickest clay I've ever encountered. I moved in about a year ago and after, literally, days of going at various parts of the yard with a pick ax and mattock, my back and shoulders told me that there is no way I'm going to do it again. b) it was electric and I just don't have a whole lot of faith in the power of electric tools versus gas powered tools.
I simply couldn't afford to buy a gas one and I figured with the size of our yard and how much work I have planned, renting was just not economically feasible... so for under $100, I figured I might as well give this a shot.
Received this this afternoon. Assembly was relatively painless -- took less than 20 minutes to assemble, only tool needed is a Phillips head screwdriver to attach wheels and control handle -- the bolts for the handle are done by hand. The motor, handle, tines, and most of the motor is metal, the wheels are plastic, as are the control handle and sheath that goes over the motor.
It was late in the afternoon I just wanted to try it out for a few minutes. In 15 minutes, I basically tilled an area of my yard that probably would have taken at least 6-8 of continuous hours of intensive hand labor to do (about 7-10 square yards with some vegetation). It was quiet; I forgot it was around 7 and even so, I don't think it generated enough noise to be heard by my neighbors. Handling was easy, though it will run away from you if it gets stuck on roots/stumps -- it might be a good idea to keep a mattock ready for that sort of thing. Since I've only used it for 15 or so minutes, I can't say how well it would handle larger jobs, but I think it will make short order of small yards.
As with any tiller, it throws up a lot of dust/dirt -- I'd recommend a mask and/or goggles when using. It will automatically power off if you lose your grip on it -- it did bounce a bit when it unexpectedly hit a relatively large root from a shrub (about 1 1/2 - 2" thick).
So at this point, I give it a 4 1/2 out of 5 stars; since it exceeded my expectations, I gave it a full 5 stars.
PROS:
- Easy to Assemble
- Powerful enough for clay
- Much Quieter than a gas-powered tiller; From operating distance, I estimate it is about as loud as a standard household blender
- Inexpensive, very good value
CONS:
- The serious only thing I can think of is the obvious -- it's electric, so you're hassled with a carrying an extension cord.
- Okay, maybe the construction, the amount of plastic doesn't elicit any feelings of durability. The sheathing isn't a big deal, but I think the wheels, if used regularly, will be the first thing to go -- but I think they'd be easy to replace.
- Maybe size -- it's not particularly large, but it would be nice if it folded down for easy storage. Not a big deal, easily remedied by loosening the bolts.
Recommended for Weekend Yard Warriors that are just to old/lazy to deal with hacking away aimlessly at soil -- probably not adequate for a HUGE jobs, but your typical residential garden/yard job should be just fine.
-- Minor Update 4/30/2014
Used it to till about 500 sq ft. of St. Augustine in clay and another 500 sq ft. of soil that had weed barrier fabric underneath it -- the machine had little problem going through it -- took about 10 minutes. The St. Augustine runners and barrier material got tangled in the tines, so I can see how people who are complaining about this would complain -- however, it literally took me about 30 seconds to tear it out with a utility knife. It was wound up in the tines pretty bad -- but I think if you continue using it to the point that the motor shuts down, then you might want to reconsider your approach. Again, with a utility knife/box cutter, you can probably tear out whatever gets wound up in those tines in a matter of seconds.
I also noticed that if you do not have the control lever on the handle down all the way, and I mean, ALL THE WAY... it will not turn on. I fiddled with it when I first started using it trying to figure out why it didn't turn on. So that's something to consider in troubleshooting start up problems.
-- Minor Update 7/11/2014
Still love this machine. I've used it pretty much every other weekend. The only problem I've experienced thus far is that the bolts that hold the handle to the machine came loose and were lost when I was tilling about a month ago. I had to replace them with standard bolts from the local hardware store. No problem, just a standard maintenance issue. I would recommend checking them after every use to make sure they don't vibrate loose. I'll stick by the comment from the previous update -- keep a utility knife handy and the problem with roots, limbs, and grass getting tangled in the tines will never be a real problem. Honestly, I don't think I spent more than a minute ripping those things out and I've gotten it pretty tangled whilst tearing up some st. augustine and ground cover in heavy clay.
-- Minor Update -- The year in review
I have used this tiller several times over the past year, and I have to say that it has be indispensable for all of my yard work. I even used it to till up some soil around fence posts that I was replacing to make it easier for their removal. I've probably put a good 15-20 hours of work into the machine with no breakdowns. Roots, grass, and large weed-y vines are a problem, getting stuck in the tines, but using a standard utility blade and scissors, I can usually free them up in less than 5 minutes. It would be nice if the tines were removable to make this process easier, but it's truly not a real problem -- if it is, you might want to consider going at the soil with a mattock for a few minutes to break up the vegetation.
The soil in the area where I live is thick clay (it's as bad, if not worse than modeling clay). I've had better luck with the machine, at least in terms of comfort, if the soil is slightly dampened -- it might jump around a little bit if it's dried out clay, like you see in August -- a few minutes with a hose solves that problem. I typically use this in conjuction with the Flowtron LE-900 Leaf Mulcher (http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00006XMTM/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1) -- I work in the mulched dried clippings into the soil to help break up the clay and add a little better drainage.
Overall, still very happy with this machine, and stand by the 5-star review after a year of use.
~2 year update 4/9/2014
I am in the process of removing about 3" off of 500 sq ft of compacted clay, grading, and trenching for a french drain and rock garden. Again, this little machine just tore through it like butter. I had to replace the nuts and bolts that hold the armature/controls due to wear, vibration, and corrosion, but the Earthwise tiller continues to deliver; without it, this job would be impossible to do by hand and the cost to rent one from homedepot for a day was not much cheaper than what I paid for it. It continues to be my go-to tool for tilling and I still highly recommend it.
~4 year update 2/27/2017
I finally did it. I finally killed it. It is not the tiller's fault. I've been a really bad, abusive, and lazy owner.
I practically put this little tiller through hell. I do not know how many cubic yards of hard Texas clay I put this tiller through, but I live on a fairly large residential lot and I've use it in pretty much every gardening and landscaping project that I've done over the past 4 years. Last weekend, I tilled a big portion of my backyard down about 5" -- at least 3000 sq feet when I ran over a brick -- the power of the tiller got it jammed in the tines....and entire brick...jammed...in the tines.... I got it out with the use of a mallet and I bent the tines back in shape using a pair of pliers. I thought all was well when this past weekend, in the process of tilling an area to make a trench where I was planting hedges, it just made the worst grinding sound.
Again, I will not place any blame on this tiller. I did pretty much everything possible to make sure that it would die. I let it out in the rain, ran through roots until it wouldn't turn any more. I hit concrete almost every time. I just wanted to test it to its limits. The machine served dutifully until the end and I will be purchasing a second one (and promise to take better care of it). It's that good.
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From the manufacturer
Compact, yet powerful tiller/cultivator for your home garden
Garden tiller that is reliable and easy to start
The Earthwise corded tiller/cultivator is a reliable gardening companion that starts every time, as long as it is plugged in properly in an electrical outlet. It has a compact and planet-conscious design that makes tiling quick and easy. This garden tiller also has an ergonomic handle for your comfort, so you can cultivate more soil in your garden without straining your hands. Earthwise garden tiller gives you all of the power that you need to cultivate your small or medium-sized garden.
Earthwise rototiller that takes care of difficult gardening tasks for you
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Powerful 8.5-amp motorThe Earthwise tiller/cultivator is powered by an planet-conscious 8.5-Amp motor that is entirely powered by electricity and does not require oil or gas to function. This motor gives you gas-like power without harmful fumes. You can easily cultivate your garden and get rid of weeds with this rototiller. |
11" cultivating width and 8" cultivating depthThe corded Earthwise tiller has an 11" cultivating width and an 8" cultivating depth that is ideal for your home garden. It is a convenient tiller for small or medium-sized gardens or vegetable beds. This rototiller has 4 powerful tines that effectively gets down in the dirt to cultivate the soil. |
Easy to startThe Earthwise cultivator machine is easy to start with its single-lever switch that starts every time. You just have to ensure that it is plugged in an electrical outlet properly and you can have reliable tilling power for your garden. This easy to start feature makes it an ideal alternative to gas-powered tillers. |
Soft ergonomic gripThe Earthwise 4-tine long handle cultivator has a soft ergonomic grip to give you a comfortable tilling experience. It gives you a good grip that makes the tiller/cultivator more maneuverable in your garden. This soft ergonomic grip also has a cord retention hook for uninterrupted tilling power. |
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| TC70025 | TC70065 | TC70001 | TC70090 | TC70125 | TC70016 | |
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| Customer Reviews |
3,225
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543
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5,651
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3,225
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2,697
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| Price | $99.99 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Motor | 2.5-Amp | 6.5-Amp | 8.5-Amp | 9-Amp | 12.5-Amp | 13.5-Amp |
| Cultivating Width | 7.5 in. | 11 in. | 11 in. | 12 in. | 16 in. | 11 in. - 16 in. |
| Cultivating Depth | 6 in. | 8 in. | 8 in. | 8 in. | 8 in. | 8 in. |
| Tines | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 |
| Weight | 11.6 lbs | 15 lbs | 27.4 lbs | 29 lbs | 30 lbs | 34.8 lbs |
| Rear Wheels | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Videos
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Videos for this product
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The Earthwise ELECTRIC Tiller is a BEAST
Aaron's Test Lab
Videos for this product
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Customer Review: Great for My Small Garden
Jennifer Hutt
Compare with similar items
This Item  Earthwise Power Tools by ALM Earthwise TC70001 11-Inch 8.5-Amp Corded Electric Tiller/Cultivator |  |  |  |  |  | |
| Price | Currently unavailable. | $149.99 | $128.89 | $189.99 | $134.99 | -14% $159.99 Typical: $184.99 |
| Delivery | — | Get it as soon as Thursday, May 16 | Get it as soon as Thursday, May 16 | Get it May 21 - 24 | Get it May 21 - 24 | Get it May 21 - 24 |
| Customer Ratings | ||||||
| Easy to assemble | ||||||
| Light weight | ||||||
| Maneuverability | ||||||
| Safety Features | ||||||
| For small spaces | ||||||
| Sold By | — | Amazon.com | IncwBo | Richmond Implements | Richmond Implements | Richmond Implements |
| power source | Corded Electric | AC | AC | AC | Battery Powered | AC |
| material | Alloy Steel | Alloy Steel | — | Alloy Steel | Alloy Steel | Alloy Steel |
| operation mode | Electric | Electric | Electric | Electric | Electric | Electric |
Reviews with images
Great little workhorse!
I’ve had this tiller/cultivator for 6 years and it’s been very reliable. I’ve used it for gardening and also just to turn up soil. My latest project involves replacing my lawn with artificial grass. Although we had a ton of rain last season the drought in California is still evident in the rock hard ground. I actually broke a tine off the tiller when doing the first side. She kept on going with no hesitation. By the time I got to the other side the ground was even harder. Sadly the old girl couldn’t handle it and the plug fried.6 years of solid use makes this a must buy on my list. Works better than larger tillers I’ve owned. And it’s so lightweight I can pick it up with one hand!
Top reviews from other countries
Lee Swordy
but I found it would dig in by itself better if you pull it instead of push it
Reviewed in Canada on November 15, 2014Liz
I have had this little cultivator for about 5 years now.
Reviewed in Canada on April 8, 2021