When it comes to keeping your garden under control, there are few tools as effective as a cultivator. If your garden is large and weeding it takes time and effort, or if you’re starting from scratch and need to break up the soil, these versatile tools will save your back plenty of strain and do the work in a fraction of the time. You want the best electric cultivator and we’re here to help!
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Troy-Bilt 6-Amp Electric Garden Cultivator
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The Troy-Bilt 6-Amp Electric Garden Cultivator is a powerful tool that’s built to last. With a 6-Amp electric motor and specialized tines, this cultivator is designed to keep your small garden in tip-top shape. A heavy-duty gearbox protects the inner workings of this tool from the dust and dirt of your garden and keeps it running reliably.
The four 8-inch steel tines on this cultivator feature an advanced 3-way design that allows them to dig, tear, and turn your soil with ease. Reaching up to 5 inches in tilling depth, these tines are also adjustable, so you can choose to have a tilling width of between 6 and 9 inches to make sure this fits your garden perfectly – it’s especially useful for raised bed gardens.
In addition to its durable and lightweight design, this cultivator makes itself even easier to use by including a handy set of transportation wheels, so you don’t have to fight to get your cultivator to the garden and back.
Things We Like
- Specially designed steel tines are made to be able to dig, tear, and turn your soil so weeds don’t stand a chance and your garden is aerated and ready for planting
- Adjustable tines allow you customizable control over your cultivating
- Transport wheels take the awkwardness out of transporting your cultivator to and from your garden
Earthwise TC70016 16-Inch 13.5 Amp Corded Electric Tiller/Cultivator
- Earthwise cultivator machine with 6 adjustable tines
- Motor cultivator with 11" to 16" adjustable working width and 8" working depth
- Corded electric roto-tiller with powerful 13.5-amp motor
- Ergonomic and maneuverable electric hand tiller design
- Compact and lightweight design with assembled product dimensions of 40 x 19 x 42 inches
Last update on 2024-04-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
The Earthwise 16-Inch Corded Electric Tiller/Cultivator is a versatile tool that offers great value for the price. With a ton of great features, you really can’t go wrong with this cultivator. The 13.5 amp motor is powerful, reliable, and ready to work through any kind of soil you have for it, whether you’re using it to till or to cultivate.
With a cutting depth of up to 8 inches, the 6 steel tines are adjustable so you can choose what width fits your garden best between 11-16 inches. This cultivator is designed for larger gardens because of the larger tilling width, rather than using it in small raised gardens. With a push button start and lightweight design, you’ll be ready to get started in no time.
This Earthwise cultivator features a soft, ergonomically designed grip that’s comfortable on the hands and a pair of 6-inch flip down wheels to make transporting it in between uses super easy. It’s a powerful workhorse of a tool that will give you precise lines and a ready to go garden with the smallest amount of effort.
Things We Like
- Adjustable tines allow you customizable control over your cultivating
- 6-inch flip down wheels take the awkwardness out of transporting your cultivator to and from your garden
- Powerful motor with 360 rpm will stand up to even the toughest soil and gardening jobs
Earthwise 7.5-inch 2.5-Amp Corded Electric Tiller/Cultivator
- Powerful 2.5-Amp motor for superior power, run-time and durability
- (4) Durable steel tines; Cultivates and tills up to 7.5" wide and 6" deep
- Ideal for small to mid-size gardens and flower beds; Works well as a weed control tool
- Lightweight design makes it effortless to operate and store; Single lever switch starts every time
- Soft ergonomic grip for comfortable operation; Eco-friendly alternative to gas-powered lawn and garden equipment
Last update on 2024-04-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
This handy little corded cultivator runs of a 2.5 amp motor that gives you all the power and durability you need to keep your small to mid-size garden weed free at a price you can’t beat. The Earthwise 7.5-Inch 2.5-Amp Corded Electric Tiller/Cultivator is perfect if you’re cultivating flower beds and works great for tilling smaller areas. If you want to till a larger space, you’ll do it quicker with one of the larger models.
The four steel tines are designed to be durable, with a 7.5-inch wide cut path and 6-inch deep reach. You’ll be surprised by how much this puppy can handle. The single lever switch starts every time with minimal effort and a built-in cord retention hook helps you manage your cord and keep it out of your way while you work.
This cultivator has a lightweight design that makes it easy to use and easier to store. It has a transport handle just above the tines and motor to make carrying it from place to place easy and ergonomic. Along the steel pole body, there’s an adjustable support handle for added maneuverability.
Things We Like
Ergonomic transport handle makes it easy to move your electric cultivator from place to place
Built-in cord retention to make managing your cord and keeping it out from underfoot easier than ever
Check Price and Reviews on AmazonGreenworks 10-Inch 40V Cordless Cultivator
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If you don’t want to deal with a cord, the Greenworks 10-Inch 40V Cordless Cultivator is your best bet. You may worry that it is underpowered when compared to corded models, but you’ll find that this sturdy little cultivator stands up to whatever tasks you throw at it and does so much more quietly than some of the alternatives.
This cultivator comes with a high performance G-MAX 40V Lithium-ion battery (and a charger!), which provides power for up to 120 minutes of run time. This is the best 40V cultivator you can get. You can cultivate an entire ½ acre on a single battery charge! Plus, it starts flawlessly with the push of a button.
The four steel tines are adjustable so you can decide what size you want. The tines can cultivate up to 5 inches deep and reach between 8.25-10-inches wide, depending on how you have them set. When you’re finished, store it away easily. The lightweight design coupled with a collapsible handle makes it simple.
It’s important to note that this cultivator is only compatible with G-MAX 40V batteries, so you won’t be able to swap batteries between your tools unless you have some other 40V tools from the same Greenworks line.
Things We Like
- Comes with both battery and charger so you don’t need to pick up any extra pieces before you can get cultivating
- Adjustable tines allow you customizable control over your cultivating
- Collapsible handle makes for easy storage when you’re finished working
- Super powerful 40V battery runs for a staggering 120 minutes of sustained work without flagging
Sun Joe TJ603E 16-Inch 12 Amp Electric Tiller and Cultivator
- Earthwise cultivator machine with 6 adjustable tines
- Motor cultivator with 11" to 16" adjustable working width and 8" working depth
- Corded electric roto-tiller with powerful 13.5-amp motor
- Ergonomic and maneuverable electric hand tiller design
- Compact and lightweight design with assembled product dimensions of 40 x 19 x 42 inches
Last update on 2024-04-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
This powerful cultivator is designed to tear up your garden (and then help you maintain it). The Sun Joe 16-inch 12-amp Electric Tiller and Cultivator has a powerful, you guessed it, 12-amp motor, powered by a 100-foot cord. With a rate of 340 RPM, you can rest assured that any weeds lingering in your garden plot will be taken care of.
The Sun Joe cultivator ups the ante with six durable steel tines which are angled for maximum performance. You can cultivate an area up to 8 inches deep and 16 inches wide with way less effort and time than doing it by hand would take. It’s an excellent machine and one of our favorites.
The attached wheels are designed to make transportation and tilling easy with a 3-position wheel adjustment. If that weren’t enough, it also features a collapsible handle so that this (already lightweight) tool takes up even less space in your tool shed or garage.
The Sun Joe 16-inch 12-amp Electric Tiller and Cultivator is a great choice for the casual gardener. It packs a surprising punch and really is designed to be easy to use, with a push button start and additional safety switch. If you’re looking for a high-quality electric corded cultivator, this one gets our vote!
Things We Like
- Transport wheels take the awkwardness out of transporting your cultivator to and from your garden
- Collapsible handle makes for easy storage when you’re finished working
- Powerful motor with 340 rpm will stand up to even the toughest soil and gardening jobs
Who Needs an Electric Cultivator?
Do you? Electric cultivators are designed to help you maintain your garden by keeping the soil aerated and taking care of the weeds that grow in between your carefully planted rows. They’re also ideal for mixing in soil amendments if your soil composition needs a change. If you have a compact garden in a small space, you may be better off using a different weeding tool, but if your garden is on the large side of small and has longer rows that take you a long time to weed, you may find your cultivator becomes a valuable addition to your backyard toolset.
Types of Cultivators
Gas-Powered Cultivators
Gas powered cultivators have beefier engines than their electric counterparts, running between 21-43cc. They can churn your soil a little bit rougher, but that’s not always the goal with a cultivator. The big differences tend to be price and the ability to add attachments. On the whole, you’ll be spending more money if you pick up a gas-powered cultivator. The attachments are a handy upside; you can pick up aeration attachments, edging attachments, and even kickstands to get the most out of your tool.
Electric Cultivators
Electric cultivators, on the other hand, are designed for use in small, confined spaces. They have a whole variety of advantages over gasoline-powered cultivators. They’re smaller, easier to store, and easier to use. On the whole, they also tend to be cheaper.
These can be further broken down into two additional categories: corded and cordless. Both offer similar benefits but have a few key differences. With any kind of electric cultivator, you don’t have to worry about mixing fuels or do extended maintenance to keep them running. They start at the push of a button. They’re also quieter and more environmentally friendly to use, so your neighbors and the planet will appreciate your electric cultivator.
Corded Electric Cultivators
If you have a corded electric cultivator, as long as you’re within reach of an outlet, or have suitable extension cords, you’re good to go. They’re a little more powerful than cordless electric cultivators, but with the drawback that they need to be tethered to a power source and the cords tend not to be longer than 100 feet. If you have a corded electric cultivator, you may need to purchase special extension cords that can handle the power needs of your cultivator in order to use it more than 100 feet from your home.
Cordless Electric Cultivators
Cordless electric cultivators, on the other hand, are completely portable. They’re lightweight, maneuverable, and best of all you can take them anywhere and use them, so long as you’ve charged up the batteries. The only downside here is that they tend not to be as powerful as corded electric cultivators, though if you only need to maintain a garden that has already been tilled, this probably won’t be a problem for you.
What is the difference between a cultivator and a tiller?
As you’re looking for the perfect cultivator to get your garden prepped and ready, you may find a bit of overlap between tillers and cultivators. There are some notable differences between the two, although you’ll often find tools designed to do both jobs for you, and the terms do tend to be used interchangeably.
Tillers are designed for heavy duty jobs like preparing a new plot for gardening or re-preparing an overgrown plot. They dig deep into the soil and can tear through sod and more densely packed dirt. You typically wouldn’t use a tiller in a garden that has been planted because it’s overpowered for that kind of work and more likely to damage your plants than to improve their lot in life.
Cultivators tend to be much smaller than tillers because they’re designed to maintain a garden that’s been tilled and planted already. Sometimes cultivators are called “mini tillers,” but they’re actually a separate tool with a different purpose entirely. Cultivators dig much more shallowly, as their main role is to remove weeds that are growing between the plants you’re growing on purpose and prepare soil that’s already been broken up, rather than forging a path through unbroken soil.
Tips for Using Your Cultivator
- Never use your cultivator when the soil is wet. Instead of smoothly cultivating, this compacts the soil and creates muddy clods
- If you’re using a cultivator/tiller combo tool, try to only disturb the top two inches or so when cultivating so that you don’t disturb the beneficial bugs and fungi living beneath the soil
- Always wear appropriate safety gear and clothing. This includes safety glasses, gloves, long pants, and closed toe shoes
- Inspect your cultivator before you start to make sure everything is in working order
Best Brands
Greenworks
Greenworks is the leader in creating environmentally sustainable battery-powered power tools for DIY consumers, backyard landscapers, and professionals.
Earthwise
Earthwise is another well-known name in the eco-friendly, ‘clean air’ power tools industry, with a focus on designing high-quality electric versions of traditionally gasoline-powered tools.
Sun Joe
The sunny half of Snow Joe + Sun Joe, this company has a reputation for designing burly but affordable power tools for use in all weather conditions, from snow to shine.
Troy-Bilt
Troy-Bilt is a proudly American company that got its beginnings in the 1930s when they revolutionized the rototiller, an industry in which they continue to have a formidable presence.
FAQ
Q: How does a cultivator work?
A: Using angled blades, powered by, in this article’s case, an electric corded motor, cultivators disrupt, or till, the soil. If you’re just starting a garden, this means it takes hardened soil and breaks it up, softening and aerating it so it’s ready to be planted. If your garden is already planted and you’re using it for maintenance, the cultivator does the same essential process but you’ll likely keep it from going as deeply and its role is more to take care of weeds. One of the great thing about cultivators is that they kill the weeds but leave them in the soil, which prevents soil erosion.
Q: Are cultivators and tillers the same?
A: The terms are often used interchangeably but there are differences in their purposes. This is described in more length above, but if you’re looking for a quick answer, tillers are designed to take hard, unbroken soil and tear it up and aerate it, preparing it for planting. Cultivators are designed to cultivate an already planted garden by helping remove weeds and keep the soil healthy.
Q: When were cultivators invented?
A: In the modern, pedestrian iteration we’re discussing here, cultivators are a fairly recent invention, but the concept of mechanized cultivators extends back to the 1700s when rudimentary mechanical cultivators were pulled through fields by horses. Tractors were brought into the equation in the early 1910s.
Wrap Up
Choosing the best electric cultivator for you will depend on the size of your garden, the quality of your soil, and your budget. If we had to pick the best one-size-fits-all option on our list, we would pick the Sun Joe TJ603E 16-Inch 12 Amp Electric Tiller and Cultivator. It’s a versatile tool that will be great for most gardens because it’s powerful, easy to use, and designed to be simple to transport and store.
Our runner up choice is the Greenworks 10-Inch 40V Cordless Cultivator, since we love the freedom and flexibility of cordless tools and this one certainly distinguishes itself, with enough charge to cultivate half an acre on a single battery!
