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Product Description
Amazon.com
You'll be ready to garden all year round with the Mantis 7225-00-02 Two-Cycle Gas-Powered Tiller/Cultivator. With a powerful engine, durable tines, and compact profile, the Mantis Tiller/Cultivator is ideal for creating new gardens, tilling in narrow rows and raised beds, or along fences. Whether you're a first-time gardener breaking through new ground or a veteran green thumb, the Mantis Tiller/Cultivator will help you maintain a bountiful garden for years to come.
Powerful but Easy to Control
Don't be fooled by the small, compact design of the Mantis Tiller/Cultivator. Though it weighs a mere 20 pounds and has a width of only nine inches, the Mantis is powerful, thanks to its two-cycle, commercial-grade gas engine.
 perfect for tilling in narrow rows. View larger. |
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 Master and amateur gardeners alike find it handy for both new and established gardens. View larger. |
Powerful but Easy to Control
Don't be fooled by the small, compact design of the Mantis Tiller/Cultivator. Though it weighs a mere 20 pounds and has a width of only nine inches, the Mantis is powerful, thanks to its two-cycle, commercial-grade gas engine.
A reliable push-button primer will get you started, but the tines won't move until you squeeze the throttle. Once you've activated the throttle, the patented serpentine tines spin at up to 240 RPM to break through sod--even hard clay--tilling down to a depth of 10 inches.
The Mantis Tiller/Cultivator makes it easy to maintain your garden. Simply reverse the tines to shallow-cultivate depths of up to three inches--it's much faster than using hand tools. And because it tills a nine-inch-wide path, this tool is especially useful in tight spaces and hard-to-reach areas. That's a real advantage for raised-bed gardeners.
Convenient, Versatile, and Durable
The Mantis Tiller/Cultivator features folding handle bars which make it convenient to store in a garage or tool shed.
And with optional attachments (sold separately), the Mantis Tiller/Cultivator can be used beyond the confines of your garden. Its lightweight design and convenient carrying handle make it portable, so adding an accessory such as a border edger or hedge trimmer could potentially keep you busy all summer and into the fall.
The tiller/cultivator's durable one-piece cast gear box is designed to last. Additionally, the tines are guaranteed against breakage for the lifetime of the tool.
What's in the Box
Gas-powered tiller/cultivator with serpentine tines.
 Patented serpentine tines spin at up to 240 RPM to break through sod and even hard clay, tilling down to a depth of 10 inches. View larger. |
Product Description
All season tiller with patented serpentine tines that till down to 10'', chop through tough sod or hard clay soil. Tines spin at up to 240 RPM and are mounted under the engine so you can guide the unit between narrow rows and tight spaces. Powerful commercial grade 2 cycle engine and durable 1 piece gear box. Push button priming for quick starts. Speed control and shut off switch. Lightweight, fold down handle bars are well braced and perfectly balanced for long reach into garden beds or carrying to the shed. 5 year complete product warranty. Lifetime warranty on tines.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
96 of 100 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
WOULD NOT STILL BE GRUBBING THE DIRT IF I DID NOT HAVE THIS CULTIVATOR
March 21, 2009
This is my twelfth season for using this tiller. To prepare my garden I use an ancient Troy built that has been going strong for about 18 years now (I bought it used) and it looks as if this Mantis two stroke is going to last just as long. To be honest, I am a rather lazy gardener and the job of all jobs I hate most is cultivating and weeding. This little machine has taken away almost all of the excuses I have for not having a neat, well tended garden. There are a couple of things you should know though before purchasing this little gem:
First, this is not a machine that is suitable for breaking up new ground or ground that has not been tilled for several years. It simply is not built for that.
Secondly, you should not let your mind wonder when using this cultivator. It can take out a garden plant in a flash if you loose control over it and indeed, if you are extremely inattentive, it certainly has the capability of taking off a toe or two.
Thirdly: I would strongly recommend you use gloves when using this for any extended period of time. They give you protection of course, but they also allow for a better grip, ergo, more control.
Forth: Try to avoid running in through bailing twine, wire or even vines if possible. Getting the stuff untangled is truly a odious task.
Fifth: Perform the preventive maintenance on it as recommended and then double the timing on it. Keep the tines sharp and keep them replaced as needed. (Yes, the tines are guaranteed against breakage, but I promise you that they will bend if bounced off enough rocks...hey, I live in the Ozarks, rocks I know!)
Sixth: Watch out for larger rocks. Not only can the bend tines, but they can cause the machine to go out of control.
Seventh: Watch and take great care with your gas/oil mix and at the end of the season follow the directions as to winter storage.
Now that being said, this thing is a snap to use. As a matter of fact it can easily be handled by a knowledgably and trained child with very little supervision. It can go into places a larger tiller cannot possibly go. It is light and is very easy to maneuver once you get the hang of it. Now I admit that I am a complete and absolute klutz when it comes to fixing anything mechanical (well, truth be told, non-mechanical things too), but I have had to take this into the shop only once in the years I have owned and used it. Everything else I was able to fix myself using only the manual provided, and over the past couple of years a few sites on my computer. No fancy tools are needed; only the ability to read and a smudge of common sense. Hey, trust me, if I can do it, then just about anyone can. I mean we are talking here about someone so inept that my wife use to have to put the children's Christmas toys together as I could not manage it.
I am like another reviewer here. I doubt if I would still be gardening, vegetable and flowers, if I did not have this cultivator. If and when it finally goes belly up (which will probably be long after I go first), I plan to purchase another. I do wish I could give this one more than five stars.
Don Blankenship
The Ozarks
First, this is not a machine that is suitable for breaking up new ground or ground that has not been tilled for several years. It simply is not built for that.
Secondly, you should not let your mind wonder when using this cultivator. It can take out a garden plant in a flash if you loose control over it and indeed, if you are extremely inattentive, it certainly has the capability of taking off a toe or two.
Thirdly: I would strongly recommend you use gloves when using this for any extended period of time. They give you protection of course, but they also allow for a better grip, ergo, more control.
Forth: Try to avoid running in through bailing twine, wire or even vines if possible. Getting the stuff untangled is truly a odious task.
Fifth: Perform the preventive maintenance on it as recommended and then double the timing on it. Keep the tines sharp and keep them replaced as needed. (Yes, the tines are guaranteed against breakage, but I promise you that they will bend if bounced off enough rocks...hey, I live in the Ozarks, rocks I know!)
Sixth: Watch out for larger rocks. Not only can the bend tines, but they can cause the machine to go out of control.
Seventh: Watch and take great care with your gas/oil mix and at the end of the season follow the directions as to winter storage.
Now that being said, this thing is a snap to use. As a matter of fact it can easily be handled by a knowledgably and trained child with very little supervision. It can go into places a larger tiller cannot possibly go. It is light and is very easy to maneuver once you get the hang of it. Now I admit that I am a complete and absolute klutz when it comes to fixing anything mechanical (well, truth be told, non-mechanical things too), but I have had to take this into the shop only once in the years I have owned and used it. Everything else I was able to fix myself using only the manual provided, and over the past couple of years a few sites on my computer. No fancy tools are needed; only the ability to read and a smudge of common sense. Hey, trust me, if I can do it, then just about anyone can. I mean we are talking here about someone so inept that my wife use to have to put the children's Christmas toys together as I could not manage it.
I am like another reviewer here. I doubt if I would still be gardening, vegetable and flowers, if I did not have this cultivator. If and when it finally goes belly up (which will probably be long after I go first), I plan to purchase another. I do wish I could give this one more than five stars.
Don Blankenship
The Ozarks
54 of 57 people found the following review helpful
I have owned my Mantis tiller for nearly 8 years now. I chose Mantis because I wanted a smaller tiller that did not require a lot of storage space. I also liked what I saw on tv commercials about the Mantis. My father had a much larger tiller of another brand that took up a lot of space and was incredibly heavy (but quite sturdy). He was going to give me his tiller when he stopped gardening, but after thinking long and hard about it, I decided to get the Mantis instead. Here is what I have learned about the Mantis in that time:
1. Mechanical: The tiller works great, starts in 2-3 pulls right out of the box. It takes mixed gas at a 50/1 ratio. Never use "old" gas or gas that is not the proper ratio. Over the years I have had some minor problems with it, mostly related to starting and idling. My recommendation is to clean or change the air filter regularly. The filter is easy to get at and oftentimes clogs with dirt and dust. Change spark plug every couple years. When putting the tiller "to sleep" for the winter, take out the spark plug and pour in a teaspoon of motor oil. Pull the start recoil and distribute the oil in the cylinder. I have not had any major problems with the tiller. I just finished an hour of tilling today and it ran great. Final tip: clean the accumulated weeds off the tiller tines when they begin to accumulate. This reduces the stress on the motor. The blades are faily easy to remove, clan, and return to place - it will prolong the life of the tiller. Since the Mantis has a smaller engine, it cannot be overstressed. To compensaate for the smaller engine size, the tiller has extremely sharp blades and they spin very fast. The engine does not have much torque however, and the engine will bog down in heavy jobs. The engine will stop if rocks lodge in the tines. If your garden space has a lot of rocks, this is probably not the tiller for you.
2. Functional: The tiller is lightweight and works best in smaller gardens, although it will work in a large garden too if the soil is lighter. I like how it can be manipulated with ease around plants and through smaller narrow rows (which a larger tiller cannot do). I am able to plant rows of vegetables closer together with the Mantis and till around them with ease. Perhaps most importantly, the Mantis tiller will not work well in heavy soils (with lots of clay). I experienced this firsthand. In heavy soils, the tiller cannot penetrate the compacted hard soil and just skims the surface. I found I had to spade up the heavy soil with a shovel and then till the clumps. A heavier tiller would have handled the clay soil, so if your soil is compacted and full of clay, this is not the tiller for those conditions. On the other hand, in lighter soils, the tiller goes through the soil just as depicted on tv. Excellent tiller for sandy loose soils. The tiller is only about 20 pounds. It stores easily in most sheds and doe not require a dedicated shed as a large tiller. Very portable!
3. Overall: Overall performance is in the 3-star range, mostly because of the limitations of use in clay/havy soils.
I do recommend this tiller for the gardener who has a smaller garden, wants to set plantings closer together, and has lighter soil. I'd recommend a larger heavier tiller for larger gardens or gardens with heavy soil. As Clint Eastwood said in "Magnum Force": "A man's got to know his limitations". Same case with this tiller. If you don't try to do too much with it, and know what it can handle (and can't), I think you will be pleased with the Mantis tiller.
konedog
1. Mechanical: The tiller works great, starts in 2-3 pulls right out of the box. It takes mixed gas at a 50/1 ratio. Never use "old" gas or gas that is not the proper ratio. Over the years I have had some minor problems with it, mostly related to starting and idling. My recommendation is to clean or change the air filter regularly. The filter is easy to get at and oftentimes clogs with dirt and dust. Change spark plug every couple years. When putting the tiller "to sleep" for the winter, take out the spark plug and pour in a teaspoon of motor oil. Pull the start recoil and distribute the oil in the cylinder. I have not had any major problems with the tiller. I just finished an hour of tilling today and it ran great. Final tip: clean the accumulated weeds off the tiller tines when they begin to accumulate. This reduces the stress on the motor. The blades are faily easy to remove, clan, and return to place - it will prolong the life of the tiller. Since the Mantis has a smaller engine, it cannot be overstressed. To compensaate for the smaller engine size, the tiller has extremely sharp blades and they spin very fast. The engine does not have much torque however, and the engine will bog down in heavy jobs. The engine will stop if rocks lodge in the tines. If your garden space has a lot of rocks, this is probably not the tiller for you.
2. Functional: The tiller is lightweight and works best in smaller gardens, although it will work in a large garden too if the soil is lighter. I like how it can be manipulated with ease around plants and through smaller narrow rows (which a larger tiller cannot do). I am able to plant rows of vegetables closer together with the Mantis and till around them with ease. Perhaps most importantly, the Mantis tiller will not work well in heavy soils (with lots of clay). I experienced this firsthand. In heavy soils, the tiller cannot penetrate the compacted hard soil and just skims the surface. I found I had to spade up the heavy soil with a shovel and then till the clumps. A heavier tiller would have handled the clay soil, so if your soil is compacted and full of clay, this is not the tiller for those conditions. On the other hand, in lighter soils, the tiller goes through the soil just as depicted on tv. Excellent tiller for sandy loose soils. The tiller is only about 20 pounds. It stores easily in most sheds and doe not require a dedicated shed as a large tiller. Very portable!
3. Overall: Overall performance is in the 3-star range, mostly because of the limitations of use in clay/havy soils.
I do recommend this tiller for the gardener who has a smaller garden, wants to set plantings closer together, and has lighter soil. I'd recommend a larger heavier tiller for larger gardens or gardens with heavy soil. As Clint Eastwood said in "Magnum Force": "A man's got to know his limitations". Same case with this tiller. If you don't try to do too much with it, and know what it can handle (and can't), I think you will be pleased with the Mantis tiller.
konedog
40 of 47 people found the following review helpful
I can't even remember when I bought my Mantis, but it was at least 25 years ago. It has gotten hard use every year ever since. Mantis really stands behind their lifetime tine warranty; they replaced mine totally free of charge after at least 20 years without any questions. The new machines look almost identical to my ancient one. The amazing thing is that the price has hardly gone up at all. In todays dollars, that makes it a raging bargain. The machine is light enough for almost anyone to use it, but be prepared for some serious bouncing around if your soil is rocky. It's unbelievably powerful for such a small machine. I've seen professional landscapers use it to loosen soil for planting new shrubs in some nasty, hard-packed soil. They just use it to dig down as far as the tines will reach, remove the loosened soil, and then dig down farther until they have the hole as deep as it needs to be. In the garden, the tines can be easily turned around to use it as a shallow cultivator for weeding purposes. The best thing of all is that it can be used in tight or hard-to-reach places where no conventional tiller can go. The small size and light weight make it especially easy to store without taking up valuable floor space. For the price, the Mantis is a really practical piece of equipment that no serious gardener should be without. It won't ever totally replace the big tillers, but it can do a whole lot of things that the big ones can't. I would have given up gardening many years ago if I didn't have my Mantis. One of my gardens is inside a small (about 10'-by-20') fenced area that my big tiller is simply too big to handle. The Mantis gets right into the corners and tight to the fence with no problem. The Mantis may look like a toy, but - trust me - it's not.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent tiller
Effortless tilling down to about 7 inches. Well built tiller for my medium sized garden. Have used monster tillers but this one prepares the bed much finer.
Published 16 days ago by Beverley
2.0 out of 5 stars
Not as great as I wanted. Too hard to start, falls apart when running
I wish I had read reviews on here before I paid the money and got this. I got mine directly from Mantis. Read more
Published 25 days ago by Nancy
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great
Works like a dreAM FOR a 67 year old lady! I use newspaper to mulch and it runs well between the rows.
Published 27 days ago by Catherine Ramsey
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fantastic tiller/cultivator
Once my Mantis arrived I had it assembled in about 30 minutes. The instructions are clear and pretty much all you have to do is mount handles and tines. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Mike
1.0 out of 5 stars
most awful item ever purchased
I bought this tiller several years ago and it did run the first time I tried to used it after several attempts to get it started. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Tony
4.0 out of 5 stars
Small but Mighty
I bought this unit after having a total knee replacement and needed something that I could handle both operating and m,oving and this seemed to fill the need. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Cranky
1.0 out of 5 stars
Piece of Dirt
Have had this Mantis for three years now. The first year was fine, the second year had to tinker with it till who knows how long to get it to run right. Read more
Published 1 month ago by disappointed
1.0 out of 5 stars
Just not worth it...
My second Mantis has done the exact same thing as the first one I bought, only the second Mantis has only 20 hours of use on it. We can not get it to start now! Read more
Published 1 month ago by D. Hays
5.0 out of 5 stars
Mantis 7225 Tiller/Cultivator
This is one of the best items I have purchased to make gardening easier. In fact if I did not have it I would probably not be gardening. Read more
Published 1 month ago by abuilder2
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great price, great tiller
Bought this through Amazon Prime and it was $100 cheaper than the local dealer. Great tiller, my second one in 25+ yrs of gardening. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Carmen Antone
