I have an allotment which I am looking to get a mini tiller for. I have a large 5hp merry tiller that was used to break up the compacted earth and now I am selling that to get a mini one. However I can decide on the best one to get and whether 2-stroke/4-stroke is best. Mantis seem to be the market leader and priciest but I also see Honda and a few others about, even ryobi have a strimmer with tiller attachment. So any recommendations welcomeWhat is the best mini tiller/rotovator for an allotment?I have had a Honda for several years and it is extremely reliable and robust. It was recommended to me by the owner of a garden machinery store we have used for many years, and he was right. I can get it into the front seat space in the car (if I first remove the pin holding the leg at the back of the machine) and it's sturdy but not too heavy to carry to my plot (though I believe you can get a wheels attachment.) Runs on ordinary petrol, so no problems filling up. However, I don't use it as much as I thought I would when I took over my plot. I do find that, on the heavy soil where I work, the best way to prepare the ground is to give it a good dig over with a fork, especially as the plot has quite a lot of endemic marestail and bindweed, and the best way to keep on top of these is to remove the roots by hand when digging. Rotavating cuts up the running roots of weeds like these and spreads them so they just grow as hundreds of little cuttings, so I have to do the digging first, after which I don't need to use the tiller. On lighter soil, without these weed problems, I'd probably use it more often. As it is, I find the soil conditions have to be right or it gets bogged down and stuck in. This would happen with any make, I think, it's not to do with my machine particularly, but what I'm trying to say is, be sure you really need a different one before you buy, because a lighter version won't be able to get stuck in under difficult conditions in early Spring as well as a heavier version, if your soil is like mine. You might try asking if your local garden machinery business has a reconditioned secondhand one, you could save quite a bit if you didn't mind the paint being a bit scratched maybe! Or perhaps they'd do a part-exchange for your Merry tiller.|||A Mantis tiller is a very versatile machine,its light enough to lift in and out of the car,and the attachments cover many tasks,4 stroke is the way to go it saves mixing and the plug does not keep oiling up.Against is the fact that it's used like a vacuum cleaner backwards and forwards .Honda produce some good machines,but remember these lighter rotovators struggle with compacted ground.My allotment soil compacts over winter so I just push the fork in lean it back and move on.no need to turn soil over. This prolongs the rotovators life.Get one with a reverse gear this is a big help when you need to turn aroundWhat is the best mini tiller/rotovator for an allotment?In small engines, the 2 stroke will give you more power per cubic inch BUT you will have to mix 2stroke oil with gas. Also, the 2 stroke does produce slightly more emissions than the 4 stroke. The 2-stroke will warm up more quickly since oil in 4 stroke will require added warm up time. A mid-tine tiller is better for large plots (more $), a front tine tiller would be ok for homeowner usage. It depends on the size of plot and how often you'll use it. If you only use occasionally, you may want to rent a mid-tine from Home Depot for around $70/day, save yourself storage and maintenance.|||I have been pleased with the performance and ease of use of my Mantis.What is the best mini tiller/rotovator for an allotment?dunno

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