Yardworks Electric Tiller, 8A
3.3
5
12
12
Tiller
Trust us, save your $$$
Tried this machine out in a already dug garden.
IMHO, not enough power to be effective.
Back to the store for this one!
May 12, 2013
Nice little tiller
I have used this tiller twice now to go over my 500 sq ft vegetable garden before planting. It works great if you take your time and don't try to do more than it can handle. Couple of noteworthy points:
- definitely needs a 12 gauge extension cord to prevent overheating of the motor and allow the machine to develop its full power.
- if you are trying to go through overgrowth, like like I did, you will need to take multiple passes.
- the transmission, the housing where the tines axle goes into the driveshaft housing in between the two center tines, got very hot, hot enough to inflict a burn. I suspect this part is under-engineered, and I had to stop and douse it with water several times. And no, I was not overloading the machine, it was running at full speed the whole time. I also suspect that a possible cause of motor burnout is actually the heat from the transmission traveling up the driveshaft and melting the insulation on the windings in the motor. Something to be aware of for sure.
Anyway, this is a useful tool and should last its normal lifespan if used with care and caution.
April 27, 2013
Not worth it
This electric tiller worked great the first year we used it,garden was nice and fluffy and was so excited to till the garden the next year,it worked for the the first pass of the garden and stopped completly and never worked again so I would suggest to people not to buy this tiller if you want to till the garden the next year with this Tiller,in my opinion it is junk.
September 24, 2012
Does the job...
Bought this unit two years ago. First time I used it, the switch broke. It just snapped. Canadian Tire gave me a number to call Yardworks and they sent me a whole new handle, no questions asked.
I use it on a 10x12 backyard garden and it just munches on it like it's bread. 45mins or so later, no over heating problems. Used it again this year on the same garden and it got the job done. It just grinds in there at high speed with barely a splash. Make sure to let it reach its top speed first before lowering it down to the ground.
The instructions to adjust the height are a bit weird. They sound like the opposite of what you want (i.e. set the wheels higher for a deeper cut). I just keep the wheels at their lowest settings and tilt the unit to the depth I want.
September 14, 2012
Not Too Durable
Had one for two seasons for a 10x12 vegetable garden.
Did not work too bad until the motor burnt out this season.
May not work too bad for one season or will burn out ahead of time if it overheats.
August 3, 2012
Great so far
Bought on sale 25% off a month ago, and have used several times since then, all with no issues. It does exactly what I need it to do, which is work soil in a few small spots around the yard where we have plants. It's easy to move around.
It's not heavy-duty, so don't expect it to perform as such. If you have a few smaller project around the yard, this will save you hours, and tons of back pain!
May 23, 2012
not adequate
if you use this for a flowerbed fine but for any garden application forget it. mine burnt out first season
May 12, 2012
You get what you pay for
I used this thing for about an hour and a half straight with no sign of overheating, and it only bogs down if you have very tough soil or wet/muddy soil.
Another reviewer was correct in saying that you need a proper electrical cord to get maximum power. So expect to pay another $60 or more for a 50' cord that is at least 12 guage. I was connected to a 20amp dedicated outlet in my backyard, and it made a difference. Being plugged into a regular 15amp plug, it did have a bit less power. Seems odd as it is only rated for 8 amps..? At any rate, get the thickest cord you can, and don't plug into a circuit that already has other things plugged into it.
Tilling: It won't go quite as deep as similarily sized gas units, but close. If you hold it back, yes you can let it dig all the way down to probably 8-10" or so, otherwise it will dig around its stated 4.5".
This year instead of spending an hour trying to get my old gas tiller running, I spent all that time tilling, it was nice. It is quiet and was easy to assemble. You can install all 4 tines, or just 2 if you have a narrow path to till.
One bad note - I am going to add a rubber flap or something to the back of the tiller, as even wearing rubber boots I had a lot of dirt thrown up at my legs. The guard at the back is just not quite low enough. No big deal, but something to mention.
I found that going up and down your garden in a zigzag pattern (till, turn left, till turn right) made managing the cord a lot nicer.
Overall satisfied, just wish it would dig a little deeper. But everything has its price point, so it works as advertised. But remember you WILL need a heavy duty cord, so factor that into your cost if you want it to work properly.
June 7, 2011
Nice Little Unit
I bought this unit because I was tired of spending $40 a pop to rent a tiller from my local garden center. If you are like me and just want something that saves your back from the heavy shoveling involved in garden preparation, this unit will suit you just fine. It is surprisingly powerful and digs in as well as the smaller gas units I've rented in the past. And what it lacks in muscle it makes up for in versatility. You can throw this unit around and it's great for getting in between the narrow rows in a small garden. By no means is this a heavy duty workhouse. It is definitely for small gardens and beds (mine is about 20' by 8'). And no problem with overheating that I've noticed. Overall, it's a great deal if you're on a budget.
June 13, 2010
Does the job
Bought this on sale and just used for the first time.Very powerful and easy to handle. Adjustable width made it easy to till both large vegetable garden and small flower beds. Though depth is listed at 4" in actual use can dig to full tine depth of 8". First reviewer mentioned heating problem, my guess would be user was using an extension cord without proper rating. 45 Minutes of near continual use and the unit wasn't even warm, though I am using it with a 10 gauge marine extension cord. Definitely a good buy and much easier to handle than my old gas unit.
May 22, 2010
- More Yardworks Electric Tiller, 8A Reviews
- Yardworks Electric Tiller, 8A reviews (page 2)
