Garden tillers and cultivators explained
A garden tiller is the everyday machine that turns a patch of soil into a plantable bed. This is the category explained — the types, the sizes, and the full index to browse yourself.
"Garden tiller", "cultivator" and "rotavator" describe much the same thing: a machine with rotating blades that breaks up soil so you can plant into it. The differences are mostly of size and emphasis — a tiller is typically a garden-scale machine, a cultivator lighter still, and "rotavator" the broad umbrella term. Our glossary untangles all of it.
The main types
- Front-tine petrol tillers — light and affordable, good for worked soil.
- Rear-tine petrol tillers — heavier and stronger, for breaking hard ground.
- Battery and corded cultivators — quiet, clean and easy, for beds and lighter work.
- Mini tillers — narrow machines for raised beds and getting between rows.
A few to start with
Stihl MH 445
Stihl's compact petrol tiller: a 140 cc 4-stroke (2.2 kW / 3.0 PS) driving a 45 cm working width, reducible to 25 cm for narrow rows, with a 30 cm hoe-set diameter, weighing 36 kg. Manoeuvrable for small gardens with Stihl dealer support. Engine, power, 45 cm width and 36 kg weight verified via Stihl.
From £550–£750
Husqvarna TF 230
Husqvarna's wide front-tine tiller: 196cc, 75 cm working width, 30 cm depth, 320 mm tines, 2 forward + 1 reverse. Fully verified specs. Quality at a value price.
From £500–£700
Mountfield Manor Compact 36 V
Mountfield's compact front-tine cultivator with Stiga 123cc engine: 36 cm width, pressed-steel body, depth skids. A recognised UK garden brand at an accessible price. Specs from UK dealer listings.
From £290–£340
Honda FG201
Honda's micro tiller: GXV50 49cc 4-stroke, 30 cm width, 23 cm depth, just 17 kg. A step up from the FG110 for small beds. Verified via Honda UK.
From £450–£600
Browse every garden tiller
We cover 141 garden tillers. Use the index to filter by power source, tine type, brand and price and find the right size for your plot.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between a tiller, a cultivator and a rotavator?
They overlap. "Rotavator" is the broad UK term for any machine that turns soil with powered tines. "Tiller" usually means a smaller garden machine doing the same job. "Cultivator" tends to mean a lighter machine for stirring already-worked soil and weeding between rows. In everyday use the words are often interchangeable.
What's the best garden tiller for a beginner?
A mid-size petrol tiller of 30–40 cm, or a battery cultivator if your soil is light and your plot small. Avoid the very cheapest no-name machines and the very biggest professional ones; the sweet spot is a recognised brand at a sensible size you can actually handle.