The Earthwise TC70001 is a small, electric garden tiller that helps you renew smaller patches of soil for planting and cultivating. It's great for small flower or vegetable gardens, but doesn't work effectively at breaking up hardened ground. So if you're using it on dry or frozen soil, it will struggle to work effectively. If you're using this rototiller to make a new garden, you'll want to first loosen the soil with hand tools like a pick and shovel before you till it. It's cheap, but because it's of limited use, it doesn't quite make our line-up of the best tillers.
Like most small garden tillers, this model requires some assembly. It's a fairly simple operation; no special tools are required, so most will be able to manage it. You only need to attach and hand-tighten a few wing nuts. If you follow the instructions, assembly takes about five minutes, which is one of the lowest assembly times you can get.
Keep in mind that you need a rather long extension cord to power this cultivator. You'll have to buy this component separately, and it does increase the cost. Once you have the power cord attached, you can wrap it around the convenient cord retainer, which is located in the middle of the shaft. This helps keep the cord away from the rotating tines so you don't accidentally slice it while tilling.
To start the tiller, all you have to do is hold down the trigger lever and press the green Start button. Once the tines start rotating, you can till dirt up to eight inches deep and 11 inches wide. This is ideal for smaller, personal gardens. If you're creating a large garden, or growing field, you'll probably want to invest in a larger, industrial model that's gas powered.
Using this garden cultivator is a relatively simple affair. It weighs about 30 lbs, which is lighter than most, and the 8.5-amp motor and rear wheels allow you push it much like a lawn mower. It's quite manoeuvrable for its size, and it can last for years as long as it's properly cleaned, stored and maintained.
Earthwise offers a two-year limited warranty for this tiller. If you get a defective unit, the company will happily exchange it for you, which is just normal business. If a part happens to break and the warranty has expired or doesn't apply, Earthwise offers affordable replacement parts on its website and via retailers like Home Depot and Amazon. The tiller itself is relatively inexpensive, next to other models.
Should you buy the Earthwise TC70001?
The Earthwise TC70001 is a small, inexpensive tiller that operates best in smaller gardens with moist soil. It's ideal for personal use, when you just want to grow a few plants, veg, or flowers in your garden, and don't intend to use it on a large areas with specialist trenches. The lack of power and cutting ability in hard soil is an issue, as is the small cord it comes with, but overall it's an easy model that's perfect for beginners.
