If you have an allotment to dig over and are looking for a little help to ease the task you’ll find an allotment cultivator or tiller a great help. Work that would take hours with a spade can be undertaken in minutes so investing in one of these machines really can save you precious time as well as hard work. In this buying guide we will mention what we consider to be the best models available and highlight some of the features you need to look for as well as pointing out some of the differences between the many different cultivators and tillers on the market.
So what features do you need to look for on a good allotment cultivator or tiller? If your unable to store the cultivator or tiller on site you’ll need to consider transporting the machine to and from the site. A tiller or cultivator with fold down handles is useful in this respect so that it can fit in the boot of your car. Although many makes of tiller possess this feature some are easier than others to fold-down. Also, to get your tiller from your vehicle to plot transportation wheels come in very useful. Again many makes have these as standard but some do not.
The type and size of engine on your allotment tiller or cultivator is important for three reasons. Firstly, having an engine that is easy to start makes the tiller accessible to individual users if it is a shared purchase by your allotment society. Secondly, the type of engine is likely to determine its level of reliability over the years. Thirdly, the power of the engine will help you assess the workload which the tiller/cultivator might be capable of.
Drive systems on allotment tillers and cultivators are another feature you may want to pay attention to. Chain drives were once the common method used however many manufacturers have now opted for belt drive systems which will provide some give if you accidentally drive the tines against a solid object or surface such as a concrete path. Other manufacturers employ a worm drive system which delivers high levels of torque and so making the task of cultivating the soil easier.
You will need to consider whether you are going to purchase an allotment tiller or cultivator with a single forward drive which is common to most makes and models in this class or whether you wish to invest in a machine which comes with both forward and reverse gears. A reverse gear on an allotment tiller or cultivator basically makes the machine more manoeuvrable and easier to handle but this will add maybe £100 to the price of your purchase.
A final factor you will want to keep in mind when purchasing your new allotment cultivator/tiller is whether it offers variable tilling widths. This can be particularly useful if you need to till along a narrow strip between existing beds.
Based on the above considerations we have the following recommendations to make as to what in our opinion are the best three allotment cultivators and tiller currently available. Our first recommendation is the Ardisam Earthquake Badger Front-Tine Rototiller. This is without doubt the most mobile of allotment tillers/cultivators available and has a really lightweight feel to it due to its large size transport wheels and compact design. The handles also are easy to fold down making it possible to fit the Ardisam Rototiller into the back of most cars. Equipped with a powerful and reliable 6.5hp Briggs & Stratton engine, this tiller will muscle its way through both hard and soft soil. The tilling width can be varied by removing some of the tines, however with a maximum working width of 53cm (21″) this is not the largest tiller available in this category.
The second tiller/cultivator for allotments we would like to mention earns its place through sheer good value for money. The Dori MD40T Cultivator has a 60 cm (23″) working width and easy-fold handles. Supplied with crop protection discs – a nice extra – this model has a 10 year guarantee on the transmission which helps to reassure. A couple of gripes though. The engine might be a little under powered for some at only 80cc (more expensive versions of the Dori Cultivator are available with larger engines) and the transport wheel is supplied as an optional extra. But priced only £269 inc. VAT and delivery you may well feel you can live with this. If you need reverse drive there is also a larger sized model – the Dori MD50R Cultivator – which has this feature.
Our final recommendation is the MTD T245 Front Tine Tiller. For a allotment tiller/cultivator we really do think this model has it all. It comes supplied with transport wheel and the handles are easy to fold down for compact storage in the shed or the back of your car. The tiller has an adjustable tilling width up to 61cm (24″) and crop protection discs come as standard. A superior worm drive system is featured delivering extremely high levels of torque to help you through varying conditions and soil types. Plus this tiller/cultivator for allotments comes with a easy to start high performance OHV engine which not only has plenty of power but also a modern design helping it to operate at lower emissions. The MTD T245 tiller is also great value for money at just £339 inc. A slightly higher specification model with tilling widths up to 81cm is available, offering reverse drive as standard. The MTD T380 Front Tine Tiller comes in at £439 inc. and is more suited to larger sized plots of land.
