mantis cultivators

[suem]

Hi
I am considering purchasing a mantis cultivator to assist me on my allotments (sandy loam) and wondered if any other members have any reviews of them that they could share.
Other than this do you have any other recommendations for other portable or comparatively lightweight models of cultivators (approx £200 - 300 price tag)
Cheers

[NOG]

I have a mantis and a 5hp Briggs and Stratton. The big one is miles and miles better. It cuts deeper, cuts better and gets clogged less.

However I am on Clay....I could make bricks if I wanted (actually there is an old brick works about 1/2 mile away).

The mantis good points is that is it light....and is easy to start. I would strongle recommend buying the 4stroke and not the 2strole and dont even look at the elect one.

Its bad point is it is too flimsy it looks like it was made out of the scrap of an old boys shed.

If you want a small rotovator look at the hondas or the Al-Ko ( ALKO ) MH370-4 they seem better made.

[PAULW]

The guy on the next plot has a mantis, I am not that impressed with it very noisy and not a lot of guts to it IMO it is like a mechanical hoe and unless the soil conditions are right you could go quicker with a fork, try to find someone who has a mantis and get a demo.
Myself I use a AL-KO garten hobby cultivator although not as powerful as a rotorvator does me well on sandy soil

[Peter]

Old boy (80) next to me uses a mantis and provided you use it as directed, moving backwards it seems to work fine.
Usual 2-stroke caveats here, get the mix right and its fine, a bit out and you arm will drop off before it starts.
Other caveat is wear safety glasses the rotors go so fast the can flick stuff a long way.

I however use both a Merry Tiller AND Howard 350 on my two plots, and I'm getting all the bits to use a plough off my Howard.

[clareg]

Hi,

I bought a mantis last year and think its great! There is no way I could manage a "full size" one. I don't tihnk its designed for use of completely uncultivated land, more of a garden tiller but thats what I wanted. But it does a good job of turning over my existing beds and chopping the soil up fine ready for planting.

I had a bit of a problem when I first bought it, there was a problem with the cable for starting it up and I had to send the cable back twice for replacement.

If I can start it up and use it then anyone can!

Clareg

[Two_Sheds]

Hardly anyone uses rotavators up here. A newbie did and everyone laughed at him, because he rotavated all his perennial weeds - chopping up his bindweed, thistles, couch etc. Methinks he'll have some weeding to do this year when all those cuttings take

[cheshire61]

If You really want a rotivator forget the little mantis i've got a 1960 merry tiller making it 37 years old and still going strong you wont beat a merry tiller for allotment work
they are really well made machines

[Lesley Jay]

We have a big old rotovator that my OH uses on our plots, but we are on clay soil that sets like a brick after some rain, so before I plant the area is turned over with the small mantis. I think it is a great little machine.

[nick the grief]

not need to calle Mr J a big old rotovator

[Burnzie]

Hi Suem, I winter dig and manure at the end of the growing season then use my Mantis in the spring to knock down the clods into a fine tilth. I also use it to draw out 6" deep trenches at potatoe planting tme.

Tony

[George Gray]

Mantis Cultivators

Well I have had a two stroke Mantis for over 10 years on my clay ridden allotment and generally it has done all I needed it to do. It doesn't dig more than a foot deep but then when do you really need to dig that deep!! On my plot if you dig too deep you end up with hard compacted red till.

[anthonyjb]

I was told its no better than a chicken on a stick
Anthony

[nick the grief]

depends how big the chicken is