Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I purchased this tiller a little over a month ago for my small, 16 ft. x 16 ft. vegetable garden. I waited until now to write my review because I wanted to have a really good "feel" for the product before I posted my thoughts. I had already turned the ground in my garden, which had been lawn area for years, with a garden fork; but the thick grass and roots would not allow the ground to loosen and break up. I ended up with a 16 x 16 patch of grassy clumps that I couldn't rake or plant. To break up the clumps I tried various cultivators: A garden weasel ended up all tangled with grass and roots and wouldn't turn. My Garden Claw just loaded up with the grassy clumps. I even tried sharpening my hoe and using it to hack at the clumps to break them up--a very labor intense and slow process. I was at my wits end. I began to realize that the only way I was going to be able to loosen the soil effectively was going to be with a roto-tiller. I figured I'd need to rent one at a local rental center, but when I learned it was going to cost me $80.00 for a half day, I started looking for other alternatives. I came across this Earthwise TC70001 11-Inch 8-1/2 Amp Electric Tiller/Cultivator at Amazon.com. The first thing that caught my eye was that all but one of the reviews were 5-stars, and the only one that wasn't at that time was 4-stars. If not for that, I don't think I would have given this machine a second look. And even then, after reading all the reviews, I still doubted that a light-weight electric roto-tiller could have enough power to do what I needed it to do. But I figured, what did I have to lose? Even if it didn't work for breaking up the clumps this year, I'd still be able to use the machine to till the garden in future years after the soil had been prepared the first time. So I decided to give it a try. BOY, AM I GLAD I DID! In a word, this thing is FANTASTIC! First of all, I was amazed at the power it has. It effortlessly churned out rocks bigger than my fist. Needless to say, it chewed through the grass clumps and roots with ease. I did stop a few times to untangle debris from the tines, but it was easy to remove and in just a few minutes I'd be up and running again. The power is more than adequate. It digs through the soil, even Michigan clay, without bogging down, leaving a loose, mealy planting bed in its wake. I tilled the entire garden twice--first north and south; then east and west. The whole job took about 3 hours. I've since used the tiller in other areas of my yard like flower beds and areas of the lawn that needed leveling. I am truly impressed with the results. The main drawback that I see is the machine's light weight. When it hits something solid in the ground, like a root or large rock, it wants to jump and buck like a rodeo bull. You just need to be ready for it when it happens. Overall, though, it is very easy to control. For just about 50% more than the cost of renting one of those gas monsters at our local rental center for a half-day, I was able to purchase this tiller that I will be able to use for many years to come; not only in my vegetable garden, but my flower beds as well. Quite honestly, I don't think I've ever been more satisfied with a purchase. I wish I could give this thing more than 5 stars! (Of course, the service I got from Amazon.com (including the free shipping) was impeccable as always.) PROs: 1. High amperage - this translates to High Power. More than enough power for a small tiller. 2. Low cost - makes this tiller a tremendous value. 3. Well made. 4. Simple to use. CONs: 1. Light weight - so if you hit something solid in the ground, like a large root or rock, the machine tends to jump violently. Not a huge disadvantage, however, as long as you are aware of this tendency and pay attention. 2. Narrow width - limits the effective usage of this tiller to smaller gardens. But this can also be an advantage--you can easily use this machine to till between rows in your garden and other narrow areas where a larger tiller won't fit.