What comes to mind when you think about gardening? Each year I use the knowledge i gained the previous year to to grow the best crop i ever have grown. I’m sure your situation is similar. Somethings never change and preparing soil properly is one of those things. To get small beds ready for planting a handy cultivator is essential to cut down on the time spend preparing. In this article i will review the Earthwise TC70040 to see what its like to use.
One thing that I wont be without to make planting preparations easier, is a good powered garden cultivator, lets see if the Earthwise TC70040 can live up to the hype.
Getting my soil ready for the upcoming season, freshly cultivated and with the winter mulch mixed in can be an extremely tedious job to do with a shovel or fork.
With the right cultivator, though, life is made much easier!
Background on cultivators
When people talk about cultivators, they are referring to a group of small tillers which prepare uncompacted soil by mixing it up again.
We are not talking about heavy duty ‘tillers’ which are made for large, long plots of hard-packed soil at ground level. Tillers are made to pack a punch in terms of power and to rip through just about anything, less graceful and much heavier.
A ‘cultivator’ is the smallest version of a tiller. It is purposely designed for small spaces and for mixing already broken up soil.
Cultivators are meant for relatively smaller patches of garden or raised beds which full sized tiller cannot get access to. A cultivator is much smaller in size and lighter in weight- it does not have large heavy tines like a tiller.
Their size and the weight are designed for more maneuverability to be able to be used in raised beds and be easily moved about.
Features to look for in a cultivator
When you are looking for a cultivator, there are multiple things to pay attention to that will help you to make the perfect match between you and your machinery.
Weight
To accomplish its job well, a tiller will generally be upwards of 150 to 200 pounds, great for its purposes, perhaps not for maneuverability.
With a cultivator, a light weight is important, especially as it will need to be lifted in and out of raised beds- so they tend to be closer to 25 to 50 pounds.
Ease of Use
Maneuverability can be better depending on where the handles are placed on the machine. Some have adjustable handles – some don’t.
If it is electric corded, if you have to mix gas or if you need to charge batteries are also important considerations.
Power
You can choose from gas engine, electric corded and battery powered machine. Battery powered is the most lightweight and maneuverable.
Tine Strength
Cultivators have finer tines than tillers – the important thing to check is if they are replaceable.
Battery powered cultivator: Earthwise TC70040
Built to be an affordable option but still loaded with great features to attract almost any buyer who is looking for specifics when going to buy a cultivator.
Many people have an idea that their cultivators need to be made heavier and sturdier than a battery-operated machine has the tendency to be.
However, when looking into this option, many of those that may have ordered it a bit apprehensively were always pleasantly surprised with this product.
Even with it being battery operated, without a need to fill with gas or plug in somewhere, the machine is designed well, and with a faster tine speed, it is able to do the job of those that may have a much “tougher-looking” exterior.
The fact that it doesn’t have a cord ends up being one of the most endearing parts to this product since it releases the consumers from the fear of running over the cord and ruining their machine, even worse – getting electrocuted.
The battery also lasts for a long time, something that I look for when considering any product that is battery powered.
It also comes with its own charger and is made to charge quickly to be able to continue any job that was left undone.
The strength of it is another feature that blew other options for small cultivators out of the water.
It works extremely efficiently to be able to run for as long as possible on the battery and yet chews through just about any job you could need it for.
As mentioned above, one of the most important features to get any job done with a cultivator is going to be the features of the tines, durability as well as the speed they rotate at.
The Earthwise cultivator is well-loved for its higher than average tine speed that allows it the strength of a much heavier machine to be able to bust through clumps and roots quickly without destroying your tines.
Features and Specifications of the Earthwise TC70040
- 40-Volt and Cordless: A battery operated machine that allows greater ease of use through not having a cord to work around but a long-lasting battery that packs a punch in power.
- Lightweight at 24 pounds: One of the lightest cultivators on the market, it makes it easy for almost any body to use and move around to quickly work through the whole garden.
- Easy Maneuverability: A single handle fused across the top to allow easy pick up ad long shaft for carrying. Also includes a unique feature with wheels that flip up to make carrying and using this machine much easier.
- Tills 11 inches wide and 8 inches deep: A wide enough till to make an effective run each time through without being too big to quickly burn the motor out.
- Comfort Grip: A cushioned handle for easier and more comfortable use to get a long job done.
Conclusion
Easy to use and run, maneuver and long lasting even on a battery, this little machine is often called a “beast” by consumers.
Cordless and made for the comfort of the user, Earthwise has done a quality job producing an affordable machine to accomplish any task in any yard it is set to work in.
With the wheels made to adjust for even more ease and an easy start each time, even though we all know perfection in a product is unachievable this little machine gets closer than many!
With seasons of growing and producing coming up and enough on all of our plates to already fill your time, are you ready to commit to a product that will be your perfect match?
When thinking about the next year of work, allow yourself to move past the hurdle of time and energy sapping preparation. Take a look at what others have said about the Earthwise TC70040 over at Amazon.com
