The Best Rotavators For Effortless Soil Cultivation

Make light work of breaking up all types of soil with our handpicked selection of rotavators.
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Written & Tested By: Archie Rich | Updated:
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Best Rotavator
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Whether you need to break up soil or heavy clay soil in your garden, a rotavator is the best tool for the job. The rotating blades turn over and break the soil easily to make it ready for planting, and it’s certainly much easier than manually breaking the soil with a spade.

As with most tools, rotavators are available in petrol, electric, and battery-powered forms, but the type of soil you intend to break up will determine which is the most suitable. For example, a petrol rotavator would be the best option if you are breaking up heavy clay soil.

To assist you in selecting a rotavator, our handpicked selection lists top-performing models, chosen based on our first-hand experience rotavating all types of soil. Our testing and up-to-date research further ensure the quality of our recommendations.

Our Top Picks At A Glance:

Einhell Power X-Change 36V Cordless Garden Rotavator
Best Cordless: Einhell Power X-Change 36V Garden Rotavator
Read More
The Handy THPMT Petrol Tiller Cultivator Rotavator
Best Petrol: The Handy THPMT Tiller
Read More
Hyundai 1500w Electric Garden Tiller
Best Electric: Hyundai 1500w Electric Garden Tiller
Read More
VonHaus 1050 Electric Rotavator
Best Value: VonHaus 1050 Electric Rotavator
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Greenworks G40TL Battery-Powered Rotavator
Best Quality: Greenworks G40TL Battery-Powered Rotavator
Read More
Einhell GC-MT 3060 Petrol Tiller
Best Professional: Einhell GC-MT 3060 Petrol Tiller
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How The DIY Works Team Tests & Rates Rotavators

As we own a number of properties (Airbnb’s/rentals), we’ve had the pleasure of working on a range of garden landscapes. Therefore, if rotavating is required, we will use an appropriate machine for the job. For example, we own multiple rotavators, including heavy-duty petrol and compact cordless machines.

best rotavator for clay soil

Archie Rich/DIY Works
best rotavator for allotment uk

Archie Rich/DIY Works

However, to keep up with our commitment to reviewing and testing the latest rotavators (for this article), we are continually testing out the latest offerings from top brands in the UK. This means that if we notice a brand has released a new and improved model, we will attempt to upgrade our current rotavators for testing (where applicable).

best cordless rotavator

Archie Rich/DIY Works
best electric rotavator

Archie Rich/DIY Works

Below is a video that we posted on our YouTube channel that shows us putting a heavy-duty petrol rotavator to the test. Although it requires some force, the powerful motor and high-quality blades easily rotavate the clay soil.

If you haven’t used a rotavator before, we wrote a handy guide that walks you through the process.

As well as our testing and experience using multiple rotavators, we also based our recommendations on the latest research and several factors. Some of the factors that we took into consideration included the rotavator’s performance, build quality, usability, ease of setup, adjustability, working width and depth, warranty and value for money.

The Best Rotavators

At DIY Works, our content is 100% independent and we would never recommend a product that we wouldn't use ourselves (read our editorial standards and how we test products).

1. Best Cordless: Einhell Power X-Change 36V Garden Rotavator

(How We Review →)

Einhell is a brand that offers a huge selection of cordless tools and their garden rotavator is one of their most rated tools they have to offer. Known as the GE-CR 30 Li-Solo, the Einhell rotavator is a battery-powered machine that features 4 high-grade blades that have a working width of 30 cm and a depth of 20 cm.

For tackling most gardens, it’s certainly up for the job thanks to its powerful motor that operates for up to 60 minutes.

Pros
  • Easily rotavates heavy soil such as clay-rich soils
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  • Relatively lightweight at 8.2 KG
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  • Supplied with transport wheels
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  • Heigh adjustable handles and an ergonomic grip
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  • During testing, we found it easy to setup and use
Cons
  • Requires two battery packs for operation (additional expense)

To conclude, the Einhell CE-CR 30 ticks all the boxes and it’s a garden rotavator that’s easy to use and powerful enough to tackle most gardening tasks. When you include the cost of the batteries and charger, it does come at an expensive price tag but it’s a worthwhile investment that certainly won’t disappoint.

2. Best Petrol: The Handy THPMT Tiller

(How We Review →)

If you require a heavy-duty petrol rotavator, look no further than the Handy THPMT tiler. It’s designed to be a powerful yet compact rotavator that’s designed to break up heavy soil with ease but without being too difficult to manoeuvre.

In terms of the petrol-powered engine, it uses a robust 2-stroke 43cc engine that according to the brand needs minimal maintenance.

Pros
  • Small enough to be easy to move around but powerful enough to tackle clay soil
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  • Easy to setup and use
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  • Folds down and comes with wheels for easy transport
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  • Designed and made in the UK
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  • Relatively affordable when compared to other petrol rotavators
Cons
  • Weighs 15KG, which may be heavy for some users

If you require a petrol rotavator, the Handy THPMT tiler is the perfect solution that’s ideal for gardens and allotments. Its small but powerful design is what makes it stand out from the alternatives and it won’t disappoint.

3. Best Electric: Hyundai 1500w Electric Garden Tiller

(How We Review →)

Hyundai is a brand that needs no introduction and their electric rotavator has been designed with performance in mind. With 6 angled teeth and a working width of 45 cm, it’ll rotavate a lot faster than other machines. It’s also powered by a 1500W electric motor that’s constructed of all copper for longevity and delivers 400RPM to the rotating tines.

Pros
  • Simple to use with two button to activate the rotavator
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  • 1500W electric motor that's been designed with performance and longevity in mind
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  • Handles fold away for easy sotrage
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  • Large wheels makes it easier to move around
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  • 6 blades and a wider working width that help to get big rotavating jobs done much quicker
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  • 10 metre long power cable
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  • Backed by a three year warranty
Cons
  • During testing, we felt that the machine needed speed control for areas where we didn't want to spin the blades at 400 RPM

As long as you are happy enough to deal with a power cable, the Hyundai 1500W is one of the best rotavators on the market. It’s powerful, easy to use and is backed by a long 3 year warranty for complete peace of mind.

4. Best Value: VonHaus 1050 Electric Rotavator

(How We Review →)

By far the most popular rotavator within this article is the electric-powered option by VonHaus. It’s constructed of a durable plastic body with a metal frame and is ideal for getting your soil ready for the gardening season.

Depending on your requirements, the brand also offers more powerful options such as the 1450W model. However, if you only intend to use the rotavator for light to medium rotavating, the 1050W model is more than adequate.

Pros
  • 4 durable blades with a tilling depth of 22 cm and cutting width of 32 cm
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  • Electric motor delivers a blade speed of 380 RPM
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  • Ergonomic handle and long 10 metre cable
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  • Offers excellent value for the money
Cons
  • Requires minor assembly out of the box (it only took us around 10 minutes)

To conclude, the VonHaus 1050 rotavator offers the best value for the money and its popularity is also a clear indication of its quality. At a fraction of the cost of some of the alternatives, it’s a great option to consider if you only intend to rotavate on a rare occasion.

5. Best Quality: Greenworks G40TL Battery-Powered Rotavator

(How We Review →)
Greenworks G40TL Battery-Powered Rotavator

Another battery powered rotavator is the Greenworks G40TL, which uses just a single battery for optimum performance. In terms of its performance, it has a working width of 26 cm and working depth of 20 cm.

What makes this rotavator stand out from the crowd is its superior build quality and the amount of adjustment it offers. For example,. you can adjust the tiling width, height and also fold it away for easy storage.

Pros
  • Adjustable tiling width (21.6 to 25.4 cm)
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  • Only require a single battery
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  • Easy push button starting of the motor
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  • Large wheels for easy handling and transportation
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  • Backed by an impressive three year warranty
Cons
  • Relatively expensive when compared to other rotavators in our roundup

Apart from the premium price tag, the Greenworks G40TL is a great option to consider and it’s built with quality in mind. During testing, we really liked the intuitively designed features and as we already owned multiple Greenworks tools, we didn’t need to purchase the battery, which meant the tool itself wasn’t as expensive.

6. Best Professional: Einhell GC-MT 3060 Petrol Tiller

(How We Review →)

If you require a more powerful petrol rotavator, the Einhell brand has the answer with their GC-MT 3060 model. It’s a 4-stroke powered engine that has a working speed of 3,600 RPM and is ideal for breaking up heavy clay soil.

In terms of using the rotavator, it has a working width of 60 cm and a depth of 23 cm using the 6 stainless steel blades.

Pros
  • Powerful 139cc petrol engine
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  • Front wheel folds away for easier storage
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  • Large 2.2 fuel tank for interrupted rotavating
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  • Features the desirable swivelling guide wheel
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  • Height adjustable handle bar
Cons
  • The most expensive rotavator within our roundup
    •
  • Weighs 37KG

Although expensive, the Einhell GC-MT 3060 is a highly capable rotavator that’s versatile and packs plenty of power. It’s also a four-stroke engine, which means there is no mixing of oil required unlike the Handy THP alternative above. Whether you are a professional or love rotavating, it’s a worthwhile investment that won’t disappoint.

Conclusion

Although possible with a spade, breaking up soil is back-breaking work, and it’s the reason why rotavators exist. Using multiple steel blades and a powerful motor, they easily break up the soil to make it ready for planting.

The best rotavator for you depends on whether you require petrol, electric or even a battery-powered option. Petrol rotavators are often the most popular choice due to their powerful performance and the fact that you don’t need access to a power supply or rely on a battery. However, they often come with a premium price tag, making the alternative electric or battery-powered options desirable for many.

To avoid disappointment, ensure you purchase a rotavator that best suits your requirements. For example, you’ll require a powerful machine to break up clay soil, but if you only intend to break up light soil, the cordless or low-powered electric models will be more than ideal in most cases.

If you require further information regarding our garden rotavator recommendations, feel free to get in touch and we will try to provide our assistance where possible.

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