Has anyone got one of these? How do they perform? How light are they to use?

I saw an advert in the Garden News and wondered if it was worth getting at
£50.

" notpastityet?" <confusedcom [at] btopenworld.com> wrote in message
news:Q6OdnV3CYZD-ZgnZRVnysg [at] bt.com...
> Has anyone got one of these? How do they perform? How light are they to
> use?
>
> I saw an advert in the Garden News and wondered if it was worth getting at
> £50.
>
>

waste of £50........they will hardly scratch the surface.

Post removed (X-No-Archive: yes)

"Malcolm" <Malcolm [at] indaal.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
news:UwzfowPDqQlEFwCY [at] indaal.demon.co.uk...
>
> In article <JcGdnZABhPKpYwnZRVnyiQ [at] bt.com>, OhNo
> <KnotU [at] Aginbtinternet.com> writes
>>
>>" notpastityet?" <confusedcom [at] btopenworld.com> wrote in message
>>news:Q6OdnV3CYZD-ZgnZRVnysg [at] bt.com...
>>> Has anyone got one of these? How do they perform? How light are they to
>>> use?
>>>
>>> I saw an advert in the Garden News and wondered if it was worth getting
>>> at
>>> £50.
>>>
>>>
>>
>>waste of £50........they will hardly scratch the surface.
>>
> You've either never owned one or have incredibly hard compacted soil. I
> have an electric Mantis tiller. It copes well with weeds, digs comfortably
> to a depth of 10", produces a lovely tilth, weighs just 9.5 kg, and I'm
> absolutely delighted I bought one last year.
>
> --
> Malcolm

yes, I compared it to my FI's £350 B&S petrol which breaks through anything.

So if you buy this £50 model you have to dig over compacted soil
first.........

"OhNo" <KnotU [at] Aginbtinternet.com> wrote in message
news:BfydnbktqcgmjgjZRVny2A [at] bt.com...
>
> "Malcolm" <Malcolm [at] indaal.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:UwzfowPDqQlEFwCY [at] indaal.demon.co.uk...
> >
> > In article <JcGdnZABhPKpYwnZRVnyiQ [at] bt.com>, OhNo
> > <KnotU [at] Aginbtinternet.com> writes

> >>
> >>waste of £50........they will hardly scratch the surface.
> >>
> > You've either never owned one or have incredibly hard compacted soil. I
> > have an electric Mantis tiller. It copes well with weeds, digs
comfortably
> > to a depth of 10", produces a lovely tilth, weighs just 9.5 kg, and I'm
> > absolutely delighted I bought one last year.
> >
> > --
> > Malcolm
>
> yes, I compared it to my FI's £350 B&S petrol which breaks through
anything.
>
> So if you buy this £50 model you have to dig over compacted soil
> first.........

I wasnt plnon usit on compacted soil. In my experience NOTHING - not even a
so called industrial cultivator will do that. Its a spade and fork job.

I was thinking of an on going job of running across the small ( 10ft x
10ft ) ornimental and annual beds I have and weeding round a few borders.




>
>

"Malcolm" <Malcolm [at] indaal.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
news:UwzfowPDqQlEFwCY [at] indaal.demon.co.uk...
>
> In article <JcGdnZABhPKpYwnZRVnyiQ [at] bt.com>, OhNo
> <KnotU [at] Aginbtinternet.com> writes
> >
> >" notpastityet?" <confusedcom [at] btopenworld.com> wrote in message
> >news:Q6OdnV3CYZD-ZgnZRVnysg [at] bt.com...
> >> Has anyone got one of these? How do they perform? How light are they to
> >> use?
> >>
> >> I saw an advert in the Garden News and wondered if it was worth getting
at
> >> £50.
> >>
> >>
> >
> >waste of £50........they will hardly scratch the surface.
> >
> You've either never owned one or have incredibly hard compacted soil. I
> have an electric Mantis tiller. It copes well with weeds, digs
> comfortably to a depth of 10", produces a lovely tilth, weighs just 9.5
> kg, and I'm absolutely delighted I bought one last year.

I didnt know Mantis did an electric one? I have seen their petrol driven
one and thought about it but read ( here) that it had engine problems (
you have to mix the oil/ petrol prior to it going into the tank.).

If its not a rude question, how much did your electric mantis cost?
>
> --
> Malcolm

Post removed (X-No-Archive: yes)

Post removed (X-No-Archive: yes)

"Janet Baraclough" <janet.and.john [at] zetnet.co.uk> wrote in message
news:3130303039303239449553DE08 [at] zetnet.co.uk...
> The message <5oednZSUxqekugjZRVnyiw [at] bt.com>
> from " notpastityet?" <confusedcom [at] btopenworld.com> contains these words:
>
>

> That's not an "engine problem", it's standard practice in
> two-stroke-engine garden equipment like chainsaws, strimmers etc. No
> problem at all.

"problem" as stated on this baord was that this meant that the mantis was
not a reliable starter and not a good machine. Only repeating what was
said.

Actually, you can get self mixing two strokes. My quibble is with petrol
driven at all. I find them too heavy, hence looking at electric.

"Malcolm" <Malcolm [at] indaal.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
news:FwhbIsALMTlEFwwt [at] indaal.demon.co.uk...
>
> In article <5oednZSUxqekugjZRVnyiw [at] bt.com>, notpastityet?
> <confusedcom [at] btopenworld.com> writes
> >
> >"Malcolm" <Malcolm [at] indaal.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
> >news:UwzfowPDqQlEFwCY [at] indaal.demon.co.uk...
> >>
> >> In article <JcGdnZABhPKpYwnZRVnyiQ [at] bt.com>, OhNo
> >> <KnotU [at] Aginbtinternet.com> writes
> >> >
> >> >" notpastityet?" <confusedcom [at] btopenworld.com> wrote in message
> >> >news:Q6OdnV3CYZD-ZgnZRVnysg [at] bt.com...
> >> >> Has anyone got one of these? How do they perform? How light are they
to
> >> >> use?
> >> >>
> >> >> I saw an advert in the Garden News and wondered if it was worth
getting
> >at
> >> >> £50.
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >
> >> >waste of £50........they will hardly scratch the surface.
> >> >
> >> You've either never owned one or have incredibly hard compacted soil. I
> >> have an electric Mantis tiller. It copes well with weeds, digs
> >> comfortably to a depth of 10", produces a lovely tilth, weighs just 9.5
> >> kg, and I'm absolutely delighted I bought one last year.
> >
> >I didnt know Mantis did an electric one? I have seen their petrol driven
> >one and thought about it but read ( here) that it had engine problems (
> >you have to mix the oil/ petrol prior to it going into the tank.).
> >
> >If its not a rude question, how much did your electric mantis cost?
>
> They've done an electric one for a while now.
>
> see: www.mantis-uk.co.uk for current prices
>
> --
> Malcolm

How much!!!!! Christ, you'd be cheaper hiring one.

Redman

Post removed (X-No-Archive: yes)

On Sun, 18 Jun 2006 08:54:22 +0100, " notpastityet?"
<confusedcom [at] btopenworld.com> wrote:

>Has anyone got one of these? How do they perform? How light are they to use?
>
>I saw an advert in the Garden News and wondered if it was worth getting at
>£50.
>

I don't think you can really compare one costing £50 with a £300
electric Mantis. It's probably something you could use for light
weeding in already cultivated ground.

"Jupiter" <Jupiter [at] shotmail.com> wrote in message
news:akic925k9v4cpuk428l2h4v0ubl02nvllk [at] 4ax.com...
> On Sun, 18 Jun 2006 08:54:22 +0100, " notpastityet?"
> <confusedcom [at] btopenworld.com> wrote:
>
>
> I don't think you can really compare one costing £50 with a £300
> electric Mantis. It's probably something you could use for light
> weeding in already cultivated ground.

Thats about all I want it for. I have a number of small beds which need
weeding. They are well tilled but I am tired of spending a long time digging
them over each year. I need something manoeuvrable.

For fifty quid ( they say its a £100 recommended retail) I doubt if I can go
badly wrong even if it only does do my borders.

I dont need a mantis or for that matter a "proper" cultivator.