A tiller breaks new or compacted ground, while a cultivator maintains soil that has already been worked — the single most important distinction is depth of penetration and raw power required for the job.
Tillers drive heavy, wide tines deep into unworked or clay-heavy soil, breaking it up for the first time or after a long dormant season. Cultivators run lighter, shallower tines through previously loosened soil to mix in compost, aerate around plant roots, and knock out surface weeds. Many cordless tools marketed as tiller-cultivators — including the ETOOLAB 20V model — handle both roles depending on soil condition, but perform best in the cultivator role on established garden beds.
- Tiller tine depth: typically 6–10 inches; cultivator tine depth: typically 2–6 inches.
- The ETOOLAB 20V cordless tiller reaches 6.6-inch depth and 9-inch tilling width.
- Cultivators suit plots under 500 sq ft with previously worked or loose soil.
- Full-size front- or rear-tine tillers are required to break sod or heavily compacted virgin ground.
- The ETOOLAB tiller operates at 360 RPM — sufficient for garden bed maintenance and moderate soil prep.