[Casey76]

Hi, I have a bit of a fear about fuel driven tools, and I was just wondering if electric rotavators/tillers are actually work buying (light/occasional work only - turning over the ground in the chicken pens!)

[Gwiz]

For some reason I keep getting the words "teapot" and "chocolate" coming into my head when ever someone mentions the words "tiller" and  "electric"
I must book another appointment at the "Quacks" (no pun intended to a poultry moderator) 

Most of the electric tools of this description that I have come accross have been a waste of effort. I'm sure there must be some good ones, it's just that I've not seen any, I'm sure.

[mumofstig]

They make an electric Mantis, isn't this any good either?

[grendel]

to me the thought of cables dragging over the ground while digging it over scares the heck out of me - I would be more afraid of clipping a cable than I would ever be over a small engine.
Grendel

[Vit]

Electric what?! Tiller?!  If it's cordless i would give it a _small chance, otherwise NO

[Gwiz]

They make an electric Mantis, isn't this any good either?

Grendel put it far better than I

to me the thought of cables dragging over the ground while digging it over scares the heck out of me - I would be more afraid of clipping a cable than I would ever be over a small engine.
Grendel

[grendel]

if you do get an electric one make sure you get an RCD plug to plug it into. the RCD needs to be at the only thing the appliances plug is plugged into - even if there is an RCD further down the line, this is to ensure its correct operation, if the trip is too far down the line it wont protect you as well. I have a very healthy respect for electricity since I work in the industry.
Grendel

[mumofstig]

The risk cannot be worse than an using an electric mower or power saw etc 
and still doesn't tell us if they actually work well or not................just that some of you don't like using electric powered ones 

[smud6ie]

Where some electric tools may be used with great care  for certain limited gardening tasks I think most of us petrol heads are not for electric gardening tools so unlikely to recommend them.
All I can add is: Last year I was talking to a friend who has a small holding and several poly tunnels about Rotavators.
He has a couple of petrol ones and an electic one from lidl which he uses insde the tunnel and says he would not be without it,so much so that he bought a second one in case the first goes wrong and they stop selling them!
I have not used one so this is definately not a recommendation , can't desert the brotherhood
smud6ie

[grendel]

The risk cannot be worse than an using an electric mower or power saw etc 
and still doesn't tell us if they actually work well or not................just that some of you don't like using electric powered ones 

What you say is true Mumofstig, any electric tool has that potential and should be used with a good RCD to prevent a deadly electric shock. when you use them the best place for the lead is over your shoulder first then route the cable well away from where you are working. Always pay attention to where your lead is at all times.
Grendel

[Dominic]

http://www.dobies.co.uk/Shop/Gardening+Equipment/Garden+Tools/Garden+Cultivators/Electric+Tiller+580335.htm?utm_source=froogle&utm_medium=freedirectory&utm_campaign=Gardening-Equipment&utm_term=580335&of_tid=050QccK3Aub1dw_fURfffZEC3p6hmN41xxROJvWE7aB5L7Xp_cwtVi4uafOxVd8U

I've got something similar to that, it was about £70 three years ago.
It did the job, cant really deal with any large stones, they jam between the blades and the top cover and are a pain to get out (I've not used it for at least a year because ones stuck), its a hammer and chisel job to break the stone and pull out.
At the end of the day, 750w is 1 horse power.  And electric is a lot more efficient than petrol, so your probably looking at 1.5hp in reality.
so a 3.5hp petrol one will knock its socks off, but for just chewing up the ground in the chicken run, more than adequate.