Troy Bilt has made a name for itself in the tiller industry. Their tillers are known for superior quality and performance. They are one of the oldest tiller manufacturers in the garden equipment industry, beginning operation in the 1930s.
Today they are mainly known for their state of the art tillers, and we will be comparing the best Troy Bilt Tillers in the market.
Contents
Our Top Picks
- Most Powerful Troy Bilt Tiller: Troy-Bilt Big Red
The Horse came pretty close but Big Red is the ultimate winner here. - Best Tiller for Compact Soil: Troy-Bilt Pro-Line FRT
Pro-Line FRT has uniquely shaped tines that are perfect for compact soil. - Most Lightweight Tiller: Troy-Bilt TB225
Weighing only 11 pounds, this might be the most lightweight tiller to ever exist. - Most Budget-friendly Tiller: Troy-Bilt TB154E Electric Cultivator
TB154E is a small electric cultivator and a great budget option for beginners. - Most Powerful Tiller (without Electric Start): Troy-Bilt Horse
The Horse is the winner in this category as no other tiller comes close with its 306 cc engine. - Tiller with Best Transmission: Troy-Bilt Big Red or Troy-Bilt Horse
Both of these tillers come with 4 forward speeds and 2 reverse speeds. - Best Tiller with Single-Speed Transmission: Troy-Bilt Pony ES
Pony ES has only a single speed function in either direction, but that doesn’t stop it from doing a great job.
Top Troy Bilt Tiller Reviews In 2024
1. Troy-Bilt TB154E Garden Cultivator
We start this list with one the Troy-Bilt TB154E, which is an electric cultivator. Despite being a cultivator, the TB154E can do the job of a tiller as well if your garden is small enough. This cultivator comes with two forward rotating tines which have eight blades each. Troy-Bilt has designed this product for people who have small gardens and are new to gardening.
The TB154E is perfect for small gardens and does the job of a tiller and a cultivator very well. You won’t have to worry about any fuel issues, all you need to do is push the button, and you’re all set. It has a powerful 120 Volt 780 Watt motor that can dig, weed and shred at maximum efficiency. The electric motor also means that you’ll be doing your bit to save the planet.
TB154E also offers you an option of adjusting the tilling width between 6 and 9 inches. This is especially great when you need to get into those tight spaces.
To round it off, Troy-Bilt also has also put a set of wheels, so you don’t have to carry it. You can carry it like a trolley.
Specifications
- Motor: 6.5 amp electric motor
- Tilling Width Max: 9 Inches
- Tilling Depth Max: 5 Inches
- Tine Position: Front
- Tine Direction: Forward Rotation
- Tine Diameter: 8 Inches
- Depth Adjustments: 3 Positions
- Tine RPM: 170
- Transmission: Worm Gear
- Front Tire Size: 5 Inches
- Weight: 35 Pounds
- Warranty: 2 years
Pros
- Wheels for easy transportation.
- Powerful motor.
- Adjustable tilling width.
- Versatile.
Cons
- Not suitable for more extensive gardens.
Despite being a little smaller, the Troy-Bilt TB154E Cultivator offers significant punch in terms of power. Also features like adjustable tilling width and electric motor make it perfect for beginners.
2. Troy-Bilt Pony ES Rear Tine Tiller
Pony ES from Troy-Bilt is a high-end tiller with a 250 CC Briggs & Stratton engine. It is a 4-cycle engine with a 120-Volt Key Start w/ Recoil and can produce 11.0 ft-lbs of gross torque. When it comes to power, there is no match for Pony ES.
The tines are forward rotating and are placed at the rear. They are pretty big, having a diameter of 12 inches and offering a tilling width of 16 inches. All this suggests that the Pony ES is ideally suited for bigger gardens where a lot of heavy-duty work is required.
Pony ES is also one of the most durable and sturdy tillers in the market. It has a Cast-Iron Gear Box as the transmission which protects against harsh weather.
Troy-Bilt has designed this tiller to cater to the needs of the experienced gardener, someone who knows what he is doing. Also, Pony ES comes with a hefty price tag. So even if you have the experience, you might not be able to afford it (just saying).
If you have been gardening for a long time and know your way around machines, then you should consider buying this tiller. Pony ES could prove to be an ideal upgrade to your current garden tiller.
Specifications
- Engine Brand: Briggs & Stratton
- Starting System: 120-Volt Key Start w/ Recoil
- Engine Cycle: 4-Cycle
- Capacity: 250 CCs
- Tilling Width Max: 16 Inches
- Tilling Depth Max: 8 Inches
- Tine Position: Rear
- Tine Direction: Forward Rotation
- Tine Diameter: 12 Inches
- Adjustments: 7 Positions
- Weight: 215 Pounds
- Consumer Warranty: 2 Years
Pros
- Extremely powerful.
- Electric Start.
- Perfect for large gardens.
- Durable and Robust.
Cons
- Not suitable for beginners.
Troy-Bilt Pony ES is one of the powerful tillers in this list. It is designed to do some of the toughest jobs in the garden, which it does brilliantly.
3. Troy-Bilt Pony Rear Tine Tiller
The model Pony is almost a replica of the model Pony ES, except for a few minor differences. The first one being the electric start, as ES stands for Electric Start in Pony ES. The other key difference is that the Pony has a maximum tilling depth of 6 inches, whereas the Pony ES’s maximum depth is 8 inches. Besides these two dissimilarities, pretty much everything is identical about these two tillers.
Troy-Bilt Pony also has the maximum tilling width of 16 inches. Every other feature like tine width, tyre size, engine type and others are identical. This essentially means that Pony is also a perfect tool for people who have more extensive gardens. 12 inch wide BOLO tines can do anything from cultivating to tilling in a much more effective manner.
The company also provides a front bumper that protects the engine from debris. If you are low on budget or don’t like an electric start for some reason, then you can for the Troy-Bilt Pony.
Specifications
- Engine Brand: Briggs & Stratton
- Starting System: 120-Volt Key Start w/ Recoil
- Engine Cycle: 4-Cycle
- Capacity: 250 CCs
- Torque: 11 Lbs
- Tine Position: Rear
- Tine Direction: Forward Rotation
- Tine Diameter: 12 Inches
- Adjustments: 7 Positions
- Weight: 215 Pounds
- Consumer Warranty: 2 Years
Pros
- Powerful.
- Highly durable and robust.
- Perfect for large gardens.
Cons
- Recoil start can be tough for some people.
For the same reason as we liked the Pony ES. This machine is also built like a tank and designed to withstand damage for years. In case you are one of the old school people who prefer recoil start over electric start, then this tiller might please you.
4. Troy-Bilt Big Red™
If you thought Pony was too powerful, here’s the Big Red for you. As the name suggests, Big Red is arguably the most potent tiller in the market that is capable of doing the most heavy-duty jobs. It is capable of handling large spaces which have not been cultivated for years.
The powerful 306 CC Briggs & Stratton engine makes it effortless to work on hard or rocky soil. The company has specially designed this machine for groundbreaking and soil preparation. The driver can produce a whopping 14.5 ft-lbs of gross torque which makes that task elementary.
If we talk about transmission, the Big Red has four forward speeds and two reverse speeds. So many speed options are usually seen in cars, and their presence makes Big Red one of the most top-notch tillers in the market. They also provide a great deal of versatility to the Red.
Big Red also comes with an electric start feature which is very convenient. Here too you’ll find BOLO tines, although slightly larger at 20-inch diameter. It offers a maximum tilling width of 20 inches which makes it ideal for extensive gardens having an area of over 2500 square feet.
Most importantly, it is one of the few tillers that come with a side-shield which provides extra protection to tines.
Specifications
- Engine: Briggs & Stratton
- Starting System: 12-Volt Key Start
- Engine Cycle: 4-Cycle
- Capacity: 306 CC
- Torque: 14.5 Lbs
- Tilling Width Max: 20 Inches
- Tilling Depth Max: 6 Inches
- Forward Speeds: 4 Forward
- Reverse Speeds: 2 Reverse
- Side Shield: Yes
- Tire Size: 16 Inch
- Weight: 389 Pounds
Pros
- Extremely powerful.
- Electric Start.
- Multi-speed operation.
- Highly versatile.
- Durable.
Cons
- Expensive.
- Heavy.
Troy-Bilt Big Red is one of the strongest and robust tillers in the market. This immense power, when combined with electric start, makes Big Red the thorough going tillers in the market. Also, the side shield is a huge plus.
5. Troy-Bilt Horse™
Here is another heavyweight entry of this list. The Troy-Bilt Horse is very similar to the Big Red, except it has the good old recoil start. The name Horse perfectly suits this tiller as it is designed to do all of the heavy-duty tasks in a large garden. Weighing over 200 pounds, it is lighter than the Big Red but packs an equal amount of punch.
It has the same 306 CC Briggs & Stratton engine which can easily break new soil beds or do premium soil preparation in existing ones.
In terms of transmission, Horse is pretty much identical to the Big Red. Here also you’ll find 4 forward speeds and 2 reverse speeds. Also, the protective side-shield is present here.
The BOLO tines present in the Horse have a 12-inch diameter which is considerably smaller than Big Red. However, Horse doesn’t fall short when it comes to tilling width, which is 20 inches.
Recoil start is something that might repel some of the new age gardeners. Apart from that, Horse is a world-class tiller that can do every job in your garden.
Specifications
- Engine: Briggs & Stratton
- Starting System: Recoil
- Engine Cycle: 4-Cycle
- Capacity: 306 CC
- Torque: 14.5 Lbs
- Tilling Width Max: 20 Inches
- Tilling Depth Max: 6 Inches
- Forward Speeds: 4 Forward
- Reverse Speeds: 2 Reverse
- Side Shield: Yes
- Tire Size: 12 Inch
- Weight: 215 Pounds
Pros
- Extremely powerful.
- Multi-speed operation.
- Side shield.
- Durable.
Cons
- Recoil start.
Troy-Bilt Horse is literally a horse when it comes to performance. It is built like a tank and can do any gardening chore despite having almost half the weight of Big Red.
6. Troy-Bilt Pro-Line FRT
Finally, there’s a medium-sized tiller in this list and that too is the best of the lot. The Troy-Bilt Pro-Line FRT is a superb choice if you are planning to work on an area less than 1500 square feet. The 160 CC engine from Honda is built to perform any task that you throw at it. It provides the necessary torque needed to cultivate the most compact soil.
If we talk about the transmission, there is a single-speed option for both forward and reverse, and it comes in a Cast-Iron Gear Box. The company could’ve offered at least a 2-speed forward function; however, the single-speed works like a charm as well.
The tines can be adjusted to 6 positions and have a diameter of 12 inches. These tines are built to provide maximum control and come with an option of adjustable tilling depth of up to 7 inches. Pro-Line FRT has 13 x 5 AG Tires that keep it on course in most soil conditions. The tilling width is 16 inches which is ideal for a medium-sized garden.
Also, it has the usual one-hand operation from Troy-Bilt, which makes using it very straightforward.
In a nutshell, if you have a sizable amount of garden space of compact soil, then Pro-Line FRT is the best choice.
Specifications
- Engine: Honda
- Starting System: Recoil
- Engine Cycle: 4-Cycle
- Capacity: 160 CC
- Tilling Width Max: 16 Inches
- Tilling Depth Max: 7 Inches
- Forward Speeds: 1 Forward
- Reverse Speeds: 1 Reverse
- Side Shield: No
- Tire Size: 13 x 5 Inch
- Weight: 190 Pounds
Pros
- Lightweight.
- 2-speed operation.
- Adjustable tilling depth.
Cons
- Recoil start.
Troy-Bilt Pro-Line FRT is one of the few excellent medium size tillers in the market. It has everything that you’d want in a tiller that can work an average-sized garden. It can even engage in commercial operations.
7. Troy-Bilt TB225 Cultivator
We began this list with a small tiller, and we’ll end it with one. This is the Troy-Bilt TB154E which is exclusively designed for small garden spaces. It has a 2 cycle 25 CC engine which provides ample power to work gardens up to 5000 square feet area. The company has manufactured the engine itself, rather than going for a pre-ordered engine.
The TB225 has front positioned forward rotating tines that can dig up to 5 inches, which is pretty impressive, to be honest. You can also adjust the width between 6-9 inches in case you are unable to get into tighter spaces.
One of the most remarkable aspects of the TB225 is that it is very easygoing. Anyone can become an expert in operating it, only after trying it a few times. This tiller is perfect for flower beds, vegetable gardens, and tilling around shrubs.
For transmissions, it has Variable Speed Control which allows for adjustment depending on soil conditions. VSC also provides optimum power at fluctuating speeds.
It weighs a meagre 11 pounds which makes storing and transporting it a piece of cake. If you are looking to buy your first garden tiller, then TB225 is one of the options that you can go for.
Specifications
- Engine: Troy-Bilt
- Starting System: Recoil
- Engine Cycle: 2-Cycle
- Capacity: 25 CC
- Tilling Width Max: 9 Inches
- Tilling Depth Max: 5 Inches
- Speeds: Variable
- Tire Size: 5 Inch
- Weight: 11 Pounds
- Warranty: 2 years limited
Pros
- Extremely lightweight.
- Variable speed transmission.
- Easy to operate.
Cons
- Recoil start.
TB225 is one of the most compact and most lightweight tillers in the market. It is an ant when compared to giants like the Big Red. Also, it is one of the most suited tillers for beginners.
About the Troy-Bilt Brand
Troy-Bilt came into existence in 1937 with the world’s first rototiller, which was considered a remarkable innovation for American people at that time. Since then, they have come a long way and expanded their product line into a vast array of magnificent garden tools. Tillers, cultivators, trimmers, leaf blowers and tractors are some of their products. Based in Cleveland, Ohio, they have established themselves to be a complete solution provider when it comes to gardening problems.
Throughout their history, they have displayed their affection continuously for outdoors. Troy-Bilt, as a company, believes in protecting this planet and preserving its resources. This has motivated them to design eco-friendly machines such as electric tillers. Their partnership with Keep America Beautiful`s Great American Cleanup has provided an opportunity to rejuvenate more than 32,000 communities nationwide, year after year.
FAQs: Troy Bilt Tillers
Front-tine tillers are better for maintaining gardens that are less than 5,000 square feet in size. This is because smaller gardens have tight spaces that only front tine tillers can access. These tillers are also called mini tillers. From the list, the TB225 and Troy-Bilt TB154E are perfect for small gardens.
Front tine tillers are usually smaller than rear tine tillers and are perfect for small gardens. Their tines are smaller as well which makes it easier for them to get into tight spaces.
Rear tine tillers are bigger and bulkier than their front tined counterparts. They are particularly designed to work on hard clay or rocky soils. They are perfectly suited for breaking this hard soil into smaller chunks that can be cultivated.
The tines come with a lifetime guarantee, but if you take good care of them, you can ensure maximum performance. It is advisable to clean then every once in a while. Also, you should also keep your garden clean and remove debris, rocks and hazardous items from the path of the tiller.
Tilling is a critical process if you want to cultivate a piece of land. It opens up the soil bed and prepares it for seeding. Furthermore, it also helps the soil to breathe due to aeration. Tilling can also prevent weed prevention and balancing. Not many
Although tilling is a necessary process that improves the efficiency of the soil, there is always a danger of overworking the soil. Excessive tilling can degrade the soil and harden it overtime.
Conclusion
Finally, we have to say that Troy-Bilt has a tiller for every type of gardener. Small or big, they have a tiller for you. Not only that, each of their machines is designed to do a specific job, which they do brilliantly.
From the tiny TB225 to the humongous Big Red, Troy-Bilt has everything that you need. Buying their products is a contract of quality; you can expect it to last for years to come.