Honda vrs Mantis

Cleaning, fixing, using, repairing, best and worst of your mechanical aids in the garden...

Moderators: KG Steve, Chantal, Tigger, peter

User avatar
tracie
KG Regular
Posts: 224
Joined: Mon Jun 26, 2006 5:34 pm
Location: chesterfield

Hi All,

I have a mantis and a Honda tiller, Both are 4stroke and both about the same age and been used about the same.

My question is which one should I keep, I do not need two, but both were a good buy second hand.

Thanks

Tracie
who needs the gym when you have an allotment
tigerburnie
KG Regular
Posts: 2084
Joined: Wed Jan 18, 2017 10:12 am
Location: Angus by the sea
Has thanked: 322 times
Been thanked: 194 times

Honda engines tend to be better, when I worked in horticultural engineering a long time ago, many were having Honda engines put on/in their equipment, lost count of the number of football clubs and cricket clubs that did it to their grass cutting gear.
Been gardening for over 65 years and still learning.
Gerry
KG Regular
Posts: 428
Joined: Fri Mar 17, 2006 11:55 pm
Location: West Cork,

I have a Honda tiller but have never tried a Mantis. However I'm very happy with my Honda.
robo
KG Regular
Posts: 2805
Joined: Wed Oct 24, 2012 10:22 pm
Location: st.helens
Has thanked: 9 times
Been thanked: 56 times

Mantis four strokes are normally Honda engined
User avatar
Geoff
KG Regular
Posts: 5569
Joined: Thu Nov 24, 2005 5:33 pm
Location: Forest of Bowland
Been thanked: 128 times

I've often thought of buying one of these lightweight cultivators for breaking down dug ground but as I have never got round to it I can't advise. Agree that Honda engines have a good reputation but if they are both the same as Robo suggests it is really down to your own experience - have they been equally reliable? - are they equally effective and easy to use?
robo
KG Regular
Posts: 2805
Joined: Wed Oct 24, 2012 10:22 pm
Location: st.helens
Has thanked: 9 times
Been thanked: 56 times

I've got a mantice, they are ok for breaking down lumps of soil but they are limited
User avatar
peter
KG Regular
Posts: 5836
Joined: Fri Nov 25, 2005 1:54 pm
Location: Near Stansted airport
Has thanked: 18 times
Been thanked: 33 times
Contact:

People on my site who have them tend to drag them backwards and get a trench of very finely minced soil.
Often the intend is potato planting, but also just breaking down unwintered clods.
Do not put off thanking people when they have helped you, as they may not be there to thank later.

I support http://www.hearingdogs.org.uk/
robo
KG Regular
Posts: 2805
Joined: Wed Oct 24, 2012 10:22 pm
Location: st.helens
Has thanked: 9 times
Been thanked: 56 times

I have a small plough attachment it's ok for spud planting but not much else
Westi
KG Regular
Posts: 5892
Joined: Thu Oct 30, 2008 4:46 pm
Location: Christchurch, Dorset
Has thanked: 652 times
Been thanked: 230 times

I have a Mantis which for several years was great for earthing up the spuds if the rows were a bit further apart, it would just throw fine soil on top of either side & they were covered in a blink. It has died but it was not 4 stoke & we obviously didn't get the mix right. They kindly offered me £30 to upgrade in an e-mail recently, but cost of return if I took that offer would have been more than that & it cost soo much more even back then! I have killed our savings on the Keder so it will be trenching up for me for a few years while Mr gets over the shock of the tunnel!

I'm not sure I'd bother replacing it though, as that was it's main attraction for me. Even though my soil is reasonably sandy I just don't have enough land to justify the cost of either option.
Westi
robo
KG Regular
Posts: 2805
Joined: Wed Oct 24, 2012 10:22 pm
Location: st.helens
Has thanked: 9 times
Been thanked: 56 times

Westi if I ever decide to get shut of mine you can have it ,one of the guys on our plot bought a two stroke one it lasted around two months I can't remember the make of the engine but they are still made I was asked to have a look at it which I did I phoned the firm up and explained the position to them they were not very interested
User avatar
richard p
KG Regular
Posts: 1573
Joined: Mon Nov 21, 2005 1:22 pm
Location: Somerset UK

mantis always seem to make good money at local auction or on ebay.

ive got a rotovator attachment for my ryobi strimmer, that works surprisingly well.
User avatar
Shallot Man
KG Regular
Posts: 2653
Joined: Thu Feb 09, 2006 9:51 am
Location: Basildon. Essex
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 30 times

tracie wrote:Hi All,

I have a mantis and a Honda tiller, Both are 4stroke and both about the same age and been used about the same.

My question is which one should I keep, I do not need two, but both were a good buy second hand.

Thanks

Tracie


Hi Tracie. Me and a fellow plot holder have shared one for some eight years, so far no trouble. One bit of advice [ from HONDA factory ]
Always use a filter when filling machine, [moister in petrol ] and always switch of the petrol, and let it run until it runs out of juice. [ very tiny carb]
includedcamping
KG Regular
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu May 16, 2019 1:24 pm

For me Mantis is ok but Honda is the best.
Post Reply Previous topicNext topic