Kitchen Garden Forum

Good evening Anthony, even a chicken on a stick would be very useful to a hungry man.
A lot depends what you are expecting from a Mantis.
There fine if you have got the lightest of soils, hoeing between rows of veg, breaking down previously dug soil and probably quite good on raised beds or polytunnels and greenhouses.
What they won't do is to cultivate large areas of compacted soil or very heavy soil, unless it has been dug and weathered first.
I do own a Mantis and have heavy soil, but used for the right job at the right time it is a very useful bit of kit.
I do own a Howard Gem as well though, so have got the best of both worlds.

Kind regards Old Herbaceous.

Theres no fool like an old fool.

If you look back to April in this section, there is a discussion headed 'Tempted to buy a Mantis tiller' which could help you make up your mind.

Hi Anthony,
We have been using a Mantis for 2 years now. Our garden is about 50 ft. x 50 ft. and I don't think I would want to do the entire plot with the Mantis. For that we use the BCS & a Craftsman GT5000. The Mantis has been very good for weeding and for forming hills for the corn & spuds. We also found that used around the roses, it seems to keep the moles away if you keep the soil very loose.
My wife who is very small can use it quite easily but beware, the blades turn fast & can rocket good sized stones. It will also throw moles & gophers quite some distance.
It has always thus far started easily. Our soil is very hard but watering the intended area the day before has always worked for us.

We have a Mantis but can't get it started. It has been checked out, even had it serviced but no better. If anybody technical that thinks they could cope will make a realistic offer they can have it. I estimate usage so far has been no more than 20 hours. It has had a new petrol filter, still no go. A ridger & edger goes with it.
Allan

Allan, if it's that new I would contact Mantis who should be able to fix it for you. I wouldn't be too hasty to offload it; unless it's not suitable for you when it's working.

It's little used but not new. Even if we could start it we would not keep it. My wife would never use it and all 2-strokes hate me. I would buy a similar Honda 4-stroke, Honda engines start usually first pull at starting and are about the same price.
Mantis for Mugs, Honda is Happiness.
Allan

Allan, strangely enought Mantis now do a four stroke.

We have had a Mantis for 4 years now, we never have a problem starting it, My wife loves to use it and so do I, after I've broken up any really rough ground the Mantis really does make a finer tilth, would not be without it. Its also good for tilling between rows, my wife prefers to use a hoe for this, but I'm just bone, and you know boys and their toys, lol

I have to agree I have had my Mantis for three years now, it starts first time every time (Allan yours must have been a Friday afternoon constucted model )

I had heavy clay soil but it is geting better and unless the ground is very dry/hard the Mantis performs very well

I have ordered a Honda replacement (FG 201 at £335) for the Mantis which is now redundant.Any offers? It might pay you whatever you choose to buy to look at the prices of both on
www.classic-lawns.co.uk
Next day delivery, no carriage charge in UK, 5 year guarantee on Honda
Allan

It has come as mentioned, next day delivery, includes a bottle of oil, instruction book, plug spanner. You need a socket set to do up 2 bolts.
I have it assembled and started. It is a joy to start, much the same as our 2 other engines. You give it choke and switch on, first time it was 3 pulls, next time 1 pull was sufficient. then it sat there gently purring and waiting to be used. Completely different from any 2-stroke, when our Mantis worked it was much more all or stall. Herself had a go,says "It's just like the generator to start"
At this sort of price who wants a Mantis, we could have bought the even smaller one but did not want a 'toy'.
Next visit we have jobs to do to try it out.
Allan

Hello Allan
I've had my mini Honda for several years now and it really is a superb little workhorse. Fires up on the first pull and purrs away beautifully. It quickly prepares soil to a fine tilth ready for sowing and planting and is great for incorporating manure or fertilizer into the ground.

John

Allan, as I said earlier on this thread Mantis now do a 4-stroke and yes, the engine is by Honda.

Given your earlier comment "Mantis for Mugs, Honda is Happiness." what do you say about a Honda engined Mantis?

A mug of happiness perhaps?

The only time my strimmer hates me is when I get the mixture wrong . These little 1L mixing bottles are OK, but it is hard to see the petrol level against the translucent plastic, so I put a drip of 2stroke oil in, shake it up and proceed with proper mixing. The dye in the oil makes the petrol visible. In my youth dad had a vicious 2stroke mower, started with a crank, still remember the day it nearly took his elbow off. He had a gallon petrol tin, which had a measuring "cup" as the inside of the screw on cap, one could measure the oil in this cup. Wish I could find one of those.

My hedgecutter always hates me though.

Instead of criticising the 2-stroke for being a 2-stroke, a damm diva of an engine, why not congratulate Mantis for picking a decent engine.

Then criticise them for the price up from £289 for the 2-stoke to £418 for the honda engined item.

Is the £418 the RRP or the cheapest one can get it for. It is worth spending a lot of time doing all kinds of websearch to get the best buy possible for anything these days. I reckon to save quite as much money this way as it costs to be on the net with broadband e.g I could have got this cultivator locally but there is the petrol,the time and having to pay full price. Say £100 which is about 6 months on broadband. It would be unusual not to save a similar amount in the next 6 months.
I know it is somewhat OT, but has anybody found a 12 volt jumpstart under £30 lately, but it must have decent long leads so as to stand on the ground and start the tractor. The only one that I can find is Northern at over £40 with carriage. We have had the yellow ones with short leads twice, they both died after relatively short lives.
Allan

I gave my machine a good workout today, excellent results. Some would find it heavy work on account of it being bigger than the Mantis but it is right for me and what I bought it for. The only awkward part is if you want to wheel it around and you are tall then the handle is too low, I hope to extend the wheel support to put this right.
Allan