Black & Decker GC818 18-Volt Cordless Electric Garden Cultivator

Reviews of Black & Decker GC818 18-Volt Cordless Electric Garden Cultivator

1.) This really WORKS
Reviewed by: John Jamison Arlington, VA USA
Rating:
For the small price and power, I didn't have any great expectations. Was I surprized? After years of using a garden weasel to cullivate and weed a medium size garden may back and patiences were dwindling. This product finished that back breaking job in just over a hour. I was actually looking for more places to cultivate. It brought back the fun in gardening. Some areas of my garden were pretty packed, but this guy dug down and loosened everything up in fine fashion. The battery charge lasted about as long a I wanted to work before taking a quick breather. The recharge is quick, getting it back up to full speed in less than 30 minutes. Just make sure you use it with the intended purchase; culivate,aerate, & weed. Beware of large tree roots.
I would say this is a Garden Weasel on steriods.

2.) This is a Time and Labor Saver
Reviewed by: WFA Angelfire San Francisco, CA, USA
Rating:
Black & Decker's new cordless cultivator is a real innovation. It is perfect for those smaller spaces that cannot be reached with a conventional cultivator. This would include smaller garden spaces, raised garden beds, and lawn patches. The overall weight of the unit is very manageable, and the handle-mounted 18V battery provides a nice balance. It is best that the soil being cultivated is not too wet or muddy or having too much of a clay consistency. In those circumstances the digging tines of the cultivator can get repeatedly clogged with mud or clay. Before dealing with tough clay soil, it would be wise to incorporate soil amendments (such as peat moss) to break down the clay.

This product works very well in fixing those dead spots in a lawn. After the soil in the dead patch is loosened, new grass seeds can be sown, and then covered with a light layer of top soil. This turns a dreaded back-breaking job that is done usually on one's hands and knees into a quick, simple, and even fun stand-up assignment. The adjustable hand grip will help fit this unit to a wide variety of people, large and small.

The Black & Decker Cultivator has plenty of power for all normal soil surfaces. It won't replace a jack hammer or a trench digging machine any time soon, but for its assigned task of loosening soils so that you can plant your garden or repair your lawn, it is very well-suited to the task. It also makes a great "weeder" for patrolling between planted rows to get rid of unwanted weeds.

So far, the battery life easily has outlasted all of my cultivating chores. Thus, this is a really well-designed and truly functional tool that most home gardeners will use from early Spring to late Fall every time they plant or till the soil.


3.) Save Your Back
Reviewed by: Randy Parent Danville, CA United States
Rating:
I was turning over flower beds -- taking out rocks and clay and adding soil conditioner. I did the first half of the work before buying the cultivator. The work was lots easier once I bought and started using the cordless garden cultivator. It goes about 4 inches deep, but I wanted to go deeper. I used it to grind up an area, shovel it into my dirt sifter (box with a screen on the bottom) to get rid of rocks and clay. Then did another 4" with the cultivator. I got down 8" total a lot easier. My back thinks it was a great investment. I highly recommend it.

4.) Well Worth The Money
Reviewed by: RAsbury Ashland, ky United States
Rating:
I purchased this exclusively for cultivating large flower beds. I couldn't ask for a handier tool. This is perfect for breaking up soil and mixing in potting soil in large beds. It has great power and the battery lasts quite a while. Don't expect it to do much with really hardened earth though.
I'd buy it again in a heartbeat. Great product--just keep in mind what it's for. It's not a roto-tiller.

5.) Garden cultivator
Reviewed by: Carol L. Moore
Rating:
Excellent product. I found this cultivator very easy to use and wasn't heavy at all. Outstanding battery life on one charge.

6.) Great
Reviewed by: S. Hall Indiana
Rating:
I ordered this cultivator to weed in the garden and it is great. The battery lasts for about an hour and re-charges in about 4. The company shipped it the day of the order and I received it the following day (regular shipping!). I would suggest this product for anyone wanting to do light weeding and yardwork. It is not for heavily weeded/grass.



7.) garden culitver
Reviewed by: Bonnie J M Peach Monroe, Nebraska
Rating:
I ordered the cultiver to use in my garden. It is light weight and easy to handle. The batteries are nice. I don't have a cord to drag around.
I have a big tiller, but it is heavy and hard to handle. It does a good job breaking up the dirt and weeds. I would recommend it to anyone to use.
It isn't hard to handle and it doesn't hurt your muscles like the heavy ones do.
Bonnie J M Peach

8.) terrific tool
Reviewed by: pinkbrd Homeworth, Ohio United States
Rating:
I am a middle-aged woman with a chronic health problem and this cultivator is AWESOME. It is very easy to use and is not very heavy. It removes weeds and stirs the soil really well. Wouldn't be good for breaking through sod, I don't think, but it is perfect for maintaining flower and vegetable gardens.

9.) Makes gardening fun!!
Reviewed by: Kitchen Queen Michigan
Rating:
My husband had doubts about the power of a cordless cultivator but got one for me anyway to see if it worked. He was amazed (as I was too) that it worked just great and made short work of a long weeding job that was way overdue. I've been telling everyone who will listen how great this product is. Now I'm actually looking forward to finding some more weeds I can "destroy" with my new found weapon. It's just fantastic and I'm so glad we took a chance on it.

10.) Cordless Garden Cultivator
Reviewed by: Senior Citizen Gardener Moab, Utah, USA
Rating:

Black & Decker 18-Volt Cordless Garden Cultivator #GC818
This is by far the best tool for use in a small garden that I have purchased in a long time. It is light weight, making it easy to move. I also like the cordless feature. The removable battery charges overnight. You are able to culitivate very close to plants, and it does not disturb the plants. It does a good job of cultivating soil about four inches deep. A great tool for flower beds and small gardens. I highly recommend it.

11.) Excellent Yard Tool For Small Projects
Reviewed by: Kristi L. Waterworth
Rating:
I read all the reviews before buying this tool. I gotta say, they made it hard. I was worried that I would be wasting my money, but after extracting a promise from the people at Lowe's that I could return it if I wasn't happy with it, I took this bad boy home.

Today was the first time I have used it. I was planting a bunch of bulbs and bareroots and only needed small holes to put them in. It tore through the thick grass without hesitation and loosened the soil so that planting was a breeze. I also dug a small furrow, just to see if I could. Easy as pie.

The only bad thing about this tool, as mentioned by many others, is the battery life. At Lowe's they told me it would go for something like 4 hours. Please... I knew that was never going to happen. You will probably get 15-30 minutes per charge if you're working in an area with established lawn. Of course, if you've bought this tool, you probably have other B&D 18v tools, so just make sure to charge a bunch of batteries up the night before you use it.

Check your blades regularly for impaction, but I found that generally, the best way to work this tool is to make several passes, just like you would with a tiller. It is essentially a very small, hand-held tiller. I'm thinking about selling my very big, hard-to-manage-with-my-MS tiller now that I have this tool. It is *NOT* a replacement for a tiller or tractor, but if you're working in beds instead of rows, it will do the trick, given enough patience.

I recommend this tool highly for anyone, but especially for those of us who are physically limited and still want to keep our gardens looking nice. It weighs about the same as a sack of potatoes and creates minimal jarring. It caused me no fatigue and very little pain from operating it, though obviously you will have to get up and down to plant. A simple rocking motion makes it more effective at digging in compacted soils.

I can't think of anything else to say about it, but I would buy this tool over and over again. It is so great, I can't say. :)

12.) great tool
Reviewed by: S. Roy
Rating:
I have used it for over a month now. It is very easy to use. Does a great job (goes upto 4 inches deep). Works better if the soil is moist. The battery lasts for about an hour, after that you have to recharge. The manual said the battery is going to get better with use. Great value.

13.) B&D Cultivator
Reviewed by: Happy Gardener's Wife Near Disneyland, CA
Rating:
I bought this for my husband for our vegetable garden. We really like it. It works well in soft soil and with a little time, OK, a lot of time, we were able to dig a hole in REALLLLLY hard dirt that was 2 feet deep and 2 feet wide. The battery lasted forever too. I charged it all day and night to use it the first time and it lasted the entire time, several hours of on and off on and off. He recharged it and used it again a week or so later to weed in between the rows of the vegetables. The soil was really soft so it wripped the grass out very easily and never jammed. Would I be willing to buy this product again? You bet! It really makes life easier in the garden.

14.) The Most Wonderful
Reviewed by: PRPC Texas
Rating:
This is the finest garden tool I have ever owned. It saves me hours of back breaking work and I can do in ten minutes what it would take two hours to do by hand. Bravo!!!!!!

15.) An excellent gardening tool!
Reviewed by: Kimberly LaBelle Punxsutawney, PA
Rating:
I bought this product recently and just love it. It works great at getting in between my flowers. It sure saves alot of time and keeps me from having an aching back when I'm finished working in my flower gardens. I'm very pleased with it!

16.) gardener
Reviewed by: G. A. herr
Rating:
i can't get over hope great this cultivator is. it works up the ground so easily. best invention ever. i would recommend this product to everyone that has ground to work up. it easily goes in between plants and has lots of power.

17.) If you have other Black & Decker 18 volt tools with batteries this is great!!
Reviewed by: mellowde West Texas
Rating:
Doesn't do a lot of work on a charge so if you are stuck with just the one battery that comes with this item you will want to add more batteries. In my case I have several other Black & Decker 18 volt tools with batteries and fast charger. That way you can continue your work without waiting for your one battery to be recharged. The little rascal works up a storm, though when the battery is fully charged. It does go downhill rapidly when the battery is petered out. Churning up the soil, especially that which has already been tilled is a breeze for this unit. Loosening untilled soil is another story. It can be done but the battery useage goes way up. Though for maintaining a garden or flower bed this thing is perfect. The size and weight allows one to get in and around all those plants with ease. The key is to maintain your garden and beds regularly with this thing and not allow the weeds to get a head start. And it's so easy to do with this thing that you'll tend to avoid procrastination. The telescoping handle allows you to work with just the right length handle so you can avoid bending over, too. That's a real plus when thinking about weeding. I highly recommend this product and can't imagine doing without it. I looked at Mantis mini-tillers before making this purchase but wanted to avoid a gas engine running next to my ear when working around my plants. It's more a spiritual event without the gas engine. This 18 volt unit is rather quiet when running compared to the mini-tillers by Mantis and others. I'm sure you could get done sooner, though with a gas operated unit. But the control might be less that with this unit. It's lightweight and fairly easy to maneuver around those tender stems of your plants. Get one you won't be sorry. I purchased for $99 with shipping included here on Amazon. The price has now increased to over $125 at present so you may want to wait till the price comes down again.

18.) Back-saving device
Reviewed by: Wayne R. Martinson Sacramento, Ca
Rating:
I bought this item a year ago and use it constantly. It did exactly what I expected it to...cultive a very specific confined area without disturbing nearby roots. Great for loosening the soil and incorporating compost, fertilizers, etc. Wonderful for those like myself with back problems...lightweight, easy to manage, cordless, non-jarring, easy to clean and quiet operation. Long-lasting batteries will complete manageable tasks.

Wayne R. Martinson

19.) A life-saver for small garden cultivation and transplants
Reviewed by: Scott A. Steiner California, USA
Rating:
I can't say enough good things about this product. I guess the only warning is in line with what other people have said, namely that this is not a substitute for a roto-tiller (nor was it intended to be). That said, however, it does wonders for loosening and cultivating soil. I have a small vegetable garden, and twice a year (before starting my winter and summer crops) I used to dread breaking out a claw, or a hoe, or a shovel to loosen the invariably compacted soil. This cultivator did the trick in no time. And I hardly broke a sweat.

One other area I have to note: you know how when you buy a dozen potted flowers or shrubs and you have to dig out holes to put them in? Well, we have clay soil in my neighborhood, so I always was able to dig down a few inches no problem. Then the annoying 5 minute per hole job of using a small hand spade to dig out a rough circle 6-12 inches down. What a nightmare.

Today (and this is what prompted my review) I used the cultivator to do this job. I placed the tines over the area I wanted to dig out. It loosened a few inches. I scooped out that now loose dirt with no effort. I then placed the cultivator in the newly created hole, and did the same thing again. One more time, and before you know it had an 8 inch deep hole with a pile of loose, loamy soil set to the side. Voila! In goes the plant, use the loose soil to fill in the gaps and I'm done. Easily saved me two hours of work today.

Anyway, I highly recommend this product. I got it at Lowes for $100 and haven't looked back.

20.) GARDEN CULTIVATOR
Reviewed by: Dillard Coy
Rating:
I PURCHASED THIS ITEM TO USE IN MY FLOWER BEDS.IT WILL DIG IN SOFT DIRT REALY GOOD. HARD DIRT TAKES LONGER,BUT IT WILL GET THE WORK DONE IF GIVEN THE TIME.THIS IS NOT A ROTILLER BY ANY MEANS,IT WASEN;T MENT TO BE.TO KEEP THE WEEDS AND GRASS OUT OF THE FLOWER BED THIS WORKS JUST FINE.

21.) Every yard needs one
Reviewed by: V. Joyce Wilson East Texas, USA
Rating:

Black & Decker Cordless Cultivator is the greatest tool, after B&D string trimmer, that has come along in ages. Being cordless it is a little heavier than the string trimmer, but not uncomfortably so. It does the job for me....working soil around grass runners for easier growth and loosening soil in flower beds. Am sorry about only one thing, THAT IT WAS SO LONG GETTING AVAILABLE, PLEASE ADVERTISE MORE. I am 80 years old, and as long as I can work in my yard, this will be my tool of choice.

22.) Surprised at how good this thing works!
Reviewed by: Rod Wisconsin USA
Rating:
I purchased this B&D Cultivator this spring intending on using it for replanting grass. I used Roundup on my "weedy" grass areas, then used this little unit to till it up to prep for seeding. This things has worked great, and I've put it through a lot of work. I just finished up tilling up a good portion of lawn with this thing. With the ground a little damp, this little cordless unit just rips up the old grass and leaves dirt loosened up for seeding! As others have mentioned, this thing works long enough on a charge that I'm ready for a little rest when it is.

23.) Does what it's meant to do.
Reviewed by: Dick Johnson Oklahoma USA
Rating:
This IS NOT meant to be a tool to break new ground and turn it into a garden. This IS meant to be a tool to do keep the dirt loose around plants and for minor weed control. We have a 20' x 50' vegetable garden. I did the spring turning with a regular tiller - an old one that does about as much damage to me as it does to the dirt. When we had enough rain to keep the ground from turning to concrete, this B & D product did a great job at weed control. Twice this summer, I ran the big tiller between the rows. All the rest was done with this.

It is convenient, not too heavy, I can do the whole garden in under two battery charges, my wife can easily use it (we're seniors, too). I have used it to turn small patches of new ground for small plants. You have to be patient, but it will do the job. If you let the tool do the work without trying to force it, you'll be happy. Just as you wouldn't try to drive a spike with a tack hammer, don't try to compare this with a full sized tiller.

24.) Great Cultivator from Black and Decker
Reviewed by: Hot Pepper lover Albuquerque
Rating:
The Black and Decker 18-volt cultivator is a wonderful tool for maintaining the soil in your garden. It is not as good for the initial cultivation of very hard earth or areas heavy in weeds - you still need a more powerful tool or the old shovel for getting started. I use this tool in my rose beds, veggie garden and around the base of trees to keep the soil loose making watering and fertilization easier. The only drawback is you get get things like bark stuck in the blades, however, clearing the blades is simple. I love the fact that it is cordless, making hauling it around to various corners of the garden much more practical.

25.) FAVORITE GARDEN TOOL
Reviewed by: M. Whinnery Alexandria VA
Rating:
(By M's wife)

This tiller is great! I find large, loud, powerful tillers intimidating, but this one is just my size and speed (I'm short and not very strong). It's light-weight and super easy to use. Just pop the battery in and and squeeze the handle. The hand grips are comfortable and operation is super simple and easy.

I tilled the grass and the dirt to make my gardens. I did a large pumpkin patch on one charge, tilling 24 12" circles 4' apart. It took minutes instead of hours. I had first tried using a shovel; I couldn't even dig one hole!

On another charge, I tilled a 12" bed approximately 25' long, grass and all. I till the grass a few moments, pull it out easily, then till the dirt.

This terrific tool enables me to do jobs I could never do otherwise. I also have the Black & Decker battery-operated weed eater. It's fantastic too and has two batteries. So now, between the two, I have three batteries and two chargers. But I've never needed more than one battery at a time for the garden cultivator.

Next I'm going to use the garden cultivator to remove the grass and loosen the dirt to put down some stepping stones.

26.) Good Work Horse!!!
Reviewed by: Joanna C. Ahearn Commerce City, Colorado United States
Rating:
This is a great cultivator. I really didn't know how it would do in Colorado with the clay soil I have to deal with, but this tool ROCKS!!! First, I used it to get my garden area established - yea, first the weeds then the soil. Short of a rototiller (which I don't feel good about using at all) I really didn't know if this would work and the guys I know just "snickered" (sorry to other guys out there); anyway, this cultivator works great it breaks up the dirt and the dirt didn't clump up in the tines either, some areas I had to go over more then once, but wow I was done in about 1/2 hour.Also, when gardening and getting to the weeds - just got them out no problem - made my weeding tons better! Plus, this works great on compacted dirt like your driveway, you just need to start a little slower with it. The charge works great and still had plenty left after 4 hours of work. Finally, the cultivator is not a fragile tool-I am pretty hard on tools and this has been dropped and banged around and holds up great..

27.) Great Garden Tool
Reviewed by: rick Warren, MI
Rating:
I was amazed how well the cultivator worked. This product is everything it claims to be. I would recommend it to anyone!

28.) Better than expected!!
Reviewed by: audiophile San Diego, CA USA
Rating:
I bought this, along with the chainsaw and pole pruner about a month ago. Black & Decker 18-Volt Cordless Pole Chain Saw, 8-Inch Bar #NPP2018Black & Decker 18-Volt Cordless Chain Saw #CCS818 My husband and I have 25 acres in Southern California, and wanted to plant an orchard, plus some fruiting bushes and vines. I tried his tools that are all gas powered, but being 5' 1" and 110 lbs, they tended to be a bit much for me to handle. His pole pruner was just way too heavy for me to deal with comfortably, and I became very overwhelmed doing everything by hand. I ordered these and they were ALL simply wonderful for me! I completely cultivated and weeded a large area (approx 10' x 20') and planted strawberries there within a couple hours, and then loosen large patches of low lying weeds in seconds. I've done a million other jobs with them since. I really can't say enough good things about them. As a matter of fact, I came back online today and bought the main 3-piece set!! Black & Decker 18-Volt Cordless Lawncare Center #CCC3000

29.) WOW! No longer frightened of my clay soil!
Reviewed by: S. WEST Georgia
Rating:
I'm a first-time homeowner. I knew I wanted a big flower garden in the backyard and flowering shrubs in the front but was scared to tackle such a big job. I was going to rent a tiller but I don't like using gas lawn machines. Well, I'm so glad I found this little cultivator. Just yesterday morning, I planted 3 azaleas in my front yard in heavy clay. It had rained 3 days earlier so the clay wasn't packed. I put the B&D to the ground and it turned the clay into soft, fluffy soil. I put in soil conditioner and dug deeper. I did a 10' x 5' area in about a half hour. The power was pretty good the whole time. I had to clear the blades twice of impacted soil. I then cleaned out roots and stuff, mounded up my azeleas with garden soil and watered them. The water actually soaked into the soil and didn't run off. I'm so glad I bought it! Now, I'm ready to tackle my 30' X 10' backyard bed today. Oops! Forgot to charge it overnight, though. But I highly recommend this tool to any gardener!

I got mine off eBay for $79 (S+H included).

30.) Good experience
Reviewed by: J. Everton
Rating:
The delivery was quick despite supersaver shipping. Performs as advertised with typical Black & Decker quality and reliability. It doesn't go as deep as I like, so I usually spade the soil before cultivating.

31.) Great tool for the garden.
Reviewed by: C. F. Johnson OFallon, IL US
Rating:
I was looking for a tool that would help me weed my garden. I wanted something that did not need an electric cord, but would run on a battery. Low and behold I found the Black & Decker 18-Volt Cordless Electric Garden Cultivator. It worked wanders in my flower beds. It is just the right size and not to big. It will go under plants and around them and not damage the roots. Its' tongs twist and turns and works thru the ground and cultivates giving air to my plants as well as uprooting any weeks. It saves my back because I don't have to bend done and pull the weeds. Now all I have to do is rake them together and throw them in the lawn bag to discard. The battery will last well over an hour and all you have to do is recharge it for the next use. It is a great tool for a small garden.

32.) Easy gardening
Reviewed by: L. W. Clodfelter
Rating:
Couldn't be happier ,arrived quickly and works great..But if I had known for sure a charger was included I probably wouldn't have purchased the charger when I did...

33.) B&D cordless electric cultivator.
Reviewed by: Joseph Janoski
Rating:
Outstanding little machine. Works well and just long enough for the sometimes gardener. It prepars the round and loosens those things that you don't want to grow. If you are a play in the dirt type give it a try. I don't believe you will be disapointed. This is especialy true if you qualify as an AARP member.

34.) Great Tool for the Small Gardener
Reviewed by: Suzanne Jackson St Louis, MO United States
Rating:
First, this is not a tiller. If you are looking for a cheap-alternative to buying a tiller this is not it. However, if you are looking for a handy cultivator or a powered "Garden Weasel" this is a dream come true. I charged it and was using within 24 hours of purchase.

Not overly large so you can weed in the tightest of spots. No cord so you can get in anywhere without either tripping over cords or damaging plants with cords.

Actually cords vs cordless is an ongoing debate at our house. Cordless has its advantages on this tool (mentioned above) with the only downside being that it isn't just plug and go, but has to be charged for a few hours before use.

35.) Great tool for proper use
Reviewed by: Kevin Kuhlman New York
Rating:
After looking at a variety of small gas and electric tiller/cultivators, I took a
chance on this little cordless model. To my surprise, it works GREAT in its
appropriate use.... which is cultivating previously tilled and planted soil. I
have a very large gas rear tiller that I use for tilling the entire garden, but
this cultivator is PERFECT for weeding and cultivating small spaces between
rows and hills. There is no cord to lug along and potentially harm plants, and
the charge lasts over a full hour. It is easy to control accurately in small spaces
and will dig down at least 3-4" in previously tilled dry soil. Compared to weeding
and cultivating by hand, it saves both back ache AND lots of time. It is NOT designed
for breaking hard sod or wet hard soil; that is what a good large rear tiller is for.
But for keeping your garden weed free and cultivated after tilling and planting, it
is the perfect tool for both ease and function.

36.) Very portable
Reviewed by: Colleen Hugg
Rating:
Super portable and great for all gardens. Love the fact that it is battery operated. We own the weed eater also from Black and Decker and they both use the same batteries.

37.) THIS IS ONE GREAT PRODUCT.
Reviewed by: Donald B. Phillips
Rating:
I am very pleased with this tiller. It did the job very well. Fast delivery/ I recommend this 10 stars.

38.) B&D Cordless Cultivator
Reviewed by: H. Cheek Amherst, NY United States
Rating:
Great product. Really makes a potentially backbreaking job much easier. I tilled a large garden area in no time.

39.) Very helpful!
Reviewed by: Janet S
Rating:
If you are like me and have a somewhat small area of land to cultivate this tool is for you and it won't break your back.

40.) Wonderful Tool
Reviewed by: redsara444 clevland ohio
Rating:
I love this little thing. My mom had bought it last year and I helped her out at her house with her gardens... It was a time saver for sure.
It has all the makings of a good product. Priced reasonable, powerful, and light weight. It charges up in about half and hour. The other side is that the charge lasts up to a half an hour though too. Other than that no real down side. I hope that it lasts for a few years. Oh well will just have to see.

41.) Best Flower bed purchase I ever made
Reviewed by: N. Schutte Texas
Rating:
I have over 150 linear feet by 3' flower beds. I plant about 300 annual plants and have many perennials in these beds. I ordered this after using a hand tool for the last 5 years to loosen up my beds. I was able to prepare the soil for new annuals and freshen and loosen soil around perennials without damage to any of my existing plants. I should have bought this item 5 years ago. Hours of labor was reduced to nothing. This tool is probably the best investment I have ever made for my health and the health of my flower beds.

42.) Great useful item!
Reviewed by: I Love Kitchenaid Waynesboro, Georgia
Rating:
I bought this item when it first came out several years ago from the local Lowe's store. I have used it over and over again. It breaks up the hard soil around weeds and grass. It is not designed to pull weeds. However, the soil falls away from the weeds and grass so easily when using this product. It is not heavy but made very well. It is a sturdy item. If used in wet soil naturally clogs will form between the tines but are easily rinsed out with a garden hose with no problem. It will save much back breaking time. The battery last longer than I ever thought on one charge. Unbelievable performance. This cultivator helps me break up the soil and prepare the soil for my NEW flower beds with ease!! Love it!!

43.) Great Tiller for small people and spaces.
Reviewed by: Kathleen Gold
Rating:
I love this tiller for small spaces. I am 4'11" and weigh 100 pounds, so this is the perfect tool for me. Easy to use and battery seems to last quite a while. Also easy to clean.

44.) Better than I expected
Reviewed by: andysgram Worcester, MA United States
Rating:
I have small vegetable and flower gardens and this tool is better at preparing ground for planting than I expected. The back fence area has a lot of tiny matted roots from nearby trees, and with some patience, it loosened the roots enough that I could plant large pots of perennials and bulbs. Plus, in the established garden, it loosened the soil and made weeding much easier. A small workhorse!

45.) Black & Decker Cordless Cultivator
Reviewed by: car collector Scottsdale, AZ
Rating:
This product worked as touted and is suprisingly powerful. I just finished cultivating a flower bed about 5 by 10 feet and it did an excellent job. You have to occasionally clean the tines as they will clog if the ground is damp. Also I had to change the battery towards the end of the job. This unit is great for flower beds and other small to moderate sized areas...larger areas would require a gas or corded electric powered unit as this product would take too long with it's narrow width.

46.) Cordless cultivator
Reviewed by: gardener Silver Spring MD
Rating:
I looked around town for this cultivator and found it for $50.00 more than the Amazon price and had to wait for it to be ordered into the store. So I ordered it from Amazon. It came through the mail faster than to the store and for $50 less. Thanks.

47.) Great for Small Jobs
Reviewed by: Carver FL, USA
Rating:
This cultivator is perfect for the homeowner. It works great around trees, planting shrubs or flowers, loosening soil. If you have a lot of clay in your soil, this is ideal.

48.) Does the job, for me anyway
Reviewed by: Eltex TX
Rating:
I got this sucker at the depot the other day, and I must say, i like it. When you have lots of beds around your house, like I do, using a manual rake and hoe to break up the beds is horrible. this sucker jumps right in and digs down nicely. It is good for breaking loose the bermuda that has invaded some of the beds as well, but that problem will always exist.

I have used this over most of my 1 acre area, and it works fine. I don't think it will work as well come summer time here in TX, but with the wet spring we have had, it has worked well.

49.) Good battery life and better than a rake
Reviewed by: T. Miller
Rating:
I was suprised at how good the battery life was. I was able to work for about 20-30 minutes on a 25'x6' section of garden with one battery. As long the soil wasn't too hard, it did a nice job at dressing it up and breaking up small clods of soil. As another reviewer said, if the soil is impacted, this doesn't do much at all. It would be nice if the teeth on it could grab and dig a little better. It does have decent power/torque, and I think it would tear up the impacted soil if it could grab it. I debated returning it, but I am glad I didn't. It has proven useful.

50.) Garden Cultivator Handy Tool
Reviewed by: L. Mirabelli Western New York
Rating:
I bought this cultivator for my 79 year old father so he wouldn't have to kneel to weed his flower garden. It is very easy to use and does a good job, even with loosening grass that has crept into the garden. It even worked in the dryer parts of the garden without stalling, as some battery operated tools sometimes do. The weeds did not get caught up in the oscillating tines so there was virtually no clean up.

We are pleasantly pleased with this product and I recommend it for people who have trouble kneeling.


51.) Makes Gardening easier
Reviewed by: Tammy M. Hendrick
Rating:
I wish i had this cordless Cultivator years earlier it is great fore those places that a regular tiller could never get to.And the price is not bad at all fore what you get.TIP Get a extra battery and a quick charger cause it does run low in the middle of some jobs.Love it and i use it almost daily.Hopefully it will stand the test of time and a lot of use cause I'm giving it a workout fore its money.

52.) Pleasantly Surprised
Reviewed by: JOHN MCCOY Cincinnati, Ohio United States
Rating:
Have to admit that I bought this on a whim. Wasn't sure what I was getting but, like I said, I was pleasantly surprised the first time I used it. It had more power than I had originally given it credit. (If it had had just a little more power I would have rated it that fifth star.) The ease at which it churned up the dirt was wonderful. I wouldn't recommend this tool for large areas by any means, but for the small patches of ground I have in my yard it did well. It was easy to handle, seemed to hold it's charge the several hours I worked and overall made my time managing my garden that much more enjoyable. Definitely worth the money.

53.) Battery operated Garden Cultivator
Reviewed by: Julia S kentucky United States
Rating:
I was skeptical at first. As it turned out it's pretty handy around the garden in areas a rototiller can't get to provided the ground is not to hard. The battery life is exceptional. The battery is also interchangeable with a Black and Decker tree trimming chain saw I own.

54.) Easy on the back
Reviewed by: Gardener Gertie Sarasota FL
Rating:
This cultivator was very easy to assemble. It reduces back strain because you use it standing up. Black & Decker 18-Volt Cordless Garden Cultivator #GC818 Handles are comfortable, feels safe and stable in my hands. It works well in rather hard soil, and displaces the weeds making them easier to pick up. I have never run out the charger while using the device. It would help if the battery holder would show a green light when it is fully charged. Overall I like it

55.) Black & Decker 18-volt cordless garden tiller
Reviewed by: A. Archer Ok
Rating:
I haven't got to use it much because in the mud it doesn't work well. Where I could find dry ground it worked good. I have a bad neck and this didn't seem to aggravate it. I am looking forward to when the yard dries and I can get out more and use it.

56.) Great for garden boxes
Reviewed by: biscotti mom ca, usa
Rating:
I used the cultivator in my vegetable garden boxes before spring planting. I spread out my compost and then used the cultivator to turn and mix the soil. It was much easier than using the shovel. I could walk around the boxes and the cultivator could easily reach everywhere without having to climb on top of the boxes. I also tried it in my flower beds and it had no problem turning the soil that has not been touched in years.

57.) What I expected
Reviewed by: Rose L. Gagnon Newport, WA
Rating:
I wasn't expecting a regular tiller. I wanted a quiet thing for small spaces. Most of my garden area has already been tilled. I just wanted to have something for upkeep that wasn't too big. I think this will do what a want and the reviews were VERY helpful.

58.) It works just the way it should!
Reviewed by: silverbills Riverside, RI USA
Rating:
Got this cultivator to use in garden areas too small for the rototiller and it works just fine.

59.) GREAT EASY TO USE PRODUCT
Reviewed by: John G. Griffiths Springfield, OR, USA
Rating:
I bought this tool as I was tired of seeing my wife doing her gardening with a hoe. I had reservations as the soil here in Oregon is NOT the best for this type of machine. Well I was mistaken when I showed "Pre-Purchase" concerns.
After a thorough overnight battery charge, we both set about doing the front garden areas. WOW! What a workhorse! It took about 1 hour of time to complete the job, (about 40 minutes of running time) and the battery still had life left in it. The difference between job time and running time = rest time for us 67 year olds.
FULLY RECOMMEND this unit (unless you are working in clay).

PS
The extending handle is very "back friendly".

John
Springfield, Oregon

60.) Not a bad tool
Reviewed by: Saeed Washington, DC
Rating:
I just used this for the first time today. I wasn't to certain it would work all that well but I just wanted something to help dig up a small patch for a little veggie garder. I have to say considering I was using it to dig up some pretty thick crabgrass and really hard ground in an un-tilled area it did a pretty good job. It took me two full charges to get an area approximately 4x9 or so, but saved me a whole lot of back breaking digging. I know it's really not meant for initial tilling of ground but if you just have a small patch or are using it for maintainance in your garden it's pretty handy. The only thing I think would have made it a lot better would be if the digging teeth rotated all the way to chop (similar to a mixer) and they should have made an option to attach a cord so that you could use it plugged in also.

61.) It Works-----
Reviewed by: djahsman Sedona, AZ USA
Rating:
When my gasoline powered small rototiller died, after too few hours of use, I discovered the B&D cordless cultivator. No fumes, less noise, why not? These attributes it has, as well as less power and speed. It does the job, although it takes a lot of patience. I'm still thinking about another gasoline powered small rorotiller.

62.) Easy to handle; doesn't wear you out!
Reviewed by: Cindy IL USA
Rating:
I bought this cultivator to help me keep the incredible amount of weeds we get in the garden down. This is *not* a roto-tiller, it won't replace a roto-tiller, but it does a great job in already-loosened soil. I've been fighting a battle with wild garlic chives for the past few years, and this does a pretty good job of getting them and their roots out, and I may actually get ahead of the weeds this year.

I took off one star only because I wish it had a bit more power, as we have clay (aka "concrete") soil, but it works better than I expected. I just need to remember to do the harder spots with a fresh battery.

It's lightweight, easy to handle, and gets me out weeding more often since it's not so tiring to use in the heat. I love B&D's 18V cordless line - I also have the weed-eater and pole-chainsaw-pruner, and have the chainsaw in my cart to buy as well. The ones I have work very well, and I would buy them all again.

63.) Nice way to get rid of garden weeds.
Reviewed by: Hip Grandma Hampton, IA
Rating:
I gave this garden cultivator to my husband for Father's Day and he loves his new toy! No more bending over for hours weeding his garden! This is the first year his garden has been weed free! I did purchase and extra battery pack as it only last for approximately 45 minutes of work time so this has been helpful. It's a little short on power if you are trying to clear a lot of thick weeds but after you get the worst out, it goes very smoothly!

64.) Great little device...
Reviewed by: RedDevil Seattle, WA
Rating:
I've had this little gadget for over a year now, and I can't even BEGIN to tell you how many hours it has saved. I really want to be clear on what it is and does, though...

This item is not really a tiller. It will not chop anything up. It won't get right up to the edge of a sidewalk or fence (but close). It's meant for light garden work. My husband refers to is as an 'electric hoe' and that seems to describe it well. We have a house that sits on almost 3/4 acre. The entire border around the outside consists of several levels of terraced garden/flower areas. THe house is currently for sale, so we have nothing planted IN those beds, but they need to remain looking nice (read: EMPTY of all vegetation). We do not want to use chemicals to do this. The beds have some areas that are very rocky, lots of rock borders, concrete fence posts...and some areas that get super thick grass (think sod-thick) if left unattended too long. Battery lasts pretty long, but it depends on the terrain and what you're removing. I bounce this off buried concrete chunks a lot, and tines still look perfect. Very durable.

I've cleaned solid grass out of many of these flower beds. Yes, it does go slower than a tiller. BUT, it's cleaner to use and easier to clean up the flowerbeds afterwards, not to mention light and super easy to work. Once you go over an area, the grass/weeds will pretty much be ready to pick straight up, or rake. I broke down and purchased a high-power battery and quick charger to go with it, for times when I forget to charge :).

Where this guy really shines is in bed maintenance. I can keep all of these beds spotless for about 30 mins work every month or so. This is down from several hours (2-3) every few weeks. With semi-regular use, the soil stays soft and loose - so most of the time, I can bend down and pick up one weed, root and all, from the ground without any digging (because the soil is so loose). Last year I filled a few beds with anuuals - this guy worked around them with ease, keeping weeds out from between them. I even loaned it to my 87 year old neighbor for her flowerbeds and she was able to use it with ease.



65.) As Expected
Reviewed by: Anna M. Betti
Rating:
I use this product for loosening the soil around my plants so that when I water the water gets to the roots instead of rolling off the top of the soil. This is what I used to do on my knees with a claw tool. Be careful not to get too deep or near the roots of annuals. I only had the product one month and so far have had no problems.

66.) Lawn and Garden Tool
Reviewed by: Mike R. Wickman Lancaster, CA
Rating:
This an excellent tool for loosening soil, weeding, and even working fertilizer into the soil around plants, shrubs, and fruit trees.


67.) Very good product.
Reviewed by: Radio buff Tacoma, WA USA
Rating:
I purchased the Black & Decker GC818 garden cultivator to turn soil in a home garden about 12 x 18 feet in size. The soil had not been turned in several years and was somewhat compacted and full of roots. The thought of turning the soil by hand brought visions of an afternoon of hard labor and an evening of sore muscles. The Black & Decker unit made the job a snap. It churned the dirt to a depth of about 4 inches. The unit worked like a charm and let me do the entire job in about an hour -- about the length of time a full charge of its battery lasts. The motor appears to be strong and the blades are made of thick steel. For my purposes the cultivator was perfect. I think the unit might not work so well with dirt that is highly compacted, consists mostly of clay, or is full of large rocks. I am happy with the purchase and would not hesitate to do it again.

68.) Does what it Claims
Reviewed by: Will Billy VT
Rating:
A pragmatic, instrument well suited for the intended task. If you're thinking of a starting a small vegetable/flower garden, this is the tiller for you. To be used for an area of 200 square feet (+/-) one can till and cultivate the pebbles, small rocks, and dirt clumps to prepare a soil bed for personal growth. The battery power pack provides enough of a punch and time to get the job done.

69.) Battery life is short
Reviewed by: K. Hatton Georgia
Rating:
The battery only lasted about an hour after an 18 hour charge.
I would recommend buying a second battery for backup.
Our soil is very hard and rocky and this cuts through it.

70.) B&D Garden Cultivator
Reviewed by: Lisa Canon Pryor, Oklahoma USA
Rating:
We find the battery doesn't hold the charge long enough for us to accomplish much of anything. IT is sturdy, it was easy to put together, we are pleased with the product itself. The job it does is nice, but it just losses power way to quickly. Ten to fifteen minutes max and you are waiting for it to charge again. Why can't they be built with higher power batteries like the screwguns of today???

71.) B&D Culti-LATER
Reviewed by: Robert Dayrit NJ, USA
Rating:
The product works as promised and is easy to handle. The tines have held up after using it for a month in clay and rocky soil, spitting up 3-4in rocks with no issues. Any larger obstacles will have to be removed prior. Small roots get cleared, but then get tangled in the tines requiring u to remove every so often. The only complaint is battery life. In regular soil it works for 30min. Add in some rocks or clay soil and the device has to work much harder; therefore, it will only truly last 15min before a recharge/battery swap. Good for working in small flower beds around 100 sq ft.

72.) Average product
Reviewed by: Sir Jay pa
Rating:
Not very powerful, in this case you get what you pay for. It can do a job (small) but don't expect a lot from it or you'll be disappointed.

73.) Black and Decker Garden Cultivator
Reviewed by: Lulu
Rating:
This product did what it claimed....to an extent. It worked fine in garden soil that had been previously loosened by other means. But it really didn't perform too well in impacted soil. It would work fine in garden beds in which you only need to incorporate fertilizer or make a planting hole in loose soil.

74.) Black & Decker 18-Volt Cordless Garden Cultivator #GC818
Reviewed by: DOUGLAS DUCE Cleveland, Ohio
Rating:
The only way I found this device works well is in previously cultivated or at least dug up moist soil, and, under such conditions, it worked admirably---loosening the soil to the entire dept of the tines; but not in a timely manner. Plus it didn't make a dent in packed, dry soil nor did it remove the weeds. As to its weeding capabilities after a lengthy time period it did destroy small weeds, those not more than 1 1/2" tall. Larger weeds got tangled in the tines. I do not recommend this cultivator over the standard rotary ones because I still had to loosen the earth, wet it down if dry, then use this tool to break the soil into smaller pieces suitable for planting seeds--removing taller, sturdy weeds all the while by hand.

75.) Not very powerful
Reviewed by: Go Jazz! Salt Lake City, Utah
Rating:
The battery life is about what you expect and mechanically the machine works well. The problem with this machine is the power. It really doesn't have enough power to adequatly till the ground unless the ground is pretty mushy in the first place.

For two years I've tried to use this tiller and after a 1/2 hour or less I end up pushing it aside and just using my hand tiller or my shovel.

I would strongly recomend anyone thinking of buying a tiller to spend a little more money and get something that will work more effectively.

76.) Good toy for your kids
Reviewed by: Roadking Belvidere, Illinois
Rating:
I bought this cultivator based on reviews I read here. After using it twice I am returning it. For any serious gardener this thing is almost useless. The battery life is less than 1/2 hour, so I couldn't even cultivate around one 30 foot row of tomato plants without charging it twice, which takes at least 3 hours each time to charge. To use it effectively, I had to push it into the ground, back up 2 inches, push it in again, and so on. So effectively one is cultivating a 2" by 6" section with each push, which is slow going, let me tell you. I will be buying a gas-powered cultivator to do some real gardening in the future.

77.) A simple hoe is much easier to use
Reviewed by: Bradford P. Vineyard
Rating:
Bought this at Lowes after reading the reviews here. Completely useless for tilling or removing weeds, even in soft dirt. I don't understand the favorable ratings...this simply does not work effectively and a simple hoe would finish more quickly and with less physical effort.

78.) Broke immediately.
Reviewed by: kim mta PA
Rating:
I used this for 5-10 minutes before it broke. Maybe it was just my unit, but I was very dissappointed. I didn't even use on hard ground. The ground that I used it on I had already done by hand, so it choked on an easy job. The motor started grinding and the gears stopped moving.

79.) Useless
Reviewed by: www.houstonbookclubs.org Houston, TX USA
Rating:
This was totally useless in trying to work some clay here in my garden in Houston. Tried using both before and after a rain - the cultivator did nothing. I tried making sure weeds were cleared first and all that happened was that the tines(sp?) just spun. Live and learn. Guess I will try an electric Mantis tiller or something like that. Learned (once again) that you get what you pay for.

80.) Total junk
Reviewed by: Stephen S. Showalter
Rating:
This thing is a total POS, Unless you beds are topspil straight from the bag dont waste your money. It will not remove any weeds at all, even the really small ones. I would give it 0 stars but they make me give it at least 1

81.) Disappointed
Reviewed by: ANNA POWERS United States
Rating:
I am very disappointed in this product. I read all the reviews and was convinced this was just the thing for my small garden. I spent an hour doing one row and much of that time I was pulling grass out of the blades. I was so impressed with the reviews that I purchased an extra battery and blades. Not sure what I'm doing different from those who wrote such glowing reviews.

82.) terrible
Reviewed by: BCJ
Rating:
Bought this at Lowes and am so happy that it has a 30 day money back guarantee, because it's going back. I had to dig the dirt to lossen it and it barely went thru the loose dirt. I bought it so I wouldn't have to use the shovel. Save you're money and get the exercise.

83.) Don't believe what you read
Reviewed by: skeptical geek Silicon Valley, CA
Rating:
Black & Decker is a fraud. Now that I have your attention, let me back that up: while searching for a good cordless cultivator, I found an article on eHow on the subject. It was obviously written by a Black & Decker employee, since all it does is advertise the wonders of this device.

Now, if the company stoops so low as to post an ad under the guise of "advice," do you think they'd influence their rating on Amazon, by padding it with glowing praise? I do. Especially now that I've tried it.

The thing is useless. It would only churn the softest dirt, stuff so soft I might as well have been using my shoe. If you have huge tracts of soft dirt, this thing isn't a good buy because it doesn't cover much area. And if you have a smaller lawn or garden area, just use a pole-mounted cultivator or hoe, which will run you $10-$15. Even a fancy rotary one only costs around $30, but I can't speak to how good those are.

But if you don't believe me, try it yourself. Buy one at a local hardware store and test it. The thing has a 30-day satisfaction guarantee. But I can't recommend buying it online before you've tried it.

Features of Black & Decker GC818 18-Volt Cordless Electric Garden Cultivator

The Black & Decker 18-volt cordless rechargeable garden cultivator is ideal for cultivating garden beds, landscape beds and weeding. This garden cultivator also preps beds for planting and prepping dry and dead spots for seeding. The 18 volts of power provide an effortless and quick way to weed and aerate soil. The long tines are small enough to maneuver in between plants and counter-oscillating tines prevent weeds from tangling. The telescoping shaft adjusts for the perfect length, allowing the user to operate it standing up without bending over. This upright design offers less fatigue while cultivating. The soft grips and adjustable auxiliary handle provide this power tool with maximum comfort. The garden cultivator comes with Black & Decker's 2-year warranty.

Enjoy gardening again with this innovative cultivator from Black & Decker. Perfect for general weeding or the cultivation of flower, vegetable, or landscape beds, the #GC818 helps prepare the soil for planting and seeding so your flowers and produce are more likely to take root and flourish. Powered by an 18-volt battery, this tool features tines that can get in between different plantings; other tines counter oscillate to keep weeds from wrapping around and slowing things down. There's also a telescoping shaft you can position to the ideal length--a feature that helps protect your back from strain caused by continually bending over. Finally, comfortable grips and an adjustable auxiliary handle mean you can work longer without over-taxing muscles and joints.

1.) Prepares soil for planting and seeding;
2.) Powered by an 18-volt battery;
3.) Adjustable telescoping shaft and soft grips for longterm comfort;
4.) Weighs 8.0 pounds; 2-year warranty;
5.) Perfect for general weeding and soil aeration;

Package Height x Length x Width: 41.6 in. x 41.6 in. x 8.3 in.
Package Weight: 13 lbs.

Accessories for Black & Decker GC818 18-Volt Cordless Electric Garden Cultivator