With a star tiller, you can loosen up the soil quickly and relatively effortlessly - even if it is a little hardened or lies between planted areas. You can find out exactly what such a hand tiller looks like, what you can do with it and what you should look out for when buying it in our guide.
A star tiller is ideal for preparing the soil
Our recommendations
our recommendation
Fiskars star cutter, device head, width: 20.5 cm, steel, black/orange, QuikFit, 1000689
EUR 34.90 To the product| material of the star wheels | steel |
|---|---|
| working width | approx. 20.5 cm |
| number of star wheels | 9 |
| Weeding knife included? | no |
| Stem incl.? | no |
| Weight | about 500g |
The Fiskars star tiller is made of high-quality steel and designed in the typical Finnish design of the renowned brand. With nine star wheels and a working width of around 20.5 centimetres, the model is particularly recommended for detailed soil loosening in somewhat larger beds. As a QuikFit device head, the milling machine can be combined with a handle or a handle of the system. The reviewers at Amazon praise the model for its first-class quality and high functionality. In addition, the particularly low weight of the Fiskars star milling machine is impressive.
our recommendation
GARDENA combisystem star tiller with weeding blade: garden tiller for seed preparation and soil loosening, 14 cm working width, made of high-quality steel, Duroplast-coated, galvanized wheels (3195-20)
30.99 EUR To the product| material of the star wheels | quality steel |
|---|---|
| working width | about 14 cm |
| number of star wheels | 4 |
| Weeding knife included? | Yes |
| Stem incl.? | no |
| Weight | approx. 750 g |
Unlike the Fiskars version, the Gardena star tiller also includes a handle (called a weeder) with which you can remove weeds. However, the number of star wheels and the associated working width are smaller. The narrow device is perfect for loosening up soil in tight areas without much effort. You can connect the attachment to Gardena's combisystem handles. Maybe you already have one in your tool shed? The majority of reviewers enjoy working with the star cutter - the device should be pleasant to use. Apparently it can only get tiring with him on larger areas.
our recommendation
WOLF-Garten - garden tiller multi-star DA-S NEW 2022-2023, red, 30x15x15 cm; 71AAA006650
39.99 EUR To the product| material of the star wheels | metal |
|---|---|
| working width | about 15 cm |
| number of star wheels | 4 |
| Weeding knife included? | Yes |
| Stem incl.? | no |
| Weight | approx. 1400 g |
The star tiller from WOLF-Garten has similar features to the Gardena variant. However, the star wheels are made of metal and not steel and the weight is almost twice as high - these are also the reasons why we place the version 3rd in our comparison. The working width, which is one centimeter larger, is hardly worth mentioning. Many reviewers on Amazon are completely satisfied with the star cutter made in Germany. It seems to be well made and serves its purpose. The manual work with the device should rarely lead to sweating.
Purchase Criteria
material of the star wheels
The star wheels form the heart of every star cutter. They do most of the work, so they should be high quality. Ideally, they are made of first-class steel that can withstand even more pronounced hardening in the ground. It is also an advantage if the steel knives are galvanized in a star shape. This increases the robustness, resilience and thus the service life of the garden tool.
working width
A star cutter with a large working width is not always the ideal choice. It depends on what you need the device for. If the main purpose is to regularly loosen the soil in planted vegetable beds, you are making the right decision with a narrower device. Conversely, the larger the areas to be dug up, the wider the star tiller should be designed. The working width is generally between 14 and 20 centimetres.
number of star wheels
The number of star wheels determines the working width: The more wheels there are, the greater the working width is usually. However, there is another aspect that you should consider with regard to the number of star wheels: The more star wheels a star tiller has for the same working width, the closer together they are and the more evenly and precisely the soil is loosened.
Weeding knife as an extra
In addition to the star wheels, some star tillers are also equipped with a weeding knife. This is used to get unwanted weeds out of the ground while digging. You don't have to change the way you work with the garden tool - while you move the hand garden tiller (€162.69) forward and loosen the soil with the star wheels, the blade of the weeder separates any weeds from their roots. Afterwards you only need to collect and dispose of the separated plant remains.
stalk
Most star cutters come as an attachment without a handle. If one is already included in the scope of delivery, it must fit your height in terms of length. Otherwise, acute and, over time, chronic back pain are inevitable. A height-adjustable telescopic handle is practical, the size of which you can adapt to your individual requirements. Well-known brands such as Fiskars, Gardena and WOLF-Garten offer combination systems with such telescopic handles that can be used for several device heads from the same manufacturer.
youtubefrequently asked Questions
What is a star cutter?
A star tiller, also known as a roller cultivator or hand tiller, is a practical manual gardening tool that you can use to work on and loosen up hard and lumpy soil. The ready-to-use star cutter consists of a handle and a roller, which has several star-shaped cutter blades (star wheels).
How do I use a star cutter correctly?
You need your muscle power to get a roll cultivator running. You don't have to do anything other than hold the device by the handle or handle and guide it through targeted forward movements. This rotates the tiller blades of the roller and plows up the hardened soil, making it finer.
What are the advantages of a star cutter?
Star cutters are lightweight, manoeuvrable and flexible in use. They are particularly recommended for smaller vegetable beds with relatively soft soil that needs to be loosened. With a roll cultivator you can also work between existing plants. If you want to loosen up the soil mainly superficially, you can do this faster and more easily with a star tiller than with a conventional spade.
Which brands offer good star tillers for loosening soil?
The best known and most popular brands for star tillers include WOLF-Garten, Gardena and Fiskars. Solid roller cultivators are also available from KADAX, UPP or Connex. If in doubt, we recommend that you choose a model from a well-known company - if only to have a reputable contact person in the event of any problems.
Where is the best place to buy a star cutter?
Star tillers are available in well-stocked hardware stores such as OBI, toom or hagebaumarkt as well as in larger garden centers such as Dehner. If you want a particularly simple ordering and return procedure (you never know…), Amazon is certainly the best place to go. You will also find high-quality branded devices there.
How much does a star cutter cost?
Star cutters are available from around 20 euros (the range goes up to around 70 euros). With this price indication, however, note that most devices are supplied without a handle. It is advantageous if you already own a system handle from the same manufacturer. Then you can usually couple the attachment to this stem. Otherwise you have to order one separately.
equipment
stalk
If - as usual - no handle is included in the scope of delivery of the star tiller and you don't have one yourself, it's best to order one right away. There are essentially three characteristics: The handle must be long enough for you - ideally it can be adjusted in height. In addition, robust workmanship and compatibility with the star milling attachment are important.
our recommendation
Fiskars Telescopic handle for QuikFit tool heads, length 1.4 - 2.4 m, aluminum, black/orange, QuikFit, 1000666
EUR 34.90 To the producthandle
As an alternative to the handle, a simple handle can also be used as an extension and gripping element for the star tiller - for digging up higher beds, for example. In addition to a stable material and an all-round solid processing of the same, what is particularly important here is that the handle can be connected quickly and easily to the milling attachment and lies well in the hand.
our recommendation