A handy small tiller. Easy to start and easy to maneuver. I replaced an older larger tiller with this one and still got done in the same time because it handles so much better. Very simple operation - one lever for backup and the normal bale for forward. The only draw back is the need to manipulate the wheel axle pins for freewheel travel - but MUCH easier to maneuver when you do. All in all, a well built, quality machine for moderate sized gardens.

Pros: Easy start, easy to handle during tilling. Cons: I had to go through and rebuild some things before I could start using it. The kill switch wire was stretched across the top of the engine, ty-wrapped to the heat shield of the muffler, then straight up to the top of the handle bar from there. It was as taut as a guitar string. Reverse wouldn't work, I found the drive belt was misrouted and jammed. I had always regarded "Troy-Bilt" as top quality but it looks like they are hiring rejects from Miss Jane's School of Sewing to put these things together.

I picked up a unit that had been sitting outside already out of the box and assembled. Unit had oil and fuel in it as well so I test fired it before I left the store. Got it home and started making little adjustments as the routing for the cables and the kill switch weren't the best. Because it had been sitting outside the foam handle had already started splitting on the corners so I just peeled it off and wrapped it with a decent handlebar wrap. Tilled a small portion of what will be my garden and overall for it being a smaller tiller and I'm tilling North Texas clay that has never been broke it hasn't done bad at all. Time will tell how it holds up but I think it will do well.

Attempted (1) purchase, but returned after assembly due to missing parts. The unit was boxed from factory, but missing the transmission oil plug, as well as the gear oil; the gear oil was no big deal, but the missing plug is a problem, and it wasn't clear how long the transmission had been exposed during storage (it looked OK visually, but it's only possible to see a very small portion, without taking it apart). Just for reference, the plug was also not available at the Troy-Bilt parts web portal, so I elected to return the unit to exchange it (I had it for less than 20 hours). On the 2nd attempt (during the exchange of the previous), I decided to unbox at TSC to inspect prior to bringing home. This unit had the plug, and the gear oil, but the latter had leaked in the box, and also gotten rained on, so the whole unit was covered in oily water, and debris that had collected on the oil (TSC had it stored in a canvas tent on the side of the store). Ultimately, I opted for a refund and went home, but the last issue is: I noticed oil on my concrete porch, about 1" x 3", where the engine oil that I put into the unit I had (for 20 hours), leaked. I'm assuming this is a leaky oil seal between the engine and output pulley, since that was the only oil that was put in. Anyway, doesn't look like you Troy-Bilt cares much for quality, and for $1,000+, I really need better than this.