In the Greenworks vs Sun Joe tiller choice, I pick the Sun Joe TJ604E for most small beds that sit within reach of an outlet, and the Greenworks 27062 when a cord is the problem. The Sun Joe prints the wider path and the deeper ceiling. The Greenworks brings its own battery and charger and carries more printed warnings. Years in large-scale crop production taught me to hold a machine to what it is supposed to deliver, and I hold both of these to that. Below you get a like-for-like table, the safety rules each manual gives and who should buy which.
Affiliate Disclosure: Garden Power Scout is a proud participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.
Greenworks vs Sun Joe Tiller: The Short Answer
The Sun Joe fits most small garden beds better, because its manual prints a 16 in maximum width and an 8 in maximum depth against the Greenworks figures of 10.25 in and 5 in. Those are ceilings in loose soil, never what either machine reaches in your ground. The Greenworks earns its place where no outlet is near the bed, since it runs on a 40 V battery and drags no cord. The table sets the two side by side on figures each maker prints. My guide to compact tillers for small gardens ranks nine models for bed prep.
| Row | Greenworks 27062 | Sun Joe TJ604E |
|---|---|---|
| Type, in the maker’s words | Battery walk-behind “cultivator” | Corded “electric tiller + cultivator” |
| Power | 40 V DC motor, one 40 V lithium battery | 13.5 A motor, 120 V |
| In the kit | Battery and charger, per the Amazon listing | Tiller only; an outdoor extension cord is required and not included |
| Tilling width, maker’s maximum | 10.25 in | 16 in |
| Tilling depth, maker’s maximum | 5 in | 8 in |
| Tines | Four (two inner, two outer); two-tine use is allowed, with no width printed | Six steel blades, changed in pairs |
| Tine speed, maker’s figure | 200 rpm | 370 rpm, no load |
| Weight, as each maker prints it | 29.3 lb with battery | 27.1 lb, no basis printed (corded, so no battery or fuel) |
| Wheels and depth control | Two rear wheels; a spring-loaded knob slides the wheel shaft to set depth | Two wheels with three positions: transport, work high, work low |
| Reverse | None printed | None printed |
| Bystander distance, maker’s figure | 50 ft | 25 ft |
Two groups of rows decide most purchases: the width and depth rows, and the kit row, because one machine needs an extension cord you may have to buy and the other needs a charged battery. The weight rows are not a ranking. The Greenworks figure includes its battery, and the Sun Joe figure comes from a corded machine whose manual prints no basis.
What Each Kit Actually Includes
The Greenworks 40V 10-inch cordless tiller cultivator, model 27062, is listed on Amazon as a kit with a 40 V, 4.0 Ah battery and a charger. The Greenworks manual’s packing list names the cultivator, hitch pins, inner and outer tines, felts, the wheel assembly and the manual. Greenworks 40V 10-Inch Cordless Tiller Kit 27062 arrives in parts with four tines to fit, and it takes only the 29652 or 29662 battery. I go through the same kit in my review of the Greenworks tiller.
The Sun Joe arrives as the housing, an upper and a middle handle, handle knobs and bolts, and a manual with a registration card. Sun Joe TJ604E 16-Inch Corded Electric Tiller Cultivator is corded and has no battery. The manual says a proper extension cord is required, so the cord is a cost you add.
Full Shutdown Box
Shutdown before you clear the tines, free a root, rock or wrapped vine, adjust the depth or width, change tines, check or add oil or fuel, clean, load, move, store or leave the tiller. Never reach toward the tines while they turn, and never clear them with the machine running. Corded electric tiller: release the switch or bail, wait until the tines have stopped completely, then unplug the tiller from the outlet by the plug, not the cord. Before transport or storage, also let the motor cool. Battery tiller or cultivator: release the switch or bail, wait until the tines have stopped completely, then remove the battery, and the switch key where your model has one, and keep it away from the tiller. Only then clear wrapped roots, vines or grass by hand in sturdy gloves, cutting them free only as your manual describes, and check the tines and guards for damage. Do not reverse the tines or run the engine to unwind material unless your manual says so. Add every step your manual gives, in its order, and refit every guard and shield before you restart. For the Greenworks, its manual adds: do not insert the battery until assembly is complete, and remove the battery before unclogging the tines and before any repair, adjustment or inspection.
Assembly follows the same rule. Before you do this, complete the full shutdown for your tiller in the shutdown box above. On the Greenworks the tines go on in the order A to D with the arrow on each tine pointing toward the front, and the manual says the unit will not operate properly if the tines are fitted wrongly. I check the arrows twice before the battery goes anywhere near the machine. The Sun Joe goes together with a cable clip, then the middle handle to the lower handle, then the upper handle to the middle one, and none of that touches the tines.
Tilling Width and Depth
Width and depth are where the Sun Joe 16-inch electric tiller pulls clearly ahead, and both numbers are maker ceilings. According to Sun Joe, the TJ604E cultivates up to 16 in wide and up to 8 in deep. According to Greenworks, the 27062 cultivates a path of up to 10.25 in and up to 5 in deep, and the manual allows two-tine use for a narrow area without printing a width for it.
Across a vegetable bed the difference shows in the number of side-by-side passes. The Sun Joe manual tells you to till in slightly overlapping rows, and a 16 in path gives that pattern fewer lanes to walk than the Greenworks 10.25 in path. The narrow Greenworks path means I plan more lanes, and its manual says it may take several passes over the same path to reach the depth you want. Neither manual lets you force the tines: the Sun Joe says not to overload the machine by cultivating too deeply, and the Greenworks says the same about cultivating too deep in a single pass. My roundup of tillers for a vegetable garden ranks seven picks for rows and beds.
Winner: Sun Joe TJ604E, because it prints the wider path and the deeper ceiling.
Power, Battery and Cord
The Greenworks runs a 40 V DC motor at a printed 200 rpm. The Sun Joe runs a 13.5 A motor on 120 V at 370 rpm with no load. Tine speed is each maker’s own figure and says nothing about which machine is stronger. What differs in daily use is where the power comes from. My ranking of cordless tillers lists nine battery models by printed width, depth and kit.
This Greenworks 40V tiller takes only the battery the manual names and charges it between 45 and 104 degrees F. A battery that is warm from work waits to cool before charging. If the overload protection trips, the manual says to let the unit rest for 4 minutes and then repeat the starting steps. Before you do this, complete the full shutdown for your tiller in the shutdown box above. After a trip I release the bale, wait for the tines, take the battery out and inspect the machine before I start it again.
The Sun Joe 13.5 amp electric tiller needs power within reach. Its manual asks for an outdoor extension cord of type SW-A, SOW-A, STW-A, STOW-A, SJW-A, SJOW-A, SJTW-A or SJTOW-A, 14 AWG up to 50 ft and 12 AWG from 50 ft to 100 ft, and it forbids a cord over 100 ft. The plug is polarized, and the tiller is double insulated with no grounding. It also wants a GFCI on the circuit, the cord kept away from the tines, and the cord looped through the handle hole around the restraint hook. Outdoor cord length and gauge decide how far from the shed the Sun Joe can work. On a long run to the far bed I prefer a charged battery to a second cord. My Sun Joe tiller review covers the TJ604E on its own.
Winner: the Greenworks 27062 for a bed far from an outlet, and the Sun Joe TJ604E for any bed the cord reaches.
Weight, Wheels and Depth Control
The Greenworks weighs 29.3 lb with its battery, and the Sun Joe weighs 27.1 lb with no basis printed. The bases differ, so I do not call either one lighter. What I can compare is how each machine gets from the shed to the bed and how you set its depth. Before you do this, complete the full shutdown for your tiller in the shutdown box above.
On the Greenworks the wheels set the working depth. You pull the spring-loaded knob and slide the wheel shaft: Position A is the deepest and Position B the highest. For deeper work the manual says to lift the handlebar so the front pushes harder into the ground, and for shallow work to press down. The handles fold, and the unit stores upright in a clean, dry place. Folding the handle brings the 29.3 lb machine into the shed with less to knock against. Never pick up or carry it while the tines turn or the motor runs.
On the Sun Joe you pull each wheel to one of three positions: transport, work high or work low. The manual says to set both wheels to the same height and to use the machine only with the wheels locked. Checking that both wheels sit at the same height takes a few seconds and keeps the body level. The handle folds in three sections, and the manual says to carry the tiller by its transport handle, never by the cord. At the end of a row you apply light pressure to the handle to lift the tines and pivot on the wheels. My page on the TJ604E and LawnMaster TE1318M compares it with another corded tiller.
Winner: Sun Joe TJ604E, because three named wheel positions, one of them for transport, are easier to read than a single sliding shaft.
Safety Rules for Both Tillers
Both makers print amputation and rotating-tine warnings, and both manuals differ on distances, slopes and buried lines. I follow the printed rule of the exact manual in my hands, and I treat the general rules below as the minimum.
Wear safety glasses with side shields or goggles that meet ANSI Z87.1, or the eye protection your manual specifies, and a face shield where it asks for one; wear hearing protection with a gas engine or wherever your manual asks; wear long pants and the footwear and gloves your manual specifies for your model. Greenworks asks for safety glasses with side shields that comply with ANSI Z87.1, hearing protection, heavy long pants, long sleeves, boots and gloves, and never sandals or lightweight footwear. Sun Joe asks for safety glasses, safety footwear, snug clothing, gloves, hearing and head protection. Keep hair, clothing, jewelry, drawstrings and gloves away from moving parts.
Before you start, walk the bed and remove rocks, sticks, wire, hose, stakes and anything else the tines could catch or throw. Identify irrigation lines, drip lines, cables and sprinkler heads before you start, and take loose garden hoses out of the work area. Do not handle or move unidentified cables, pipes or utility lines: keep the tiller away from them and contact the utility if their location is uncertain.
According to PHMSA, you call 811, the free national call-before-you-dig number, before you till ground where you do not know what lies below, and always before any digging, and the waiting time for the utilities to locate and mark their lines differs by state. Utilities can lie close to the surface, so a shallow pass is not a safe pass, and no manual or agency source gives a tilling depth that is safe over a buried line. Wait for the marks before you start.
The Greenworks manual says not to use the cultivator near underground electric cables, telephone lines, pipes or hoses, and to contact your utility if in doubt. The Sun Joe manual prints no underground warning, so the rule above is the one that applies to it. If the lines cannot be located and marked, keep every tiller away until they are.
Keep children, pets and other people out of the work area and at least the distance your manual specifies: Greenworks 27062, 50 ft; Sun Joe TJ604E, 25 ft. Stop if anyone enters that area. Sun Joe adds that nobody should stand in front of a running machine. No distance makes a work area safe on its own: keep watching it.
On a slope, slow down, keep firm footing and follow only the slope rule in your own manual. The two makers disagree: the Greenworks manual says never to operate the equipment on a slope, and the Sun Joe manual says to work across slopes and never up and down. If your manual gives no slope instructions, obtain guidance from the manufacturer before using the tiller on a slope.
Hard-packed or frozen ground, buried stones, roots and stumps can make a tiller bounce upward or jump forward, and the tines can catch in the ground and pull a front-tine machine forward. Hold the handles firmly with both hands, keep your feet clear of the tines, take shallow passes, and if the tines strike a hard object, stop immediately, complete the full shutdown in the shutdown box, and inspect for damage before restarting.
The Greenworks manual names buried stones, roots and stumps as a bounce risk. The Sun Joe manual prints no bounce warning but says to look for hidden obstacles. After a strike it says to switch the machine off, disconnect it from the power supply, let it cool completely, inspect it thoroughly and have any damage repaired before restarting, and the Greenworks manual also says to repair damage before restarting.
If roots, vines or grass wrap on the tines or the machine stalls, do not force it and do not reach for the tines. Complete the full shutdown in the shutdown box, then clear the material by hand in sturdy gloves, cutting it free only as your manual describes. Do not reverse the tines or run the engine to unwind it unless your manual says so.
Tilling is heavy, jarring work. Take breaks, stop when you are tired or your attention slips, and use the gloves your manual recommends to reduce vibration in your hands. A study of a two-wheel power tiller measured handle vibration and found that handle intervention materials reduced it (1). That machine is not a garden tiller like these two, so the study says nothing about either model.
Soil, Sod and Small Beds
Neither manual promises that its machine handles hard soil, sod or clay, and I do not either. Do not till soil that is too wet. Squeeze a handful into a ball: if it crumbles under finger pressure it is ready, and if it holds its shape or sticks to the tines, wait a day or two (Kentucky and Iowa State Extension). Wet clay forms hard clods and compacts (Utah State). Do not till rock-hard dry or frozen ground, which makes the tiller bounce.
The Greenworks manual says tilling sod into the soil is not recommended and tells you to remove the sod first. On very hard soil it says to water a few days before cultivating and to avoid soggy soil. The Sun Joe manual says the tiller may not be used on extremely dry or wet soil, and not to force it into soil that is extremely hard or resistant. For a new bed cut from lawn, that points both of these machines to loosening ground that is already workable rather than breaking turf. Iowa State says most lawn areas need a large rear-tine rototiller to break up sod. I include options for larger gardens in my ranking of rototillers for large plots.
Tilling at all is a real question, and the sources disagree. Oregon State says mechanical tillage has its place for new beds with high compaction and low organic matter, and Maryland says to aim for a no-till or minimum-till bed.
Field trials point the same way as the second view. On a silt loam in Germany, reduced tillage showed higher aggregate stability than conventional tillage after 2.5 years (2), and a Hungarian trial on a Chernozem found the most earthworms under no-till and the fewest under moldboard ploughing (3). A US meta-analysis of 295 studies found that moving from ploughing to no-till raised surface aggregate stability, most clearly after at least three years (4).
These are field-scale results on named soils, not rules for a garden bed. A trial on a clay loam in Malaysia went the other way for loosening: repeated rotary passes reduced bulk density and penetration resistance compared with no-till (5). Either machine fits a bed that already crumbles by hand, and neither is a reason to till a bed that does not need it.
Choose the Greenworks 27062 If
Choose the Greenworks cordless tiller when the bed is far from an outlet or you do not want a cord on the ground, and you accept a smaller path. It suits small vegetable or flower beds where a 10.25 in path and a 5 in ceiling are enough. It is not the machine for sod, hard clay, a large plot or any slope, since its manual forbids slope use and advises against tilling sod. My page on the Greenworks 27062 and Ryobi P2750 compares it with a hand-held cultivator.
- You want no cord: the 40 V battery replaces an extension cord, and the Greenworks tiller kit includes a charger per the listing.
- Your beds are small: the printed 10.25 in path and 5 in depth ceiling fit beds you can finish in a few lanes.
- You want wheel depth control: the spring-loaded knob sets the working depth without tools.
Skip it if you want a wide path or a published runtime. The manual prints no runtime and the Greenworks cordless tiller’s depth setting is a ceiling, not a result. Fitting the four tines in the A to D order after the full shutdown is the one job I do not rush.
Choose the Sun Joe TJ604E If
Choose the Sun Joe TJ604E tiller when the bed sits within a good cord’s reach and you want the widest printed path and the deepest printed ceiling of the two. It suits small gardens and flower beds, which is the use its manual names. The Sun Joe electric tiller also takes the plain wheel settings and a two-year household warranty. My comparison of the Sun Joe TJ604E and TJ603E sets it against the TJ603E.
- You have an outlet nearby: the 14 AWG cord to 50 ft and 12 AWG to 100 ft rule sets your reach.
- You want fewer lanes: the 16 in path and 8 in ceiling cover a bed in fewer side-by-side passes.
- You want a simple setup: no battery, no charger, three wheel positions and a three-section folding handle.
Skip it if the bed is far from power, the soil is extremely dry, wet or hard, or the ground is turf. Its manual excludes extremely dry or wet soil, and tines are a wearing part outside the warranty. After a session I brush the soil off the tines and vents with a brush or a dry cloth, then oil the tines, as the manual asks, always after the full shutdown and with the plug out.
My Pick for a Small Garden Bed
For a bed I can reach with a cord, I pick the Sun Joe: it prints the wider path and the deeper ceiling. When the bed is far from an outlet, or a cord across the yard is a hazard, the Greenworks suits it, because its battery and charger travel with it. Skip both for sod: the Greenworks manual advises against tilling sod, and the Sun Joe manual excludes extremely hard or resistant soil. Finish the full shutdown before a hand goes near the tines. For most small beds, the Sun Joe TJ604E wins the Greenworks vs Sun Joe tiller choice on printed width and depth, and the Greenworks 27062 wins it the moment a cord is the problem. My ranking of electric tillers for garden beds lists nine corded and battery picks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better for a small garden, the Greenworks 27062 or the Sun Joe TJ604E?
The Sun Joe TJ604E is the better pick for a small garden when an outlet is in reach, because it prints a 16 in width and 8 in depth against the Greenworks 27062 at 10.25 in and 5 in. The Greenworks is better when the bed is far from power, since its 40 V battery needs no cord.
Which tills wider, the Greenworks 27062 or the Sun Joe TJ604E?
The Sun Joe TJ604E tills wider than the Greenworks 27062, at a printed maximum of 16 in against 10.25 in for the Greenworks. The Greenworks manual also allows two-tine use for narrow areas, and it prints no width for that setting, so the wider path stays with the Sun Joe.
Which handles hard or dry soil better, the Greenworks 27062 or the Sun Joe TJ604E?
Neither the Greenworks 27062 nor the Sun Joe TJ604E is rated for extremely hard or dry soil. The Greenworks manual says to water very hard soil a few days before cultivating, and the Sun Joe manual excludes extremely dry or wet soil and says not to force it into extremely hard or resistant soil.
Can the Greenworks 27062 or the Sun Joe TJ604E be used in the rain?
Neither the Greenworks 27062 nor the Sun Joe TJ604E should be used in the rain, and the Sun Joe manual says so directly: no use in rain or wet conditions and no water on any part while it runs. For the Greenworks, its manual says to avoid soggy soil, so a soaked bed waits for both.
How do the wheels on the Greenworks 27062 and the Sun Joe TJ604E differ?
The wheels on the Greenworks 27062 and the Sun Joe TJ604E differ in their settings: the Greenworks has one wheel shaft with Position A (deepest) and Position B (highest), while the Sun Joe has three wheel positions, transport, work high and work low. The Sun Joe manual also requires both of its wheels to sit at the same height.
References
- Chaturvedi V, Kumar A, Singh JK. Power tiller: vibration magnitudes and intervention development for vibration reduction. Appl Ergon. 2012;43(5):891-901.
- Obalum SE, Uteau-Puschmann D, Peth S. Reduced tillage and compost effects on soil aggregate stability of a silt-loam Luvisol using different aggregate stability tests. Soil Tillage Res. 2019;189:217-228.
- Dekemati I, Simon B, Vinogradov S, Birkas M. The effects of various tillage treatments on soil physical properties, earthworm abundance and crop yield in Hungary. Soil Tillage Res. 2019;194:104334.
- Nunes MR, Karlen DL, Moorman TB. Tillage intensity effects on soil structure indicators: a US meta-analysis. Sustainability. 2020;12(5):2071.
- Mairghany M, Yahya A, Adam NM, Su AS, Aimrun W, Elsoragaby S. Rotary tillage effects on some selected physical properties of fine textured soil in wetland rice cultivation in Malaysia. Soil Tillage Res. 2019;194:104318.
Safety Note: Only an adult who has read the manual and understands the controls should use a tiller or cultivator, never a child (Champion: never under age 16) or anyone tired or impaired. Rotating tines can cut off fingers, hands and feet, and can throw stones and debris. Never touch or clear the tines while they turn. Before you clear the tines, free a root, rock or wrapped vine, adjust the depth or width, change tines, check or add oil or fuel, clean, load, move, store or leave the tiller, complete the shutdown for its power type. Corded electric: release the switch or bail, wait until the tines have stopped completely, then unplug it from the outlet by the plug, not the cord; before transport or storage, also let the motor cool. Battery: release the switch or bail, wait until the tines have stopped completely, then remove the battery, and the switch key where the model has one. Gas: release the clutch, drive levers or bail, turn the engine off, wait until the tines and every moving part have stopped completely, then disconnect the spark plug wire and secure it away from the plug, and let the engine and muffler cool before touching the tines, engine, muffler or anything near the exhaust. EGO cultivator attachment on a compatible battery power head: release the trigger, wait until the blades have stopped completely, then remove the battery from the power head; for another attachment system, follow the shutdown instructions in both its attachment manual and its power-head manual. Then clear wrapped roots or vines by hand in sturdy gloves, only as your manual describes; do not reverse the tines or run the engine to unwind material unless your manual says so. Wear safety glasses with side shields or goggles meeting your manual’s specification, including ANSI Z87.1 where required, and add a face shield where the manual requires one. Wear hearing protection with a gas engine or wherever the manual requires it, long pants, and the footwear and gloves specified for your model. Champion prohibits sandals, sneakers, light footwear and bare feet; YARDMAX specifies long, heavy pants, work boots and work gloves. Keep hair, clothing, jewelry and gloves away from moving parts. Before you start, remove rocks, sticks, wire and loose hoses, and identify your irrigation lines and cables; do not handle or move unidentified cables, pipes or utility lines. Call 811 before tilling ground where you do not know what lies below, and always before digging. Wait for the utilities to locate and mark their lines before starting. Follow your manual’s prohibition on tilling near or above underground services; marking a line does not make tilling over it safe, and no safe tilling depth above a buried line is established in the sources reviewed. Keep children, pets and other people out of the work area and at least the distance specified for your exact model: Ryobi P2705, 50 ft; YARDMAX YT4565, 75 ft; Sun Joe TJ600E, TJ603E and TJ604E, 25 ft; BLACK+DECKER LGC120, 20 ft. Stop if anyone enters that area. If your manual gives no number, keep everyone well clear of the work area as it directs, and stop if anyone approaches. No single distance is safe for every tiller. Sun Joe also prohibits anyone from standing in front of a running machine; its distance figure does not replace that restriction. Hard-packed or frozen ground, buried stones, roots and stumps can make a tiller bounce upward or jump forward: hold the handles firmly with both hands, keep your feet clear of the tines, take shallow passes, and do not till frozen ground. If the tines strike a hard object, stop immediately, complete the applicable full shutdown described above, and inspect for damage before restarting. On a slope, slow down, keep firm footing and follow only your manual’s slope rule; makers disagree on the direction. Do not till soil that is too wet: squeeze a handful into a ball, and if it holds its shape or sticks to the tines, wait. Before refuelling, complete the full gas shutdown described above. Refuel outdoors on the ground, not in a truck or trailer, with the engine cooled. Follow your exact manual’s precautions for ignition sources, filling the tank and dealing with spilled fuel. Mix fuel only as the manual says. Never start or run a gas tiller indoors or in a garage or shed, even with the doors open. Start and run it outdoors: the exhaust contains deadly carbon monoxide. For a corded tiller use an outdoor extension cord that meets your exact manual’s requirements for gauge, length, plug type and grounding, keep the cord away from the tines and route it as your exact manual directs, never carry the tiller by the cord and never use it in the rain. Use only the battery and charger your manual names. Load and unload only as your manual describes, and store the tiller dry and out of children’s reach. Take breaks and stop when you are tired.