Sun Joe vs Earthwise Tiller: Corded Electric Tillers Compared

In the Sun Joe vs Earthwise tiller choice, both brands sell corded 120 V machines for small beds, and the real differences sit in the tine setup, the cord rules and what each manual tells you to do. Pick the Sun Joe TJ604E for a fixed 16 in maximum width, three wheel positions and a printed 25 ft bystander distance, and pick the Earthwise TC70016 when you want to drop from 16 in to 11 in for narrow beds.

My plant protection training taught me to read the safety lines of a label before the first fill, so I read these manuals the same way. Below is what each one prints, side by side, and where the two brands disagree.

Sun Joe vs Earthwise Tiller: Which One Fits Which Garden

Both lines top out at 8 in deep and both carry a two-year household warranty, so the choice comes down to width, handling and the safety text you will live with. According to Sun Joe, the TJ604E and the TJ603E cultivate up to 16 in wide and up to 8 in deep. The Earthwise TC70016, says its maker, works 16 in wide with six tines or 11 in wide with four, also up to 8 in deep.

• Small bed near an outlet, one width is enough: the Sun Joe TJ604E or TJ603E, 16 in maximum. My TJ604E and LawnMaster TE1318M comparison sets the 16 in Sun Joe beside an 18 in corded LawnMaster.
• Mixed beds, some of them narrow: the Earthwise TC70016, 11 in with four tines.
• A few small jobs beside a house wall: the Earthwise TC70025, a hand-guided unit with a 7.5 in working width and no wheels. I cover that hand-guided unit on its own in my Earthwise TC70025 tiller review, written for raised beds.

My vegetable plot beside the house is about 2,000 square feet with packed-soil paths between the beds, so a 16 in machine means several side-by-side passes along each bed. I choose width by the bed, and I keep a narrow setting in mind for the strips between drip lines. Machines built for narrow, light work are listed in my tillers for raised beds roundup.

Hard sod over a large area and rocky ground belong to a larger rental machine with its own manual, or to a professional. Neither brand’s corded tiller is the tool for those jobs, and my electric versus gas tiller guide explains how garden size and soil steer that choice. Where buried lines cannot be located and marked, no machine is an option: call 811, wait for the marks and keep every tiller away until then.

Specs Side by Side

Every figure below is the maker’s own, taken from the manual for that exact model. Width and depth are maximums for loose soil, never what a machine does in hard ground, and tine speed is not a power ranking across brands.

Tilling Width, Depth and Tines

The two Sun Joe models share one width, and their six steel blades are changed in pairs. Sun Joe says the TJ604E may not be used to till extremely dry or wet soil, warns against forcing it into soil that is extremely hard or resistant, and adds: do not overload the machine by cultivating too deeply, because it causes excessive resistance. My TJ604E and TJ603E comparison sets those two Sun Joe models side by side.

The Earthwise TC70016 is the one machine here with a width choice, and changing it puts your hands near the tines. Before you touch the tines, complete the full shutdown in the box below.

Then, according to Earthwise, you remove tines A and D at both ends of the shaft to go from six tines to four, and the tines cannot be secured if you assemble them in another sequence. For the narrow strips beside my drip lines, the 11 in setting is the one that interests me.

The makers add steps of their own after the box. Sun Joe says the switch must be off, the unit unplugged and the blades at a complete stop before you inspect, clean or service it, and that moving parts keep running for several seconds after you switch off. Earthwise says the tines do not stop immediately after you turn the tiller off, and that you check for damage after the tines strike a foreign body.

Motor, Cord and Overload

Neither tiller runs without an extension cord, and Sun Joe’s built-in cord is short. Sun Joe says to use an outdoor cord, never one over 100 ft, and prints 14 AWG up to 50 ft and 12 AWG from 50 to 100 ft. The Earthwise manual has its own gauge table, so use the gauge and length in your manual. If the cord is the sticking point, my corded versus cordless tiller comparison weighs it against a battery for small garden beds.

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, never carry the tiller by the cord, and never use it in the rain (Sun Joe). Follow your exact manual’s instructions for cord routing, disconnecting the plug, keeping connections dry and GFCI protection.

Sun Joe gives the cord a restraint hook on the handle: you loop the cord up through the handle hole and around the hook. Earthwise gives it a cord retainer and says to never pass the tiller over the extension cord. In my setup the shed outlet is the starting point, so I measure the run to the far bed before I pick a cord. I loop the cord through the hook or retainer before I start, then walk the cord path once, away from the tines. My Greenworks versus Sun Joe tiller comparison puts the corded TJ604E next to the cordless Greenworks 27062.

Overload works differently too. The Earthwise TC70016 manual describes a motor that switches off by itself under load and sets a cool-down wait before you start again. Restart it only after the full shutdown in the shutdown box above, in your manual’s own order and wait. Sun Joe’s manual says the motor housing stays hot for a short period after you switch off.

The Lighter Earthwise Models

Earthwise also sells two smaller corded units with their own manuals. According to Earthwise, the TC70090 is a 9 A model with a 12 in working width and an 8 in maximum depth, and the TC70025 is a 2.5 A model with a 7.5 in working width and a 6 in maximum depth.

With no wheels, the TC70025 leaves you carrying and guiding the whole machine, and its manual warns that it may bounce upward or jump forward on hard-packed or frozen ground, which matters more on a hand-guided unit.

What Each Manual Says About Safety

The two brands print different safety text, and the differences matter more than a spec line. Read your own manual for your exact model before the first start, because a rule that one maker prints says nothing about the other.

Bystanders and Children

Sun Joe adds that you should not allow anyone in front of a running machine. Earthwise says all visitors, children and pets should stay at a safe distance from the work area and prints no figure, so the Earthwise answer is to keep everyone well clear of the work area, as its manual directs. Sun Joe says children should never be allowed access to the equipment. I keep the work area clear of children and pets and I stop the moment anyone walks in.

Buried Lines and Hidden Obstacles

This is the clearest difference between the two brands. The Earthwise manuals say: do not operate the tiller near underground electrical cables, telephone lines, pipes or hoses. The Sun Joe TJ604E and TJ603E manuals carry no underground-line warning, so a Sun Joe owner needs the call-before-you-dig step even more.

Before any tilling I lift or move the drip lines in the plot, and I mark whatever I cannot lift. 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.

Earthwise prints a bounce caution in the manual, naming extremely hard-packed soil, frozen ground and buried stones, roots or stumps. The Sun Joe text says to look for hidden obstacles and to stop and remove one you find, and it does not print a bounce or frozen-ground line.

Protective Gear, Hands and Fatigue

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 (Champion prohibits sandals, sneakers, light footwear and bare feet; YARDMAX specifies long, heavy pants, work boots and work gloves). Keep hair, clothing, jewelry, drawstrings and gloves away from moving parts.

Sun Joe names safety glasses, safety footwear, snug-fitting clothing, protective gloves, hearing protection and head protection. Earthwise names safety glasses with side shields or goggles marked to ANSI Z87.1, hearing protection, a dust mask in dusty conditions, and says rubber gloves and substantial footwear are recommended.

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 (Tazz, Earthquake, Mantis). Hand-arm vibration is a measured exposure of tiller work, and damping materials on the handle reduced it in one study of an occupational power tiller (1). That machine was not a garden tiller, so I take only the qualitative point: breaks and the right gloves matter.

Slopes and Wet Ground

The slope rules differ between the two brands. Sun Joe says to work across slopes and never up and down them. Earthwise says not to operate on a slope that is too steep for safe operation, and its TC70016 manual tells you to stand diagonally to the incline.

On a slope, slow down, keep firm footing and follow only the slope rule in your own manual. Makers disagree on the direction: Sun Joe says to work across slopes and never up and down, Champion 100380 says not to use the tiller on a slope over 15 degrees, never to let it freewheel down a slope and that tilling across a slope is not recommended, and MTD, Troy-Bilt Pony and Cub Cadet say to till up and down rather than terracing. If your manual gives no slope instructions, obtain guidance from the manufacturer before using the tiller on a slope.

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.

Sun Joe agrees on the wet side: wet soil tends to stick to the tines and stop proper rotation. Before spring work I squeeze a handful of soil from the plot and wait if it holds its shape.

Wrapped Tines and Jams

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.

The Earthwise manual puts the dislodging after the tines have stopped completely and the tiller is unplugged, the same order as the box. The Sun Joe manual gives no steps for unwrapping roots or vines, and neither tiller has a reverse. After a hard strike, Sun Joe says to let the tiller cool completely and inspect it for damage before restarting, once the full shutdown in the box is done.

Setting Up and Using Either Tiller

A corded tiller does its best work in loose, workable soil, one overlapping row at a time. Before you start, walk the bed and remove rocks, sticks, wire, hose, stakes and anything else the tines could catch or throw.

Using the Sun Joe TJ604E or TJ603E

Both Sun Joe models follow the same steps in their manuals. Before you adjust the wheels, complete the full shutdown for your tiller in the shutdown box above.

1. Set both wheels to the same height: pull the wheel into the position you want, and make sure both wheels are locked before you start.
2. Run the outdoor extension cord up through the handle hole and around the cord restraint hook.
3. Push and hold the safety lock button with your thumb, then squeeze the trigger switch with your fingers, and release the lock button once the tool runs.
4. Hold the tiller with both hands and walk at a normal pace in as straight a line as possible.
5. Till in slightly overlapping rows, first in one direction and then across them.
6. At the end of a row, apply light pressure to the handle to lift the tines and turn the machine around, using the wheels as a guide.
7. To stop, release the trigger and wait until the tines have stopped completely. Before you clear, adjust, move or leave the tiller, complete the full shutdown in the shutdown box above.

I set both wheels to the same height before I plug in, then check them again before the first pass. The turn at the end of a bed that the Sun Joe manual describes is the habit I follow with any wheeled machine.

Using the Earthwise TC70016

Other Earthwise models have their own manuals, so follow yours. The steps below come from the TC70016 manual, and the full shutdown in the shutdown box above comes before any adjustment.

1. Raise the wheel frame before you start the tiller, and lower it only to roll the machine.
2. Guide the cord away from the tines, and never pass the tiller over the extension cord.
3. Grip the center of the handle with your left hand, press the safety lock button with your right hand, then pull the bail wire to the handle.
4. Release the lock button once the motor runs, and hold the bail wire against the handle while you work.
5. Use both hands to grip the handle firmly, because the tines pull the tiller forward, and lower the tines slowly into the soil.
6. To stop, release the bail wire and wait until the tines have stopped completely. Before you clear, adjust, move or leave the tiller, complete the full shutdown in the shutdown box above.

Soil, Moisture and How Much to Till

Extension sources disagree on how much to till at all, and I give both views. Illinois Extension says to dig at least 6 to 10 inches and add a two-to-four-inch layer of compost, and also says tilling destroys soil structure.

Oregon State says mechanical tillage has its place, especially for new beds with high compaction and low organic matter. Iowa State says tilling quickly creates a turf-free area, and also that it can degrade soil structure and bring up weed seeds. Maryland says to aim for a no-till or minimum-till bed.

The research points the same way on structure. Reduced tillage gave higher aggregate stability than conventional tillage on a silt loam in Germany (2). A meta-analysis of 295 US studies found that moving from moldboard ploughing to no-till raised surface wet aggregate stability (3). Those are field results on named soils, so read them as direction, not as a rule for your garden.

Rotary tillage does loosen compacted ground. In a clay loam rice paddy trial in Malaysia, repeated rotary passes lowered bulk density and penetration resistance compared with no-till, and the third pass left the loosest soil (4). That was a large machine in one soil, so it shows only the direction of the effect. After 12 years of four tillage systems in an Italian winter wheat trial with herbicide-based weed control, the tillage system shaped weed seedbank size and composition much more than crop rotation did (5). That is one field trial, so I read it as a reminder that tillage changes where weed seeds sit, not as a promise for a garden bed.

A machine’s depth figure is its own printed maximum in loose soil, never a promise for hard clay and never a depth to aim for. In my orchard I keep tillage to a minimum, limited to the tree-row strips, so a tiller of either brand belongs to the vegetable plot, not to the alleys. My guide on how a garden tiller works explains depth, tines and soil action in more detail.

Care, Warranty and Storage

Before you clean the tines, oil them or put the tiller away, complete the full shutdown for your tiller in the shutdown box above. Sun Joe says to remove soil from the tines and vents with a brush or dry cloth, rub biodegradable oil onto the tines after each use and never hose the machine down. Earthwise says to clean after use, never use a water hose and put light oil on the tines.

After a job I brush the soil off the tines once the power is disconnected, then oil them as the manual says. Never carry the tiller by its cord. Sun Joe says to carry it by the transport handle with the wheels in the transport position, and to store it indoors in a dry, frost-free place. Earthwise says to store the idle unit in a dry place out of children’s reach. I review the TJ604E on its own in my Sun Joe TJ604E tiller review.

Both brands give two years for household use to the original purchaser. Sun Joe’s warranty covers purchases from Snow Joe or an authorized seller and excludes wearing parts such as belts, augers, chains and tines. The Earthwise warranty is limited, is not transferable, and excludes units bought through unauthorized third-party channels. Both are the editions named in the manuals I read: Sun Joe’s 2020 manual and the TC70016 manual dated 10/16/2019.

Which Garden Fits Which Brand

Match the machine to the beds you have and to the outlet nearest them. The two lists below put the brand differences in practical terms. For a longer list of corded and battery machines, my best electric tiller picks cover nine models for garden beds and rows.

Choose Sun Joe If

• You have small beds close to an outlet: the TJ604E and TJ603E share a 16 in maximum width and an 8 in maximum depth.
• You want a set wheel position for the work: both have a transport position and two work positions, and Sun Joe says to set both wheels to the same height.
• You want a hook for the cord: both have a restraint hook on the handle for a looped extension cord.

Choose Earthwise If

• Your beds vary in width: the TC70016 works 16 in wide with six tines or 11 in wide with four.
• You have very small jobs: the TC70025 and TC70090 are smaller units with their own manuals, at 7.5 in and 12 in working widths.
• You accept a motor that cuts out by design: the TC70016 switches off under overload and needs a cool-down before restart.

Safety text is not a reason to buy either brand. Read the safety section above for your own manual, and follow it whichever machine you pick.

Making the Call for Your Beds

Remember three things. Width and depth are ceilings, the shutdown comes before any hand goes near the tines, and each manual’s own rules beat anything printed by another maker. My answer to “what is a garden tiller” covers the types, the parts and the jobs it does well.

My own tip is to measure the cord run from the shed outlet to the far bed before you choose, because that run decides where either machine can work. Next, read the manual for your exact model start to finish, and call 811 before you till ground you do not know. Weigh each bed against the width figures above, and the Sun Joe vs Earthwise tiller choice usually settles itself.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to use a Sun Joe electric tiller?

To use a Sun Joe electric tiller, set both wheels to the same height and lock them, run the outdoor extension cord around the handle’s restraint hook, push and hold the safety lock button, squeeze the trigger and release the lock button once the tines run. Hold the tiller with both hands, walk at a normal pace in as straight a line as possible, till in slightly overlapping rows and release the trigger to stop. Before you clear, adjust, move or leave it, complete the full shutdown for your tiller in the shutdown box above.

How to use an Earthwise tiller?

To use an Earthwise tiller, keep both hands firmly on the handle, because Earthwise says the tines pull the machine forward during operation. In the TC70016 manual you lower the tines slowly into the soil, guide the cord away from the tines and never pass the tiller over the extension cord. Other Earthwise models differ, so follow your own manual, and before you clear, adjust, move or leave the tiller, complete the full shutdown for your tiller in the shutdown box above.

How to start an Earthwise tiller?

To start an Earthwise TC70016, make sure the wheel frame is raised, grip the center of the handle with your left hand, press the safety lock button with your right hand and pull the bail wire to the handle. Release the lock button once the motor runs, and keep the bail wire held against the handle while you work, because releasing it stops the tiller. Other Earthwise models differ, so follow your own manual, and before you adjust or clear anything, complete the full shutdown for your tiller in the shutdown box above.

What is the difference between a Sun Joe 13.5 amp and an Earthwise 8.5 amp electric tiller?

The difference between a Sun Joe 13.5 amp and an Earthwise 8.5 amp electric tiller is the motor rating and the width: the Sun Joe TJ604E is rated at 13.5 A with a 16 in maximum width and an 8 in maximum depth, while the Earthwise 8.5 A tiller manual prints an 11 in working width and the same 8 in maximum depth. An amp rating is current draw, not a power ranking across brands, so it does not decide the choice on its own. Read the manual for your exact model before you compare safety text.

Which has the wider tilling width, the Sun Joe or the Earthwise electric tiller?

The Sun Joe TJ604E, the Sun Joe TJ603E and the Earthwise TC70016 all print a 16 in maximum tilling width, so none of the three is wider than the others. The Earthwise TC70016 also offers an 11 in setting with four tines, while the smaller Earthwise TC70090 is 12 in and the TC70025 is 7.5 in. Width is a maximum for loose soil, never a result you can count on in hard ground.

References

1. Chaturvedi V, Kumar A, Singh JK. Power tiller: vibration magnitudes and intervention development for vibration reduction. Appl Ergon. 2012;43(5):891-901.
2. 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.
3. Nunes MR, Karlen DL, Moorman TB. Tillage intensity effects on soil structure indicators: a US meta-analysis. Sustainability. 2020;12(5):2071.
4. 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.
5. Barberi P, Lo Cascio B. Long-term tillage and crop rotation effects on weed seedbank size and composition. Weed Res. 2001;41(4):325-340.

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.