Since we have a strong philosophical preference towards electric tools, we use GreenWorks 27072. We've had this tiller for four years and used it to cultivate over 1500 sqft of compacted clay lawn 8 in deep.

I have no serious experience with any small tiller. However, I wonder why any tiller would be needed for a raised bed? I would expect it/them to be small and filled with loose soil that should not require tilling more than just yanking old plants out and whacking them on the raised bed to free the remaining soil.

I don't know what specific model #s for Mantis refer to but I'm on my second Mantis in about 20 years now and they are very useful for chopping up last years plant roots and distributing compost and soil conditioners into the deep soil. That said, it's not something you have to do every year because it disturbs the soil community of beneficial critters.

If your raised beds were made from existing soils , taking the excess from the walkways to add to the height of the raised bed then that soil is only needing a spading fork to loosen it and turn it over. Much the same way a farmer turns over his rows to break the soil crust in prep for planting. Some will use a fast turning tiller to break up and turn under cover crops.

Using a tiller of any sort in a raised bed is difficult to do from outside the bed. From within it, you defeat the soil loosening by standing on it. You also need to wait for the soil to settle or what rain you do get will drain too quickly and draw away the nutrients from compost and any lime/fertilizers.

Electric tools, I like also . But they aren't going to have the power to churn through deep plowpan that a gas model has the ability to do. Still, that is something you do once on old farmland that is now sprouting new houses.

The soft almost powdery consistency of highspeed rototilled soil makes you feel like you could plant anything with just your bare hands. The following year it's back to its native state and all it needs is a good spading fork.

Thank you all for the helpful comments...