Tier B — Petrol garden tiller Garden tiller
Hortmasz HGS 900
The Hortmasz HGS 900 is the bigger of this Polish maker's two main tillers — a 91 kg machine on a 212 cc OHV engine rated at 5.4 KM (4.0 kW). A geared 2 forward + 1 reverse transmission (no belt) drives a rotor that widens from 80 to 100 cm, and it ships on 4.00-8" rubber wheels so it doubles as a light micro-tractor for a plough. Engine class, the 80–100 cm width, 2+1 gearing and 91 kg weight are verified from Hortmasz's own spec sheet; the price is an indicative figure converted from the roughly 1,576–1,939 zł Polish retail price.
Indicative price
£270–£330
Specifications verified. The specifications here have been checked against the manufacturer's published figures and/or dealer listings. The price is still sourced from dealer quotes — confirm it against a live quote before you buy.
Who it's for
Best for: Polish smallholders wanting a wide, heavy geared tiller that converts to a ploughing micro-tractor on medium to large plots.
Strengths
- Wide 80–100 cm rotor clears ground fast
- All-gear drive (no belt) with 2 forward speeds plus reverse
- Rubber 4.00-8" wheels included for transport and ploughing
- Backed by a Polish maker's dealer and parts network
Trade-offs
- At 91 kg it is heavy to manhandle and turn
- Generic 212 cc engine rather than a premium brand
- Sold almost only in Poland
Where the HGS 900 sits in the Hortmasz range
Hortmasz, based in Skierniewice and trading since 1982, builds two main tillers, and the HGS 900 is the bigger, heavier one. The HGS 6580 L runs a 196 cc Loncin engine rated slightly higher at 5.6 hp, with a belt-and-chain drive, a rotor set to 28, 50 or 90 cm and a weight of 64 kg. The HGS 900 goes the other way: a 212 cc OHV engine rated 5.4 hp, an all-gear 2 forward plus 1 reverse transmission with no belt, an 80–100 cm rotor and 91 kg. The price gap is modest, around £270–330 here against £205–255.
So the choice between them is not really about engine power, which is close. It is about drive and mass. The 6580 L is the one to lift, carry and steer down narrow rows; the HGS 900 is the one for open ground, for heavier soil and for pulling a plough on its rubber wheels. If you cannot decide, think about storage and transport first: the gap between 64 and 91 kg is felt every time the machine goes in or out of the shed.
Gears, weight and the plough option
A geared drive with no belt removes the commonest wear item on budget tillers: there is no belt to slip when the rotor meets a stone or to stretch over a few seasons. Two forward speeds let you take a slower gear for heavy work and a quicker one for finishing passes, and reverse makes 91 kg manageable when you run out of room against a fence. Note that 5.4 hp is a rated figure; some sellers print bigger headline numbers for 212 cc engines, so compare like with like.
The supplied 4.00-8 rubber wheels are what make it more than a rotavator. On wheels the HGS 900 works as a light micro-tractor, and that is how Hortmasz pitches it for ploughing on medium to large plots. Check whether the listing you are looking at includes a plough and hitch rather than assuming it does; our rotavator vs plough guide explains when ploughing is worth the extra step over simply tilling.
Getting one in the UK
Hortmasz sells through its own stores and a dealer and spare-parts network in Poland, and the price on this page is an indicative conversion from Polish retail of roughly 1,576–1,939 zł, not a UK quote. A UK buyer realistically orders from a Polish online seller willing to ship a 91 kg crate, or brings one back in a van. Add freight, any import charges and handling to the Polish price, and expect warranty claims to go back to the seller in Poland.
The engine is a generic 212 cc OHV single, which in principle a UK small-engine repairer can keep running with pattern carburettor, filter and recoil parts. Gearbox and rotor parts are another matter and come through the Polish parts network. On a used machine, check that all three gears select cleanly under load, that no oil is weeping from the gearbox or rotor seals, that the tines are full length and that the wheel hubs are not worn loose from ploughing.
Who should look elsewhere
At 91 kg the HGS 900 is wrong for raised beds, small back gardens or anyone who has to lift it into a car. It is also hard to justify if you only ever rotavate an allotment that is already in good heart; the lighter HGS 6580 L, or a UK-stocked tiller with a local warranty from our budget rotavator guide, will do that job with less effort and less hassle. The HGS 900 makes sense for a self-reliant grower with a large plot who wants one inexpensive geared machine that both tills and ploughs.
Specifications
| Category | Garden tiller |
|---|---|
| Type | Mid-mounted · Petrol garden tiller |
| Power source | Petrol |
| Engine | Hortmasz 212 cc OHV petrol, 4-stroke (5.4 KM / 4.0 kW rated) |
| Power output | 5.4 hp / 4 kW |
| Working width | 100 cm |
| Weight | 91 kg |
| Status | Current model |
| Indicative price | £270–£330 |
| Price basis | Dealer quote |
Mid-mounted machine. Width and weight determine how much ground you cover and how manoeuvrable it is — heavier machines bite harder but ask more of you to turn and transport.
HGS 900 — your questions
Can the Hortmasz HGS 900 pull a plough?
Yes, that is part of its design. It ships on 4.00-8 rubber wheels so it can work as a light micro-tractor with a plough behind it, using the geared 2 forward plus 1 reverse drive. Check whether the plough and hitch come with the machine or are sold separately, and expect a 5.4 hp machine to plough best in soil that is workable rather than baked hard.
Hortmasz HGS 900 or HGS 6580 L?
Pick the HGS 900 for a large plot, heavier ground and ploughing: it has the all-gear 2+1 drive, an 80–100 cm rotor and 91 kg to keep it in the soil. Pick the HGS 6580 L for gardens with rows and beds: it is 64 kg, sets to 28, 50 or 90 cm and costs less, but uses a belt-and-chain drive with a single working speed.
