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Deal with fallen limb and trimmed leave easily and expeditiously with these top picks .
In This Article
Better Homes & Gardens
If your out-of-door space is fill with greenery , including trees and bushes , you ’re no stranger to fallen and cut leaf , branches , and other leafage all over your yard . While you could always load down it up into a food waste pocketbook , chipper shredder can effortlessly chop up up the smaller branches , sprig , and leaves , and call on them into wood silicon chip and nutrient - rich mulch .
“ When shopping for a chipper shredder , there are three chief thing to look for : the case of power , the content ratio , and its ability to vacuum , ” saysStefan Bucur , horticulture and landscaping expert , and proprietor of Rhythm of the Home . “ Ask yourself whether you are chipping just humble twigs and leaves or larger offshoot , and whether you will be using it just seasonally or all year - round , ” she says .
Credit:Better Homes & Gardens
To learn about the most important factor to consider when shopping for the skilful chipper shredder for every type of garden and landscaping need , we spoke to Bucur andKatie Burdett , owner of modern sustainable bread and butter site Growing With Gertie . We personally tested out several chipper shredder in veridical - world conditions , and assess them for their repose of use , powerfulness , size , weight , and overall value for money .
What We Tested
To ascertain the best chipper shredder we value several models on their power , sizing , and weight . For more selective information on how we tested chipper shredder , check outour testing processbelow .
Our Top Picks
Best Gas
Power King Gas Powered Commercial Chipper Shredder Kit
It ’s potent and can handle leg up to 5 inches in diam . Plus , it also has a large provender chute for gentle wood insertion .
It does n’t number with a bag for collecting the wood chips .
If you ’re in need of a dynamical machine to help you clean up a heavily wooded yard , Power King ’s accelerator pedal Powered Commercial Chipper Shredder Kit wo n’t disappoint . Built for professional use , this chipper shredder can easy handle smaller 1 - inch - diam branches and bulkier logs with 5 - inch diameters .
Credit: Home Depot
This model has a powerful 14HP Kohler engine that fleetly draw in the offset we put into its wide chute during examination . That being said , we did notice a small lag with teetotal logs over 4 inches in diameter .
During examination , we found that using the motorcar was simple than assembling it . The very secure promotional material ( a wooden crate with metal reinforcements ) was a job to break in into , and the instructions omitted a couple of vital step . It was also a two - soul job due to the motorcar ’s size of it and humongous 430 - Syrian pound weight .
When we put it all together , we were impressed with its mellow - quality structure , but , as expected , its heft meant it was hard to manoeuvre . We highly commend adding the wheelbase , which create it much prosperous to maneuver . Thankfully , we did n’t necessitate to move the chipper around too much ; we just lay it near the woodwind piles , and lend them to the machine .
Credit: Better Homes & Gardens
Once this chipper gets going , it ’s very easy to practice . Other than feeding the Sir Henry Joseph Wood in , and standing out of the room to avoid the kickback , there was nothing else to do until the machine was finish . However , we had to manually pick up the chips as no collection bag was cater .
This unit produce uniform wood french-fried potatoes that were idealistic for mulching or cut back the size of the dust for easy disposition . Despite slowing down slenderly when working on orotund branches , it still chip them up to perfection .
Safety geartrain was included with the machine — gloves , goggles , and learn protection — but we did n’t think the tone of these items play off the quality of the machine . There ’s also an emergency stop for added safety .
Overall , we think the Power King chipper shredder is a worthwhile investing for those who need serious chipping capabilities . While it ’s more expensive than other options , the prison term and effort saved on clearing debris are deserving it , specially compare to hire a standardized machine that can be around $ 100 an hour .
Product Details : Dimensions:65 x 47 x 54 in . |Power:14 HP |Power Type : Gas |Maximum Diameter Capacity:5.75 in . |Reduction Ratio:10:1
Key Terms to Know
Best Corded Electric
Earthwise Electric Chipper with Collection Bin
It ’s lightweight , easy to move around , and effective at chipping both green and dried branch .
It ’s not as good at shredding leave-taking .
For homeowners with smaller grand , we commend the Earthwise GS70015 Chipper . This model is an well-fixed - to - use chipper that can serve you quickly make clean up your garden . Plus , it ’s also a less expensive choice .
During examination , set it up was a breeze — gathering take away about 20 minutes and was square . Its galvanic design means all you have to do is plug away it into an outlet to get pop , but you ’ll more than likely postulate an extension phone corduroy — its only limitation when it come to portability .
The chipper is mostly plastic and we take down that it feel a small flimsy and cheap . However , its compact and lightweight construction made it effortless to move around the yard and store in a garage or shed .
Its title of a 12:1 debris - reduction ratio seems fairly accurate . During testing , the machine abbreviate green and browned branch of up to 3 in in diameter into usable mulch effortlessly . The controls are simple and intuitive , with an on / off electrical switch , and a racing circuit breaker reset button that helped with occasional jam .
While the chipper ’s blades well contend with straight stick , we noticed that it would sometimes choke on fork branches . It also took a long time to get through leaves , mostly bow and fold rather than shredding them .
The chipper shredder comes with a functional credit card assemblage bin that slue in and out on a cut under the machine . The lack of a latch to guarantee the bin in place meant that it vibrated out of place a few time , especially when it was on uneven ground , but this was n’t a dealbreaker .
Like most chipper shredders , the machine is loud so hearing protective cover is necessary . For safety gadget , the machine includes a push stick for fertilise material into the sword . You still want to take surplus care , though , because the flaps cover the blade opening could be fight apart with a hand .
This machine is perfect for cleanup after spring pruning projects , such as cutting back holly trees or other outgrowth . It ’s a capital addition to your gardening tool arsenal during drought experimental condition when burning branches is n’t an choice . While it ’s good for chip off rather than shredding , and wo n’t be able to supercede a heavy - obligation or multipurpose shredder , we think the Earthwise GS70015 is an effective answer for light splintering chore .
merchandise inside information : Dimensions:18 x 42 x 24 in . |Power:15 HP |Power Type : Electric |Maximum Diameter Capacity:1.75 in . |Reduction Ratio:15:1
The Bottom Line
Ease of use
Design
Performance
Our Testing Process
To get up with our list of the best chipper shredders , we tested several of the most popular exemplar on the market place in real - world term , appraise each model on ease of setup , design , build quality , performance , usability , maneuverability , safety gadget , and features . We began by unboxing and assembling each chipper shredder , noting how long and how well-fixed or complex it was to do so . We also noted how helpful the included instructions were . We rack up portability based on how soft each political machine was to move around the yard and salt away away after use .
We put the machine to act upon to see how they performed on both green and ironic materials ( leaf , twigs , and branch ) and how well they reduced the debris into chip or mulch . We noted how expeditiously each political machine pulled in and processed the material , pay picky attention to outgrowth size limitations or any jamming .
randomness point were measure by whether we feel we needed get a line protection or not ( in most cases this was a necessity ) , and any safety features , like sentry duty , emergency stops , or overload protections were also assessed .
in conclusion , if a collection bag or binful came with the machine , we tested out how easy these could be bind / come off and emptied , and how often this was require .
What to Know About Chipper Shredders Before Shopping
Dimensions and Power
Chipper shredders are large point and they can be between 20 to 70 inches in height or length , depending on whether their intent is upright or horizontal , and anywhere between 15 and 50 inch in width .
gaseous state chipper shredders typically have a horsepower of around 6 to 14 horsepower , whereas electric models can be rated anywhere from 13 to 16 adenylic acid .
“ In terms of dimensions and horsepower , the linguistic rule of thumb is that the bigger the chipper shredder is , the more horsepower it will be capable to produce , ” Bucur read .
It ’s worth mark that bigger chipper shredders will usually cost more upfront , and they will also have a higher consumption of gas on every ravel .
“ This can negatively affect your cost output especially if you require to save money by switching your home ’s heating system production on mulch derivative , ” say Bucur . “ If you do n’t have a expectant land or garden , it is sound to be conservative with the dimensions and HP of the chipper shredder you plan on purchasing . ”
Power Type
forest chipper shredder can either be powered by electricity or gasoline , and the big difference between them is the power output . While petrol - power models are more brawny , both choice have benefit depending on your needs .
It ’s deserving noting , too , that gas chipper shredders have a lot more maintenance needs than galvanic shredder . In addition to blade sharpening ( which should also be done annually or around every 25 hour or use ) and clearing off stuck - on rubble — both of which are necessary with electric models , too — gas shredders necessitate crude drain and change , and check for corroded spark plugs , and clogged airwave filters .
Maximum Capacity
The maximal capacity state on each chipper shredder ’s product verbal description touch on to the largest sizing arm or debris you may put in it . There is no maximal load content as the machine chews up the dust and immediately releases it when it ’s chopped up .
“ Chippers and shredder will have prophylactic equipment built in that only grant the maximum size of it branch that the simple machine can handle , ” Burdett sound out .
Reduction Ratio
A chipper shredder ’s reduction ratio lets you love how fine the grain of the produced mulch will be . The high the ratio , the finer the mulch or wood chips . For instance , a 15:1 reducing ratio means that the machine will turn over 10 bagful of debris into one udder of mulch .
The ratio you opt for could depend on whether you need to make all right mulch , or turgid Ellen Price Wood chips todecorate a path , for example .
Other Chipper Shredders We Tested
Champion Power Equipment Upright Gas Powered Wood Chipper Shredder
With its stocky , upright design , bombastic wheels , and humiliated center of mass , theChampion Power Equipment Gas - Powered Wood Chipper Shredderis promiscuous to assemble and maneuver , and a good choice for light - tariff labor . It effectively chipped dry material and smaller branch up to 1.5 inches in diameter , but would often jampack with moist parting and non - consecutive branches .
part it up was n’t as easy as some other models — it has a unmanageable clout - cord mechanism and its innovation was prone to fee over when we pull out it . The included collection bag , while useful , does n’t secure properly and frequently detach during use . The chipper ’s bolts were also of low quality and prone to shearing , making it hard to justify its $ 700 Mary Leontyne Price tag .
GreatCircleUSA Wood Chipper Shredder
TheGreatCircleUSA Wood Chipper Shredderis a virtual selection for anyone after an low-cost , unveiling - tier motorcar for reducing fallen branch and other tree debris into a mix of pulverize woodwind instrument and tear up funnies . During testing , we institute that it execute well on both green and dry materials , especially with its side branch feeder , which handles uncoiled branches of up to 3 in in diam .
If the branches were n’t entirely uncoiled , however , the machine would jam , and the top collection bin need manual alimentation as it struggled with small-scale stuff . put it together was also quite the challenge due to bolts that needed a quite a little of effort to tighten . Despite these drawbacks , this chipper is easy to start and move around thanks to its two ready to hand wheel , plus it has a tough build and a fairly sensible price period for the efficiency it offer .
Your Questions, Answered
How does a chipper shredder differ from a chipper?
The principal difference between a chipper and a chipper shredder is that a chipper is design for woody material , while a shredder can handle more plant issue , like dry out leaves . Overall , it ’s all down to how their blade and internal machinery bankrupt down the material .
A chipper will just break the wood into small pieces but it wo n’t tear up it into mulch like a chipper shredder . A chipper is also bigger than a chipper shredder and can handle much larger tree limbs.
“ Chippers are mainly used for breaking down gravid quantities of wood and used in commercial-grade options , while chipper shredders are design for belittled branches , debris , and leaves and are commonly used in garden and yards , ” says Bucur . “ Homeowners use shredders to come off the branch , as well as tear up them for heating up their home using mulch , and use them for compost . So out of the two , chipper shredders are the ideal ones for residential use . ”
What should you avoid putting in a chipper shredder?
Burdett advises avoiding putting " fleeceable " material or anything with lots of moisture into the chipper shredder . “ This can make clogging and harm to the simple machine , ” she says . Other items to avoid putting in a chipper shredder are anything super laborious and dull , like rocks or very hard woods .
“ Ideally , you want to avoid bestow chemical element or material inside that are not made of woodwind instrument , ” articulate Bucur . “ Within pocket-size debris , like a pile of leaves , sometimes rocks can be buried under the leaves , and can damage the blades , the replacement of which can be very meter - consume and expensive. ”
Overall , you ’ll want to be aware when adding detritus to your chipper shredder to extend the biography of your blades . “ You also do n’t want to use the chipper shredder for rubber or butcher waste , ” say Bucur . “ This will mumble up the blades and will make your chipper shredder more or less useless . ”
Burdett accent the grandness of safety when using a chipper shredder . “ verify to pluck up a pair of condom glasses and ear protective cover at the same time as buy your chipper / shredder , ” she pronounce . And never seek to bump any twigs or branches from the machine while it ’s running .
How should you store a chipper shredder?
The best place to salt away a chipper shredder is in a protected computer memory field like a garden shed , garage , or barn . “ It is important to put in it indoors to annul water damage and rusting collection on the blades , ” Bucur say .
While cold atmospheric condition alone wo n’t cause any issues to your chipper shredder , it might take a while for a gas simulation to get going in the winter . “ You might want to give a accelerator - powered chipper shredder a couple of seconds to warm up after extended exposure to frigid temperature before you present the wood inside the blade , ” Bucur say .
Who We Are
This clause was written byKat de Naoum , who has over 12 years of DoC writing experience . de Naoum has been writing about lawn charge and outdoor tools forBetter Homes & Gardenssince 2021 .
For this article , we in person tested and reviewed multiple chipper shredders , researching divisor such as each political machine ’s HP , dimensions , index type , and maximal load capability . Kat also spoke toStefan Bucur , gardening and landscape gardening expert , and possessor of Rhythm of the Home , andKatie Burdett , proprietor of modern sustainable living site turn With Gertie .
What is BHG Recommends?
Next to all of the products on this list , you may have discover our BHG Recommends seal of favorable reception . Products that earn the seal have been put through rigorous testing to verify they ’re deserving a patch in your menage . We buy most of the products we test ourselves , but occasionally we are provided sample distribution by troupe if buying is n’t an option . In these cases , we apply the same examination criteria we use to test the purchased product .
Credit: Amazon
Credit: Better Homes & Gardens
Credit:Better Homes & Gardens
Credit:Better Homes & Gardens
