Garden soil chopper. A necessary tool for a summer resident: an electric garden branch chopper. Garden shredder "Bison"

The advantages of this type of shredders include:

1. Easy to maintain.
2. Light weight making it easy to carry.
3. Low noise.
4. High degree of environmental friendliness, no harmful emissions into the atmosphere.

The disadvantages of such devices include:

1. Attachment to the power source causes the need for multi-meter extension cords.
2. Less power compared to gasoline-powered shredder models.
3. Short operating cycle – up to 25 minutes.
4. Inability to use in rainy weather.
5. If there is no power, the device cannot be used.
6. Power surges can cause equipment failure.

When choosing a particular model of electric shredder, you should pay attention to: the type of blade system and engine power, functionality, and dimensions of the device.

The electric garden shredder is equipped with one of two blade systems:

1. Disc knife system - a disc with 2 or more steel knives, capable of processing grass, stems, leaves, thin branches. It should be taken into account that when chopping dry branches, disc blades quickly become dull.

2. Milling knife system - a solid cast gear with the function of automatically tightening plant debris, capable of processing even dry branches up to 4.5 cm thick.

Attention! Grass and leaves often get stuck in devices with a milling blade system, so it is better to process them on shredders with disc blades.

Types of Garden Shredders

Due to their technical characteristics, shredders are divided into types:

• household;
• semi-professional;
• professional.

Household shredders, with a power of up to 1.6 kW and a weight of up to 20 kg, are designed for processing vegetable waste in small quantities. Equipped with a disk knife system, ideally made of hardened steel. This equipment has a plastic body and successfully copes with grass and branches whose diameter does not exceed 2.5 cm.

Attention! Household shredders are not designed for frequent use; they cannot withstand heavy loads and do not have additional functions.

Semi-professional shredders are equipped with engines with a power of 2.5 kW and a milling cutting unit that can cope with grass, dry plant tops and branches whose diameter does not exceed 3.5 cm.

Professional shredders are powerful devices that can handle larger volumes while operating for longer periods of time. Thanks to the presence of a powerful motor (up to 4 kW) and a milling-type cutting mechanism, these devices are capable of processing branches with a diameter of 6-7 cm.

Professional shredders are equipped with additional functions: automatic retraction of material, the ability to process plant waste into mulch, reverse, selectable degree of crushing and are excellent for use on farms.

Manufacturers, models, reviews

The best manufacturers of garden shredders are:

• German company Bosch;
• Austrian company Viking;
• Swedish company Stiga;
• German company AL-KO;
• American company PATRIOT.

The top three models of garden shredders are:

1. Bosch AXT 25 TC

The Bosch AXT 25 TC electric garden shredder has a beautiful design and high performance. Low noise, powerful (2.5 kW), compact. The cutting unit is rotary, grinds soft debris and branches up to 45 mm. Equipped with a shovel-shaped pusher and an automatic garbage retraction function, reverse. Productivity - 230 kg/h.

From reviews of the Bosch AXT 25 TC shredder: “It’s not cheap, but it more than earns its money’s worth, grinding 2 trees into chips in 40 minutes. It chops thin and thick sticks, up to 5 cm, with virtually no vibration.”

2. Viking GE 250

Thanks to its mobility and functionality, this shredder is very popular among gardeners. Equipped with a 2.5 kW motor, a wide funnel, a cutting disc with 2 knives and two pre-shredding knives.

From reviews of the Viking GE 250 shredder: “I’ve been using the GE 250 for 2 years. A universal unit that grinds everything: corn stalks, raspberry branches, grass, weeds. I bought a special spring cylindrical basket for collecting garbage - it’s very convenient, nothing falls apart. I couldn't be happier with the car."

3. AL-KO MH 2800

The inexpensive 2.8 kW shredder is designed for processing stems and branches up to 42 mm thick. The body is made of plastic and equipped with wheels. The cutting unit is a high-speed disc knife with 2 steel blades.

From reviews of the AL-KO MH 2800 shredder: “I bought this shredder for processing cut branches. During the year of operation I did not experience any problems with it, so I am very pleased with the car. He copes well with freshly cut branches, even branchy ones, and only gets nervous when he comes across dry ones.”

The following tips from experts will help you choose the optimal device for processing plant waste:

1. The presence of an inclined cone-shaped funnel makes servicing the chopper easier.
2. The presence of a special pusher speeds up work and makes it safe.
3. Equipping with a speed adjustment function will allow you to select the optimal size of processed waste: large, medium and small fractions.
4. The presence of 2 options for feeding garbage: on the one hand - for large branches, on the other hand - for small debris, will make using the equipment more convenient.
5. The presence of pre-crushing knives increases the service life of the unit and simplifies its operation. Equipping with a reverse option will help you cope with the problem of debris getting stuck.
6. The shredder will be more comfortable to use if it is equipped with wheels, additional funnels, a height control function, and has a low noise level.
7. The selected device must meet all necessary requirements and quality standards and must be equipped with a protection system. In addition, the unit must be equipped with instructions, additional knives and replacement parts.

How to choose a garden shredder - video

The result of using the shredder

Spring and autumn are the time to work in the garden. In spring, fruit and flowering trees and shrubs are pruned. In the fall, it is necessary to prepare the garden for winter: remove dry grass, faded parts of plants, fallen leaves and pruned branches of flowers and shrubs preparing for shelter. Both seasons produce debris from branches and roots, and for those who have their own plot of land, cleanliness in the garden is important.

Sometimes you need to clear a large area of ​​unnecessary trees

Garden electric or gasoline shredders solve the problem of eliminating unnecessary branches, turning them into small remains. Such crushed waste can be added to compost or removed in bags from the site.

A good gardener's assistant is an electric branch chopper

Schematic diagram of the operation of a garden shredder of branches and grass

The basis of the work of any garden shredder occurs thanks to the coordinated operation of its mechanism. There is no need to worry about injuries associated with hands and clothing getting into the bunker, since there is protection for this. Branches are loaded into the funnel, which are crushed inside with a milling cutter or knives. The cutter processes large pieces of wood debris, and the knives process small twigs. Thanks to a gasoline or electric motor, the knives quickly and easily chop branches into chips. The action of a shredder is similar to a meat grinder.

Branch chopper

The more power the shredder has, the higher the productivity. Devices with low power will not cope with branches 5 cm thick or more.

ADVICE!

If your plot is small, it is better to purchase an electric model, since a powerful petrol model will require branches not only from yours, but also from neighboring plots.

All recycled waste is poured either into a specially attached bag at the bottom of the device, or scattered on the ground, depending on the adjustable scattering height.

Types of Garden Shredders

Garden shredders are divided into gasoline and electric. The difference is not only in the type of engine, but also in power: if processing of large parts of wood is required, then a gasoline or diesel engine is preferable, and for the needs of the average garden plot, an electric crusher for branches and wood chips will suffice. Shredders are also divided into household, semi-professional and professional.

Gasoline wood chippers

The petrol engine of a wood chipper has its own advantages. Since the power of such a device is higher, the processing of wood waste occurs faster. The thickness of the branches may be greater than what an electric shredder can grind. An additional advantage is freedom of movement; if desired, you can install such a unit anywhere, whereas moving an electric one will require a solid extension cord.

There are some complications when using a gasoline garden shredder. Such a mechanism should be operated correctly, monitor filters, spark plugs, and also refuel. High-tech diesel engines, compared to gasoline engines, can operate longer, but are much more expensive. The dimensions of such shredders are rather large, so they are practically not used in everyday life.

Gasoline shredders

Electric garden shredders

Unlike gasoline shredders, an electric shredder is smaller in weight and size. Such a device is easier to move around the site. The low power is quite sufficient for gardening work in the country. Branches up to 4 cm thick are easily processed; the shredder can also handle thin grapevines, plant debris and grass.

No skills are required to operate an electric shredder. The need to operate from an electrical network may cause inconvenience. The extension cord will have to be pulled through the entire area, so in wet weather it is better not to carry out work on processing parts of trees and bushes.

Electric garden shredder, mobile and lightweight

Main technical characteristics of shredders

The body of the device can be made of plastic, metal, or a combination of materials. A metal device is heavier, so moving it is somewhat more difficult than a plastic one. The wheels can be narrow, which is inconvenient when driving on the ground, so it is better to choose models with sufficiently wide wheels. Some shredders are equipped with engine blocking in case of accidental starting, noise reduction, automatic branch feeding, and blade speed adjustment.

Engine type and power

The higher the power, the better and faster the process of grinding wood parts. Engines can have a power of 1.5, 3 and 6−9 kW. Accordingly, the processed diameter of branches is up to 25, 40, 60−100 mm.

The weight difference is noticeable: up to 20, 40 and more than 100 kg. The price increases depending on the power level. If the garden plot is small and there are no trees with thick branches, then you should not spend money on a very powerful unit.

Type of cutting part

The main cutting tool can be circular knives or milling systems. A shredder with disk carbide blades is used primarily for small branches, thin vines, grass and leaves. Thick or dry branches can quickly dull knives.

Shredder knives are capable of processing large volumes of wood residues

Screw knives in shredders work like a meat grinder. Shredded waste is a mass of wood chips. A milling system with carbide knives on a drum is much more productive, as it is capable of turning large pieces of wood up to 10 cm thick into chips. The best shredders pull in the branches using a special mechanism. The high-strength alloy of the cutter gear with different tooth configurations easily copes with dry branches, but it is difficult for it to cut fresh ones.

Turbine cutters do not contain teeth, but knives, located with a slight inclination to the axis of rotation. These shredders easily grind both dry and fresh branches. Such shredders are much more expensive.

Review of the main manufacturers: choosing quality

The market for garden branch shredders offers units with differences in size, power, and quality of blades. The editors of the site propose to consider a list of popular manufacturers of garden shredders by country of manufacture and brand:

• Germany: Bosch, Ikra Mogatec, Alko;
• Austria: Viking;
• Slovenia: "Sadko";
• Sweden: Stiga;
• Russia: "Zubr".

Each brand has its own differences, work resources and price. Some manufacturers specialize in shredders for large-diameter wood debris, while others specialize in small garden debris.

Garden shredder "Viking"

VIKING specializes in cutting and shredding petrol and electric shredders. An interesting universal device that not only shreds wood waste, but also saws thick branches. The VIKING company offers a low-noise shredder that is convenient to work with in a summer cottage, even near a residential building. Such a shredder cannot cope with stumps, but grinds branches up to 35 mm into small chips.

A special feature of Viking shredders is two holes for feeding different types of waste. Gasoline-powered shredders cut through stumps, limbs and other garden debris. Quite convenient when working with thick grape vines. Compared to electric shredders, gasoline models are more mobile and easier to use.

Shredder "Viking"

Garden shredder "Bosch"

The world famous brand “Bosch”, whose devices are of high quality, has given its shredders a pleasant green color. The cost of units of this brand is an order of magnitude higher than that of competitive brands, but the service life and ease of use justify the price difference. Powerful components and high-quality assembly allow you to work not only with small plant waste, but also with large branches. Many Bosch models are equipped with the Turbine-Cut system, which guarantees top-level performance. Grass collector - on average 50 liters of waste.

Shredder "BOSCH": quality is beyond praise

Many machines are equipped with a raw material retraction function and improved cutting rollers. BOSCH units are safe to operate, since spontaneous activation after a breakdown or accident is excluded. Shredders from the German brand “BOSCH RAPID” are light in weight, have wide, comfortable wheels and are relatively inexpensive. All shredders of this brand are easy to disassemble and clean.

Garden shredder "Bison"

An hour after you start working with the Russian-made Zubr wood shredder, you will have a mountain of ground wood on your site, which is convenient to immediately send to compost. About 120 kg of waste per hour with a noise level of less than 98 dB make the Zubr models in demand and popular.

Chopper "Bison"

The wheels of the “Zubrov” are very maneuverable and comfortable. This shredder is easy to move even with its considerable weight. Zubr devices are easy to fold and store in any room, provided they are protected from moisture and dampness. The market offers two models of electric shredder of this brand.

The 1.6 kW power of the compact ZIE model (45 mm) is suitable for areas with berry fields. The large size of the branches is beyond the capabilities of such a unit. The wheels of the device are large, which allows you to move around the entire area with convenience and ease without getting stuck in the ground.

ADVICE!

“Bison” perfectly grinds all the mown grass, which can be used as mulch or sent to animal feed.

The second model ZIE (65 mm) has a power of 2.5 kW and grinds branches up to 65 mm thick. The waste collection tank is impressive. The additional reverse function can be used for better grinding of raw materials.

"Zubr" ZIE

Zubr shredders have three safety systems, which force you to quickly turn off the entire system in case of some errors. These include incorrect position of the raw material receiver, overheating or overload of the engine, and a power outage at the site. “Bison”, with their relatively low power, are quite productive and quickly cope with large volumes of wood residues. The models themselves are very stable during the grinding process. If you decide to buy a Zubr electric garden shredder, then a pleasant bonus is a five-year official warranty.

Branch chopper “Lux”

Electric shredders “LUX” are classified as household shredders, however, the 2.5 kW motor is very powerful, and the blade system ensures the shredding of numerous branches, thin vines and tops in a short time. It's nice that the work process is almost silent.

Garden shredders “Lux”

Garden shredder "Elitech"

The work of Elitech garden shredders is fast, easy, and they can easily deal with branches up to 40 mm thick. Devices with a power of 2.5 kW have a steel blade system. You don't have to worry about overheating during prolonged use or spontaneous startup. The low price allows you to purchase Elitech garden shredders for working in a small summer cottage.

Garden shredders "Elitech"

How to choose an electric garden branch chopper

If you are planning to make your work easier and solve the problem of wood and plant residues, then it’s time to buy a garden shredder. Here are questions to ask yourself before you go shopping for a shredder:

1. How much work do I have at my dacha? The answer to this question will clarify how much machine power you require.
2. How finely would you like to process wood residues? You can choose an adjustable blade rotation speed. Some shredder models are equipped with this mechanism.
3. Is noise important to me while I work, and will it disturb my family or neighbors? If the answer is yes, then you need to pay attention to the noise reduction parameter.
4. Do I need an increased level of security? If yes, then you can purchase a device with a function to block unscheduled startup.

ADVICE!

Models with reverse not only grind waste better, but also self-clean during operation.

Rating of the best models of garden shredders

If you want to buy an electric garden shredder, then it’s time to check out the rating of the best models.

Brand, mark	power, kWt	Productivity, kg/h	Branch diameter, mm	Weight, kg	Rating according to the site editors, point
Bosch AXT 2000 RAPID	2	80	35	11,5	4,2/5
Elitech IVS 2400	2,4	85	40	13,26	4,0/5
Bison ZIE-44-2800	2,8	100	44	20	4,9/5
Lux with storage	2,5	85	45	15	4,6/5
Stiga BIO Master 2200	2,2	85	40	15	4,6/5
VIKING GE 355.1	2,5	90	35	30	4,7/5

How to make a chopper with your own hands: drawings, video

If you wish, you can make your own wood chipper. Of course, you will need to prepare the necessary components:

• the power of the electric motor that you want to put on the crusher should be about 2 kW, an angle grinder will do;
• milling cutter or ten circular saws with a diameter of 200 mm;
• the axis or circle of steel must correspond to the size of the place where the circular saws will be located;
• washers 5-7 mm thick that will separate the discs;
• engine belt;
• metal profile pipes;
• sheet metal;
• the working hopper is made of 5 mm steel sheet, and for the guide bell the sheet thickness is 2-3 mm;
• It is better to choose wheels with a wide rim; these can be removed from an old cart;
• the set of tools consists of a drill, grinder, welding machine, fasteners and some others.

The working body consists of saws and a rotating element. To do this, the bearings are mounted on a stud, and then the structure is welded to the frame. A metal block is placed on it to support the branches.

A welding machine and metal profile pipes are useful for the frame, and sheet metal for the protective casing. The receiving tank is also made from it. All that remains is to assemble the remaining components by connecting the engine and the working element using a belt. The wheels are attached last.

For convenience, we suggest watching a video on how to make a branch chopper with your own hands:

Market overview: prices for garden electric wood chippers, stores

Buying a crusher for garden work is a serious matter, because a high-quality device will last for many years. The range of shredders is quite large. The minimum price offered by online stores is 8,500 rubles for the PATRIOT PT SE 24 model. The average price for an electric shredder with a power of up to 2.8 kW with a weight of 12 to 35 kg and a processed thickness of branches with a diameter of 35−45 mm is 15- 20 thousand rubles. There are also more expensive models. The price consists of the brand, brand, weight of the device, power and additional functions.

Before purchasing a shredder, it is best to keep in mind that garden shredders are designedfor recycling branches, thick tops (such as corn, sunflower). It will not be possible to chop large volumes of grass using a shredder; it will wrap around the knives and clog the unit. And the soil from the roots of plants dulls knives.Therefore, you should not choose a shredder only for grass disposal - The grass can be easily chopped with a lawn mower, and when folded in a heap, it can be easily chopped with a trimmer and line.

When choosing a shredder, study its passport data:

• Shredder power and maximum diameter of plants processed by it.
• Operating mode (continuous or periodic).
• Availability of spare parts (cutting tools, they fail first).

It is useful to consider:

• The larger container for crushed waste- all the better. Optimally - 50 liters or more.
• For safety reasons, all garden shredders are equipped with pushers. They definitely need to be used.
• Shredders use various grinding systems: turbine roller, in the form of a gear, cutter, etc. Shredders with a knife system are more convenient to maintain: the knives can be removed, sharpened (recommended at a service center), replaced, or turned over with a sharp edge.
• Maximum diameter of processed branches, indicated in the technical characteristics of shredders, as a rule, refers to soft types of wood: linden, aspen, bird cherry. If you plan to use a shredder for branches of all garden plants, to prolong the performance of the device, this value must be reduced by 10-20 mm and not exceeded when loading plant waste.

Much depends on where this unit will be used. If we are talking about a comfortable house with a small plot and the need to shred a modest amount of cut vegetation, then an electric shredder will be the best option. And if you need to clear an area of ​​old branches that is still waiting to be connected to electricity, you cannot do without a good gasoline garden shredder. It is better to choose a specific model based on brand image and functionality.

Recently, garden shredders have become especially popular among garden equipment, as they really help to significantly reduce the amount of garden waste. We will tell you how to choose the right unit and what features to pay attention to in our article.

Reviews about garden shredders incline us to the opinion that such an installation is necessary at every dacha. And why not, the practical equipment is very effective for eliminating garden debris such as branches and stems of tall weeds. In addition, the device not only reduces the volume of waste, but also makes it possible to use it for useful purposes.

The branch chopper really works for the benefit of the summer cottage, since now you don’t need to collect whole mountains of garbage, order freight transport to remove it, or constantly burn garbage, poisoning yourself with acrid smoke. You can always carefully pack chopped branches, bark, and weeds into bags and take them out of the dacha one by one. Such raw materials are also good for filling ravines or holes in the country, but it’s even better if you use crushed organic waste for the benefit of the soil, applying it in the form of environmentally friendly fertilizer, which you got absolutely free, or mulch, which protects the soil from drying out and lots of weeds.

We are convinced of the usefulness of the equipment; all that remains is to choose the right garden wood and branch shredder so that it will serve for a long time, delighting with its high quality and efficiency.

What to look for when choosing

A garden shredder should be selected by paying attention to power, engine type, type of blade system, ability to process a variety of waste, unit weight, mass, size of the waste funnel and its receiver, possibility of automation, reverse system, protection and some other criteria.

Garden Shredder Blade System

There are two types of such systems, which are fundamentally different.

Disc knife system

It looks like a disk with steel knives, of which there can be two or more. The chopper shaft sets the stroke of the disk, whose sharp knives process branches, bark, and so on. The processing speed and quality of the process depend on the material that is processed by the system. Most devices with a disc blade system are suitable for processing grass, leaves, stems, and thin tree branches. You can also use them for dry branches, but in this case the knives become dull much faster. Here it’s worth choosing what to sacrifice, the quality of processing or knives.

Milling knife system

Solid cast, in the form of a gear. It is much more reliable and more practical, since it can be used to process dry branches with a diameter of up to 40-45 mm. An undeniable advantage of such a system is the independent mechanism for retracting branches - now you do not need to constantly push the branches into the funnel, just load them into the shredder, and you can go about your business for a while while the system independently processes the garbage. In addition, you can choose a unit with reverse and adjustment of the processing fraction, but remember that it is much more convenient to chop grass and leaves in shredders with a disk blade system.

Garden shredders by engine type

Be sure to pay attention to the type of engine of the garbage and branches shredder, since quality, speed and some other operating parameters depend on this.

Electrical units

Low-noise, low-power devices (1.6-2.6 kW), which easily process branches with a diameter of about 3.5-4.5 cm. They are quite easy to maintain and can be purchased at an affordable price. The downside is that electric shredders do not have sufficient mobility, since movement is limited by the length of the electrical cord, and they are also sensitive to voltage changes in the network, but as for power, you yourself understand.

Gasoline models

Sufficiently powerful (up to 8 kW) devices that can cope with almost any garbage in the country. They move freely around the territory of the land, processing branches up to 6 cm in diameter. Such systems are equipped with a two-stroke or four-stroke engine, which work well, but produce a lot of noise. It is important for a summer resident to remember that for high-quality and long-term operation, for a larger number of installations it will be necessary to prepare the correct fuel mixture (oil and gasoline) in strict proportions.

Choosing shredders by power

Here you can divide the technology into three classes.

Amateur models

Low-power (up to 1.6 kW), electric shredders, equipped with a knife cutting system made of high-quality hardened steel. The weight of the device is 12-20 kg, the processing of branches is up to 3 cm. Such equipment is intended for caring for young garden plots, where tops, weeds, young stems and branches, and grass can be processed.

Middle class shredders

Electric or gasoline installations with a power of up to 2.5 kW. The mass is slightly larger than that of amateur-class units, but the capabilities are more interesting. Now you can also process medium-sized summer cottages, chopping stems and branches with a diameter of up to 3.5 cm. Shredders move freely around the territory thanks to convenient wheels, often equipped with a retraction system, a milling-type steel cutting system, and a special funnel for the formation of mulch.

Professional equipment

The power of professional shredders reaches 3.8 kW, and sometimes higher. They have large dimensions and significant weight, and can operate on a three-phase electric or gasoline engine. Often such machines are equipped with straight wide funnels, a strong cutting cutter, and a retraction mechanism. The branches and stems are not only recycled, but also slightly pressed, resulting in high-quality mulch. Such installations can chop branches up to 6 cm thick, and therefore they are most often used in large farms and gardens.

Garden Shredder Manufacturers

The market is overflowing with offers, which means you will have to choose not only the power, level and type of installation, but also the brand that will meet your requirements. Today, the following representatives are considered the most popular and in demand on the market:

• Bosch;
• Viking;
• Stiga;
• Alko.

Most often these are powerful installations that are used for medium and large areas.

Considering only the basic criteria, you can miss many necessary nuances, and therefore, we took the help of the pros, who compiled a small list of tips for buying a garden shredder.

• First of all, when choosing a garbage shredder, set its maximum responsibilities, so it will be easier for you to navigate in terms of power and other parameters. Perhaps a simple electric grass shredder will be enough for you, or maybe a universal garden shredder will come in handy.
• Next, select the brand, price category, set of required characteristics, weight of the machine, its mobility, and then move on to tips that should help you make the purchase even easier.
• Choose a device with an inclined cone-type funnel, since servicing such a system will be much easier.
• Do not forget that a special pusher is useful for quick and safe work.
• Choose systems with adjustable speeds, which will help break debris into large pieces, fine mulch, and so on.
• The most convenient would be a garden shredder with several holes for feeding waste for recycling, for example, long branches on one side and smaller waste on the other.
• Pay attention to the pre-cut knives, which simplify work and increase service life.
• Try to choose a device with the lowest noise levels; the most suitable level is 84 dB.
• It may be possible to choose a model with wheels, height adjustment, and additional funnels.
• Make sure that your garden shredder meets all quality requirements and is equipped with everything necessary, such as safety systems.
• Also, you need to remember that you will need the correct instructions, additional knives for the unit and, possibly, some other replacement parts.

Video about garden shredders

Today, when we told you about choosing a garden shredder, we also want to announce material about How can you create such a device with your own hands?. Very soon we will talk about drawings for the product, power, additional equipment and describe in detail the production scheme. Please follow the publications on our website!

Need a wood chipper? You can always buy high-quality garden shredders from the world's leading manufacturers in Moscow and other Russian cities in the Garden Mechanisms online store.

Usage

A branch chopper (also known as a wood chipper or shredder) is a motorized device designed to make it easier to deal with debris in the garden of a private home or cottage. As the name suggests, it is primarily aimed at chopping dried branches, but it can also easily cope with large weeds: nettle and burdock.

The crushed mass not only takes up less space during harvesting, but can also be used with great benefit on the farm, for example, for mulching plantings and preparing natural fertile compost, which significantly improves the harvest. Therefore, those who want to purchase a garden shredder should not be embarrassed by the price: the unit will serve you for many years, and even women and children can use it.

Sometimes such a device is called a “garden waste shredder,” which is somewhat misleading. The fact is that due to design features, which we will touch on later, not every shredder is able to effectively cope with soft materials. However, there are separate models specifically designed for shredding piles of collected leaves (in particular, Worx WG430E) or universal shredders that cope equally well with all types of waste (Viking GE 250.1).

Kinds

First of all, branch and grass shredders for the garden differ in the type of engine installed. It can be electric or gasoline. Electric devices are less powerful and are well suited for short-term work in the garden yard, while gasoline devices can be easily transported even to the far corner of the site, without worrying about the length of the wire or the presence of an outlet. But this difference is not the only one.

The type of motor also affects the maximum diameter of branches that can be chopped. Thus, electric garden shredders cope well with branches with a diameter of up to 3 centimeters, and gasoline ones can easily process pieces up to 7 cm thick.

The second important difference is the type of installed knife system.

• A circular blade is a round disc with one or more grooves with sharpened edges. During operation, the branches rest against the guide stop located above the knife and fall into the grooves of the rotating disk. The garbage needs to be pushed; for this purpose, a special plastic pusher is included with the garden shredder. This system does not cope well with grass, and long stems can even wrap around the knife, which is why you will have to open the casing.
• A milling cutter is a system of one or two gears mounted perpendicular to the feed direction. During operation, they fall between the sharpened teeth and are literally ground into small chips. Due to the low rotation speed of the gears, the wood waste shredder with a cutter makes less noise and draws in the debris itself. Grass and fallen leaves are not processed by this system.
• The turbine is a cross between the previous types. It is a hollow drum with windows in the side walls and sharpened edges. Branches and debris pass through it and are crushed by rotation. It is the most productive option. The main disadvantages of such a garden branch chopper are the price and relative rarity, since the blade system is patented and is installed exclusively in Bosch devices.

Otherwise, shredder models differ only in the shape of the body, the size of the wheels and the presence of a complete container for collecting wood chips. These parameters have virtually no effect on the quality and convenience of work. But a lot depends on the materials and country of assembly.

For example, the design of wood chippers produced under the Al-Ko, Cramer, Echo and Craftsman brands can be called ideal. All details are precisely adjusted, and thoughtful ergonomics make use as comfortable as possible. By the way, the above brands assemble their shredders “at home,” that is, in Austria, Germany or the USA.

Other well-known companies, including domestic ones, locate their production facilities in China and receive high-quality, but still not ideal products, in which a number of small shortcomings can be found.

Where to buy a garden waste shredder?

Garden Mechanisms offers a wide range of electric and gasoline wood waste shredders from trusted manufacturers from Asia, Europe and America.

Our website provides all the necessary information to select and buy a high-quality garden wood chipper: price, detailed description of the model, recommended accessories, information on pre-sale service and warranties. And our online consultants and store specialists in Moscow are always ready to help you if you prefer to choose retail equipment.