Part of the dream of owning a home includes the ability to maintain it at its best. A wood chipper is a must-have for every homeowner looking to recycle fallen limbs, branches, and leaves.
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Wood Chipper/Shredder Review Guide
Wood Chipper 3-point attachment Tractor
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The wood chipper is for those who are after a reliable machine to reduce wood and sticks debris. It is important to make our yards look the best without the waste wood and sticks lying around. But what makes this machine earn the title ‘reliable?’
Well, for starters, the best wood chippers boast unmatched power. They are a real joy to have and use. For efficiency, the machine comes with integrated vents and oversized rotor reversible blades – fully packed for the challenging task ahead.
Pros
- A powerful and reliable machine Essential features such as oversized rotors and integrated vents for efficiency
- Has a twig breaker to prevent clogging
- For secure storage and transport, the machine has an embedded feed chute
- An automatic feed that makes your task even easier
- Capable of handling 4 inches of wood
Cons
- The chute seems to have a small opening
- Feeding still needs your input
Patriot Products CSV-3100B
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With a 10HP Briggs Stratton engine, Patriot Products CSV-3100B is another powerful wood chipper that works effectively. The wood chipper has wheels to move to the project site, easier – has better mobility.
It boasts a y-hammer system that makes the shredding of leaves easier. And to make your work even easier, the machine features side discharge, and you don’t have to keep moving the machine from one spot to the next.
Pros
- A powerful 10HP engine to handle wood chipping easily
- Wheels for better mobility
- Can handle wood up to three inches in diameter
- It features side discharge, making your work even easier
- Has an efficient outboard bearing for a long period of service
Cons
- The exhaust chute is not the best
- May have undersized bolts
- May have clogging
Patriot Products CSV-2515
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The wood chipper is yet another reliable machine from an established brand. It is something that works efficiently to chip all the wood and leaves lying in your yard. The machine chips 2.5-inch branches effectively and easily.
It has a side discharge system for easier handling – no need to move the chipper from one location to the next. Most people don’t like the noise that chippers make as they work. However, Patriot Products CSV-2515 has an efficient and quiet motor, something that you don’t get from its peers.
Pros
- A simple design makes your task easier
- Chips up to 2.5-inch branches
- A side discharge system for easier handling
- Has a quiet and efficient motor
- It is easy to use
- It is relatively lightweight, with large wheels for easier movement
Cons
- Only works well with thin and straight branches
- The feed may be too narrow to take the branches and their leaves
Tazz 18493 K32 Chipper Shredder
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It is obvious that a heavy-duty machine, like a wood chipper, should have a reliable, as well as a powerful engine. Tazz 18493 K32 Chipper Shredder boasts a 212 cc engine that never has a hard time dealing with stubborn pieces of wood.
And to make the cleanup easier, the machine features an optional vacuum kit of the best quality – it has one of the largest rotors. Chippers and shredders can sometimes be messy. It is compact as compared to other chippers on the market, making it easy to store.
Pros
- A reliable 212cc engine for easier wood chipping
- Has an optional vacuum kit for an easy cleanup process
- The wood chipper is easy to use
- It is relatively compact and takes minimal space in your shed or garage
- A durable, easy to use a collection bag
Cons
GreatCircleUSA 7HP Heavy Duty 212cc Gas Powered 3 IN 1 Multifunction Pro Wood Chipper Shredder
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The machine is ideal for those looking for a multifunction chipper and shredder. GreatCircleUSA comes with various features designed to serve several functions at the same time. For example, the side chute is for the small branches and leaves, while the top hopper is for the bigger branches.
The machine has the relevant safety certifications to ensure you are not at any safety risk when using it. You may want to check out this wood chipper safety guide for some tips on being safe.
Pros
- Has various features to fulfill various functions – it is a multifunctional machine
- The machine has a powerful engine for easier handling wood chipping
- Can easily handle wood 3 inches in diameter
- Certified for safety
Cons
- May not have sufficient power to handle certain kinds of branches
- The chipper/ shredder may have a problem handling particular kinds of branches
What is a wood chipper? And what does it do?
Well, these are tools that make recycling debris easier. They reduce the fallen branches, leaves, and other kitchen stuff like eggshells into something that you can use in your garden. You can use the resulting product from wood chippers as mulch for the garden and flowerbeds. Gardeners can also use it as compost and landscapers for lining the walkway. You can read more about different uses for wood chips here.
For most people, wood shredders and wood chippers are the same things. However, that is never the case.
Wood Chippers vs. Wood Shredders
As the name suggests, wood chippers are machines that reduce the wood into small chips. The tools can be smaller and portable enough to haul with your hands or a bit significant, with wheels for easier towing behind a vehicle.
Wood chippers, regardless of size and power, all function the same way. You feed the waste wood through a chute, and the blades inside the machine, work on the wood, shredding it into chips not more than three inches in length.
Some wood chipper models come with a bucket to collect the ejected wood chips. The beauty of the machine is that it does not matter whether the wood you are dealing with is wet or dry. You can choose to feed branches with leaves or without leaves, depending on preference.
Depending on the size of the chipper, you can feed more massive logs and branches or smaller ones.
Wood shredders, on the other hand, may resemble small wood chippers but are a bit different in design and function. They feature a chute, through which you feed the necessary material, and an opening on the opposite side, from which the shredded wood goes out. The machines utilize frails and semi-blunt blades to work on the wood. You will find that most of the shredders have the option to choose the size you prefer, it may be according to needs.
Because wood shredders’ engine is small and the blades semi-blunt, they are only suitable for small shredding tasks, like reducing the leaves and fallen twigs and pruning waste into useful gardening mulch or compost. Wood shredders work the same way that weed eaters do, with nylon cutting strings and rotating drums. As a result, the tools are only appropriate for soft materials like leaves and small branches.
Factors to Consider when Choosing the Best Wood Chipper/Shredder
It is critical when purchasing a tool you are going to use for years to sit down and determine what factors make one machine better than other. It does not make sense to purchase something that will only last a short period.
Home / Commercial Use
It is only sensible to buy a heavy-duty machine if it is for commercial use. They should be more durable and made of sturdy materials to easily take frequent use. A shredder or chipper that you are going to use occasionally cannot be the same quality as one used on a daily basis – the latter should be stronger and more durable than its counterpart.
Location and Size of the Project
It is wise to determine where the wood chipping or shredding task is going to take place. For example, if the project is deep in the woods, away from home, then something heavy-duty, with wheels, is sufficient. But if you’re going to use it around the house, then something less powerful and cheaper will do a great job.
The Reduction Ratio
The reduction ratio is the ratio at which the machine will reduce the material. For example, a wood chipper with a reduction ratio of 10:1 will reduce ten bags of leaves into one. While this is useful information to have, avoid using it as a measure of power.
Number of Blades
The more blades that a machine has, the more efficient it is going to be. Many blades have less on the engine, and it increases its longevity.
Vacuum Attachment
Chippers and shredders can make a real mess. However, some machines come with such accessories as vacuum attachments to make the cleanup exercise easier for you. Vacuum attachments are nothing more than just removable hoses – you know what vacuum cleaners look like.
Conclusion
The best wood chipper on the market is easier to use and reduces wood and twigs into small chips that you can use in your garden as mulch or landscaping. The review above looks at some of the best chippers on the market, but the Wood Chipper 3-point attachment Tractor is at the top of the pack.
It has a powerful engine that easily processes up to four inches of diameter of wood and other features like oversized and efficient rotors. The machine also comes with a twig breaker and automatic feed for easier usage.