How to Choose a Garden Branch & Grass Chopper - Best Models

At the summer cottage and garden area, you periodically have to do cleaning - remove foliage, tops, stems, cut shrubs and trees. Everything that is softer and smaller goes to the compost heap, but it lasts there for a long time - several years. You have to get rid of larger branches-stalks by more radical methods - take them somewhere or burn them. In general, this is a regular headache. A garden shredder can help solve this problem. It grinds branches and plant waste into fines, which rots faster or can be used as mulch.

Purpose and capabilities

The purpose of the garden shredder is to crush branches and plant waste into small pieces. The size of the "pieces" is different for each brand. Moreover, it may vary for different models of the same manufacturer. Conventionally, garden shredders can be divided into three categories:

• For branches. The garden shredder does a good job of recycling wood waste. Some of them can even cut small trunks (up to 7 cm in diameter). But with shredding grass or vines, they can do poorly.
  

  The model should be chosen depending on what needs to be crushed

• For grass. Grass choppers, on the other hand, are good at processing any grassy waste, and branches can only grind small, and fed in small batches.
• For branches and grass. They usually have a larger number of knives (vertical and horizontal), which process everything that is served to them.

When choosing, you need to focus on what kind of waste you have more. If you have a large part of the garden and shrubs on your site, your choice is a grass chopper. Their knives are designed so that they do not clog when processing dry or "fresh" plant components. If the site is set aside for a garden, you need a branch shredder. When choosing, pay attention to the maximum diameter of the recyclable waste. Well, if you have a vegetable garden and a garden, you need a “wagon” that can cope with both hard branches and grass.

Garden shredder device

A garden shredder is a housing in which the motor and shredding system are hidden. A funnel is attached to the upper part of the body for feeding the processed raw materials. It can be wider or narrower, depending on the purpose. A wide funnel is more convenient for feeding grass residues and foliage, and a narrower one for branches.

Garden shredder device

Shredded waste is poured out from below - from a special hole. There are units with a plastic tank, there are units with a soft bag. It is convenient to use plastic, but it increases the size and weight of the unit. A soft container for recycled is a bag. It takes up almost no space and does not add bulk, but it is not so convenient to use it. There is also a third option - no container at all. In this case, you can choose to your liking or use both types - which is more convenient when.

Criterias of choice

The choice of any technique is a responsible and difficult business. There are many criteria to consider. In the case of the choice of garden shredders, it is necessary to consider not only technical parameters, but also such "subjective" indicators as ease of transportation. The device will have to be moved around the site - to the place of accumulation of waste, rolled up / rolled out of the storage shed, so the location of the handles for transportation and the size of the wheels are of no small importance.

It is necessary to choose a garden shredder of branches and grass by a heap of characteristics

Technical specifications

The initial stage of selection is the selection of technical parameters. The selection of the model depends on the purpose of the unit and the tasks that it must solve. If the branches are dominant, you need one type of unit, if the grass and foliage are completely different.

You need to choose in all respects

Engine type and power

The orchard shredder can be electric or gasoline powered. Electric powered devices are lighter, quieter and have no exhaust. But their mobility is limited by the length of the cord and the availability of connection points. There is still the option to use an extension cord / carrier. The power of electric garden shredders is 2-5 kW. Usually these are household models with a low price tag.

AL-KO Easy Crush LH 2800 Branch and Grass Shredder: Technical Specifications

The gasoline powered garden shredder can move anywhere, but it is heavier and the structure is more massive because the engine is larger. To its mass it is necessary to add another mass of the fuel to be poured, so the weight of the unit ready for operation will turn out. But the engines are more powerful. These models are much more expensive - starting at $ 750, but they are more productive and can be used by enterprises.

Gasoline garden shredder - equipment is more serious and expensive

In addition to the type of engine, you must pay attention to its power. It is necessary to ensure that the declared capabilities (the maximum diameter of the processed branches) are confirmed by the engine power. The average is 4-6 hp.

According to reviews, a useful feature is the ability to reverse. The reverse move allows you to fix an unsuccessful branch that is blocking the shaft. This makes work faster and easier, but the cost of such units is slightly higher.

Garden Shredder: Cutting Type

The productivity and size of the processed branches depend on the type of cutting part. It is of three types:

• With two or more knives. The simplest models are equipped with two knives that stand in a horizontal plane. Such models grind mainly grass and small branches - up to 2.0-2.5 cm in diameter. More complex ones are equipped with four or six knives and they can stand in a vertical and horizontal plane. Such people already cope with more serious tasks.
  

  Models with knives - the simplest and most inexpensive

• With worm crusher. In these models, the cutting part looks like a screw that stands in a meat grinder. Only it is placed mainly vertically and has fewer turns. A garden shredder with a cutting head of this type works faster and copes well with dry and freshly cut branches of a larger diameter (about 4 cm). It is also good when working with grassy residues, but the grass can stick to the screw or wrap around it, so periodically the knives have to be cleaned. Garden shredders of this type are universal. Examples of popular models are the Bosch AXT Rapid 2200.
  

  Can grind thicker branches

• Cylindrical cutting unit with a large number of knives. It is also called the "multi-blade cutter". This is a unique development of Bocsh and has not yet been found in others. Universal garden shredders are equipped with it, so if you need such a model, you will have to choose between this cutter and a worm gear. Knives of this type cope with fresh or dry branches, plant residues. Only lianas can reel, and even then only if the knives are dull. These knives are on the BOSCH AXT 25 TC.
  

  BOSCH AXT 25 TC universal garden chopper and its unique cutting system

• Cutting shaft. The more powerful crushing unit allows you to grind even thick branches and limbs. They are used to equip garden branch shredders. The maximum size of the processed branches is 5-8 cm. This is a speech about domestic models, because semi-industrial and industrial can cope with thicker ones. The problem is that both dimensions and cost are appropriate.
  

  A cutting shaft is more suitable for chopping branches and twigs

The choice of the type of cutting unit is determined by the tasks for which you need the unit. Pay special attention to this, so as not to regret buying later.

Ease of use

There are many parameters to consider when choosing a soda grinder. They only seem insignificant, but they affect how comfortable you will be working. And this is important. Here's what we pay attention to:

• Dimensions, or rather, the height of the assembled unit. The funnel into which the waste must be placed is sometimes located very high - at a height of about one and a half meters. For people of short stature, this is a critical indicator.
• The location of the handles for transportation. In some units, the transport handles are very low - at ground level. Lugging equipment of considerable weight bent down low is the easiest exercise.
  

  The height of the shredder of branches and grass can be different, if you are small, do not forget about this criterion

• Wheel width. The wider the wheel tires are, the easier it is to move the unit around the area. After all, it is far from always possible to move it along the paths. More often it happens the other way around - you need to drag along the aisles, grass or dug earth. This is where wide tires save you.
• The shape of the receiving hopper, the presence of a protective visor. When working with a garden shredder, there may be situations where wood chips or pieces of branches fly out of the socket. The presence of a visor on the receiving hopper, at least on one side, will allow you to work more or less safely (goggles are still needed).
• Weight. This parameter is paid attention not very often but in vain. If the processing will be carried out by women or people of age, the mass of the unit is important.
• The volume of noise during operation. The normal indicator is 70-80 dB, you need to work with everything else in special headphones.

All these "minor" details affect the work, and this is important, as you usually have to deal with recycling for hours. Being in an uncomfortable position or transporting the unit bent over, it will not be work but torture.

Models and reviews

Choosing by technical parameters is nothing compared to choosing a manufacturer. There are two benchmarks in this business: brand awareness and owner reviews.

Famous manufacturers

A brand is good, but well-known brand equipment costs a lot. If that doesn't scare you, it's easier. Choose from brands. Garden garbage shredders are produced by such well-known companies:

• Bosch
• Viking
• AL-KO
• Wolf garten

You can take any unit from these manufacturers, just read carefully for what purposes it is intended - more for branches or grass. For example (according to the owners' reviews):

• The Bosch AXT 25 D garden shredder does a good job with dry branches, but freshly cut ones take a long time to tinker with.
• The Bosch AXT 25 TC handles large branches well with the factory settings. In order for him to properly deal with small branches and vines, it is necessary to tighten the adjustment all the way (there is it in this model).
• Bosch AXT Rapid 2000 has excellent reviews - it chops branches, but is not very friendly with grass. Spruce branches, bushes, even young trees went well.
• Bosch ATX 18-35. Power 1800 W. It has an auger like in a meat grinder, and there is another knife in its field. Cuts large, but copes well even with branches of 45 mm in diameter.

But if you choose it for your tasks, they all have excellent reviews. Same as Vikinga (150, 250, 350). Vikings are generally recognized as omnivores, as they thresh everything (cones, spruce branches (stale), corn, sunflower, old flower stalks, raspberry and blackberry trimmings, stale leaves and grass). But they are too tall, especially the 250 and 350 models.

Models of unknown brands

Of the less famous and cheaper ones, they showed themselves well:

• IKRA MOGATEC EGN 2500. Cuts everything and very quickly, the fraction is small. But, until the knives become dull. New ones cannot be bought in ordinary ones, only in service centers.
• MacAllister 2800 W. I even processed the remnants of boards, the chips are large - 2-3 cm. Dried branches are cut faster, fresh ones - slower, some of them remain crumpled short sausages. The size of the branches is up to 4 cm.During operation, the noise level is high - 99 dB.
• Stiga Bio Quiet 2100. Works quietly, grinds into pieces of 2 centimeters long, if a branch hits horizontally, longer pieces pop out. The set includes a bag, but there is not even anything to hang it on, they set up a box. In order for the recycled to accumulate on the lower grate, it had to be cut with a secateurs. In general, the design is "lapped" with Bosch 25 D. Conclusion on the results of work, who needs to grind the tops - look for another device. This one is for branches.
• Garden Shredder Skill. I managed with a bang with willow branches up to 3.5 cm in size. With dry currant branches, things went worse - they are very branchy. When working with dry branches, productivity drops.
• Gasoline shredder of branches Earthquake 9060300. Has two receiving hoppers - for branches and a large one - for foliage. I worked 35 hours in a season. Disadvantages - large and heavy, rolling is still normal, but loading into a car is problematic, it rattles a lot, so glasses and headphones are needed. Three types of knives - two discs. The first is with straight lines, the second is with triangular and L-shaped.
• PATRIOT. So far I have worked for 3 days (almost full light). It cuts branches and young trees normally. The branches are tightened by itself, but the effort is not too great.
• Sterwins 2500. About 200 buckets of mulch were made during the season. We processed raspberries, cherries, irga, plums, apple trees, dogwood, willow, bubblegum, birch. In continuous operation, thermal protection is triggered every 15-0 minutes. After cooling down, you can work again.

There are probably other not-too-expensive and normally working garden shredders, but read as many reviews as possible before buying them. Take into account only those that are given with your own photos and details that cannot be caught from the description.