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Welcome to our article dedicated to the shredder. One of the main concerns after pruning is knowing what to do with brushwood and twigs. They take up space and pose a danger, as you can cut or injure yourself by tripping over them. Burning them is also not a good idea, as you could create a fire as well as generate a lot of smoke.
The shredder is the perfect workmate for removing pruning remnants from any garden, so that the resulting debris can be composted or thrown into the trash can. You can also make wood chips for your boiler. In this article we will explain everything you need to know about the shredder, so that you can buy the best one for your needs.
- Burning the remains of a pruning can be very dangerous, especially in summer, when the risk of fire is very high. Most forest fires are started by burning brushwood. The shredder allows you to remove these remains efficiently and safely.
- Branch shredders save you a lot of time and effort, as you don’t have to overload yourself with bags full of branches to get them to the collection point. Also, being organic residues, you can use them to make compost or wood chips.
- The noise or maintenance of modern shredders are fundamental aspects to be analyzed before making a purchase. We will see it in more detail in the final section of this guide, dedicated to the main purchase criteria.
Maintaining a garden and making it as ecological as possible means avoiding burning pruning residues. The shredders will allow you to compost these remains and fertilize your plants in the best possible way. To help you choose the right shredder for you, we have prepared a selection of the best products on the market. Take a look:
- The best shredder for the thinnest twigs
- The best electric shredder for composting
- The electric shredder with the best value for money
- Buyers’ favorite gasoline shredder
The best shredder for the thinnest twigs
The Einhell GC-KS 2540 is a shredder equipped with two reversible steel blades, including collection bag and pestle, with relative support on the rear frame. It is equipped with a 2500 W motor capable of reaching 4500 revolutions per minute when empty. The safety lock hopper opens easily, allowing for convenient instrument maintenance.
The power of the motor and the width of the mouth make it suitable for branches with a diameter of less than 40 mm. According to the reviews it is an excellent product for the price at which it is sold, not very noisy and suitable for still green and thinner branches.
The best electric shredder for composting
The AL-KO EasyCrush LH 2800 is a roller shredder with a 2800 W electric motor, complete with a polypropylene collection basket with a capacity of 48 L. Its features make it perfect for shredding and compacting dry branches with a maximum suggested diameter of 42 mm, and therefore for the creation of a base for composting.
In this context, buyers use it with great tranquility and express very positive comments, praising its efficiency and silence.
The electric shredder with the best value for money
The Black & Becker BEGAS5800-QS roller shredder is equipped with a 2800 W induction motor, with a semi-transparent basket for collecting the finished product. As with other electrical options, the motor increases power as needed, and is equipped with a safety switch for use in case of jams to prevent overload.
According to its reviewers, it is a robust and reliable product, which chops dry and green branches with a diameter of 4 cm or a little more well enough, and offers versatility and a discrete silence at a very affordable price.
Buyers’ favorite gasoline shredder
The DENQBAR DQ-0232 is a high-end shredder with an 11 kW petrol engine and a 420 cc displacement. It is a robust, stable and above all powerful product, which, as buyers confirm, is able to shred branches up to 10 cm in diameter, as long as they are inserted straight and are not too curved.
The shredding of the largest branches is entrusted to a circular blade, while for those with a maximum diameter of 1 cm there is a separate system, which allows a more precise and meticulous grinding.
Shopping guide: Everything you need to know about the shredder
A garden shredder can be your best companion when it comes to pruning tasks. As we have seen, with it you can take care of biological residues without the need to burn them or take them to the collection points. If you want to know how a shredder works and other interesting things, do not miss this section with our answers to the most frequently asked questions about this tool.
What is a shredder?
Depending on the model chosen, the system will be able to crush remains of a certain thickness. More powerful equipment will be able to crumble branches over seven centimeters in diameter, while those with less power will have less capacity.
How many types of shredders are there?
| Type of shredder | Features |
|---|---|
| Roller shredder | It works via a roller system. It is quieter. It requires little maintenance. Recommended for thick and hard branches. |
| Propeller shredder | It is capable of making more proportionate cuts. It is ideal for small gardens. Perfect for chopping branches and small leaves. |
| Rotary blade shredder | The cheapest on the market. It is used to shred the roots of plants and small branches. |
| Disc shredder | Not ideal for composting. It does not mince the materials, but cuts them into small pieces. |
| Helical shredder | Speed up the composting process. Ideal for branches up to 3 cm in diameter. |
| Garden shredder in mill | It has a screw to set the thickness of how branches are to be chopped. Very helpful. It is usually used for professional purposes. |
Is the shredder noisy?
Every day, shredder manufacturers try to make appliances more and more silent. If you plan to use them in your garden and don’t want to disturb your neighbors, engine noise won’t be a problem. Most of these machines are powered by completely silent electric motors. However the machine makes noise as it chops the material, but nothing so maddening.Gasoline shredders, which are machines designed for professional or forestry work, are more annoying, as gasoline or diesel engines produce much more noise. Consider that for a home-type garden, any shredder with an electric motor is more than enough, so noise won’t be an issue.
What power should my shredder have?
The power needed will depend on the size of the surface you will be working on. The bigger it is, the more power you need. Keep in mind that the power of a shredder is determined based on the shredding capacity per hour measured in cubic meters.This means that, based on the size of your garden, you need to evaluate the volume of pruning material or waste and the power and energy you will need to remove it. Our advice is to always choose a power above your needs. For a small garden, a 2500 watt (W) shredder will suffice.
What materials can a shredder chop?
Garden shredders can handle almost any pruning residue generated by a garden or vegetable garden. Basically you have to differentiate these remnants between hard and soft materials. Branches, stems and hedge debris are considered hard materials; the remains of flowers, vegetables, fruit and foliage are soft materials.The most normal thing is that after pruning there are both soft and hard materials. In general, there will be no problems as shredders are powerful enough to shred any residue. However, you must make sure that the diameter of the branches is not excessive for the model you have chosen, as the blades could break.
What are the benefits of using a shredder?
Regardless of the model or power of your shredder, they all offer a number of benefits for the care and maintenance of your garden or land. Not only do they simplify your life, especially if you have a large area to maintain at best, but they also favor a rational use of the waste generated during maintenance. It also helps you in case you want to compost.Here are some of the benefits of using shredders:
- They help you save time and effort. It is never easy to carry sacks full of branches and brushwood in big and heavy sacks. The footprint, when the branches are not shredded, is obviously greater, so you have to make more trips if you want to take the remains of your garden to the nearest ecological oasis. With a shredder you save time because you make fewer trips and at the same time you save effort.
- They are versatile. With one of these tools, you can shred a lot of things, not only branches and brushwood, but also leaves and other residues. All of this can be composted and provide nutrients and added protection to your soil and plants.
- They allow you to save money. In addition to time and effort, a shredder will also save you money on artificial fertilizers or fuels such as wood chips. In fact, the remains of your garden, together with the organic waste of the house (except meat) are an unparalleled solution to provide nutrients to crops.
What is compost?
Since we have talked at length about compost and how shredders allow us to produce this material, it seems correct to explain briefly what it is. Compost is a natural fertilizer created by the action of bacteria, fungi and worms on organic or biological waste.It has a triple function, as it serves as a fertilizer to improve the properties of our land or garden, as food for plants and, at the same time, it helps us to recycle the waste we produce at home. Compost, unlike mineral fertilization, helps preserve and improve the fertility and properties of the soil.