A garden shredder is designed to break down branches and other plant material. When investing in a garden shredder, it's important to think about power source (electric, petrol or diesel), power output and the size of your garden. You'll also have to consider the cutting system in terms of the type of material allowed, maximum branch diameter and the type of material produced. Finally, don't forget to look into noise level and weight. Garden shredders are designed to break down pruning waste so it can be used as compost or mulch to naturally enrich the soil. An eco-friendly way to process garden waste, these machines can be used to reduce or prevent trips to recycling centres.
You have the choice between two types of power.
- Electric garden shredders are quieter. They range from 2,000 to 3,000 W and can tackle branches measuring up to 45 mm in diameter. These models work well for small to medium-sized gardens.
- Petrol or diesel garden shredders are equipped with a 4-stroke engine. Offering approximately 4.5 to 9 hp (or 3,300 to 6,600 W), these shredders pack more of a punch and can be used for large gardens and branches measuring up to 75 mm in diameter.
Garden shredders can feature one of three basic cutting systems.
- Blades: this system works in a similar way to a food processor. The blade turns at high speed to chop flexible branches into small pieces. Blade shredders can be used to tackle gardens measuring less than 300 m² without any hardwood trees.
- Rollers: in this system, the branches are crushed against a rotating cutting unit. The chips produced are coarser, but the shredder can handle larger branches. Roller shredders are much quieter than the other models.
- Turbine cut: similar to roller shredders, turbine cut systems are specifically designed to break down large branches. Turbine shredders are therefore suitable for gardens containing fruit trees and hardwood trees.
There are a few other features to consider when picking a garden shredder.
- The chip collection system: blade shredders are generally not designed to collect chips whereas roller and turbine cut models are.
- A reverse mode is handy in case of jams.
- Shredders on wheels are much easier to move around.
In summary, your choice of a shredder depends on the size of the garden you hope to maintain, the types of plants to be shredded and the level of comfort you're after.
It's important to take certain precautions when using this type of equipment. Be sure to wear gardening gloves that enable you to hold and push through branches safely and use ear defenders as these machines can be noisy. Finally, remember to store your shredder in a dry place when it is not in use.
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