On one side a garden shredder may not be the most common piece of gardening equipment. On the other side there are many reasons why it could be useful to purchase one for your home. Chances are, if you are looking into best garden shredder, you have a medium or large garden with some storage space available. So you need to dispose of general garden waste. If you spend any amount of time working outdoors, cutting hedges or pruning bushes, you will end up with a lot of tough waste, which is not immediately compostable and which will take a long time to decompose.

bosch garden shredder - one of the best garden shredder

Unless you have another way to dispose of this waste (e.g. bonfires, trips to the refuse disposal, etc.), you will need to break it down so it can rot away. This has the added advantage of giving you fertilizer which can be used to revitalise your garden. There are many different kinds of shredders, So it’s important to do careful research. Then make sure you choose the one which will best suit your needs.

What Is a Garden Shredder?

A garden shredder is a large and powerful piece of machinery designed to shred and break up tough garden waste. As a result it transforms it into compostable material. As with most machines, there are many different types. The price varies enormously depending on what you want it to be able to do.  There are both petrol and electrical shredders available. There are two different types: impact and crushing shredders. The impact ones use a blade to cut the material up. Crushing shredders crush the material fed into them against a plate. Impact shredders tend to be cheaper, lighter, and easier to store. So they’re good for transporting around the garden and aren’t an enormous investment.

They are, however, noisy, and will need the blades replacing once they get blunt. Impact shredders also often have a small opening for safety reasons, which means pushing plant waste in can be time-consuming. Conversely, crushing shredders are much quieter. They use a turning cog to pull materials in (so, for example, they can pull a long branch in without someone pushing it), and have lower maintenance because there are no blades to replace/sharpen. Crushing shredders, however, are not very good at handling soft materials like leaves, and cope better with wood and tough plant stems.

Read more about extendable hedge trimmers.

how garden shredder works

How can you recognise the best garden shredder?

If you’re trying to decide which shredder is best for you, you should do very careful. You need to get familiar with the advantages and disadvantages of both types. Another important factor is to consider your budget, as crushing shredders tend to be more expensive. Think about what you are most likely to use the shredder for. Mind whether your neighbours would object to the noise of an impact shredder. The differences between the two are significant. So it’s worth doing research into both types before you begin looking at individual models and garden shredder reviews. You should also think about what type of power will be best suited to your garden. Bear this in mind when looking at the different models. It’s no good falling in love with a petrol shredder if you need electric.

There are many websites which can give you reviews on the best garden shredders and their specifications. So it’s worth spending some time going through these. Comparing different review sites can give you an idea of overall trends. You will be able to see if a particular model ranks highly with lots of different people. Look specifically at the advantages and disadvantages described and consider which are likely to be important to you when using the shredder.

This research will make you more likely to get one which suits your specific needs. Also will help you to find models within your budget, possibly even offering ideas of where to buy them at a good price. The review sites may also provide some information and tips on usage and maintenance. They could give you a boost when you buy and start using the shredder, and may make you feel more confident in your decision to buy.

What Are The Key Benefits of Using The Best Garden Shredder?

There are a number of benefits to owning and using a best garden shredder. The most obvious is that the shredder allows you to break down garden waste without having to take it to a refuse point or build up a bonfire. This makes tidying up after pruning much easier and quicker, leaving you with a clean space. In addition there are no messy piles of wood and clippings lying around.

The second major advantage of the garden shredders is that the waste product is actually useful to you. Instead of having to burn or dispose of it, you can turn it into a compostable product. On a later stage it can be returned to nurture the soil. The product you get will depend to a degree on what you put in, and what type of shredder you choose; crushing shredders tend to produce larger shreddings, which may be a disadvantage if you want to compost the waste and have it break down quickly. Bear this in mind when choosing your shredder, and make sure you select one which will work for you and the waste you need to dispose of.

Safety Tips When Using Garden Shredder

Remember to always use the appropriate protection when operating a shredder. You should wear ear defenders if your model is particularly noisy (especially if you use it regularly). You should also make sure that you have eye protection and heavy gloves on, in case any loose chippings come back out of the shredder. It is important to remove side-shoots from branches and not to overload your shredder; as you use it, you will get used to judging what it will be able to handle and how quickly, but don’t ever force in more than it can hold.

Safety precautions are always important, but the garden shredder should offer you a great, safe way to dispose of garden waste quickly and efficiently, while also providing you with extra compost to further nourish your plants.

Best Garden Shredders Suggestions

 ModelTypePowerCutting diameter
Forest Master Petrol Garden ShredderForest Master Petrol Garden ShredderForest Master Petrol Garden ShredderPetrol6.5HP80mm
Varan Motors Petrol Garden ShredderVaran Motors Petrol Garden ShredderVaran Motors Petrol Garden ShredderPetrol13HP85mm
Bosch AXT 25 TC Garden ShredderBosch AXT 25 TC Garden ShredderBosch AXT 25 TC Garden ShredderElectric2500watts45mm
Draper 35900 Garden ShredderDraper 35900 Garden ShredderDraper 35900 Garden ShredderElectric2400watts40mm
Einhell 3430350 Garden ShredderEinhell 3430350 Garden ShredderEinhell 3430350 Garden ShredderElectric2400watts40mm