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In 2019, Stiftung Warentest tested various garden shredders, of which the Bosch AXT 25 TC performed by far the best with an overall grade of 1.5. According to the testers, this model shredded branches and twigs best and was also able to shred fresh garden waste. In addition, it was the model that clogged the least of all tested devices. The only drawback was the volume and the weight of 30 kilograms. The Amazon also owns the turbine chopper - incidentally the only model on the market with this drive still one of the most popular today, as reflected in the very numerous, mostly positive customer reviews shows.

Among the garden shredders with roller drives, a Bosch model was once again very popular with the testers: With an overall grade of 1.6, the Bosch AXT 25 D performed almost as well as the model already presented Turbine drive. The advantage of this garden shredder, especially compared to the shredders with blade drive, is the low volume. This is also highlighted positively by many Amazon customers in their reviews. The good evaluation of the Bosch AXT 25 D is mainly due to the powerful chopping performance that the device provides thanks to the optimized milling drum cutting system. With up to 190 kilograms per hour, this delivers an enormous material throughput for branches and twigs up to four centimeters thick.

A Bosch garden shredder even landed in third place in the Stiftung Warentest test, which also scored very well with a score of 1.6. The AXT Rapid 2200 model is one Garden shredder with knife drive, which is one of the bestsellers in its segment on Amazon. Despite its handy exterior and very low weight of only 12 kilograms, the Bosch knife chopper shows a high material throughput of up to 80 kilograms per hour. An overload protection protects the device from being overloaded so that it can be used for a long time. The chopped material can be easily filled in through the special feed hopper.

Purchase criteria

Functionality

Turbine chopper: So far, the only model with a turbine drive is the one presented by Bosch. Turbine shredders shred all garden waste, whether dry or fresh. The chopped material is shredded by a turbine with blades that rotates next to the pressure plate.

Roller chopper: Garden shredders with rollers do not, strictly speaking, chop, but squeeze. These Chopper(€ 124.95 at Amazon *) rather deliver coarse chopped material, but work much more quietly than, for example, the knife chopper.

Knife chopper: Knife choppers deliver the finest chopped material, but they are also very loud and tend to work slowly. Sharp knives are attached to a rotating disc, which cut the chopped material evenly.

drive

The garden shredders presented here all run with an electric motor, most of which have an output of around 2000 watts and more. If this performance and / or the cutting thickness is not enough for you, for example because you have strong branches or even trees If you want to shred up to a diameter of ten centimeters, you should use a shredder with a gasoline engine Select. However, gasoline shredders are considerably more expensive than those with an electric drive.

Furnishing

An important purchase criterion concerns the equipment of the garden shredder. The size of the funnel is important, as it has to be wide enough for larger branches or branches with many twigs. In addition, a collecting container or bag should be supplied with the device, which immediately catches the chopped material. This is not always the case with cheap models. If you decide on a knife chopper, you should check whether replacement blades are available for the selected product. The knives on these chippers have to be replaced regularly, which can be quite expensive.

Cutting capacity

If you want the finest possible shredded material, you should choose a knife chopper. Garden shredders with knives cut finely like no other. However, if you want to shred thicker branches, the selected model should have a cutting thickness of at least four centimeters. In principle, gasoline shredders are better suited for large clippings than models with an electric drive.

volume

Basically, garden shredders are known to be very loud. When in doubt, this is not only good for your ears (and nerves), but also annoys the neighbors. Therefore, you should choose a shredder with a volume below 90 decibels. As a rule, the manufacturers indicate the volume of their products. You can choose to switch to a so-called silent chopper, which is mostly a roller chopper. Always work with hearing protection!

frequently asked Questions

What is a garden shredder?

A garden shredder or chopper is a device with an electric or gasoline engine that is used for Crushing is used by garden waste. Most of all Hedge, Shrub and Pruning chopped up, which is why the shredder does both dry (i.e. H. Wood) as well as fresh (e.g. B. Foliage) must be able to cope with materials. Basically, you are making wood chips with a chopper.

Where do I dispose of the chopped material?

The chopped material is far too valuable to be easily disposed of. Instead, you can compost it and get valuable, nutrient-rich compost. Alternatively, you can also use the chaff as a Mulch can be used, for example, to make ornamental beds mulch. The fine clippings keep the soil from drying out (so you don't have to water) and deliver rotting also provides additional nutrients for your plants and thus contributes to a healthy soil.

Which is better, roller or knife chopper?

Which is better depends entirely on what you want to create yourself. If you're good at it Mulch(€ 13.95 at Amazon *) for hedges and flower beds, you should use a knife chopper. This creates a smooth, very fine cut. Shredding roller chopper the clippings on the other hand, they are coarser, but they are more powerful, faster and mostly also quieter.

What does a good garden shredder cost?

How much you spend on your new garden shredder depends entirely on the brand and on whether it is a roller or knife chopper. Roller shredders are usually cheaper to buy, although you have to plan around 150 to 250 euros for a high-quality model. Good knife shredders are usually a bit more expensive, plus the cost of replacement knives. By far the most expensive are gasoline shredders, which are available from approx. Start at 800 euros.

Which manufacturers offer high-quality garden shredders?

You can get high-quality garden shredders from all known manufacturers of electrical appliances, with brand manufacturers in particular offering recommended models. Bosch, Güde, Einhell, Makita, Gardebruk and Hecht should be mentioned here. On the other hand, you should be careful with cheap models from the hardware store: Even the testers of the Stiftung Warentest have found that their quality and chopping performance often leave a lot to be desired leaves.

equipment

Garden cart

With a Garden cart or one Garden trolley you can easily transport shrub and hedge cuttings to the chopper and then transport the chopped material to the compost heap or bed. The advantage of such a vehicle is that it is easier to move than one wheelbarrow and can also be pulled or pushed over uneven terrain.

Composter

Then bring the chopped material onto the compost heap or in the quick or thermo composter, so that you can find valuable humus gained from garden waste. It is advisable to choose a composter with at least two compartments: In one, the material composts in peace, while you gradually fill the other.