In general, two different types of garden shredders are offered, which differ in their mode of operation and the subsequent result. These include the knife chopper and the roller chopper. The useful devices are also known colloquially as shredders and are especially suitable for large gardens with a lot of green waste. Thanks to the powerful machines, all types of garden waste can be shredded, including branches, hedge cuttings and bushes.
Knife chopper
The knife chopper is particularly suitable for soft green cuttings that contain only a few woody parts. With very hard clippings, the knives blunt too quickly and become ineffective. In addition, knife choppers do not have an independent intake, so a greater amount of work is required when using them. Since the shredded material obtained rots very slowly, it can be used to cover and mulch the garden beds. In this way, the beds get good protection for the winter. In addition, the finely structured material from the knife chopper loosens up the compost heap. This improves the oxygen supply, making composting not only faster and
more thorough, but also with far fewer nutrient losses. However, it should be noted that the use of the knife chopper could disturb the neighbors in the area due to the resulting noise.- Ideal for soft plant material
- Devices have numerous knives and are very efficient
- Fast rotating blades work at many revolutions per minute
- Cut green cuttings into extremely small pieces
- Significantly lighter and cheaper than a roller chopper
- But much louder in use
- Wear hearing protection when using
- Green cuttings must be pushed in with your own effort
Note: Blockages occur quickly, especially with regular use, so that the knife chopper has to be dismantled and then cleaned thoroughly.
Roller chopper
In contrast to the knife chopper, the roller chopper does not cut the green waste, but instead crushes it. This is why this chopper is better suited for shredding larger pieces of wood. On the other hand, the device is not well suited for wet and soft greenery, this often causes
Constipation. However, since most models have a built-in return, the resulting blockages are quickly cleared. Roller choppers only work at a low speed, but with high torques. Due to the crushing during chopping, the microorganisms have a much larger area available for attack during composting. In this way, the chopped material rots much faster on the compost heap. Then the garden soil can be significantly upgraded and fertilized with the finished compost material.- Ideal for hard and woody raw materials
- Crushing cuttings with a roller that is studded with teeth
- Work much slower
- Chopping very quietly, does not cause a lot of annoying noise
- Easy to use, pull in green waste independently
- Have a larger dead weight
- The disadvantage is the much higher purchase price
Tip: Due to the independent feed, the green cuttings sometimes flutter around while chopping. Therefore, you should wear protective goggles during use to minimize the risk of injury.
Multipurpose chopper
The multi-purpose chopper is a combination of a knife chopper and a roller chopper. These devices work with a special technology that can differ depending on the manufacturer. Due to the high performance, no strenuous work steps are necessary when using it. Multipurpose shredders can shred almost any organic material that arises in the garden. Since the devices can chop up a large number of kilograms of cut material per hour, they are especially suitable for large garden landscapes
- Thanks to the turbine cutting unit, you can work quickly and quietly at the same time
- They have a roller and also very sharp cutting edges
- Crush and cut the starting material
- Even green waste with a lot of foliage passes through without clogging
- Large openings make filling easy
- Independent collection of the clippings
- Managed branches with diameters of up to 40-45 mm
Power & engine
Since the energy requirement of garden shredders is very high, there have not yet been any devices operated with a battery. There are various performance classes to choose from, which differ greatly in terms of price, performance and quality. Therefore, the gardener should carefully consider which is the right shredder for their individual needs before buying. Those who tend to garden as a hobby will get by with a basic model. For gardeners with very large plots of land and fruit growing, it is worth investing in a high-quality, high-performance device.
- There is a choice of electric and gasoline engines
- AC devices with 220 volts are sufficient for small areas and ornamental gardens
- Power shredders with 380 volts are extremely powerful
- A powerful electric motor can even handle large amounts of clippings
- No power connection is required for garden shredders with petrol engines
- Ideal for very large garden landscapes
- Petrol engines often work with lower torques, but are more flexible
- Prices depend on the model and manufacturer and are between 100-1000 euros
