As already mentioned in our first article, in February we also have to cut the garden trees and there is usually a considerable amount of twigs and branches that are basically too bad to end up in the landfill. So you need a shredder that can shred the trimmings and all other bulky plant residues in a composter-friendly manner. We can save money on fertilizer and humus soil, but high-quality shredders have their price and are not particularly popular with noise-sensitive neighbors.
Which shredders performed well in the test?
In the shredder test by “my beautiful garden”, eight current models were evaluated in terms of work performance, safety and noise. Roller shredders work more quietly, while knife shredders shred faster and finer. Prices vary from 200 to 1,200 euros.
The last official comparison of the devices that are very useful and popular for garden owners by the “Warentest” foundation was seven years ago. It is all the more pleasing that the editorial team of “my beautiful garden” has once again taken on this topic in the current February issue with a representative selection of current shredders.
Many things have improved with the chippers
In contrast to the previous tests, the eight devices evaluated were not sent to the laboratory for acoustic tests, but rather practical, real gardeners put them through their paces using the most common types of clippings and under real conditions. Also new: the results of the comparison test are not only available to paying readers of the above-mentioned garden magazine, they are also published on the online portal (even in more detail than in the print edition). It is particularly pleasing that, compared to the tests from 2006 and 2011, occupational safety has improved significantly and at least there are no longer any acute noise levels when making kindling.
The “shadow side”: While good compost shredders were still available for 99 euros in 2006, you currently have to dig significantly deeper into your wallet. The price range for today's, but undoubtedly more powerful, brand-name shredders currently starts at just under 200 euros and goes up to 1,200 euros for professional devices. By the way, shredding branches with a thickness of 40 to 45 mm is no problem for either type of shredder.
Loud or quiet with roller or knife?
Since the quieter roller shredders only work at around 50 rpm on average, the operating noise is approx.90 dB is unmistakable, but still moderate. The devices, which are significantly noise-intensive at 100 to 110 dB, chop the cuttings with a rotating knife and reach speeds of at least 1,000 rpm, process the twigs and branches much faster and finer. For most allotment gardeners, the purchasing decision probably depends largely on the amount of garden waste they produce over the course of the year. We therefore recommend that interested parties read the last part of the test report carefully, because with an average garden or property size of between 500 and 5,000 square meters, shredders usually run for a maximum of two days a year. At least once a year, we garden owners have a common problem that can be just as complicated.
