The 5 Best Chipper Shredders for Composting

If you’ve been through composting before, you know that it’s a time consuming and very delicate endeavor that’s controlled by a lot of factors.

Luckily, chipper shredders can be used to up the quality of your compost.

If you’re looking for the best chipper shredder for composting, you’re in for a treat!

In the following article, I’ll walk you through a brief guide that highlights the top 5 options that you can find out there, so you can choose your ideal fit!

Top Choice

#1
GreatCircleUSA Wood Chipper Shredder Mulcher Heavy Duty Gas Powered 3 in 1 Multi-Function 3' Inch Max Wood Diameter Capacity EPA/CARB Certified Aids in Fire Prevention - Building a Firebreak

This 3 in 1 multi-function capable Wood Chipper design comes with a top hopper for volume chipping; Side chute for small branch and limb; a shredder and access to back vacuum inlet for leaf loading w/ the purchase of a Vacuum Kit.

4.2 of 5 stars


Top 5 Chipper Shredders Available on the Market

To make the search process easier for you, I’ve scoured the market looking for the best options for various categories and compiled this list.

Let’s have a quick look at each one of these chipper shredders and see what it’s all about!

GreatCircleUSA Gas-Powered - Best Overall Chipper Shredder

Kicking off the list with one of the best overall chipper shredders that you can find out there. The gas-powered model from GreatCircleUSA.

It comes with a 7 HP engine with a 212cc displacement, which gives it enough power for wood chipping as well as shredding and mulching of all organic debris for composting.

The device is equipped with 4 Y-hammers that have a size reduction ratio of 15:1. This extends the surface area of the debris for faster and higher quality compost.

Moreover, it has a large hopper that can take a lot of debris in one go to save your time while operating the machine.

Overall, it’s a well-built and safe-to-use machine for medium to large-sized gardens that produce excellent quality compost.

Pros

  • Powerful motor
  • Easy to use and safe machine
  • Decent reduction ratio

Cons

  • Some users complained of packaging problems, but the company replace them

Landworks Mini Wood Chipper Shredder - Affordable Gas Powered Alternative

The Mini Chipper Shredder from Landworks is another excellent alternative for GreatCircleUSA’s model that’s great for tending to small properties.

It comes with a 212 cc motor with 7 HP capabilities, which makes this device a small powerhouse that’ll get the job done in no time.

It has a 3-inch chipping capacity and a space-efficient design to be stored without a large footprint.

The assembly of the device can be quite tricky but once you get the hang of it, it’ll be a huge asset in your garden.

Pros

  • Excellent value for its price
  • Great for small to medium properties
  • Features 3-year limited warranty

Cons

  • Not easy to put together

Patriot CSV-3100B Gas-Powered - Excellent for Large Properties and Heavy Duty Composting

If you have a large property with a lot of compost to be created, you need an immensely powerful device that will help you get through the process quickly.

In that case, you need the Patriot CSV-3100B chipper shredder. It comes with a superb 10 HP Briggs & Stratton engine.

Coupled with the Y-hammer reduction system, it’ll go through branches of up to 3-inches with ease and operate for a long time.

It’s equipped with a powerful-thrust side discharge system, which allows the machine to work from the same spot throughout the day.

Pros

  • Unrivaled motor power
  • Complies to all 50 states law for chipper shredders
  • Can work from the same spot all-day

Cons

  • Premium price tag

WEN 41121 15-Amp Rolling Electric Wood Chipper and Shredder - Best Electric Chipper Shredder

While gas-powered chipper shredders are the go-to option for most garden owners, they have their issues.

They’re energy-consuming, heavy, and remarkably loud. An excellent alternative that can work in neighborhoods and small gardens is an electric chipper shredder like WEN 41121.

This model features an impressive 15-amp engine, which allows for a size reduction ratio of up to 17:1, thanks to its 8,000 cuts per minute speed.

Besides having 2 years of warranty, among the best features of this electric device is that it starts easily without yanking to eliminate unnecessary fatigue.

Pros

  • Quite affordable
  • Produce much less noise
  • Starts with a single push of a button

Cons

  • Not as powerful as gas-powered models

PowerSmart PS10 Electric Garden Chipper Shredder - Best Budget Chipper Shredder

Lastly, if you’re on a budget but you still need a reliable chipper shredder to work your little garden, consider this one!

Although the PowerSmart PS10 comes at a fraction of what some other models would cost, it still works like a charm for composting purposes.

It has a 15 amp engine, which is good enough to reduce the size of the mulches in a small garden.

It also has a sleek design and is remarkably easy to use with multiple safety features to avoid any potential injury while on-duty.

Pros

  • Ideal for buyers on a budget
  • Sleek design
  • Comes with a 2-year warranty

Cons

  • Only suitable for small gardens

The Benefits of Using Chipper Shredders for Composting

If you’re going to make compost for your garden, you should know that it’s a long and exhausting task.

First, you need to collect the mulches to get them ready for size reduction, which can take a lot of time and effort on its own if done manually.

After that, you’ll need to keep all the reduced mulch into a compost bin, so that the process of breaking down into compost takes place.

GreatCircleUSA Wood Chipper Shredder Mulcher Heavy Duty Gas Powered 3 in 1 Multi-Function 3' Inch Max Wood Diameter Capacity EPA/CARB Certified Aids in Fire Prevention - Building a Firebreak

The problem is, even after manual size reduction, the debris particles are still large with a smaller overall surface area.

Using a chipper shredder for composting shortcuts the process by cutting down on time needed for shredding and speeding up the composting process by shredding into tinier pieces with much more area for the decaying bacteria to work on.

Wrap Up

With this reliable guide for the best chipper shredders for composting, you’ll be able to pick the most suitable one for you based on your needs.

Ideally, I recommend GreatCircleUSA Gas-Powered Chipper Shredder, it comes with a rugged 7 HP motor that gives you all the power you need to go through all the mulch in little to no time.

However, if you’re on a budget, and looking for a quick and efficient way to create better compost, PowerSmart PS10 Electric Chipper Shredder is the one for you. It gives you noiseless size reduction without costing you an arm and a leg!