Best Wood Chipper for DIY Mulch

Limbs fall from trees naturally due to storms and time. Trees and shrubs need to be trimmed often. When a tree is cut for any reason, a pile of limbs is left behind after the trunk is cut into firewood. Even a moderate sized tree will produce several pickup truck loads of limbs, but a wood chipper will reduce them to mulch that takes up less space and is useful around the home and garden.

When thinking about the diameter that any chipper will take, take protruding knots and “Ys” into consideration. The measure isn’t just an estimation of how powerful the system is, but a measure of the physical opening into the machine. A large chipper with a power feeder might be able to break forks in branches, but a small, electric model that relies on the operator to push the limb through will need most forked limbs to be broken before chipping.

Chippers and chipper-shredders are most often powered by electricity or a gasoline engine, while some operate from the power takeoff, or PTO, on a tractor. All wood chipper equipment needs maintenance by sharpening or replacing blades, lubrication and regular cleaning.

All wood mulcher chippers and shredders are potentially dangerous and must be operated with care. Use PPE like safety glasses, hearing protection, a dust mask and tight-fitting gloves. Don’t wear jewelry or loose clothing that could become caught in the machine. Tie back long hair. Read the operator’s manual to know how the machine works and follow its safety guidelines.

Comparing wood chippers, shredders and mulchers is easier when you know what the numbers and feature names mean.

• Capacity. The largest diameter of wood that can be chipped. Light duty machines start around 1-1/2 inch capability. Heavy duty machines may have capacity as high as 6 inches. There are industrial machines with much larger capacities, but this guide is only discussing machines for the homeowner. Some machines have added capacity to shred leaves.
• Reduction ratio is a way of comparing the relative size of the chips produced. It will be expressed with two numbers separated by a colon. For example, 16:1 is read as “16 to 1” and means that the material should fit into 1/16th of the space it took up before chipping. So, if you had 16 cubic feet of limbs, you should end up with 1 cubic foot of chips. This is an approximate measurement, since many factors will affect the actual production. A chipper that has an 8:1 ratio would produce chips that are twice as large as the 16:1.
• Amperage is the amount of power an electric motor will draw. A 15 amp motor is more powerful than a 10 amp motor.
• Horsepower, torque and engine size are used to compare the power of a gasoline engine. Often, it will be necessary to look through the detailed specifications to find this information, since manufacturers may choose to emphasize one or the other.
• Chipping or shredding method. Most chippers will use blades on a spinning disc or flywheel, but some may use flails or hammers.
• Feed type. Push or gravity feed is when material is pushed into the chute or hopper and gravity pulls it through the blades. Some models with push feed will include a tool to push with. Powered feed is a toothed wheel or set of tooth wheels that rotate towards the blades, pulling the vegetation into the blades.
• Portability. Some chippers are large enough that they must be towed with a vehicle. Others are moved via a push handle and wheels, while some are simply carried. Note the weight in conjunction with the method of movement to determine if it will work for you.

While leaf shredders will not chip sticks and limbs, they are the entry point into the category of wood chippers.

• They are usually powered by electricity via an electric outlet and extension cord.
• Check the owner's manual to get the right gauge extension cord for the leaf shredder you choose. You can use a heavier cord, but not a lighter one.
• Leaves are fed through a chute at the top. The leaves fall into the area where they are chopped into small pieces by a cutter head that uses a string trimmer line.
• Small pieces of leaves then fall through the bottom of the unit directly into lawn bags.

These chippers typically use a spinning disc with a heavy, sharp blade. They will accept sticks up to 1-1/2 inches in diameter.

• Typically, electric wood chippers will not have a power feed mechanism. The operator and gravity provide the force that moves the limbs through the feed hopper and into the chipper. Often, a paddle will be included to push material through safely.
• Wood chips and mulch fall through the bottom of the machine and can be gathered in a lawn bag or cart.
• Electric wood chippers are best for homeowners with shrubs and small trees. The electric motor requires a power receptacle but needs little maintenance compared to a gasoline engine.
• An electric wood chipper will need a heavy extension cord. The operator’s manual should have the specifications listed.

• This style of chipper-shredder has a chute for limbs and a hopper for leaves. Some include a vacuum hose for picking up leaves from the ground.
• Leaves are dropped into a vertical hopper and fall into a chamber where a series of flails or hammers pulverize the leaves into small bits of mulch.
• Limbs and sticks are pushed into a chute that directs them into blades on a spinning disc. The wood is quickly chipped into small pieces.
• Variations within this range are generally the horsepower or size of the engine and the reduction ratio of the material.
• Gas wood chippers is best for a property with mature trees and shrubs.

This size range bridges the gap between pushable and towable models with a larger engine and footprint than the previous category.

Most towable models in this range are not meant to be towed on public roads, the towing feature is only for moving around private property at low speed. Others are legal to tow on public roads. Verify with your local laws before towing a wood chipper, as some have street-legal tires but lack any kind of lights.

• The chipper and shredder often use the same chute.
• The feed may be powered or it may be push fed. This is where self-feeding wood chippers begin to become available.
• The duty cycle will be higher and the feed rate faster because the disc has 2 or more blades.
• Safety features often include a stop bar above or surrounding the feed chute.

• Most chippers in this range will be towed with a vehicle and will be equipped for travel on public roads.
• Feed is powered.
• They are heavy duty, meant to be used on a regular basis.
• Safety features often include a stop bar above or surrounding the feed chute.
• This type of chipper can be borrowed using The Home Depot Tool Rental.

Walk behind chippers resemble push lawnmowers. They will have a chute for feeding sticks into the chipper or a vacuum hose for picking up material from the ground.

Like all equipment, wood chippers, chipper mulchers and shredders require maintenance.

• Follow the manufacturer’s requirements as listed in the owner’s manual. If you don’t have the manual, many are available on The Home Depot website on individual product pages, or you may be able to download one from the manufacturer’s website.
• The equipment should be clean when stored. Clear all debris from the chutes and blade area. Leaving wet material inside the chipper can cause rust and corrosion.
• Blades should be kept sharp. Some models will feature blades that can be sharpened. Others will have blades that are designed to be turned over to reveal a new set of sharp edges. Some have blades that need to be replaced.
• On gasoline models, change the oil and spark plug on a regular basis. Clean or replace the air filter.
• Check all hoses, lines and electrical wiring each time the machine is used to ensure top performance.
• Maintenance will ensure you have the best wood chipper for years to come.