Best Wood Chippers

How to Choose a Wood Chipper

You pruned. You cleared. Now you have a mountain of branches. A chipper turns that pile into mulch for your garden beds. No more loading trailers or paying dump fees.

Electric vs Gas

Electric (13-15 amp): Handles branches up to about 1.75". Quieter, no maintenance, limited by cord reach. Perfect for typical suburban pruning.

Gas (5-7+ HP): Handles 3"+ branches. Louder, requires maintenance, goes anywhere. For properties with lots of trees or storm cleanup needs.

### Chipper vs Shredder vs Mulcher

Chipper: Steel blades or knives that slice branches into chips. For woody material.
Shredder: Flails that hammer soft material. For leaves and small twigs.
Mulcher: Usually means leaf mulcher—reduces leaf volume but can't handle branches.

Many machines combine functions, but check specifications. "Chipper shredder" should specify capacity for each function separately.

### Capacity Reality

That "3-inch capacity" assumes straight, dry branches fed properly. Green, crooked, or wet branches effectively reduce capacity. Buy more capacity than you think you need.

### Safety Is Serious

Never reach into a chipper. Never wear loose clothing. Always wear eye and ear protection. Never force material—let the machine pull it in. Chippers can cause devastating injuries in an instant.