If you have a lot of trees and bushes in your garden, you usually dream of a shredder. Stiftung Warentest has now tested 17 shredders. You can find out here which shredder performed best in the test.
Garden shredders are something really great. Shrub cuttings can be quickly shredded with such a device. The clippings can then be used in the garden or disposed of. If you have now decided to buy a garden shredder, then you will surely ask yourself which one is the right one. After all, there are big differences in price and quality among the devices. Stiftung Warentest took a closer look at 17 electric shredders. We would like to tell you how the individual shredders performed in the test.
What types of shredders are there?
The shredders hardly differ visually. They all have a funnel-shaped opening into which the cuttings are placed and usually also a catch basket for the shredded wood. The only difference between the devices is the technology. There are knife shredders, roller shredders and shredders with a special roller.
» Blade shredders work similar to a lawnmower. With such a model, the branches and twigs are chopped up by a rapidly rotating blade. In addition, the chopped material is usually very severely shredded.
» Roller chopper have a rotating roller with sharp-edged teeth and a pressure plate. The branches are broken up between the roller and the pressure plate. The great thing about such models is that they pull in the shredded material independently.
» A shredder with a special roller is shaped like a funnel and is hollow on the inside. The outer surface of the roller rotates past a pressure plate during operation. The wood chips then fall into the interior of the roller. From there, the chopped material slides further into the collection container. These devices also draw in the shredded material independently.
Chopper with a special roller impressed in the test
In the meantime, roller choppers are increasingly dominating the market. That was in the testtaken into account. Stiftung Warentest has also tested a new type of shredder. The innovative Bosch AXT 25 TC shredder works with a special, razor-sharp roller. In the test, the newcomer particularly impressed with its chopping performance. The chopping capacity of the individual devices was determined in an endurance test in which each device had to shred 500 kilograms of material. This was intended to simulate a load that occurs over the course of several years. Some models weakened in the endurance test or failed completely.
Some models weakened in the test
During the test, two Einhell models failed early. With other roller models, the metal removal on the pressure plate was so high that cavities became visible. If branches get stuck in these cavities, this can lead to a blockage. The roller shredders from Hornbach, Grizzly and Bosch only rarely clogged in the test. And if it does happen, it's not so bad with roller choppers. They have a return.
Devices have become less dangerous
Shredders have become much less dangerous in recent years. For example, some shredders have catch boxes for the chopped material with a safety switch. When the container is pulled out, the roller switches off automatically. Blockages can be removed without any problems. But there are also devices that entail some dangers, such as the tested device from Gloria and Viking. In the test, it happened several times that long branches were thrown out of the opening or branches whipped back and forth at head height. With the Gloria device, however, the clippings should also be shortened to 50 to 60 centimeters.
Test winner at Stiftung Warentest: Bosch AXT 25 TC
The Bosch AXT 25 TC is the clear test winner among all the shredders tested. It was the only device to receive the quality rating GOOD (1.9). This is the shredder with the special, razor-sharp roller. But it also costs 500 euros. This shredder also handles thicker branches without any problems. In addition, it is easy to use. Read testimonials…
The Mac Allister 2500 ELH from Hornbach (now Atika) performed best among the roller chippers. It was the only roller chopper to receive the quality rating GOOD (2.2). In all group disciplines, this shredder convinced with good grades. It is easy to use and has a transparent catch basket for the chopped material. The MacAllister2500 ELH from Hornbach costs only 169 euros. Read testimonials…
Among the knife shredders, the Bosch AXT 2200 Rapid performed best. It was the only knife shredder to receive the quality rating GOOD (2.4). This shredder impressed in the test with its very good shredding performance. Unfortunately, this shredder does not have a collection container. At 12 kilograms, the Bosch AXT 2200 Rapid was the lightest shredder in the test. The Bosch AXT 2200 Rapid costs 250 euros. Read testimonials…
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Conclusion of the shredder test:
Basically, roller shredders shred clippings much better than knife shredders. The good thing about the devices is that you pull in the clippings independently. In addition, these devices are much quieter and also safer than knife shredders. However, if you want to treat yourself to something good, then of course the Bosch AXT 25 TC is for you. Buying a shredder is really only worthwhile if you always have a lot to shred. You can also buy such a device together with your neighbor.