5 Best Wood Chippers, According to Experts
Clean up yard waste with one of these wood-shredding machines.
Reviewed by Dan DiClericoHome Improvement & Outdoor Director
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If you live on a wooded property, you know that branches, limbs, twigs and other debris can pile up and create an eyesore. One way to clean up yard waste is to use a wood chipper.
Wood chippers cut through pieces of wood, with some capable of shredding branches up to 4 inches thick. Some machines also feature a mulching mode that allows you to turn leaves into usable garden mulch or compost. “It’s a fairly specialized power tool, but homeowners who invest in a wood chipper say they find all kinds of uses throughout the year, from spring and fall clean-up to turning Christmas trees into mulch for use around the yard,” says Dan DiClerico, Director of Home Improvement & Outdoor at the Good Housekeeping Institute.
Here at the Good Housekeeping Institute, we put wood chippers through a battery of tests, evaluating a machine’s wood shredding performance, reduction ratio (a measure of how effectively it can break down branches and leaves), branch capacity, maneuverability and design. The five models below shined in our assessments in different ways. We performed extensive spec reviews and hands-on testing of two wood chippers—the Sun Joe and DR Power models—and our partners at Popular Mechanics tested the others.
Below the list, check out our section on what to look for when shopping for a wood chipper and answers to a couple FAQs. To further expand your arsenal of yard maintenance tools, take a look at our reviews of the best leaf vacuums, best lawn mowers and best cordless leaf blowers, all tested by our experts.
Great Circle 3-in-1 Wood Chipper/Mulcher
Pros
- Versatile: also mulches and shreds
- Solid reduction ratio
- Wheels for easy transport
Cons
- A bit pricey
- Some customers report difficult assembly
This triple-duty wood chipper, mulcher and shredder from Great Circle, a brand known for manufacturing quality outdoor tools and lawn equipment, eats through piles of branches with ease. Equipped with a powerful gas engine, sharp cutting blades, and a large side chute, it can shred limbs up to three inches in diameter. In addition, the wheels make the unit easy to move.
It also boasts a solid 15-to-1 reduction ratio, meaning it can reduce yard waste that would typically require 15 bags to just a single bag. You can purchase a separate leaf vacuum attachment, convenient for sucking up leaves and twigs without bending over.
A couple small caveats: This model is priced higher than many others in its class, and some customers reported in online reviews that it's a bit difficult to assemble.
| Type | Gas |
| Reduction ratio | 15:1 |
| Capacity | 3 inches |
| Warranty | 1 year |
Snow Joe CJ602E Electric Wood Chipper
Pros
- Low price
- Compact design for easy storage
- Lightweight
Cons
- Limited cutting capacity
Looking for a budget-friendly wood chipper that still delivers fairly good cutting performance? Consider this electric Sun Joe. With a 17-to-1 reduction ratio, the machine does a good job of turning branches into small pieces, our tests showed. Its compact design (just 16.25 inches wide) makes it easy to store — appealing if you’re tight on storage space. Weighing just 26.2 pounds, it's also the lightest model on this list. Plus, our tester found the unit easy to assemble and operate.
One notable downside: This wood chipper has the smallest chipping capacity of the products in our round-up. It can only process branches up to 1.5 inches in diameter, making it better suited for disposing of twigs and small branches than larger pieces.
| Type | Electric |
| Reduction ratio | 17:1 |
| Capacity | 1.5 inches |
| Warranty | 2 years |
DR Power Self-Feeding Wood Chipper
Pros
- Self-feeding
- Large cutting capacity
- Wheels and handlebar for easy maneuvering
Cons
- Expensive
This self-feeding machine, with a vertically oriented hopper, offers exceptional performance and is a cinch to operate. It was put through its paces by one of our expert testers, Vinny Brodo, a professional landscaper based in New Jersey. "Assembly was quite easy, something any homeowner with a ratchet set or open-end wrench can handle," reported Brodo who also stressed the importance of adding the right mix of oil (detailed in the user manual) to the engine prior to operating.
The gas-powered chipper can cut through hardwood limbs up to 3.75 inches in diameter, which comes in handy when you’re tackling a lot of big branches. "Feed it slowly and it will do the work all day long," says Brodo. He also likes that the DR Power has wheels and a built-in handlebar for easy maneuvering. Alternatively, it can be towed with a lawn tractor or ATV using the machine’s pin hitch, a nice feature if you’re tending to a large yard.
| Type | Gas |
| Reduction ratio | Not listed |
| Capacity | 3.75 inches |
| Warranty | 2 years |
Titan Attachments 3 Point PTO Driven Wood Chipper
Pros
- Exceptional cutting capacity
- Loaded with features
- Oversized rotor with reversible blades
Cons
- Expensive
- Heavy
Own a tractor with a PTO attachment? You can’t beat this towable model’s cutting capacity, which can chomp through branches up to 4 inches thick, producing manageable chips and pellets. (Titan Attachments makes a larger version of this chipper that’s capable of cutting through branches up to 6 inches thick.) This wood chipper features a fully adjustable exit chute, an oversized rotor with reversible blades and integrated air vents for efficient operation.
That said, this feature-packed machine is expensive. It’s also bulkier than others on our list and weighs a hefty 431 pounds.
| Type | PTO |
| Reduction ratio | 20:1 |
| Capacity | 4 inches |
| Warranty | 1 year |
Patriot Products 1.5-HP Electric Wood Chipper
Pros
- Lightweight
- Large capacity
- Separate hoppers for chipping and shredding
Cons
- Pricey
Some wood chippers are compact, lightweight electric machines designed for light yard clean-up. This model from Patriot Products fits the bill — and then some. With an admirable 20-to-1 reduction ratio and separate hoppers for chipping and shredding, it’s efficient at cutting branches up to 2.5 inches thick. It also has wheels and weighs just under 100 pounds, making it easy to move around.
However, if you’re on a tight budget, this relatively pricey model isn’t the right wood chipper for you.
| Type | Electric |
| Reduction ratio | 20:1 |
| Capacity | 2.5 inches |
| Warranty | 1 year (2 years if you buy the manufacturer's 100-foot extension cord) |
How we choose the best wood chippers
We take yard equipment seriously at the Good Housekeeping Institute. So do our partners at Popular Mechanics, who recently wrapped up their own round of wood chipper tests. We combined our hands-on wood chipper tests and spec reviews of another half dozen models with their evaluations to find the machines that excel at breaking down tree branches and other yard waste.
Our list of best wood chippers includes gas and electric models of various sizes and price points to help you find the right wood chipper for your needs. Our tests focused on the wood chipper's shredding performance, ease of use and handling.
What to look for when shopping for a wood chipper
There are several important factors to consider when you go shopping.
✔️ Power source: Wood chippers run on either gas or electricity.
- Gas-powered wood chippers are often better suited for tackling larger yards, since they don’t require connection to a power outlet.
- Electric wood chippers are cheaper to operate (no fuel needed!), produce no fumes or exhaust and are often quieter than gas models. You just have to remember to charge them in advance.
- Power Take-Off (PTO) wood chippers have the equipment attached to the PTO of a tractor.
✔️ Reduction ratio: This refers to how efficiently a wood chipper breaks down branches, leaves, and other yard debris. A 15-to-1 ratio means the machine can reduce yard waste that would typically require 15 bags to just a single bag.
✔️ Capacity: A wood chipper’s capacity refers to what sized branches it can cut through. Most wood chippers have shredding capacities of 1.5 to 4 inches in diameter. Large-capacity machines are better equipped to break down thicker branches.
✔️ Warranty: Wood chippers typically come with a one-year, two-year or three-year warranty, with some manufacturers offering customers the option to purchase an extended warranty.
How do I use a wood chipper safely and effectively?
Firstly, always follow these best practices to ensure safety:
- Wear protective gear, including safety glasses, ear plugs and heavy-duty gloves.
- Place the wood chipper on a level surface before you turn it on.
- Keep hands away from the cutting blades at all times.
- Position the chute away from nearby objects.
- Wait until the machine comes to a complete stop before cleaning it out.
Technique matters when it comes to maximizing your wood chipper’s performance:
- Never load the machine with branches that are thicker than the product’s specified capacity; doing so could cause jams and damage the cutting blades.
- Be selective when choosing what branches, leaves and other debris you’re going to feed the machine. “Y-shaped stubs and knots will cause many small and light-duty chippers to lock up,” warns Roy Berendsohn, senior home editor at Popular Mechanics.
Where should I store my wood chipper?
The best place to keep a wood chipper, when not in use, is in a garden shed or garage. This will prevent exposure to rain, which can cause parts to rust.
Why trust Good Housekeeping?
Daniel Bortz is a freelance writer who has written about home improvement for more than a decade, including testing-based product reviews across every major category, from outdoor power equipment to smart home technology. His work has been published by the New York Times, Washington Post, Consumer Reports, Newsweek, Money magazine and other outlets. He personally tested the Sun Joe electric wood chipper in his backyard in Gaithersburg, Maryland.
For this article, Daniel worked closely with Dan DiClerico, director of GH's Home Improvement & Outdoor Lab. Dan has tested and written about outdoor power equipment, including snow blowers, for more than 20 years. Prior to joining Good Housekeeping, his expertise appeared in Consumer Reports and This Old House.
Daniel Bortz (he/him) is a freelance writer in Arlington, Va who has written about home improvement for more a decade, including product reviews across every major category, from appliances to smart home technology, as well as articles on real estate, personal finance, and more. His work has been published by The New York Times, The Washington Post, Consumer Reports, Newsweek, Money magazine, among others. He’s also a licensed real estate agent who watches way too much HGTV.
Having written thousands of product reviews and how-to articles on all aspects of home ownership, from routine maintenance to major renovations, Dan (he/him) brings more than 20 years of industry experience to his role as the director of the Home Improvement & Outdoor Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute. A one-time roofer and a serial remodeler, Dan can often be found keeping house at his restored Brooklyn brownstone, where he lives with his wife and kids.
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