Garden Shredder UK Reviews - Perfect for Garden Waste Disposal

Thanks for taking your time to read our information on the best garden shredders that are currently available in the UK.

Garden shredders are just very good at turning larger branches and twigs into easier to dispose of waste. That same waste could also be used for mulching or to add to a compost heap if you prefer.

Essentially, these garden shredders take larger branches, pass them through blades and chop them up into small pieces. You can also pass grass through these shredders, and compost that as well.

In this article we provide a lot of information that includes a top 10 list of garden shredders which have been sorted by the highest buyer rating first.

We also provide summary reviews of each brand of shredder which will really help you out. We then conclude with a full and detailed UK written garden shredder buying guide.

top rated garden shredders

The Most Popular Garden Shredder

Bosch AXT Rapid 2200 Shredder

In a Hurry?

" If you are in a hurry and simply don't have time to read our full and detailed review, the most popular Garden Shredder by a very long way is the Bosch AXT Rapid 2200 Shredder "

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For those who want more detail and information, then please feel free to read on. Here you will find everything you need to know about making the best choice for your own individual needs.

Top 6 Garden Shredders in the UK Market

Below, you will find a table with the top 6 buyer rated garden shredders, that are currently available in the UK market. These cost from around £80-300, depending on the brand, quality, type and size of the actual shredder.

We have included the product name, the RRP, buyer satisfaction rating (out of 100%), that power each shredder has, and a button if you want to read more about the shredder at Amazon UK. Underneath the table we will review each shredder in much greater detail.

If you want to go straight to those summary reviews, then simply click on the product name that interests you.

IMPORTANT NOTE FOR READERS

From the table above you will notice that the price variation is significant. The reason for that is that there are two types of shredders; a blade style and a burr style.

The burr type shredders are a great deal more expensive than a blade shredder.  The main difference between a burr and a blade shredder is that burr shredders, shred much better(finer) and are a great deal quieter than a blade shredder.

Summary Reviews of the Top Rated Garden Shredders in the UK

Underneath you will find summary reviews on the top 7 rated garden shredders, that are currently available in the UK market. I have also provided a link to a more detailed review on each shredder, where you can get more comprehensive details.

82% buyer satisfaction based on 2,700+ online buyer reviews

Einhell Electric Shredder GC-KS 2540 - Best Blade Shredder

This is an affordable blade shredder which is very popular with UK buyers and gets a high 86% buyer satisfaction rate.


It uses two robust reversible blades made of special steel which are driven by a powerful 2,500 W motor with a no-load speed of 4,500 rpm.


This shredder also has a wide opening which is a very important feature. Just be aware that this is a blade shredder so can be noisy to use.

Quality

Einhell are a good brand, and this model is well made and a good design. It is easy to assemble and also easy to store.

Effectiveness

Buyers say as long as you are sensible about the thickness of the material you are putting in, it shreds it very well and quite quickly.

Value

This model does represent very good value for money and it is that which makes this shredder a very popular choice.

86% buyer satisfaction based on 1,000+ online buyer reviews

Makita UD2500/2 Electric Shredder

This is an affordable burr shredder which is popular with UK buyers and gets a high 86% buyer satisfaction rate. Many Makita tool owners will opt for this one.


It uses a Makita "quiet cut and crush system" to thoroughly shred garden waste volume, and has a fast cutting speed of up to 40 rpm.


It can deal with branches of up to 45mm in thickness and the collection box has a 67 litre capacity.

Quality

Makita are a high end quality brand, and this model is well made and a good design. It is powerful, easy to adjust and very quiet.

Effectiveness

Buyers say this shredder works very well and they love the large wheels that make it easy to move around the garden with little effort.

Value

Makita tools of any kind are expensive. You are however buying high quality tools designed to work really well and last for years.

86% buyer satisfaction based on 4,000+ online buyer reviews

Bosch AXT 25 TC Quiet Shredder - Best Burr Shredder

The "TC" in the model name stands for "Turbo Cut". That simply means that this shredder quickly gets through the work of shredding garden waste, without straining the motor.

This model can shred branches of up to 4.5 cm in thickness (around 2") It has an automatic feed, and it is very quiet to use, so you will not be disturbing the neighbours

The hopper is large (53 Litres) and also easy to remove, when you need to empty it into the bin. The shredder measures 77.6 x 68.4 x 39.4 cm and weighs about 35 Kg.

It comes with a 2-year guarantee, which you can increase to 3 years, if and when you register the product online at the Bosch website.

Quality

Bosch are known for their high quality tools, and this shredder is extremely well made.

Effectiveness

Buyers said it is very effective as a shredder, and can handle thicker branches than most.

Value

This is a very expensive shredder and although very good, will be out of most people's budget

86% buyer satisfaction based on 3,500+ online buyer reviews

Bosch AXT Rapid 2200 Blade Shredder

There are hundreds of reviews on this particular Bosch model. For a very long time this was the number one choice for gardeners in the UK market. That was down to the powerful Bosch brand name, and the fact that there was not a lot of competition for this type of garden tool.

This shredder still sells very well, but the slightly higher price point does put people off for a blade style shredder. The Bosch AXT Rapid 2200 still remains the best selling blade style garden shredder online.

Quality

Bosch are known for their high quality tools, and this shredder has been around for years and still gets very good reviews

Effectiveness

Buyers said it has a high cutting capacity, is easy to use, and the hopper is wide and easy to get material into.

Value

This is the blade version from Bosch, so cheaper than their quieter burr option, but still at the higher end for most blade shredders.

92% buyer satisfaction based on 300+ online buyer reviews

Ryobi RSH3045U 3000W Silent Impact Shredder

A lot of UK gardeners are turning their attention to the Ryobi brand for many of their power garden tools.


Their garden shredder is a blade style shredder and uses 2 reversible hardened steel blades


The container can hold up to 55 litres and this model also has wheels for easy transport

Quality

This shredder gets really solid reviews and buyers really like it, despite the higher price point. Many buyers said this was a very reliable machine.

Effectiveness

Buyers say it is very good at cutting and shredding and you can use it for about 20 minutes constant shredding before the container is full.

Value

This model is more expensive than other blade shredders you will see on our list. It still gets plenty of buyers though who seem well pleased with their purchase.

86% buyer satisfaction based on 20+ online buyer reviews

Challenge 2400W Impact Garden Shredder

This is fairly new to the UK market and so far, buyers have given this model good solid reviews.

It is designed to be used with green, soft and woody garden waste.
It uses a double-sided hardened steel cutting blade and has large wheels and low weight make it extremely easy to move around your garden.
3940rpm (rapid impact cutting system, torque: 12Nm).
Shreds branches up to 40mm in diameter.

Quality

It is well made though some buyers have said this one is noisy, however most blade options are.

Effectiveness

Buyers say it is very good at cutting and shredding, and it is also light enough to be really easy to wheel around.

Value

This model is priced just about at the right amount, but slightly towards the higher end for a blade shredder.

Garden Shredder UK Buying Guide

On this website, we offer you some great advice, and for this section that will help you to buy the best garden shredder. A garden shredder can be a very useful product to have in your list of garden tools. It is especially important if you want to get rid of branches, twigs, bushes, and shrubs without a great deal of effort.

At this website, we will try and bring you as much useful information as we can, on buying the right garden shredder for your needs. If you have never bought one before, or are looking to replace one, then we offer you our best advice. There are quite a few of these in the UK market place. Like many gardening tools, it can often be difficult to find the exact one that will suit both your pocket, and what tasks you need it to do.

At different times of the year in the UK, we will have to get rid of garden waste. For most people that will mean a lot of cutting, chopping, trimming and mowing. That can include trees, bushes, hedges, shrubs, grass and the dreaded weeds.

It is hard enough having to do all of that, and it is often even harder to get rid of it all. For many people living in the UK, that can mean a few trips to the local waste or recycling centre. It will certainly mean a few trips back and forwards to the recycle bin.

I am sure like me, when you go to the recycle centre, you will find plenty of other gardeners, with trailers, vans and black bags filled to the brim with branches, twigs and grass cuttings. Most homes will also have a recycling bin for garden waste. Usually that is OK, but there will be times when we just have a lot of garden waste, and we have to make those longer trips to get rid of our garden waste.

Types of Garden Shredders

The first thing you may notice is the HUGE variation in price. That is worth some explanation. You can see that they all roughly use the same amount of power (wattage) to drive the motor in the shredder. There are slight differences, but that does not really impact that much on the price. They key difference in the price is caused by how the shredder actually works.

Blade Shredders vs Quiet Shredders

This is what accounts for the huge variation in price. Shredders priced at around £75-125 all use blades to shred branches etc. Those priced at around £300-400 use a grinding action to do the shredding. The bladed versions work perfectly well, but you will need to make sure that the blades are always kept sharp. You will also have to replace those as they will get too blunt, and they will wear out. How long they last, will depend on how much shredding you will have to do.

The more expensive shredders, use like a burr grinding action ,which draws the branches in and essentially chops and squeezes the branches. They last a great deal longer. They are also a great deal quieter than the bladed shredders. That may not initially seem that important, but if you live in a quiet neighbourhood, it certainly can be.

My recommendation to you is that if you just need to use a shredder a few times a year, buy a cheaper bladed option like the Dirty Pro, or the Homegear models shown above in the table. If you need to do a lot of shredding, or want something that will last for years, then get a quiet shredder like the Bosch AXT 25 Tc, or the Einhell BG-RS.

This is a fairly comprehensive overview of the best rated garden shredders, currently available on the UK market place. The main decision for most buyers will be whether to buy a blade style, or the quieter and more effective grinding style. The price difference is significant between the two of them.

My advice on this is to buy the cheaper blade style if you have a small to medium size garden. You should also but one of those if you have a garden with not that many trees, shrubs or hedges. That is because you will only use it a few times during the summer, and it will do a good enough job.

If you can afford the "Quiet type shredder," then by all means buy that style. They are better, they last longer and you don't have to worry about changing blunt blades.

Before we look at the two types blade and burr in detail, it is worth mentioning that, garden shredders can either be powered by electricity, or by a petrol driven motor. 99.9% of garden shredders will be used from a normal UK electric socket. The petrol option is used by professional landscapers, orchards, councils or by those who have very large gardens. That makes the petrol option quite expensive.

Most home owners will only ever need a good electric garden shredder. They are perfect for small to medium size gardens. They are not that heavy or difficult to move around. They are really simple to use. As I mentioned earlier, they come in two distinct types. Those are the quiet style, also known as drum or roller style, and the more common impact or blade garden shredder.

Blade Shredders vs Quiet Shredders (Burr Style)

Impact Blade Style Shredder

  • The impact or blade garden shredder is a lot noisier, and also a lot more aggressive in its approach. It uses either a disc, or a cassette which is set at an angle. This disc has a number of blades attached to it, which spin very quickly. These blades quite literally chop their way through anything that gets in their path.
  • This type of shredder is ideal if you have a lot of wood type garden waste, like branches and twigs. It does not work that well for normal green waste like leaves and vegetables.
  • It is one noisy machine, and I would highly recommend you do not do your shredding at 8 o'clock on a Sunday morning, unless you fancy taking on the neighbours.

Quiet Shredders - Roller Crushing Style

  • This type crushes the waste using some type of rotating wheel or a drum. This drum has raised ridges that work against a flat plate. The wheel grips the waste, and pulls the waste in, and then crushes that against the flat plate. The raised edges also cut into the garden waste materials.
  • This type of shredder can handle branches, wood types of waste and also all the normal garden waste. That is because of the unique way in which the rollers grab, and then crush just about anything that gets in their way.
  • It is quiet so no worries about upsetting the neighbours.

There is no question that the "Quiet" style shredders are much better than the chopping blade style. If you can afford a Quiet one, then that is what you should buy. If you are working on a tighter budget, then a blade style will also work well. They work for about 75% of garden waste types.

What Is a Garden Shredder Used For?

A garden shredder simply chops up garden waste and turns it into mulch, compost or chippings. Many gardeners and indeed most homes will have old branches of trees, shrubs or bushes that have been cut back, hedge clippings or garden waste of that nature. You either want to find a better way of disposing of that, or to make better use of the waste.

Some of the better garden shredders can also shred what are termed the "greener" products like freshly cut grass. These green products would also include garden leaves and the many varieties of weeds.

Many people would use any wood that was chipped, for garden cover and mulching. For the greener products, they would use that to help make compost, that could then be used in the garden.

For many users though, they simply want a convenient way to dispose of bulky branches, twigs etc.

Why Use a Garden Shredder?

Garden shredders will certainly save you some money on having to hire a skip, or make multiple journeys to the recycling plant. For most homes in the UK, it will also leave more room, in your normal recycling bin.

Rather then fill it with garden waste, you can save that space for your household food recycling. The shredded material can often be placed on a compost heap, or turned into wood chips, for use in the garden.

These are a fast method of getting rid of many types of garden waste. If you have to regularly trim back trees, shrubs, hedges etc then that can quickly build up. That is of course especially true during the spring and summer seasons, when growth is at is quickest.

If you own a garden shredder, then this can quickly help get rid of bulkier waste that is difficult to fit in a recycling bin.

Best Petrol Shredders/Chippers

Most people will never need one of these for their garden. They are however really fun and enjoyable to use, and will munch their way through just about anything. You find these being used in places like orchards, golf courses, farms and also by council workers and professional gardeners and landscapers. You could also justify buying one, if you had a really large garden, that generated a lot of garden waste.

These are quite literally beasts which run off a 2-stroke petrol engine. Many of those do come with an electrical start. The electrical shredders do depend on an electrical power socket, whereas these do not.

That makes them more portable and they can be used almost anywhere. The disadvantages of course is that you need to put petrol and oil in them, they cause emissions and they are heavy to move around.

You will need big deep pockets though, to be able to afford a petrol garden shredder. The one above is a 6.5 Horse Power chipper and mulcher and will set you back around £1,000. In reality most home owners, will never have any requirement for something of this size. They can handle tree branches of up to 8 cm in thickness, and will do that with ease.

These are mainly used in the forestry industry rather than for home use. Typically they use twin blades to do the cutting, and most of these run off a 4-stroke engine.

So, as you can see, there are plenty of choices when it comes to buying a good garden shredder. By quite a way the most popular are the basic blade shredder. These are ideal for people with small to medium sized gardens.

For those with larger gardens I would recommend the crusher style of shredder. They deal better with the larger waste, and also last a great deal longer. If you are a professional, or have a really big garden, then a petrol option is the better choice.

Do You Really Need a Garden Shredder?

Now personally I love using these. Grabbing old branches, or hedge cuttings and churning them through a shredder, is just a fun thing to do. I get a great deal of satisfaction from doing just that. It is certainly a lot more convenient than trying to break branches, and then fit them into the brown bin.

The reality though for many people is that they may not need one at all. It all depends on how much waste you create in a year. You also need to think about what type of garden waste you create.

The size of your garden, and what you have growing in it, is also important to consider. If you have hedges that need trimming, shrubs that need pruning, or trees and branches with falling leaves, then this is probably a very good investment for you. It certainly make light work of those tiresome gardening jobs.

I find it easier though not to borrow too much with leaves. These are better put in a compost heap or a compost bin. After a year or so there they make a great mulch for the garden.

Garden Leaf Vacuum Blowers/Mulchers vs Garden Shredder

When considering a shredder, it is worth having a quick look at these. Now they will not do what the shredders above can do, but for some users, they might be a perfect solution. If you have a garden that gets covered with leaves, then having a tool that can either blow or vacuum up those leaves, can be really useful. It will certainly save you time, and will also save the back breaking exercise of doing it with a garden rake.

Now if you add to that vacuum, some form of leaf shredder and mulcher, then that may be the ideal solution. These are certainly a cheaper option, then the two shredders shown above. These cost between £30-100, depending on the type that you want. I have shown what we think are three of the best in the UK market right now.

Garden Shredder Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

A garden shredder is not something that you buy every day. For most people, this is likely to be a one off purchase. If you buy the right one, then the chances are, you may never need to buy one again. There are some very common questions asked about these types of garden machinery. To save you the trouble of searching for answers, I have listed them most frequently asked questions below. Hopefully I have also provided practical and sensible answers.

FAQ 1 - DO GARDEN SHREDDERS REALLY WORK?

You should only every buy one of these, if you can get proper use from it. A garden shredder works really well for getting rid of garden waste like hedge clippings, shrub or bush pruning cut offs and smaller branches of trees. Most small gardens will never make full use of a shredder.

Those of us who have medium to larger gardens, will find one of these really handy. They work well for reducing bulky garden waste into wood chippings, or to turn garden waste into material suitable for a compost heap. They do not work that well for garden leaves, or general garden waste.

FAQ 2 - DO I NEED A BLADE TYPE OR CRUSHING DRUM TYPE?

This is probably the question we get asked the most. Blade shredders are the cheapest and they cost around £100-150. The better quality drum style crushing shredders are anything between £300-500. Our advice is to buy what you can afford. It almost goes without saying that the more expensive ones are better.

That said, for the huge majority of home owners, a simple blade model will be able to handle almost anything that you need to do. The main disadvantage of the blade ones is that you do have to keep the blade sharp, and it will need replacing from time to time.

FAQ 3 - DO GARDEN SHREDDERS NEED A LOT of MAINTENANCE?

They do not really need that much looking after. We would strongly recommend that you give them a quick clean after every use, to prevent the build up of dirt and grime. A simple hand brush and a cloth will do the job in 5 minutes. 99% of these shredders are electrical, so it is always worth quickly inspecting the main's lead.

Other than that, they do not need a lot of work. As I mentioned above, if you have bought a blade version, you need to check the edge of the blade, and make sure it stays sharp. Depending on use it may need replaced, but that is a pretty simple process.

FAQ 4 - HOW OFTEN DO BLADES NEED REPLACING?

If you decide to buy a blade style of shredder, then at some point the blades will need replacing. By doing a little maintenance, you can help prolong the life of the blades, but at some point they will need to be replaced.

The exact time to do that will greatly depend on how much use your garden shredder will get. If it is only being used a few times a year, then blades will last for around 5 years.

It also depends on what you are putting through it. Smaller twigs and branches are easier chopped up than thicker branches. If you use the shredder mainly for those thicker woods, then the blades will need to be replaced sooner.

Thanks for visiting our UK gardening website which is made to help any beginner gardener. Many people enjoy their garden and our tips and advice are all written to help you get the most out of your outdoor space.

The website team are a group of experienced gardeners who share useful information and we were all beginner gardeners at some point. Enjoy!

- Enda mclarnon