Shredder recommendations ?

[didireallysaythat]

After a summer of hacking back the privet hedge I'm determined to keep it in line (along with the beech row of trees and the new hornbeam hedge). I'm not a fan of the electrical garden shredder (noisy plus the ones I've use jam so easily) but I'm coming around to the idea (plus generating mulch to suppress weeds with the new hedge is appealing). Any recommendations ???

Most shredders are 'impact shredders' rather like a giant food blender, hence the noise as the blade whirls rapidly.

There is another kind that uses rollers, to slowly crush the material, is much quieter, but does not produce such fine shreddings. Also probably more expensive, such as this one:

www.mowdirect.co.uk/einhell-bg-rs-2240cb-silent-electric-garden-shredder.html

The perfect solution might be to have BOTH types, but obviously not practical for most people!

Which? do a report, that you may find in a public library (ours used to stock Which?, but I don't know if still does.)

www.which.co.uk/home-and-garden/garden/guides/how-to-buy-the-best-garden-shredder/

www.the-organic-gardener.com/garden-shredders.html

I would suggest more thorough research.

We have had a Bosch AXT 2500 HP (newer model seems to be Quiet Shredder AXT 25 D) since 2007. It's brilliant! It's quite quiet and chomps its way through 4cm branches (with twigs and leaves still attached) with such gusto that I find myself looking round the garden for more material to feed it with.... It was expensive but we have a fairly big garden and for us it was definitely worth it.