Gardener dreams of chipper

I had a big birthday last spring and for weeks my family was asking what they could get me for a present.

Plants were out of the question since no one in my family has a clue about them but me. A camera was a possibility, but I’ve already got problems using the three I have with just my two hands.

Then, in March, I remembered that I’d wanted a chipper/shredder for our upstate home where we do lots of composting, have lots of maple leaves and plenty of falling branches and limbs.

It was time for research. And after all was said and done, I had decided against all the particular models in my price range. And yet the fickle finger of fate had other plans.

If you’re considering buying a chipper/shredder, your first consideration should be the size of your property and what you’ll do with it. If all you do is kitchen composting—and you have a small lawn and garden with some twigs and a few bushels of debris—then an electric shredder may be all you need.

These types of shredders usually come with metal stands or legs, are very compact and can be easily stored indoors or in a garage or shed. Obviously, you need to use them within the reach of an outlet. They’re not able to chip limbs and branches, but should handle twigs up to an inch or so in diameter (but slowly).

I’d recommend this type of equipment if you have a half acre or less but want to process your garden debris and compostables into a product that will be usable in the garden in weeks, instead of just sitting on a compost pile that could take months to properly break down.

But for my birthday present wish list, I was after something bigger for my little piece of heaven.

The first thing I realized upon doing the research was to find out that these machines are no longer rated in horsepower but either in torque or cubic centimeters (of the engine measurements).

I knew that the size of the wood I wanted to chip, combined with the amount of leaves that I had from the maple trees, would dictate that I needed a machine that had both hammers for crushing and grinding and a spinning blade for chipping and shredding. Thinking of my needs, I remembered back to the chipper/shredder by WW Grinder that I mentioned in last week’s column. Alas, that product is no longer made.

But a very similar machine was being manufactured by a Pennsylvania-based company called MacKissick. And sure enough, the machine—though created by a different manufacturer—was just as I had remembered.

The MacKissick 12P Mighty Mac shredder/chipper can be pulled or towed with a garden tractor and is plenty powerful with its 12-horsepower engine. Best of all, it has four different screens that can be used to control the size of the material produced—from a very fine grind to chips for mulching.

But at nearly $2,000, this machine was close to twice what I wanted to spend, though I’d certainly give it my highest rating of any of the machines I’ve looked at or considered.

In my price range of $1,000 or less, I was limited to the machines being sold at my local mower shop and the big box stores like Sears, Home Depot and Lowe’s. In each case, I discounted every brand’s lower-powered model as I knew it just wouldn’t handle the work I had in mind.

Sears had two units under the Craftsman brand that ran about $600 and $800, the only difference being the added power on the more expensive model. The reviews of the two units were OK, but not glowing, and the machines seem a bit under-powered.

My biggest complaint about the Craftsman models was the use of plastic in the chutes and hopper where metal is really called for. Also, neither of the machines had the ability to be towed by a garden tractor or riding mower.

Some reviewers even reported that when trying to move the chipper/shredders around the yard, the slightest hill made them unstable. Upon doing my own due diligence, the salesman said I could easily have a tow bar welded to one, but no thanks. Thumbs down on the Craftsman models.

On I went to Home Depot. The “orange box” sells two models of the chipper/shredders, which retail for $530 and $650, with the more expensive model having the larger engine.

Again, plastic was used for components that I’d like to see made from metal and an adequate towing setup was lacking. But on the positive side, there was a large drop-down hopper that allowed you to rake leaves directly into the chute and that was a big plus.

Then I travelled to Lowe’s where they sell the Troy-Bilt brand. As at the other stores, there were two machines there that were essentially the same with the basic difference being power. The lower-priced model was $676 and the sturdier version cost $892.

The more expensive Troy-Bilt had several pluses. First, the construction was all metal. And finally I’d found a machine with a tow bar that would allow me to move the shredder anywhere on the property without breaking my back.

Even without the tractor, it seemed easy to maneuver this one manually by using the tow bar. The feed chute was large and long and the top hopper was wide and ample. And the reviews were among the best I’d seen, but the price was a possible deal-breaker.

While conducting my research, I saw there were a few other units on the market, but none that bear mention. There were also a number of push-type chipper/shredders that are no more than glorified lawn vacuums that I wouldn’t touch.

So, after weeks of shopping and reading reviews, I gave up. Nothing I’d looked at had swept me away and the one machine that I really wanted (the MacKissick!), I couldn’t afford.

But I am weak. Every time I was in Home Depot or Lowe’s, I would look at the machines, scrutinize them again and walk away. No birthday present here.

And then came the fickle finger of fate.

I was going to Lowe’s to get some compact fluorescent light bulbs, and there—out in front of the store—was a Troy-Bilt chipper priced at $499. It was the last one in stock and the tag said it was the lower-powered 205-cc model.

But for some reason, I looked closer. Sure enough, someone had mispriced and mistagged the $900 model.

I queried the salesman back in the garden equipment department and he confirmed that not only was the sale model the larger machine, but that they now had to sell it at the marked price.

In less than five minutes, it was paid for and in the back of my truck. Happy birthday to me.

I’ve got about 10 hours on the machine now and it’s hard work, but it does work. And no, it doesn’t quite chip 3-inch branches as claimed. I’d never buy it at full price, but it’s done wonders for my compost pile.

In my next life though, it’ll be a MacKissick.

Keep growing.

Andrew Messinger has been a professional horticulturist for more than 30 years. He divides his time between homes and gardens in Southampton, Westchester and the Catskills. E-mail him at: Andrew@hamptongardener.com. The Hampton Gardener is a registered trademark.