I have worked with garden, forestry, horticultural and agricultural machinery all my working life which amounts to almost 40 years of experience. I have a passion for garden machinery and equipment and I would like to share my experience in the pages on this website. I’m here to help you come to a decision on what machine or piece of equipment will work for your particular situation. You can find out more about me here.
Stiga Bio Silent Electric Garden Shredder 2500w – SH 2500
Today we are looking at the Stiga BioElectric Garden Shredder 2500w, this electric shredder is currently available for just £219. Over the past few days we have been looking at petrol chippers and shredders, yesterday we looked at the Masport 6.5XL Petrol Chipper-Shredder. A well built midrange garden chipper shredder which is currently on special offer at £1019.
I’m not a great fan of electric power, however, the Stiga BioElectric Garden Shredder 2500w is very quiet indeed. It’s probably better for the neighbours than a petrol engine, although obviously does not have the same amount of power.
With a brushless DC motor which improves motor life and performance and a 60 L collection box, the shredder becomes very compact and efficient machine.
Two-year warranty with an optional five-year warranty.
Shred Your Garden Waste
The Stiga BioElectric Garden Shredder 2500w is built to make life easier in the garden. I think we all know how much space leaves hedge clippings and small twigs can take up; in fact, small twigs can take quite a long time to rock down into valuable compost. The electric garden shredder is designed to help reduce or your garden waste and make it all very quickly compostable.
Quiet Electric Motor
The brushless electric motor which is very quiet running and built for a long life develops 2500 W. This equates to about 3.3 hp which is quite powerful for an electric machine. The main advantage of electric power is that it is very quiet and neighbour friendly, especially if you’re in a built-up area.
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Cutting System
The Stiga BioElectric Garden Shredder 2500w has a rotating roller with eight steel blades that mulch garden waste. It can shred all manner of garden material, from leaves to hedge clippings and small branches. The maximum cutting capacity of prunings and branches is 4 cm, which is just under 2 inches.
The Stiga garden shredder has a very useful feature of being able to reverse the blades should a blockage occur. With the automatic gravity feed which assists feeding the shredder requires minimum input from the operator.
There is no need to use a tarpaulin to collect your garden waste as the shredder comes with a generous 60 L collection box. The box can be emptied into a large wheelbarrow or empty directly onto your compost heap.
Stiga BioElectric Garden Shredder 2500w
Transport Wheels
The Stiga shredder is very compact, and with the transport wheels, it is very easy to manoeuvre around the garden. It comes with 5 m of electric cable.
To Conclude
As I mentioned earlier on in this blog post I do prefer petrol equipment, however, we don’t all have the need for such equipment. The Stiga BioElectric Garden Shredder 2500w is a good choice for the small garden that requires a garden shredder. The photograph indicates that the machine is being used in a large garden, this machine is not meant for this type of work. Be aware that it takes time to shred material, however, the time is well spent as you will have material that is very to compost.
I have always liked Stiga machines, so I would have confidence in purchasing this garden shredder. The machine comes with two years warranty and an optional five-year warranty for peace of mind.
Today we are looking at the Masport 6.5XL Petrol Chipper-Shredder, a mid-range chipper shredder. The chipper shredder is currently on special offer for £1019, which offers a saving of £100.
Yesterday we looked at a similar machine, the Apache ZOE 50 Petrol Chipper Shredder. The Apache petrol chipper shredder is currently available for £1229, offering a saving of £70.
Masport makes a range of different machinery for the garden including rotary mowers, cylinder mowers and chippers. Masport was founded in 1910 in Auckland, New Zealand, so they have 111 years in the garden machinery industry!
The Masport 6.5XL Petrol Chipper-Shredder comes with a powerful Briggs & Stratton 6.5 hp commercial engine.
Masport’s efficient and powerful shredding system consists of nine metal flails and a flywheel mounted chipper blade.
Powerful Briggs & Stratton commercial 6.5 hp overhead valve engine.
Two-year warranty.
Flywheel mounted chipper blade.
Flail type shredder.
65 mm chipping capacity.
Belt drive transmission to protect the engine.
Heavy-duty 5 mm steel plate construction.
Transport wheels for manoeuvrability.
Masport has been in the garden machinery business for 111 years.
Engine
The Masport 6.5XL Petrol Chipper-Shredder is powered by a high specification Briggs & Stratton engine. With a 208 cc engine developing 6.5 hp, the commercial-grade overhead valve engine develops excellent power and economy.
The Briggs & Stratton engine has a gear-driven lubrication system that helps to give the engine a long life. The Magnetron electronic ignition system ensures easy and reliable starting. The engine has a straightforward recoil rope start.
The Briggs & Stratton engine comes with a dual air filter to give your engine maximum protection. It is of utmost importance to keep the air filter clean at all times. Failure to clean the air filter regularly will result in more engine performance and potential engine damage. A few minutes of maintenance regularly can considerably extend the life of the engine.
With twin hoppers, the Masport 6.5XL Petrol Chipper-Shredder can cope with shredding and wood chipping. The small hopper is for branches up to 6.5 cm in diameter and the larger hopper is for shredding leaves, hedge clippings and green waste etc.
Branches are fed through the hardened steel blades that are mounted on a flywheel, this then produces quality woodchip. The woodchip can either be used as a mulch or composted, which is my preferred way. The shredder works by a series of metal flails that act like hammers and smash green garden waste into a fine mulch that can be composted.
Shredding green waste products from the garden drastically helps the composting process. The machine will considerably reduce the green waste in size making it much quicker and efficient to compost. I like to put everything back that I take out the garden. In other words, everything that is compostable, I will compost and then spread on the garden in the winter months. It’s amazing how beneficial this process is when it’s repeated year after year.
Built To Last
The Masport 6.5XL Petrol Chipper-Shredder is built to last. The 5 mm steel side plates protect the machine and give you many years of life. At the top of each hopper, there is a moulded UV resistant poly hopper that is attached to the steel plating.
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Transport Wheels
With a petrol chipper shredder, one of the many benefits available is the fact that the machine can be wheeled anywhere in the garden with no electric cable restrictions. I always like to take the machine to the work rather than bring the work to the machine. In this way, it reduces the amount of bulky material to handle.
Belt Drive
The chipper shredder has a simple and straightforward belt drive. One of the advantages of a belt drive is the fact that if anything jams up within the machine, the belts will slip and protect the engine against any damage.
To Conclude
As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, Masport has had a huge amount of experience in the manufacture of horticultural products. 111 years to be precise! The Masport is a well-built long-lasting machine designed for home use. With the commercial-grade Briggs & Stratton engine, the machine should give many years of trouble-free service.
The petrol chipper shredder comes with a two-year warranty for peace of mind.
I am putting together a new lawnmower buying guide 2021. With so many different machines available from push mowers to diesel machines, for some people, it’s difficult to know, understandably, what lawnmower to buy. Over the years I’ve seen far too many people struggling in the garden due to the fact of purchasing the wrong machine. I’ve also seen, so-called professionals using the wrong machines too!
We all know that when we put the search term lawnmower into Google there’s a huge variety of different machines. In this guide, I want to briefly explain the various types of lawnmower available. The various types of lawnmower are not in any particular order, I will just work down the list and go through the various types of mower.
As I often mention in my articles, always go for the best machine you can afford, do the research. If you can, try and have a demonstration on the machine before you purchase. The great thing is with the Internet we can often do a great deal of research before we purchase.
So, let’s look at the types of lawnmower that are available.
For most people, the rear roller rotary lawnmower offers a very versatile type of machine. There are push versions, which are powered by petrol or electric and there are roller driven models that are normally petrol driven.
These rear roller rotary mowers will collect the grass clippings and stripe your lawn at the same time. So, if you are someone who cuts your lawn regularly and wants a nice finish, the rear roller rotary could be your answer. Personally, I prefer the petrol models as most of the petrol models are roller driven which makes life much easier. However, there are a few smaller petrol models that still have to be pushed.
The roller rotaries are designed to be used to cut your lawn on a regular basis and to give a good finish. You will not be able to leave your lawn for three months and cut it properly with a roller rotary, this is not what they are designed for.
The petrol roller rotary has a rear roller that drives the machine forward. This is either powered through a gearbox or single or variable speed belt drive. Ideally, I would go for the gearbox models as they are generally more trouble-free and better engineered.
The grass clippings are thrown back over the roller into the rear collection bag. It is of utmost importance that these collection bags are kept clean to keep the airflow flowing. Failure to do this will slow down the efficiency of the collection system and potentially block the grass chute. The collection bag capacity varies from 40 to 70 L depending on which model you choose.
Electric Or Petrol?
There is a huge choice of roller rotary mowers, smaller models tend to be electric or battery machines and the larger model’s petrol. Over the last few years, battery models have become more popular; however, these can work out quite expensive. The great thing is with electric or battery electric is that you do have almost silent running. However, I do prefer to have a petrol model as they are generally more powerful, there is no lead to drag around and they can go anywhere, within reason!
Electric Start Or Recoil Start?
Petrol roller rotaries are generally recoil start; however, the larger models have an electric start option. I have never purchased an electric start roller rotary mower as modern engines are very easy to pull start. I appreciate that some people prefer electric start as it makes everything effortless!
Popular manufacturers are Weibang, Honda, Mountfield, Hayter, Cobra, Masport and more.
I remember in the 80s hover mowers being particularly popular. A hover mower floats on a cushion of air and in general mulches the grass clippings, although there are a few models that collect the clippings. Another great feature of the hover mower is its ability to mow a bank, something that can’t be achieved with the traditional wheeled or roller mower.
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There are electric and petrol models available, the smallest being around a 10-inch cut and the largest approximately 20 inches. The small electric models are ideal for small patches of lawn whereas. The petrol models can cope with larger areas, including large banks. I have seen people attach ropes to their Flymo so that they can cut a bank leading down to a moat or pond and standing on the level ground. Not a bad principle, but obviously care needs to be taken.
I believe the reason that Flymo is not so popular now is due to the fact that there are alternatives and large brush cutters or strimmers can perform an excellent work rate when mowing banks.
Once again, I favour the petrol models although obviously for a small garden and electric model is perfectly adequate. Battery models are becoming available as the battery technology improves, just be aware that replacement batteries can be expensive.
Masport 150ST SP Self-Propelled Petrol Rotary Lawnmower
Four-Wheeled Rotary Mowers
Four-wheeled rotary mowers offer a very practical mower for your lawn, however, they don’t stripe your lawn like the roller rotary mowers.
Prices for the smallest electric four-wheeled mower start at approximately £75 and the largest petrol models go up to approximately £1600 for the professional models. There is a wide choice of four-wheeled mowers to choose from, ranging from domestic machines to commercial models.
As the name suggests these mowers have four wheels, some of the machines are single lever adjustment. Other models have two-wheel adjustment and some have independent wheel adjustment. In general, I would say that independent wheel adjustment is not necessary. However, it’s important that your machine has a good range of cutting heights so that machines will cope with long grass, should the need arise.
Four-wheeled mowers are available in push models or wheel driven models, most driven models drive on the rear wheels. Avoid machines that drive on the front wheels as this is a very poor way to drive the machine. The problem arises when you are turning, and you lift the front of the mower and you immediately lose traction. This defeats the object of having a power-driven mower!
Collection System
The collection system on a four-wheeled machine is generally better than a roller rotary since there is no roller to obstruct the grass flow. These machines can cope better with long grass than a roller rotary mower. There are a few models that offer a mulching facility which is a good idea, although your lawn will need cutting regularly to maximise efficiency.
Electric Or Petrol?
Electric models are fine for the small garden, providing you don’t mind the trailing cable. However, battery models are also available but can be expensive. I actually prefer the petrol models as they are basically go anywhere machines and more powerful than electric models.
Popular models are Weibang, Honda, Hayter, John Deere, Mountfield, Lawnflite, Cobra, Efco and more.
Allett Kensington 20K Self Propelled Petrol Cylinder Mower
Cylinder Mowers
Cylinder mowers are the type of machines that most of us first think about when we think of a lawnmower. Many Cylinder mowers can often be seen on golf courses, bowling greens and cricket pitches. If you’re looking for the perfect lawn, then a cylinder mower is the answer.
However, having said this, lawns need to be cut regularly if you are using a cylinder mower, they will not cut long grass. For most gardens, I would not recommend a cylinder mower, although, if you’re keen and want a great finish then I would definitely say to go for a cylinder mower. Often a decent roller rotary mower can be a good option, it offers more flexibility than a cylinder mower and gives a good finish.
A cylinder mower has a very precise cutting action, it is almost like a scissor action. There is a straight flat blade below the cutting cylinder, as the cylinder turns against the bottom blade the grass is cut. It is of utmost importance to keep your cylinder blades sharp and to have the blades adjusted correctly. Failure to do this will result in a very poor cut, with blades of grass bent over rather than cleanly cut.
Keep Your Lawn Clear Of Objects
It’s also very important to make sure that you don’t have hidden obstacles on your lawn, like stones, dogs’ toys et cetera. A cylinder mower can easily be damaged by hitting obstacles and the performance will be quickly affected.
If you’re thinking about purchasing a cylinder mower, make sure you choose wisely. Many cylinder mowers are very well engineered and can almost last you a lifetime if they are looked after. I still have my late father’s Ransomes Ajax which works perfectly and is over 60 years old!
Push, Electric Or Petrol?
Cylinder mowers are available in push models, electric, battery and petrol.
If you have a small garden a decent push cylinder mower can be a good option, as there is no electric cable or engine to maintain.
Electric models are available, although you do have the issue of the cable dragging behind you. Battery models are now becoming much more popular and much more readily available. Just be aware that batteries can be expensive, the good thing is that you have an almost silent machine.
My preferred type of cylinder mower are the petrol models, Allett and Masport make some well-engineered machines.
You Can Find More Cylinder Mowers Here
Westwood T80 Lawn Tractor with 48 Inch XRD Deck
Ride On Mowers
Ride-on mowers and tractor mowers come in all shapes and sizes. These range from the small compact ride on to the larger type lawn tractors. Our cheapest machines start at around £1000 and go up to £10,000.
Depending on how large your lawn is or how many obstacles you have to go around, you can sometimes be better off with a quality walk-behind mower. The reason I say this is because some ride-on machines can be slightly cumbersome in smaller areas. However, there are also some very compact ride on rotary mowers available.
Hydrostatic Drive
I would always recommend purchasing a ride-on mower with a hydrostatic drive. A hydrostatic drive is a drive that is oil-driven and offers instant forward and reverse and variable speed on one lever or foot pedal. There is simply an oil pump attached to the engine which then drives the hydrostatic motor. It’s a bit like driving an automatic car! The hydrostatic drive makes your ride on mower extremely manoeuvrable and there’s no need for time-consuming gear changes.
There are still a few gearbox ride on mowers available, which does help to keep the cost down slightly. However, if finances allow, I would definitely go for a hydrostatic drive machine as they are so much more efficient and much easier to use. The performance against a traditional gearbox machine is incredible. For example, if you are in an area of grass that is lush, you simply slow the machine down on the foot pedal. If the weather is dry and the grass is not very long you can go considerably faster, all at the touch of a foot pedal, no gear changing, no clutch!
Grass Collection
The majority of ride-on mowers have a collection system fitted, make sure that you can empty the collector from the operator seat. Some manufacturers fit a number of bags that have to be manually emptied, so, in other words, you have to leave the operators seat. To me, this defeats the object of having a ride on lawnmower and it is much more time-consuming than being able to empty the collector from the operator’s seat.
Some machines have a rotary brush collector, these type of collectors, in my opinion, are good because they are excellent for collecting wet grass. Whereas, the type of machines with a tube that comes out the side of the machine can easily become blocked with wet material or small twigs. I would avoid the type of machines with tube type collection, they can also be rather bulky. The third type of collector is the type that blows the grass into the collector at the rear of the machine. If the grass is very long or wet these machines can become blocked, however, many of the machines are much more efficient than they were a few years ago.
Popular manufacturers include Lawnflite, Honda, Mountfield, John Deere, Feider, Stiga, Westwood and more.
If you don’t like the idea of having to collect your grass or compost your grass clippings then a mulching mower is an option.
Mulching mowers have come a long way in the last few years, if used regularly, a mulching mower can do an excellent job. Mulching also helps to keep your lawn looking greener and healthier, especially in dry weather. The green mulch acts as a green fertiliser, so every time you cut your grass you are actually putting something back into your lawn.
Mulching mowers are available in petrol walk-behind machines, tractor type ride-on mowers and out-front mowers which will cover later in this article. I wouldn’t recommend an electric mulching mower as mulching takes quite a bit of power as the mower is chopping the grass.
Popular mulching mowers include Weibang, John Deere, Stiga, Cobra and more.
Toro TimeCutter ZS4200T 107cm Zero Turn Twin Ride-on Mower
Zero-turn mowers
I believe that zero-turn mowers are the most manoeuvrable type of mower on the market today. Having owned several zero turn mowers over the years, I have come to realise their excellent manoeuvrability and their cutting efficiency.
Zero-turn mowers are extremely compact machines that consist of two large driving wheels at the rear and two caster wheels at the front of the machine. The rear wheels are powered by two independent oil-driven hydrostatic motors that give instant forward and reverse and variable speed to the rear wheels. This enables the machine to literally be turned around on a sixpence, they are the most manoeuvrable machines on the market today.
Zero-turn prices start at full around £2300-£18,000 for a commercial machine.
Various Cutting Decks Available
There are various types of cutting deck’s available for zero turn machines. The side discharge machines are popular in the US, whereas in the UK the mulching and rear discharge models are more popular. Collection models are available although this can make the machine slightly more cumbersome than they were originally designed to be.
Many of the zero-turn machines are built for contractors, however, they can be an excellent option for the large garden. Due to the zero turns mowers manoeuvrability the work rate is excellent, even when negotiating around trees and obstacles.
My first zero-turn mower was a Ferris 48 inch cut walk-behind machine. I could cut well over 1 acre an hour with this machine even when manoeuvring around obstacles. My second machine was a Ferris IS5000 61 inch zero turn machine which could cut 2 to 3 acres per hour.
If you are a contractor or have a large garden a zero turn machine is definitely a very good option. Some of the machines have suspension which enables you to cut even quicker and have a much smoother ride.
Popular models are manufactured by Ferris, Ransomes, Toro, Simplicity, Stiga and more.
Stiga Park Pro 340 IX Ride-On Lawnmower (Excluding Deck)
Out-Front Ride On Mowers
Out-front ride-on mowers offer a very practical solution to cutting grass efficiently. My personal preference for a ride on machines is the zero turn models, however, out-front ride on mowers can be a very efficient option.
Prices of the articulated out-front ride on mowers start at £1960 and go up to £9050.
My preferred type of out-front mower is the articulated steer ride-on machines. Stiga and Husqvarna make some excellent out-front mulching machines that I can strongly recommend. These machines generally come with a mulching deck that mulches the grass very efficiently. That is providing that your lawn is cut regularly. As I mentioned earlier in this article, mulching is a great option as there are no grass clippings to collect or dispose of. Also, due to the fact that there are no grass clippings to dispose of; the grass cutting time is reduced as there is no stopping time!
Robotic mowers have been around for several years now and offer a great solution to keeping your lawn tidy if you’re not keen on mowing! I have personally used the range of Robomow robotic mowers which I believe are the original manufactures in robotic mowing.
Obviously, the technology on robotic mowers is almost growing daily as technology increases. The robotic mower can literally mow the grass for you. The most important part of owning a robotic mower is to make sure and do the installation correctly and properly.
When you purchase your robotic mower first and you will need to do is to fix the perimeter wire to your lawn. The perimeter wire is simply laid down and pinned down with plastic pegs, at an equal distance around the edge. The mower literally mows over the perimeter wire which is fixed securely to the ground. After a few weeks, the perimeter wire will not show at all as the grass will grow over the top of the cable.
The reason the robotic mower runs over the perimeter cable is to enable the machine to get close to the edge of flower borders and obstacles. In this way, it means that your mower can make a neat job and minimise any strimming work.
Any flower borders or areas where you don’t wish the robotic mower to go will need a perimeter cable. It’s worth taking your time to do the initial set up for your robotic mower as it will save you huge amounts of time in the long run.
Base Station
Robotic mowers come with a base station which is where the robotic mower will be parked up when not in use. The base station also acts as a charging station. If your lawn is not completely cut the robotic mower will return to the base station and recharge itself to complete the job. Most machines have a rain sensor that sends the machine back to base if the weather is wet.
Some of the companies do offer an installation service for your robotic mower. This is often an excellent service to use as it ensures that your robotic mower is set up in a very practical and efficient way.
Robotic mower prices start at £499 for the smallest Robomow, the largest Robomow costs £2799.
A robotic mower can be a real time saver for people who do not enjoy cutting the grass or if you just want to automate the process. However, if you have a lawn with lots of obstacles and small paths etc, it may not work particularly effectively. Although it is still possible, you just need to ideally have a professional install your robotic mower.
Robotic mowers are ideally suited to areas of grass that are reasonably straightforward. The great thing is that the technology is improving all the time. If you purchase a machine and find it’s not suitable for your needs, then it can be returned.
Flail mowers are generally used for rough cutting and overgrown areas. The Flail mower is great for cutting down long grass and brambles and nettles et cetera. However, they are not really a lawnmower they are more of a rough-cut mower designed for long grass and overgrown areas.
A flail mower has a series of flails (which are metal blades) these blades are attached to a horizontal spindle. The blades are held in by a bolt which allows the blade to swing freely. It also enables the blade to move should it come into contact with something solid like a tree stump.
There are various models of flail mower available from pedestrian models, three-point linkage models and ride-on machines. If you are a contractor or have an area of rough grass that you want to cut a couple of times a year then a flail mower is ideal. The flail machine also chops the grass as it cuts, so there is minimal grass left to clear up. Normally a second pass one week later will chop the remainder of the dry grass.
Scythe Mowers, Finger Bar Mowers Or Sickle Bar Mowers
Scythe mowers, finger bar mowers or sickle bar mowers as they are often referred to are quite an old-fashioned design. The original Allen scythe was first manufactured in 1935 and carried on production until 1973.
I have heard many people tell me a story about how the Allen scythe ran off with them! and they ended up in the hedge or the machine ended up in the hedge. Apparently, the Allen scythe had rather an unusual clutch control that caught many people out!
These finger bar mowers have reciprocating blades that are similar to a combine harvesters cutter blade. They are ideal for cutting long grass and overgrown areas. A scythe mower will not chop your grass, it will just leave the grass lying on the ground. However, due to the nature of the cutter bar, a scythe mower can cut brambles and small saplings in overgrown areas.
These finger bar mowers can be used for making small amounts of hay. The machines come in various sizes of cuts varying from 60 cm to 110 cm.
Gang mowers are normally a series of cylinder mowers linked together. They can be towed behind a lawn or agricultural tractor or they can be self-propelled.
Originally gang mowers were towed by a tractor and then power is transmitted to the cutting cylinder through drive wheels. Modern gang mowers are generally powered by hydrostatic motors which power each cylinder individually. Some of the older machines have a series of belts to drive the cylinder. Hydrostatic drives are by far the most reliable and efficient way to power a cylinder blade on a gang mower.
Gang mowers can be seen operating on golf courses, parks, playing fields and large gardens. Sizes vary between 6 foot and 20 feet cutting widths.
Today we are going to look at the slightly smaller Apache ZOE 50 Petrol Chipper/Shredder. This is more of a mid-range petrol chipper shredder that is currently on special offer for £1229. This is a saving of £70 on the normal price.
Yesterday we looked at the Lawnflite-Pro GTS1300L Petrol Chipper-Shredder, a powerful machine for the large homeowner and semiprofessional use. This petrol shredder is currently on special offer at £2799 which is a saving of £300.
So let’s get back to the Apache ZOE 50 Petrol Chipper/Shredder. The petrol chipper shredder has a dual cutting system that can handle green waste and chip branches. Powered by Briggs & Stratton commercial grade overhead valve engine the Apache is designed to last.
The Apache ZOE 50 Petrol Chipper/Shredder is driven by a commercial-grade Briggs & Stratton Intek overhead valve engine. The industrial 208 cc engine develops 6.5 hp which with its overhead valve technology and enhanced performance develops economy and fewer emissions.
With a cast iron liner and splash type lubrication system, the commercial engine requires minimum maintenance for trouble-free running. The electronic ignition system makes starting the engine is very easy indeed.
The dual-element air filter helps to keep dust and dirt out of the engine. Please make sure that you do clean your air filter on a regular basis. Failure to do this results in poor performance and potential long-term engine damage. The paper filter is exceptionally easy to clean; a few minutes spent regularly can increase the engine life dramatically.
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Heavy Duty Chipper Shredder
This heavy-duty Apache chipper shredder features a twin cutting system with 10 flywheel mounted flail type blades which turns green waste into a fine compostable mulch. The advantage of shredding your green waste enables the material to ideally be composted much quicker. I like to put back everything that I take out of the garden. So in other words, weeds, grass clippings, leaves, hedge clippings etc can all be shredded and then quickly be turned into valuable garden compost. Obviously, grass clippings leaves etc can be composted without shredding, however, the shredding helps the material to compost much quicker.
For chipping there are two hardened steel blades that can take up to 50 mm branches and woody material; quickly turning branches into valuable woodchip.
Transport Wheels
One of the advantages of a petrol chipper shredder is the fact that the machine can be taken anywhere in the garden. The Apache chipper shredder comes with 24 cm solid rubber tyres for ease of movement. I always find it much quicker to take the machine to the job rather than the material to the job. In this way, you are moving bulky material around much less.
More Features
The Apache chipper shredder is constructed from a quality heavy-gauge steel for long life. This enables the machine to stand up to hard use and to be used year after year in the garden.
One of the best features of this chipper shredder is the fact that it has a large chute opening. This makes it much easier to load bushy material without having to cut the material down too much.
There is a grate type mechanism that enables you to control the coarseness of your woodchip and also protects the machine.
To Conclude
The Apache ZOE 50 Petrol Chipper/Shredder is not our largest power machine, however, it does come with a commercial engine and is built from heavy grade steel. So in other words, it is built to last. It’s definitely worth taking a look at if you’re looking for something that is long-lasting.
The machine comes with a one-year manufacturers warranty.
Today we are going to take a look at The Lawnflite-Pro GTS1300L Petrol Chipper-Shredder. This is a domestic and semiprofessional petrol Chipper shredder. The Lawnflite-Pro GTS1300L Petrol Chipper-Shredder is currently on special offer at £2799 which offers a saving of £300.
Over the past few days, we have been looking at some of our petrol chippers and shredders that are available. We have looked at some budget machines and also some more expensive machines for semiprofessional use. Yesterday we looked at the budget Feider FBT420 Petrol Chipper-Shredder which is available for £1399.95 a saving of £198.05.
The Lawnflite-Pro GTS1300L Petrol Chipper-Shredder is our most expensive domestic and semiprofessional chipper shredder. It comes with a premium grade Loncin engine, it has a 100 mm shipping capacity and comes with a two-year manufacturer’s warranty.
A powerful petrol chipper shredder designed for domestic and semiprofessional use.
Lawnflites top of the range GTS chipper shredder.
Premium grade 15 hp four-stroke engine.
Low oil warning guard that protects your engine.
Premium grade twin stage air filter for maximum engine protection.
Cast-iron cylinder liner for longer life.
Dual drum mounted blades.
Chipping capacity of up to 100 mm (4 inches).
Automatic gravity feed.
Emergency auto stop system.
Transport wheels for ease of use.
Two-year manufacturers warranty.
Powerful Chipper Shredder
This powerful chipper shredder from Lawnflite’s GTS range is suitable for keen homeowners and semiprofessional use. The Lawnflite-Pro GTS1300L Petrol Chipper-Shredder is powered by a Loncin (G420) 420cc overhead valve engine, developing 15 hp (11.2 kW). The Loncin engine is designed for efficiency, quietness, balanced with excellent fuel economy.
The dual-element air filter provides excellent protection to the engine which is important for longer engine life. I cannot stress the importance of keeping your air cleaner maintained. Failure to do this can result in poor engine performance, increase fuel economy and long-term damage to your engine. A few minutes maintenance on your chipper is time well spent!
The maximum protection and prolonged engine life the engine is fitted with a cast-iron. Cylinder liner The engine also comes with a low oil warning system; should your engine run low on oil the engine will shut down, therefore protecting the engine from serious damage. In case of emergency, there is an easy to reach stop button on the machine.
Drum Mounted Blades
The Lawnflite-Pro GTS1300L Petrol Chipper-Shredder has dual drum mounted blades that can quickly turn branches into chippings. The chipper shredder has the ability to chip branches up to 4 inches (100 mm) in diameter. Anything larger, I would normally be cutting up the logs for the wood burner.
Due to the design of the petrol chipper shredder, the machine offers an automatic feed. As you place the branch into a large hopper the branch is gravity fed into the drum blades. This enables you to keep the machine working by being able to collect the next branch for chipping.
Transport Wheels
I always like to be able to take the machine to the work rather than the work to the machine. In this way, you are not moving bulky material twice. The Lawnflite-Pro GTS1300L allows you to do exactly this with its 400 mm transport wheels.
Accessories
The Pro GTS1300L has two accessories available. The first one being a swivel chute which enables you to be able to direct the woodchip into an area with utmost precision! In this respect, can put your chippings exactly where you require.
The second accessory is a towbar which enables you to tow the machine with a ride-on tractor or something similar around your garden. Please note that this machine is not road-towable.
To Conclude
I always encourage people to buy the best machine they can afford. Having been involved commercially with horticulture and forestry all my life it is difficult for me to persuade people to buy basic equipment. Having said this, we do have some excellent budget equipment available. The Lawnflite-Pro GTS1300L Petrol Chipper-Shredder is a semiprofessional machine and designed for the large homeowner. However, there is a price to pay, but at least you have a well-engineered machine that is built to last.
The chipper shredder comes with a two-year manufacturer’s warranty for peace of mind.
Today we are looking at the Feider FBT420 Petrol Chipper-Shredder, another budget machine that offers value for money combined with plenty of power. The chipper shredder is currently on special offer at £1399.95 and offers a saving of £198.05. Feider products offer great value for money, they seem to be able to produce quality budget machines at good prices.
Yesterday we looked at the more expensive, but a quality product, the Lawnflite Pro GTS900L Petrol Chipper-Shredder. A semiprofessional machine also designed for the keen homeowner but proven to be very popular.
Although the Feider FBT420 Petrol Chipper-Shredder is a budget machine, the manufacturer gives a standard two-year warranty and an optional five-year warranty. They obviously trust their products!
The machine has a drum type crashing system for a fast work rate which makes light work of larger branches.
A high-powered petrol Chipper shredder for heavy domestic use.
Hardened steel blades for greater chipping capacity.
10 cm (4 inch) branch capacity.
Suitable for green waste, grass clippings, hedge clippings, leaves etc.
Pneumatic tyres for easy movement around the garden.
High torque belt transmission.
Drum type system for high chipping capacity.
Wide loading chute.
Rugged steel construction.
Five year warranty.
Good Capacity
The powerful Feider FBT420 Petrol Chipper-Shredder can chip up to 10 cm (4 inches) branches with ease. The chipper shredder will help you turn garden waste into very compostable material. I like to compost everything that I take out the garden and put it back in the form of quality rotted compost. The idea of putting green waste, leaves and twigs etc through the shredder helps to make quality compost quickly and efficiently.
The large hopper enables large amounts of garden waste to be loaded into the hopper, although care needs to be taken to avoid blockages.
Engine
With a 420 cc four-stroke overhead valve engine which develops 15 horsepower, the Feider FBT420 Petrol Chipper-Shredder has plenty of power for the job in hand. Believe it or not, commercial towable chippers only start at 18 hp, so there should be plenty of power for the keen gardener.
The powerful 15 hp petrol engine drives a drum based shredding system that can take branches up to 10 cm (approximately 4 inches). All sorts of garden waste can be put through the shredder from grass clippings, hedge clippings, leaves and any other organic garden waste.
Transport Wheels
One of the many advantages of a petrol Chipper is the fact that you can use your machine anywhere. The Feider FBT420 Petrol Chipper-Shredder has a set of pneumatic tyres which make moving the chipper shredder, very easy indeed.
I always prefer to take the machine to the work rather than the work to the machine. In this way, it makes for easier handling and less material to move around.
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Reviews
There are several good reviews on the Feider FBT420 Petrol Chipper-Shredder. However, and I have seen this many times before, some manufacturers can almost overprotective now machine with too many safety guards that can cause issues. It appears that one or two of the guards can cause blockages, some customers have removed certain guards to avoid any blockages.
I am all for operating machines safely, however, if the machine has too many guards to protect the operator, it can create problems. If you do remove the safety guards remember that you may not be covered by warranty, just try and be wise and take care.
To Conclude
Overall the Feider FBT420 Petrol Chipper-Shredder offers excellent value for money as do many Feider products. Looking at the reviews people are generally satisfied with their chipper, just a few niggles with guards which is a shame, although it looks like they have overcome the issues.
If I had a choice and money was no object I will probably go for a more expensive machine. However, life isn’t as always as simple as this, so, sometimes we have to go for a budget machine. I always tell people to buy the best machine that they can afford.
The fact that the Feider FBT420 Petrol Chipper-Shredder has a five-year warranty (with terms and conditions) is great. At least you know you have no unexpected costs for five years, which is a great plus point.
Today we are looking at the slightly more powerful and semiprofessional Lawnflite Pro GTS900L Petrol Chipper-Shredder. At the present time of writing the chipper shredder is on special offer at £2099, which offers a saving of precisely £200.
Yesterday we looked at the cheaper and less powerful Feider FBT220 Petrol Chipper-Shredder which is also on special offer. This wood chipper shredder is available at a cheaper price of £795, a £204 saving.
So let’s get back to the Lawnflite Pro GTS900L Petrol Chipper-Shredder. The petrol Chipper shredder is designed for domestic use and semiprofessional garden use. It comes with a premium grade Longin engine with a cast-iron liner and a low oil alarm that protects the engine against damage.
This product is also available for premium delivery which is a special delivery service that takes care of your new purchase. This also includes free technical support and full backup support via a service network, should you have any problems occur with your chipper.
A powerful chipper shredder designed for keen gardeners and semiprofessional use.
Commercial grade engine with oil protection and cast-iron liner.
Twins stage air cleaner for maximum engine protection.
Will take branches up to 80 mm (3.1 inch).
Unique design enables automatic feed.
Safety stop switch.
Transport wheels for easy movement.
Two year warranty.
Premium delivery service available.
Powerful Commercial Grade 9 Hp Engine
The Lawnflite Pro GTS900L Petrol Chipper-Shredder is powered by a Loncin G270 overhead valve engine. The 270 cc engine develops a powerful 9 hp which utilises the overhead valve technology for smooth running and economy.
There is a dual-stage air filter that protects the engine from dust and dirt. I cannot stress the importance of keeping your air filter clean as it is a must to not let dirt or dust into the engine. Failure to do this can end in engine failure or extreme and unnecessary wear on the engine.
The commercial Loncin engine is fitted with a cast-iron engine liner for longer life. And to protect the engine, there is an oil cut out alarm that turns the engine off should the engine run low on oil.
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Easy-To-Use Chipper Shredder
The Lawnflite Pro GTS900L Petrol Chipper-Shredder is a very easy-to-use garden shredder and chipper. With a powerful engine, it quickly handles garden waste.
With its 9 hp engine, the chipper shredder can handle 8 cm (3.1 inch) diameter branches. Which for the majority of people anything larger would potentially be logged for the wood burner. Due to the design of the chipper branches should automatically pull themselves into the machine to enable you to fetch the next branch to chip.
A safety switch is on hand should you need to stop the machine quickly.
With a dual V belt system from the engine to the blades, the chipper loses minimum power to the transmission drive. Drive belts also act as a safety measure should anything jam the machine. The belts will slip rather than forcing the engine to stop abruptly, therefore protecting the engine.
Transport Wheels
One of the best things about a petrol chipper shredder is the fact that the machine can be moved around easily. The 400 mm pneumatic transport wheels allow the machine to be moved around easily. I always believe that it is much easier to take the machine to the job rather than taking the material to the job. In this way, there is much less handling and obviously, with the petrol machine, there is no electric lead to contend with.
To Conclude
Over the past few days, we’ve looked at various wood chippers and shredders. The first ones being budget, value for money models. The Lawnflite Pro GTS900L Petrol Chipper-Shredder is going slightly upmarket and approaching the semiprofessional and keen gardener range. However, there is a higher price tag. I always tell potential customers to purchase the best machine that they can afford. It’s important to have a machine that is long-lasting and give you many years of trouble-free service.
The chipper shred comes with a peace of mind two year warranty.
Today we are looking at the Feider FBT220 Petrol Chipper-Shredder which at the time of writing is on special offer. The powerful wood chipper – shredder is currently selling for £795 which offers a saving of £204.
Yesterday we looked at the smaller The Feider FBT70 Petrol Shredder which offers excellent value for money at £389.95.
If you’re looking for something with a larger output and capacity and chipper – shredder that offers value for money, then it’s definitely worth looking at the Feider FBT220 Petrol Chipper-Shredder. This is a high-powered machine for domestic use that uses flails for shredding and blades for chipping. The heavy-duty steel blades stay sharp for longer keeping your machine working efficiently.
The Feider FBT220 Petrol Chipper-Shredder arrives assembled, so there are no worries regarding assembling. There is a standard two-year warranty or optional five-year warranty available to give you peace of mind.
A powerful petrol Chipper – shredder designed for domestic use.
Heavy duty steel blades (stay sharp longer).
4.9 cm chipping capacity.
Shredding capabilities for leaves and hedge cuttings etc.
Two year standard warranty with optional five year warranty.
Pneumatic transport wheels – take the machine to the job.
Two feed chutes.
Belt drive transmission that offers engine protection.
Customer satisfaction reviews.
Turn Prunings Into Compost
As I mentioned the other day, I like to be able to reuse everything that I take out the garden and put back. The Feider FBT220 Petrol Chipper-Shredder will allow you to do exactly that. Every garden generates garden waste, a chipper/shredder allows you to shred and chip or your garden waste. No more bonfires that will upset the neighbours!
Two Feed Points
The Feider FBT220 Petrol Chipper-Shredder is equipped with two feed points, one feed point that is ideal for leaves and grass clippings and similar material. The second point is a smaller chute that is designed for branches up to 4.9 cm (2.5 inches approximately) in diameter.
The chipper consists of two heavy-duty steel blades that are mounted on a flywheel. As the branches are fed through the chipper, the heavy-duty blades chip the branches into woodchip. The woodchip can then either be composted or spread on the garden. Personally, I prefer to compost my woodchip, however, there are times when woodchip can be used for pathways and mulching.
The shredding system is carried out by a series of flails that rotate at high speed on a rotor. These flails smash leaves and other garden waste into small pieces making them much easier to compost. Just remember that this machine is not a commercial machine where you can just shovel garden waste in at full speed. It does take time for the material to go through. If you’re looking for something faster we do have larger machines available.
Drive System
Power from the engine to the flails and flywheel is transmitted through a belt drive. This ensures that if the machine is overloaded, the bout will slip, which in turn can damage the engine through abrupt stoppages.
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Engine
Feider uses their own engine in the Feider FBT220 Petrol Chipper-Shredder as they do in many of their machines. The machine is powered by a 212cc overhead valve engine that offers quiet and economic smooth running.
One of the many advantages of a petrol-driven chipper is the fact that you can move it around anywhere in your garden without having to worry about electric power. It’s much easier to be able to take the machine to the job rather than taking the material to the job. The twin pneumatic transport wheels enable you to do just this.
To Conclude
The Feider FBT220 Petrol Chipper-Shredder is a domestic machine that offers excellent value for money. However, please remember that does take time to chip and shred the material, you can’t just shovel material and throw branches in like the commercial machines. One of the many great features is the fact that you can dispose of all your prunings and turn them into valuable compost or chippings.
The chipper/shredder comes with a two-year warranty or an optional five-year warranty. To me, this suggests that the manufacturer believes in their machine.
Today we are looking at the Feider FBT70 Petrol Shredder, this is one of our lowest priced petrol shredders. The paste that is currently on special offer at £389.95, which offers a saving of £110. Through reading the excellent reviews on this shredder which average 4.9/5 customers seemed delighted with their purchase.
Recently we have been looking at a few log splitters that are very popular at the moment. For the next few days, we will look at a few of our various petrol shredders and chippers that we have available.
I like to compost everything that I take out of the garden, however, prunings can obviously take longer to compost. Every year I put back quality compost into my garden. This is where a petrol shredder can be very useful and quickly make small branches and prunings into compostable material that can be put back in the garden. And of course, having a petrol shredder enables you to work anywhere in the garden. There is no need for electricity or to have a trailing extension made in the garden.
Suitable for green waste, like leaves and hedge cuttings.
Large diameter input chute for ease of use.
Transport wheels for taking the machine to the work.
The Feider FBT70 Petrol Shredder can be used to compost various types of garden waste from hedge clippings, small branches and prunings and twigs. In many gardens now it is difficult to burn prunings my theory is that why burn your prunings when you can make them into valuable compost for your garden.
Engine
The 173 cc four-stroke overhead valve engine delivers high performance and obviously being petrol can be used anywhere in your garden with no restrictions of needing electric power. The modern specification of this engine makes it very quiet and vibration-free and offers great fuel economy which is so important today.
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Transmission And Cutting System
The Feider FBT70 Petrol Shredder delivers the power to the cutting disc through a drive belt system that gives a smooth transfer of power from the engine. The cutting disc has high-grade carbide steel blades that have excellent durability and cutting performance. It’s important that you take care when shredding your prunings that there are no stones or hard objects that will blunt the blades. The blades need to be kept sharp to ensure efficient shredding. The blades are replaceable.
With the two transport wheels, the Feider FBT70 Petrol Shredder is highly manoeuvrable. You take the machine to the work rather than being the work to the machine. In this way it means that you have minimal prunings to move, you just take your garden shredder to the work.
To Conclude
I am all for making life easy in the garden, this is something that the Feider petrol garden shredder does well. Going by the excellent reviews customers seem to be very happy with their purchase. The petrol garden shredder comes with a two-year standard warranty and an optional five-year warranty. I’m always in favour of a good warranty and it proves that the manufacturer believes in their product.
Another very popular product on our website is the MTD chipper, although this particular model is no longer available there are other similar models.
Stihl Vacuum Shredder Conversion Kit for BG55, BG85
The Stihl vacuum shredder conversion kit can turn your Stihl blower model BG55 and BG85 into a powerful garden vacuum cleaner. We are presently offering the Stihl shredder conversion kit for just £46.28, the retail price is £78.50. So a saving of £31 approximately. Why not turn your Stihl blower into a powerful garden vacuum?
This simple Stihl vacuum shredder conversion kit comes with everything you need. This includes two plastic pipes and a collection bag. The collection bag can be easily emptied with its large zip that opens the bag fully.
I have used the Stihl range of blowers for over 20 years, they are a great asset in any garden. I know for a fact that I use my Stihl blowers more than any other tool in the garden. It’s a really quick way to clear leaves and other debris. It almost replaces the garden rake and can make your garden look clean and tidy in just a few seconds with minimal effort.
Turn your Stihl blower into a mini garden shredder.
Make the most of your Stihl blower.
Complete kit turns your Stihl blower into a vacuum/shredder.
Take the hard work out of cleaning your garden.
Easy to empty bag.
Shred as you vacuum.
Stihl Vacuum Bag
Make The Most Of Your Stihl Blower
The Stihl vacuum conversion kit really helps to make the most of your Stihl blower. My first Stihl leaf blower came complete with the shredder and vacuum kit as I wanted to get the most out of my Stihl blower. For 90% of the time, I would use my Stihl blower to blow the leaves into a large heap and then barrow the leaves to the compost heap. I have to say that it is much quicker to blow than it is to vacuum.
To make the most of your Stihl blower and to use the blower efficiently, I would just use the collection bag and shredder for the final touches. For example, I would use the blower on the lawn and patio and then literally attach the conversion kit to clean the corners and places that I cannot reach properly with the blower.
When you are using a leaf blower there are certain places where you either need to clean up by hand or use the Stihl vacuum shredder conversion kit.
The Stihl vacuum conversion kit is ideal for getting into the small places that are difficult to reach with a broom and difficult to blow. I guess the best way to describe the vacuum is that it really helps with those finishing touches!
I wouldn’t recommend using the blower to actually collect leaves from your lawn as the blower is not designed to do this. It’s just designed to complement the blower and add those final finishing touches.
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To Conclude
Many of you may be wondering if this product is worth purchasing? I would say most definitely, yes, for the reasons mentioned above. If you think you’re going to be clearing the leaves of a large lawn and shredding them at the same time, this is not the tool for the job.
With large amounts of leaves I would blow the leaves into a central spot and collect in the wheelbarrow or whatever you used to collect your leaves. It would be very inefficient to try and shred leaves with a machine of this size.
However, if you are looking to keep your patio nice and smart and those corners where you’re blower or broom cannot reach. Then the Stihl vacuum shredder conversion kit is a must for you.
