Hey Everyone, thanks for watching. Be sure to check out some of my other tool reviews using the playlist linked below. kzfaq.info/sun/PLHRSPnh4bEkwTiDfESJ-QLP5OWo6wayYo

I appreciate that you include clip of actual tree branches going into the machine, helps get a better sense of what the machine can do. thanks!

Thanks for the review. Very helpful for the average homeowner, with the constant problem of falling branches. That pretty much everyday for us.

Your review was spot on. Have a small yard but lots of tree limbs to deal with. Bought this chipper shredder today and love it!

This is the only mid-priced chipper that I have seen that actually pulls the branches in. Most others in this price range you have to feed & push the branches in. Ty. Good video.

We've had this chipper about 5-6 years now, using it a couple of times a year. I don't recall paying anything near its current price of $600. We noticed some problems early on. The chute wouldn't stay up unless its hinge screw was made very tight and then it stressed the hinge. We solved that with a bungee cord. The muffler cover wouldn't stay on and the screws for it would vibrate off. I didn't find a solution for that. The discharge bag isn't made well and its fabric is plastic. An edge of it touched the hot muffler and melted. We've had to repair it several times. The shredder has a lot of torque and it would cause the unit to move around on its own when placed on concrete even with the wheels locked. The solution was to operate it on the lawn. We have many live oak and water oak trees and they shed branches. Unless very small, they are murder when the riding lawn mowing encounters them with damage to its mandrels and blades. So, it was time to gather them all up on our 2 acre lot and shred them. Most of the way through, the machine worked well. When moving it from site to site, I noticed that the motor would stall out when tilting it backward while I was pulling it and it was then it was difficult to restart. This was with a full tank of gasoline. Finally, it tried to eat a 1.5" branch and then developed a lot of vibration and stalled out while just running under no load. I found that it had shot into the ground one of its 2 L-hammers. The main housing and rear housing got pretty chewed up and those parts are not available for replacement except by special order, which takes about 3 months to arrive from China. The L-hammer's bolt also broke off inside the rotor assembly. Part of a rectangular hammer also broke off. The bolts for these are also not available from Harbor Freight. They do sell the rotor assembly but none of those parts are on it, it's only the plate itself. The ordering process was easy and pleasant over the phone (you can't order parts online). In summary, like many HF tools, the chipper/shredder is over-rated as well as being more expensive now. It cannot handle 2" hardwood branches unless they have been so softened by the elements that they easily be broken with your hands. You can forget about it handling 3". Repairs will be a major challenge. A 4", highly rated chipper will cost 3 times as much or more. In my opinion, at $600, it's just not worth it.

excellent discussion and video , couldn't agree more. This is a fine unit if used appropriately. We have owned one for about 6 months now . Learning how to use it and feed it is as important as pulling the cord and starting it. Shorter rather than longer is preferred, especially on the side chute 3 inches is a max, The side chute doesn't like pieces with bends or shoots , it will jam in the tube . IF we prep the branches just a little before feeding the unit it will never fail. Use a small hatchet to prep the larger pieces if necessary, trim the side shoots of the branches. , Feed the top chute bin slowly, it's only got a 2 inch wide opening going into the blades so don't try to feed too much at one time, work slowly. Let the machine do it's work don't force it. We have used ours 6 or 7 times so far , cleaning up storm debris, fallen limbs etc . we also maintain and clean out a section of natural wooded area behind our home which promotes natural growth. We create piles of debris, larger branches are put aside. It really only takes about 30 minutes to go thru a large pile and turn them into chips, working slowly. Can't stress enough. let the machine work at it's own pace, don't force it. I have read countless reviews where users said it was junk, didn't work etc, thats because they are forcing it to act like a commercial machine which it is not. Dry wood and branches goes thru this thing like butter, wet new cut wood is a bit more work as it should be. Feed it slowly pay a attention to what feeds well and what doesn't , adjust the way you use it and feed it and this thing will sing ! Plus it will last a very long time if you don't try to force it to work harder than it should. Its a $450 machine , not a $ 15,000 machine. If your plan is to buy one of these and chip an entire tree, save your money. Thats not what its purpose is.

Thanks, was very informative and helpful. I think I'm going to look for something beefier given that many of my shred materials are going to approach three inches and surpass, be freshly cut (I can't wait about a year to have everything dry out), and it seems you kind of need to do a lot of pre-trimming, I need something I can just shove it all into. Ofc, also means I'm gonna have to up the budget too.

Thanks, we're moving to a home near Nashville with 4 acres of trees. We need to look closer at the branches to see how thick they really are. This video helps us visualize what a chipper will do for us.

Thank you! I just purchased mine today, this video is very helpful!!

Thanks for the honest review

Thanks 🙏 I’m getting one of these .

Thanks for sharing your video. I have 3 trees, but I wouldn't need to be consistent on trimming them, only once a yr. I can make the chips out of mulch. I received two estimates from $400 to $1200. I can do it myself with the help of my family but a need a chipper. Thank you again

I am on my 2nd one of these chippers. The first one I let a friend borrow and he loved it so much (and broke it) that he bought me a brand new one and kept my old one. He got the replacement parts needed and still loves it. I put well over 100 hours on the first unit and probably getting up to around 80 hours now on the 2nd unit. I've made piles of branches, blackberries, and other yard waste and spent up to 5 hours in a day shredding stuff. Both units have had the muffle heat shield screws vibrate out and then the shield broke off. Both units, like in the video, have had the ejection chute cover flapping all about. I tried to tighten it but it always comes loose. So I just took it off. The long tube for branches is a major PITA when it comes to anything with a twist or bend. It is the single biggest reason I want a larger chipper so I can have a hole large enough to take a 1 inch branch with a bend or small trees and branches with a Y. I spend more time cutting and trimming everything just to fit in the chipper and it is really annoying. I have not yet been able to get the blades off for sharpening either. I can't get access to one of the nuts on each blade.

Thanks for the video. I'm getting one now.

Thanks from this video. It helped make up my mind. 👍🏻

Those are some good size woodchips it processes. Perfect size for homestead use raising 🐥 🐖 🐑 🐄. The Champion, I just purchased, chips wood to dime size peices. I wished it could be calibrated to chip into a larger size. Thanks for the demonstration.

I purchased this chipper about a month ago. Your wood does not need to be dry! I cut fresh brush yesterday and it chipped it nicely. Keep your bigger 3inch wood to a short length. 3ft seems to be the sweet spot. Chips it up nicely and will not stall the machine at that length as the motor has time to keep up its momentum!

Appreciate the review, thanks.

This was super helpful. Thanks.

Well put. Good machine if you stay within it's limits.

Thank you ! I'm sold ..Great video..

Thanks for the review bud! This chipper is perfect for me after watching this video. Anything 3 inches and over will be for the fire pit anyway. I mainly need to get rid of the leafy stuff that takes a million trips to the dump to dispose of. Trying to keep the price under $600 too

hi, thanks for the video. Do you think it will shred logs splitted from a larger one? I am wondering because they won't be round.

Great follow up, I'm thinking it's going to need to sometimes need to be restarting and the way it nearly tilting and wobble might be prevented with a bar across the bottom of the front leg bar giving more width and stabling it (I don't like wobbly crap but they cut the cost a little) Thank you for the teaching Sir 😁

Thanks! Great review

A reliable review of the Harbor Freight Wood Chipper & Shredder after one year of use.

I've had one for a couple of weeks and so far like it. I would add some sort of hose attachment so you can discharge directly into a plant waste can or a yard trailer.

Great video say I had branches down in my yard and they were dry but fell recently would that be fine

I made the purchase the item is very good for the price I bought at harbor , I got a deal had a coupon . Mine started first try within 1 hr I had 10feet of 3” or less sticks chopped and canned for garbage. Works well the dumps would have charged 60 for a load truck It’s a great buy

Hey - Nice video and demonstration of how this Chipper works! You do a good job with your videos - thanks! Wondering if you have tried feeding sticks into the large hopper? Often I rake up piles of leaves that have sticks included and wonder what size of stick the large hopper/feed can handle? Also had an old Craftsman Chipper but it was prone to jamming up if fed too fast. Have you see any issues like that with this machine? Thanks again for great videos!

It performed well. Thanks for this and I am in the market for one. Harbor Freight has been very obliging in there sales.

I liked, leaving a comment now and subscribed. Definitely going to give her shot for the 10ac we have. Thanks great short review

It will handle the bigger fresh stuff as long as you feed it through slow or cut it into smaller sections. I love it myself! The only thing I don't like is the small hole in the main chute. Really have to maneuver stuff to get it through there. Also one of the tires went flat and the tubes are a real pita to get back on!

thanks for the review

thanks, was thinking about this one. and your in my neighborhood.... bet you got yours where the old forman mills was on BHP.... thats where i go too..... good to know there is someone on here from s jersey making vids..... blessings.

Is it still working well? I have a 40-foot Laurel hedge so that's a whole lot of really small bushy branches with leaves on them will I be able to stuff those in the top of this thing or do I need something with a bigger Hopper?

Thanks so much for your review! Nobody else has the testicles to say “it’s good, buy it”. Others are wishy-washy because it’s from Harbor Freight. There are plenty of Craftsman products I’d never buy either. People focus on the chipper function but it’s main function is the shredder. I want metal blades not the electric models that use trimmer cords. Wet leaves kill these trimmer models but you get what you pay for. The chipper was thrown on as a bonus. Dead branches fall all the time but if you need a chainsaw to cut and downsize your trees those branches are considered as firewood if they are over 3”. Your video helped me to decide on this model. It’s aggressive and dependable. I especially like the large hopper to throw the leaves in rather than spoon-feeding it. Thumbs up!

Thanks for the review. I need a chipper for bamboo. Hate that stuff.

The speed with which things disappear into the chipper is honestly kind of disturbing, lol. Better be paying attention when you use one of these!

Wow need one of those

Bought one today and got 30% off on it, put it together,will try it tomorrow

Hello, Thanks for posting the video. Does the machine shred loose leaves or only small branches with leaves?

causes me to consider if there could be a way to slow down the feed speed when larger diameter branches are put in the chute if that would enable it to 'keep goin'@ chewing up the 3" branches

Thanks for the information

good review thank you 👍

Do you have a Model # I’m looking to buy one and this looks perfect for what I need

Thanks buddy , I’ve been trying to make up my mind to buy one or not , I have a home and a acre of trees in northern Michigan

Just Luv That Chippin' Tune!

Well looks like you got a good one. My shaft broke before I run a full tank of gas through it. and after looking through videos, It a problem other people have. Buy the warranty!

Very cool , I am in the process of looking for just a chipper only . I will look into what harbor freight has to offer . Nice review !

good video...was hoping to see more "green" stuff being either chipped or shredded. Stuff on video looks very dry, which of course eases chipping. Thanks.

Nice and simply said....

Could you or someone else please comment on its efficacy for mulching large amounts of leaves via the hopper?

How sharp were the factory blades/cutters. And have you sharpened them since new?

Nice job, thanks

its a beast I have had one 2 years, just keep the oil changed! They sell after market blades for it too if you dont take the time to sharpen them

I wonder if some engine mods to it will help it chew those bigger ones up and not bog down. I am thinking of getting one..i have a ton of brush on our lot.

How well do you think would this work to re-chip/shred a pile of "industrial" tree chippings? I can easily get the latter for free, but they're way too coarse a chip size for using to mulch beds and my hill side, so i'm looking for away to shred them down finer for spreading.

That Predator sounds nice. Just put the 212 on my dads old Troy Bilt Horse 1 tiller he got in 77 and now it’s got some gumption. What would be best for chopping up bulk produce for making compost?

Thanks for the great vid! How much gas does it consume per hour, roughly?

I have 5 acres and can’t keep up with the sticks and twigs trying to burn them. My property is also pretty swampy. I could probably shoot this into some of those lower sections.

My big question is about the blades, once they begin to wear out, how do you replace them?

Awesome brother I just bought a house in the hills and I was wondering about that chipper if it was worth getting. Thank you for the demonstration man👍🏼

Big help. Thanks. Half the cost of the chipper-vacumm models.

and leaves how bout those? just watched a video on 3 electric leafwhips string trimmer leafshredders i wanna know how it holds up chip size etc

That's a good review. I bought mine at HF about 3 months ago and I used it quite a bit at first. This is not my first chipper/shredder. It's my third one after having two Craftsman units in the past. My first Craftsman, I gave to my dad and it worked like a champ. The second Craftsman finally locked up and I gave it away too. This one from HF is better because it has replaceable wheels while the Craftsman had the axle end caps that could only be removed with an angle grinder. On the downside, the HF is very loud, enough so that standard earmuff style hearing protection is not enough. I need earplugs AND the earmuff hearing protection. I've thought about reworking the exhaust to rise above my head, but I know a lot of the noise comes from the machinery itself, not just the exhaust. I've been tempted to remove the floppy cover over the debris chamber at the top of the unit as it simply gets in the way of the small items I'm trying to shred. I know it's a safety feature, and I haven't removed it yet, but I am very tempted. Otherwise, it's a great chipper/shredder and worth the cost.

Great info thanks

Looks like it does a better job then my yardman at chipping branches

Question. Can this machine mulch cardboard? If so, should it be dry or can it be wet/damp?

Greetings, so am I to understand so long as the limbs are 2-2.5 inch they can be chipped green? Or did I miss something? BTW, 3ich dia. is firewood in my book...so...lol. Take care and thanx for the review.

just bought this one at harbor freight this morning

Great video Joe. Please, Who is the band playing starting at 2:10

Great Video! Wonder if this is a better buy then the Bruch Master CH3.

So can it handle anything smaller than 3 inches that is fresh cutted or green and full with leaves? I noticed that the branches you're shredded seems to be dried already.

Damn, that's pretty impressive.

Everyone should have one of these so they can make compost at home. don't even think about it if you are thinking about using it for actually tree cutting. i have a giant silver maple in my backyard it gives me plenty of composting supplies every year. got a huge limb that fell off this year. i burned most of it and used the ashes to make a spore slurry of morels for my garden.

Thanks for the review Friend. Have a Blessed Day!

Thanks for your review of the Harbor Freight mulcher/shredder. What I need to know is how is it with fir cones. In the PNW our woods give us a significant supply of fir cones-like pine cones only from fir trees, narrower and denser. Will they fit into the brush hole? Will they get shredded? They don’t burn very well but if I could get them to shred, I may be able to use them like mulch. Nothing worse than stepping on one and falling down any kind of incline. Waiting to hear back from you. Todd Ekstrom Friday Harbor, WA

How do you think it would do on green / fresh cut bamboo?

Mine works just fine.

Do you think it will do 2-1/2" and under bamboo?

I keep reading that the blades are hard to nearly impossible to get off. Have you removed them to sharpen them? And how long did that take?

I have Larch trees and the branchs fall off all the time. How will this do on Larch which i quite hard?

What about shredding leaves? It seems so many chippers that can handle branches don't really shred up leaves very well.

Can it chip or shred like plastic and milkcans and cards boards and styropfoams?

I think what I'd do if I can find a used one. I'd look at upgrading the engine to an 8hp if the shaft height above the base is the same. That extra 2hp and the torque that goes with it might make it less likely to stall out on 3" sticks. Trouble is, I can't find any used ones around my area.

I picked up one today ran pretty decent. I got it from Harbor freight still in the box. The box was split open. The instructions are vague, and the mounting bolts that are embedded that hold the chip duct one of them was damaged so that comes from the factory also missing a spring for the throttle valve that comes from the factory and it’s a high dollar item but lower than other places so I can deal with that. I honest opinion I would give it a six out of 10 and all of that would come just from the way it operates not from the condition you get it from being brand new

EXCELLENT VIDEO. Thank you for not explaining the history of chippers starting in the XIV century! To the point, thorough and well spoken.

I know it's probably been asked but how's it work for large amounts of leaves? Would I be better off just getting a cheap sunjoe shredder or something? I was hoping to find something to get the job done a little faster since after the leaves get wet it takes much longer and i spend more time stading there diddling myself. Any recommendations?

I mounted mine to a small trailer from Harbor Freight, much easier to use it around with lawn tractor or so and it is much more stable which equals safer to use. I have had all the same issues with mine as Jay Sigel has but it works just fine. I don't think have ever used the bag but yeah it is junk. Had mine for about 5 or so years too, engine is solid and never fails to start. I am sure there are better ones out there but for the price just fine.

Would this disassemble a small framed accomplice?

How do you think it would handle bamboo? I have a lot and some is green as well as dried.

So, would you say it will only do straight limbs and not curvy ones ?

I'd like something compact I can fit in my small van but can chip up to 60mm! Any advice welcome or am I wishful thinking? Don't want to pay silly money but unfortunately the UK is very expensive for this kind of equipment! 😩

At least it pulls the limbs into itself. Saw a Troybilt chipper review. The Guy had to force feed the limbs of any size thru the tube.

does this chipper shredder have the flail blades or hammers on the Impeller and a flail screen? as those shred the debris to a finer mulch. as i know all MTD chipper shredders have them. if i had my MTD chipper then i will repower it with a predator 212cc but at the time the motor went there was no harbor freight store here was a Power pro chipper shredder made by MTD, and had a 5 hp L head Briggs & Stratton engine on it and it was very hard to start. as now the predator engines i repowered my Cub Cadet snow thrower from the tecumseh motor that blew, and a Cyclone Rake classic i have replacing its Tecumseh engine as the non hemi engines are Honda GX 200 clones and reliable so block parts i can use Honda parts.

Just bought one of these, it runs pretty well, the top debris intake is small and will "bridge" material if it is not quite small. Have also heard from other users that the limb blades are not sharp from the factory and sharpening the blades will help a lot. Only one day of use so far and seems decent. The hammers could probably be upgraded for the debris chute. Would love to see some metal fabricator "upgrades" to the base unit.

small but work like a beast

Did you have to sharpen the blades within the time you used it?