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This is our review of the best leaf shredder in 2024
If you have a house surrounded by large mature trees, you know the effort it takes to remove all those fallen leaves and adequately dispose of them without taking much storage space in your yard.
Sometimes raking leaves isn’t a solution, and you need a fast and efficient gardening machine that will help you care for the lawn in a short time. You can solve all that problem by using leaf shredders that are a very versatile machine.
You can use it to clean and shred fallen leaves, clear small branches, and quickly dispose of grass clippings, weeds, and even dead plants from your garden.
The leaf shredder comes in various forms, but they all feature a common task: make garden maintenance jobs more manageable. In this post, we’ll point out a few of our best leaf mulchers, so you can clean up your yards, including things to consider when choosing one.
But if you’re in a rush and need some quick recommendations for shredding leaves, you can choose from our top picks below.
Let’s get started
Quick Picks
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Premium
Landworks Wood Chipper Shredder Mulcher
Heavy-duty 3-in-1 wood chipper, shredder, and mulcher with a reduction ratio of 15:1. Easy to use and includes several safety features.
Best Overall
WORX 3-In-1 Electric Multistage Mulcher
It’s a great yard maintenance tool that allows you to blow, vacuum, and mulch gardening waste. The powerful electric motor gives you with 18:1 mulching ratio.
Best Value
WORX Foldable Electric Leaf Mulcher
It’s a powerful standalone bladeless electric mulcher with a 13-amp motor. You get 11:1 compression and a budget-friendly option for home users.
Best Leaf Shredder in Market
Product
Name
Detail
Price
- 13 amp leaf mulcher
- 16:1 mulching ratio
- corded standalone mulcher
- 12 amp corded mulcher
- 18:1 mulching ratio
- 11 lbs weight
- 12 amp corded shredder
- 10:1 mulching ratio
- 8.1 lbs
- 13 amp standalone mulcher
- 11:1 mulching ratio
- 20 lbs weight
- 7 HP gas mulcher
- 15:1 mulching ratio
- 101 lbs weight
Our Top Pick
Our top pick for the best leaf shredder is the WORX 3-In-1 Electric Mulching System.
It’s great to use on small to medium size residential property and offers you excellent performance. You can use this multipurpose tool for blowing, mulching, or vacuuming purposes. It’s a compact design and comes with a bag.
You can single-hand operate the shredder. The 18:1 mulching ratio means you can fit 18 leaf bags into 1. You can switch from blowing to vacuuming with a flick of a switch. For an emission-free leaf shredder, you can’t go wrong with this unit.
What is the best way to shred leaves?
The best way to shred leaves is to use a leaf shredder. Depending on the type, the leaf shredder either has blades or strings to tear leaves apart into small pieces.
Some people refer to leaf shredder as leaf mulcher, but they both mean the same thing. Handheld and standalone leaf mulchers are two main types of shredders in the market.
The standalone leaf mulcher is a heavy-duty machine and can handle other tasks such as shredding woods. The handheld shredder is portable, and you can change it to be a leaf blower or shredder.
These machines are either gas-powered or electric-powered. In an electric model, it can be a corded or cordless model.
The gas-powered leaf shredder is usually more powerful and preferred by professional landscapers. But if your needs are limited, you can safely choose the electric-powered leaf shredder, which is convenient and easy to use.
If you don’t want to buy a leaf shredder, you can make your DIY leaf shredder with a mower. You can run the mower couple of times on the fallen leaves and rake it.
What to consider when buying leaf shredder
Shredding Speed
You have the option to choose single-speed or variable speed shredding. For greater flexibility, variable speed is a better option.
Safety
For a trenching job, pick ook for safety features such as shutoff valve, overheat protection, and vibration dampening to operate it without injury.
Blade Quality
Choosing a steel blade gives you a far cleaner cut while it also lasts longer. This helps you handle even tough wooden branches.
Have a question about buying a leaf shredder? Contact us
The Best Leaf Shredder Review
1. Earthwise Corded Electric Leaf Mulcher/Shredder
High-Performance Standalone Shredder
If you want to compost shredded leaves from your yard, Earthwise Corded electric leaf mulcher/shredder is a good option. You can create nutrient-rich compost quickly while cleaning up your yard.
This 13-amp leaf mulcher delivers enough power and performance comparable to a gas leaf mulcher. It’s suitable for chopping both dry and wet leaves, including lawn clipping. Smaller size leaf pieces make it quick and easy to decompose in a compost bin.
It has a 19″ wide funnel opening with a 13″ bladeless cutting diameter. You can drop leaves from above and reduce the waste to 1/16 of its original size (16:1 mulching ratio).
It has three mulching settings that help you decide the shredding size. You can easily attach the packing bag with an elastic band.
The attached wheels make it easy to move around. The electric operation makes it emission-free and environment-friendly.
See More Information about Earthwise Corded Electric Leaf Mulcher/Shredder
Pros
Cons
2. WORX 3-In-1 Electric Multistage Mulcher
Electric Chipper Shredder Mulcher
If you’re looking for a multifunction yard maintenance tool, Worx 3-in-1 Multistage Mulcher is an excellent option. You can use a single tool for different purposes without needing to spend extra money.
It’s a corded electric blower, and you need to have an extension cord to cover a larger area. The quick switch mode allows you to change it from a leaf blower to vacuum mode and back again with a switch flip.
This is an excellent option as you can use the blower to make a pile then use a vacuum function to suck it up for shredding or packaging leaves in a bag.
You get a high 18:1 mulch ratio, which is impressive given how portable a handheld unit it is. The durable metal impeller gives a cleaner cut. You get two-speed settings at 80 mph and 210 mph with 350 CFM for blowing piles of leaves.
It’s lightweight (8.6 lbs) and designed for the single-hand operation process. This means anyone can use this fantastic multipurpose tool to maintain a beautiful yard. A collection bag is included that can hold 1.2 bushels of fallen leaves.
See More Information about WORX 3-In-1 Electric Multistage Mulcher
Pros
Cons
3. BLACK+DECKER 3-in-1 Electric Leaf Blower & Mulcher
Portable Electric Leaf Shredded Vacuum
For the vast majority of homeowners, a multipurpose electric gardening tool is the best option. You don’t have to deal with the hassle of gas or batteries to get the job done.
This Black & Decker 3-in-1 electric leaf blower and mulcher work as a leaf blower, vacuum, and mulcher. It’s powered by a 12-amp motor and has a 10:1 shredding ratio that can slice through leaves and debris with ease.
The powerful engine generates 230 mph blowing power. The two speeds shredding settings allow you to use around garden beds or sidewalks. You can clean hard-to-remove debris and dry leaves such as pine needles, leaves, grass clippings, and twigs.
The anti-clog Vortex Impeller prevents clogging up the machine when mulching. The powerful grinders compress ten bags of mulch into one to make it easy to store.
The plastic impellers are strong and sturdy but can break if misused. A metal-constructed impeller would have been more reliable.
This electric model leaf mulcher comes with a single bag for collection and automatic leaf disposal. It has a good build quality and lasts long. You also have an option to choose a more robust and feature-rich model, but those cost more.
For most average home users, this base model should be sufficient for their yard maintenance needs.
See More Information about BLACK+DECKER 3-in-1 Electric Leaf Blower & Mulcher
Pros
Cons
4. WORX Foldable Bladeless Electric Leaf Mulcher
Foldable Leaf Shredder
The Worx 13-amp foldable bladeless electric leaf mulcher is an affordable, reliable, and high-performance standalone leaf shredder with excellent shredding capabilities.
The bladeless electric powerful motor makes it safe to use and can handle up to 53 gallons of leaves per minute. The mulcher has an 11:1 compression ratio.
You can pack shredded leaves and debris directly into the collection bag. It’s an electric leaf mulcher and won’t require a battery or gas to operate. It uses a 0.09-inch trimmer line, which is 13.8-inch long.
See More Information about WORX Foldable Bladeless Electric Leaf Mulcher
Pros
Cons
5. Landworks Wood Chipper Shredder Mulcher
Leaf Mulcher with Metal Blades
The Landworks wood chipper is a small but sturdy mulching machine. It’s a gas-powered mulcher with a 7 HP 212 cc engine. It’s ideal for medium- and large-sized yards that have large mature trees.
The chipper is made of solid metal material that remains stable and sturdy during operation. The single-cylinder OHV powered engine reduces emission and easily handles up to 3-inch diameter wood.
The wide slanted opening at the top of the machine reduces jams and makes it safe to operate. The tow bar kit allows you to hook up ATV, lawnmowers, or tractors for easy transportation.
The heavy-duty steel blades and hammers in the grinding chamber chew through tree branches, garden leaves, and yard waste like butter. The rubber cap on the chute creates a strong vacuum suction for dry and wet leaves.
The auto-feeding design allows you to work faster and safer. Large rubber tires also make it effortless to pull it around or transport.
See More Information about Landworks Wood Chipper Shredder Mulcher
Pros
Cons
How to decide which leaf shredder to buy?
Deciding to buy a leaf shredder can become overwhelming if you don’t approach it correctly. You need first to determine whether you want a standalone leaf mulcher or something which is more portable.
The main benefit of buying a standalone mulcher is its higher power and diverse mulching function. For most small to medium-sized residential yards buying a standalone mulcher can be overkill.
Moreover, you have to collect leaves and dump them into the standalone mulcher to get the job done. But if you have a large yard with several mature trees and want to mulch woods and branches for other purposes, a standalone mulcher is a much-preferred option.
For small to medium size residential yards, the handheld leaf blower and shredder may be more practical. You can choose either a gas-powered or electric leaf shredder.
The gas-powered leaf shredder is usually more powerful than a handheld electric unit, but you have to deal with gas and emission when in use.
For small size yards, the cordless leaf shredder is a better option. You are not limited to how far you can collect leaves and shred without worrying about extension cord or emission. The cordless leaf shredder also costs less than more powerful gas models.
What to consider when buying leaf shredder?
When choosing the right leaf shredder, you need to keep a few features in mind.
Weight
If you look at leaf shredder options in the market, you will often find them to come with many bells and whistles. When you’re considering a handheld leaf shredder, check for the weight that you’re comfortable handling.
Even for standalone leaf shredders, the weight should also be a factor in deciding as you will need to find a stable place for mulching. Also, you have to move it to storage when you’re done with the job.
For a smaller garden, choose an electric (corded) leaf shredder or battery-powered cordless shredder.
Shredding Speed
The leaf mulcher can have a single shredding speed or variable speed. For light mulching needs, you can choose a single shredding speed, but for higher flexibility, we recommend that you look for a variable speed option mulcher.
Blade Quality
The primary performance of leaf shredder relies on the blade quality. A durable and sturdier blade gives you a far cleaner cut and lasts longer.
You should choose steel blades if you know you will find mulching tree woods and branches.
Reduction Ratio
The reduction ratio tells you the amount of loose-leaf that can be mulched and compacted. For example, a reduction ratio of 11 to 1 means you can shred 11 bags of leaves and be able to fit in one (1) bag.
A higher reduction ratio gives you far more delicate cuts that make it easier to dispose of leaves or turn them into compost.
Most high-end leaf mulchers come with a reduction ratio of 15 to 1 and above. We recommend that you should choose a shredder that gives you at least a 10 to 1 ratio.
Easy switching vacuum to mulching
You can switch some leaf shredder models from vacuuming to mulching, but they may require you to remove the nozzle and change the attachment.
Choosing a model with both options built-in or giving you a tool-free switching option is a great convenience.
Safety and Ease of use
Like any other power tool, safety and ease of use is a vital consideration. Look for the safety features such as shutoff valve, overheat protection, and vibration dampening in the shredder.
A mulcher with a leaf bag attachment option makes it easy to carry and empty. Also, consider the design and choose that needs less maintenance and is easy to clean.
How much is a leaf shredder?
Leaf shredder price varies based on whether it’s standalone or handheld. Usually, the price goes anywhere from $80 to over $200. Heavy-duty mulchers with wood chipping capability are more expensive. You can expect to pay around $450 for a sturdier and high endurance wood mulcher.
So, how much should you spend on leaf shredder?
If you’re looking for a shredder for residential purposes, you can expect to pay around $120 to have a functional mulcher.
Is the leaf shredder worth it?
This is a common question asked by people when deciding if they should invest in a leaf shredder. The answer depends on your yard size and how much leaf shredding do you need to do.
Sometimes, you can get away without buying a leaf shredder if you have a small yard and rake the leaves. Another option is to use a mower, and shred leaves in the yard, and leave them to compost gradually.
You will benefit from having a leaf shredder if you have to rake and bag several bags of leaves then dispose of them. Leaf shredding can reduce the storage space needed to pack leaves.
The Bottom Line
We hope you enjoyed our list of what we think is the most high-performance leaf shredder that you can use for your yard.
As said before, maintaining yard work is a chore, but thanks to the right gardening tools, you can get it done in the least time.
We recommend you to choose Worx 3-in-1 Electric shredder as it gives the most value. It’s cheaper than other models while having all the functionality you may find in the expensive model.
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