The best wood chipper for most homeowners is the SuperHandy Mini 7HP 3 in, a gas chipper shredder at about $535. If nothing in your pile is thicker than 1.7 in, skip gas: the Sun Joe silent electric bundle does the same job at about $270.
One thing before the list: we make digging spades, not wood chippers, so nothing here is ours. Every pick is judged on rated branch diameter, power type, reduction ratio, what the listing will not take, warranty and price, all checked on Amazon on 2026-09-14. If your pile is leaves rather than branches, our best leaf vacuum mulcher guide is the right page instead. This page is one stop on our fall yard cleanup tools checklist, which puts every fall job in order.
Disclosure: as an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. It does not change what we recommend or what you pay. Prices and availability were checked on 2026-09-14 and can change.
Best wood chippers at a glance
| Chipper | Power | Rated branch | Reduction ratio | Warranty listed | Best for | Where to buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SuperHandy Mini wood chipper shredder mulcher, 3 in (best overall) |
7HP gas, recoil start | 3 in | 15:1 | Not listed | A yard with trees in it | amazon, about $535 |
 Sun Joe silent 15 amp electric chipper shredder with cordless jet blower |
15 amp corded | 1.7 in | 21:1 | Not listed | Quiet suburban prunings | amazon, about $270 |
 Yard Commander 3 in chipper shredder, 212cc |
6.5 HP 212cc gas | 3 in | 20:1 | 2 year limited | A wooded lot | amazon, about $600 |
 YARDMAX YW6065 2-in-1 chipper |
Kohler 2000 series gas | 3 in | Not listed | Not listed | All steel under $500 | amazon, about $499 |
 Landworks rotor wood chipper shredder mulcher, 3 in |
7HP gas, 3600 RPM | 3 in | 15:1 | 1 year limited | Whichever 7HP is cheaper | amazon, about $609 |
 Earthwise GS70015 15 amp corded chipper with collection bin |
15 amp corded | 1.5 to 1.8 in | Up to 15:1 | Not listed | Cheapest way in | amazon, about $170 |
How we picked
We picked from Amazon listings only. On 2026-09-14 we read the title, feature bullets, price and stock status on every ASIN below and on the five machines further down, so every number here traces to a listing. Where a listing states nothing, the table says Not listed. We did not run these machines ourselves.
We kept the picks in the $200 to $600 band with two exceptions, each named in its own section: the Earthwise below it and the Landworks $9 above it. Buy in early fall, because what is in stock in September goes scarce the week after a wind event.
What is the best wood chipper?
The best wood chipper for home use is the SuperHandy Mini 7HP 3 in, at about $535. It is the cheapest 3 in pick with both a stated reduction ratio and an adjustable discharge, and it was in full stock on our check date, where the $499 YARDMAX showed four units and states no ratio.
The best wood chippers, by job
1. SuperHandy Mini wood chipper shredder mulcher, 3 in: best wood chipper overall
The SuperHandy Mini wood chipper shredder mulcher is the machine for a one acre yard. The listing states a recoil starting 7HP 4-stroke single cylinder OHV gas engine, a 15:1 reduction ratio, a feeding chute rated to 3 in branches, and a vertical discharge chute with an adjustable guide through 90 to 145 degrees. It holds 0.7 gallons of 87 octane or better and is listed EPA and CARB certified. That guide is worth more than it sounds: aiming the chips at a tarp rather than your shins makes this a one-person job.
Where it loses: engine oil is not included, the same bullets name fresh greens, pine cones, palm branches and vines as materials to keep out, and no warranty term appears on the listing at all.
2. Sun Joe silent 15 amp electric chipper shredder with cordless jet blower: best electric
The Sun Joe silent chipper shredder bundle is the pick most suburban readers should actually buy. The listing states a 15 amp electric chipper that shreds branches up to 1.7 in thick with quiet operation, a listed 21:1 reduction, a safety hopper that halts when opened, and 7 in wheels. It starts instantly with no fuel, and the box holds a cordless 24V jet blower listed at 280 CFM and 100 MPH. At about $270 it is half the SuperHandy.
Where it loses: it is a bundle, so you pay something for a blower you may own, and 1.7 in is a real ceiling. Push a knotted 2 in oak limb in and you will stall it.
3. Yard Commander 3 in chipper shredder, 212cc: best for a wooded lot
The Yard Commander 3 in chipper shredder is the most machine in this price band. Its listing states a 6.5 HP 212cc overhead valve gas engine, heat-treated alloy blades, a 20:1 reduction ratio, an angled self-feeding hopper that pulls branches toward the blades, 13 in pneumatic tires, a parking brake and a 2 year limited warranty. That 20:1 is the highest ratio among the gas picks, the hopper saves your forearms, and the tires get a heavy machine across gravel.
Where it loses: at about $600 it is the top of the band, the listing states no fuel capacity or weight, a 212cc gas engine needs oil changes before winter, and it is the pick most likely to need two people to move.
4. YARDMAX YW6065 2-in-1 chipper: best build under $500
The YARDMAX YW6065 2-in-1 chipper is the only pick whose listing names the engine maker. It states a Kohler 2000 series engine rated to 3 in branches, all steel construction including hopper and intake, direct drive power for self feeding with no lag, two j-shredder hammers, two rectangular hammers and two 2 in chipping knives. A named engine matters on a machine you keep for a decade, because parts and service exist.
Where it loses: the listing gives no reduction ratio, warranty term or weight, so several table cells read Not listed. It was also the thinnest stock of the six on 2026-09-14, with four left. If it is gone, take the Yard Commander.
5. Landworks rotor wood chipper shredder mulcher, 3 in: the spec twin, so buy on price
The Landworks rotor chipper shredder mulcher is here for an honest reason: its bullets and the SuperHandy bullets describe the same specification, a recoil starting 7HP 4-stroke single cylinder OHV engine, 3 in max capacity, 15:1, a large feeding hopper, a discharge chute adjustable through 90 to 145 degrees, and the same materials to keep out. Landworks adds 3600 RPM, blade check windows and a stated 1 year warranty excluding blades. We are not saying these came off one line, only that the listings claim the same numbers, so buy whichever is cheaper on the day.
Where it loses: at $609 it is the one pick above our $200 to $600 band, it is $74 more than its twin on our check date, and the 1 year warranty explicitly leaves out the blades, which are the part that wears.
6. Earthwise GS70015 15 amp corded chipper with collection bin: the cheapest real way in
The Earthwise GS70015 corded chipper is the machine for a small yard. The listing states a 15 amp motor rated to 1.5 to 1.8 in branches, up to 15:1, transport wheels and a collection bag. It is also the most honest listing of the six: it says the machine is built for dry, seasoned material, that green wood may reduce efficiency, and that it is not intended for leaves, and it specifies a 12 gauge cord up to 75 ft. At about $170 it sits below our band on purpose, because a pile of sticks does not need $500 of gas engine.
Where it loses: no cord in the box and a cheap one costs you power, the bag fills quickly, and the green-wood warning is the real constraint. Fresh-cut October prunings are exactly what you will feed it.
What about Troy-Bilt, Earthquake, Champion and Patriot?
None of them belongs on a homeowner list at these prices. We read five of them on Amazon on 2026-09-14 and every one landed above $1,000 except Champion, which is genuinely close. Sun Joe's CJ603E, the machine most guides lead with, carried no usable specs on its listing, so we did not rank it.
Champion came closest at about $636: a 224cc single cylinder OHV engine, hardened steel blades to 3 in, a separate shredder chute for debris half an inch and under, a rear clean-out port and a 2 year limited warranty. Stock was scarce on our check date. Above it: Earthquake's K33 at about $1,250 on a 301cc Viper engine, DK2's 3 in at about $1,200 on a 7HP 208cc Kohler, EFCUT's C40 at about $1,100 for 4 in, Patriot's corded CSV-2515 at about $1,495 for 2.5 in. Troy-Bilt returned bags and parts, not a machine.
How much does a wood chipper cost?
A wood chipper costs $170 to $270 corded, $499 to $609 for a homeowner gas machine, and $1,100 to $1,495 once you reach the pro tier we checked. Our six picks and the five machines above them were all priced on Amazon on 2026-09-14, and those prices move.
What is the best chipper shredder?
The Yard Commander, at about $600: a 6.5 HP 212cc engine, a 3 in rating, the highest reduction ratio of the gas picks at 20:1 and a 2 year limited warranty. The SuperHandy carries the same words in its title but lists 15:1 and no warranty term, which is what separates the two.
The distinction matters before you spend. A plain chipper has one intake and wants wood. A chipper shredder adds a second opening for softer material and hammers behind it, which is why the YARDMAX listing counts hammers separately from knives. If you only cut limbs, that chute is money wasted.
How big a branch can a homeowner chipper really take?
About half of it, as a rule of thumb. The gas picks here are rated to 3 in, and that figure describes one dry straight seasoned limb fed on its own. Forked, green or knotty wood at the rated size bogs the machine down. Size for the branch you feed all afternoon.
The listings back this up. The SuperHandy and Landworks bullets tell you to keep fresh greens, pine cones, palm branches and vines out entirely, and Earthwise says its machine is optimized for dry, aged material. That is not a defect, it is a spinning blade meeting wet fiber, and every chipper in this class shares it. A yard of shrubs and fruit trees rarely exceeds 1.5 in, which is corded territory; a lot dropping oak limbs is gas, whether you like the noise or not.
Should you buy a wood chipper or rent one?
Buy if you clear brush more than two or three times a year and have dry storage. Rent if a single storm made the pile. We did not price rentals for this guide, so call two yards near you and compare a day rate against the machines here before you order.
Two things tip it toward buying. A rental is collected and returned inside a window, so you chip on the yard's schedule, not when the ground is dry. And a machine in your shed gets used for the small jobs a rental never justifies. What tips it back is storage: every gas pick wants a dry corner. No corner, rent.
Is a wood chipper or a leaf mulcher right for your pile?
Wood chipper for branches, leaf mulcher for leaves. The Earthwise listing says outright that it is not intended for leaves, and the two 7HP gas listings both tell you to keep fresh greens and vines out. If your pile is leaves, read our best leaf vacuum mulcher guide instead.
Most fall yards make both: branches in September, leaves through November. A chipper drives wood into a blade; a leaf mulcher spins an impeller or trimmer line through mostly air. Our how to mulch leaves guide covers the second half of the season.
How do you choose a wood chipper?
Start with the thickest branch you cut in a normal year. At 1.5 in or under, a 15 amp corded machine covers it. Above that, add an inch of headroom and buy gas at that rating. Last, check the discharge: a bag fills fast, an open chute onto a tarp does not.
- Rated diameter. The gas picks are listed at 3 in and the corded pair at 1.7 in and 1.5 to 1.8 in. Treat the number as a dry-wood ceiling, not a working size.
- Reduction ratio. Yard Commander lists 20:1, Sun Joe 21:1, SuperHandy and Landworks 15:1, Earthwise up to 15:1. Higher means fewer trips to the bag.
- Blade type. YARDMAX lists two 2 in chipping knives plus j-shredder and rectangular hammers, Yard Commander heat-treated alloy blades, Landworks high-speed steel with check windows. Knives chip wood, hammers shred soft debris.
- Discharge. A bag like the Earthwise bin is tidy and small. An open chute with an adjustable guide aims the chips and never needs emptying.
- Mobility. Yard Commander lists 13 in pneumatic tires and a parking brake; Sun Joe lists 7 in wheels. Gravel is the test, not the garage floor.
- Warranty. Only two listings state a term: Yard Commander at 2 years and Landworks at 1 year excluding blades. The other four say nothing.
Three owner notes no spec sheet carries. Feed the butt end first and let go, because holding a branch while the machine pulls is how people get hurt. Alternate a dry branch with a green one so the chute does not pack. Store a gas machine with fuel stabilized and blades clean.
What do you do with the chips?
Spread them on paths and around shrubs, where they hold moisture and suppress weeds. Keep fresh chips on top of the soil rather than dug into a bed, because wood ties up nitrogen as it breaks down. Older chips and leaf mold can go straight into the compost heap.
A chipper pays for itself twice, because bagged mulch is expensive by volume and a season of prunings is wheelbarrows of it. If you are building the heap, our best compost bin guide covers the containers. And chipping the branches is only half of taking a tree down: our guide on how to remove a tree stump covers the other half.
Which brings us to the one job here we do know first hand. Spreading chips, cutting a bed edge back through the roots that grew into it, and lifting the shrub you finally admit is in the wrong place are all spade work, and a thin stamped blade can fold on the first root. Spear Head Spade is a family business in New Jersey with over 600,000 sold and a double-patented blade shaped to find the path of least resistance around a rock. If you are unsure which length suits, the spade finder takes about a minute.
Frequently asked questions
What size wood chipper do I need?
Measure the thickest branch you cut in a normal year. At 1.5 in or under, a 15 amp corded chipper covers it. Above that, add an inch of headroom and buy a gas machine at that rating, which for most wooded lots means the 3 in class like the SuperHandy or the Yard Commander.
Are electric wood chippers any good?
Yes, inside their rating. The two corded picks here are listed to 1.7 in and to 1.5 to 1.8 in, start instantly, need no fuel and cost a fraction of the gas machines. They are slower on hardwood and want a heavy extension cord. Earthwise specifies 12 gauge up to 75 ft and 10 gauge beyond that.
What can you not put in a wood chipper?
The SuperHandy and Landworks listings name fresh greens, pine cones, palm branches, petrified wood and vines as materials to keep out. Add anything with metal in it, rocks, pressure treated lumber and old roots with soil still on them. Grit blunts a blade faster than wood ever will.
Can a wood chipper handle green or wet wood?
It can, but it pays for it. The Earthwise listing states the machine is optimized for dry, seasoned material and that green or freshly cut wood may reduce efficiency because of the higher moisture. Green wood also packs the chute, so alternate a wet branch with a dry one and keep the feed steady.
How often do chipper blades need sharpening?
Sharpen when the chips come out ragged and stringy instead of clean. For a homeowner running a chipper a few weekends a year, our estimate is once a season. Dry seasoned wood dulls an edge faster than green wood, which is the trade for the cleaner feed dry wood gives you. Landworks lists check windows for blade replacement.
Is a wood chipper worth it for a small yard?
Often not. If the whole pile fits in a car trunk twice a year, town brush pickup is cheaper than any machine here. A chipper earns its space when you prune every year, when burning or hauling the brush is a chore, or when you want mulch you would otherwise buy by the bag.
The bottom line
The best wood chipper for a yard with trees is the SuperHandy Mini: 3 in capacity, a stated 15:1 and an adjustable chute, in full stock at about $535. Pay about $65 more for the Yard Commander if the 20:1 ratio, the 2 year warranty and the 13 in tires are worth it to you. Take the Sun Joe silent electric bundle instead if nothing you cut is thicker than 1.7 in.
