[John]

When we moved here I bought an 8hp petrol chipper shredder which was brilliant at the job but too big & heavy for me lug around and starting required someone more muscular than me so I sold it on and bought a Bosch electric shredder.

The electric shredder is portable enough and starts (of course) but it takes ages to do the job - pushing material through the narrow slit at the top.It also clogs easily with any green material although it copes well with dry sticks.

So - can anyone recommend an electric shredder that will cope easily and quickly with things like privet hedge clippings? One that could chop up things like peapods and broad bean pods would be fantastic.

[8doubles]

Privet clippings in bulk is not an easy one . I used to spread them on the lawn then put the rotary mower over them and collect in the mower bag.
Soft wet greens have clogged any shredder i have tried .

[DanielCoffey]

There is a disabled gardener who has a website called "Fred-in-the-shed" and he has reviewed a range of shredders. Some are more suited to wet stuff, others are better with dry.

He recommends the Bosch AXT25TC as being electric, heavy duty, robust and can handle hedge trimmings.

[John]

He recommends the Bosch AXT25TC as being electric, heavy duty, robust and can handle hedge trimmings.

That looks a pretty good machine. I did come across this Viking - Stihl shredder which I can buy new locally for a similar price (around £370) but there lies the problem, price. Looking at the amount of hedge clippings and other shreddable waste I make, it just doesn't justify the expense. My current shredder copes with small branches and sweetcorn stalks etc.