Best Wood Chipper For Home Use

The best wood chipper for home use can turn hours of backbreaking work into an effortless task, getting you your weekends back while still keeping your yard pristine. We’ll help you weigh your options and pick the best home wood chipper in this guide.

Whether you’re looking for an electric wood chipper or a gas wood chipper, we’ve curated a list featuring the best brands the industry has to offer - including Detail K2 (DK2), SuperHandy, and Boss Industrial. 

All of these are available at the lowest prices online, backed by world-class customer service, at Equipment Outfitters. Get a personalized recommendation on a wood chipper for your property today!

Key Takeaways on the Best Wood Chipper For Home Use

Best Wood Chipper For Home Use

There are three things you need to think about in choosing the best wood chipper for home use - the size of the material you’re processing, how often you’ll use it, and where you plan on using it in your yard. There’s a machine for every homeowner in this lineup below:

Best Overall Home Chipper - SuperHandy GUO035

• Operation: Gas-powered, recoil start
• Capacity: Up to 3” branches
• Cost: $499.99
• Weight: 87.5 lb

We think this is the best home wood chipper for most homeowners because it hits the sweet spot between performance and practicality. The 7 HP, 212cc gas engine handles real branches, not just twigs, and won’t be too bulky for your backyard or difficult to store. It’s under 90 lbs, so you won’t need a trailer to move it around the property. 

It has a 15:1 reduction ratio and dual chipping knives, breaking down material fast. The adjustable vertical discharge chute rotates from 90° to 145°, so you can easily direct chips into a bin or pile. It’s a great choice for regular pruning, storm cleanup, and seasonal yard maintenance at less than $500.

Best Electric Home Chipper - SuperHandy GUT018

• Operation: Electric (120V)
• Capacity: Up to 1.57”
• Cost: $139.99
• Weight: 24.6 lb

You could say this is the best wood chipper for home use overall or for those on a really tight budget. But it’s also the most powerful electric wood chipper in our lineup. This mini wood chipper runs on a 15-amp, 1800W motor spinning at 4,100 RPM. 

It won’t process the same size branches as most of the other machines on this list, but it serves its purpose really well. You can process small branches, hedge trimmings, and garden waste. And it makes sense for anyone who wants quiet operation and zero engine maintenance.

The  GUT018’s 17:1 reduction ratio and 7-inch cutting blade process material fast, despite how small it is. Speaking of size, the lightweight frame is easy to carry and store in a garage or shed, and it plugs into a standard household outlet for ease of use and flexibility.

At less than $150, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better home chipper/shredder than this one. 

Best Heavy-Duty Home Chipper - Detail K2 OPC525

• Operation: Gas-powered, kinetic drum
• Capacity: Up to 5”
• Cost: $2,149.00
• Weight: 309 lb

Maybe you’re not looking for a small-scale machine. You have a property that warrants a heavy-duty wood chipper, but you don’t want to spend over $3,000. This is the best wood chipper for home use in that case.

The OPC525 by Detail K2 uses a 5-inch kinetic drum system powered by a Kohler Command Pro CH395 (9.5 HP, 277cc) engine. Unlike traditional disk chippers, the kinetic drum stores rotational energy for faster feeding and less bogging under load.

The machine has dual swing chutes with tool-free access, a 180° rotating discharge chute, and a removable tow bar with quick-drop stand. It’s heavy, stable, and designed for constant use in tough conditions. At just over $2,000, it isn’t nearly as out of reach as you might have guessed.

Best Budget Home Chipper - PowerKing PK0913DD

• Operation: Gas-powered, direct drive
• Capacity: Up to 2.8”
• Cost: $999.99
• Weight: ~117 lb

It’s not the cheapest model on this list, but it’s probably the smartest choice from a value standpoint. The PowerKing PK0913DD can process nearly 3” branches and costs less than $1,000. It’s built to last, too, making it a solid long-term investment in yard maintenance. 

This model runs on a Kohler RH265 6.5 HP engine with a direct-drive system so there are fewer belts and less power loss. It can chip branches up to 2.8”, which is plenty of performance for most yards. 

Reversible blades extend service life, and the adjustable output chute diverter lets you control where chips land. It’s easy to move and maintain with ATV-style tires and swing-open chute access, too. 

Best Home Chipper Shredder - Detail K2 OPC53

• Operation: Gas-powered disk chipper/shredder
• Capacity: Up to 3”
• Cost: $795.99
• Weight: 136.7 lb

Last but not least we have the best wood chipper for home use when you want shredder capability as well. The Detail K2 OPC53 is powered by a Kohler 2000 Series RH265 (6.5 HP, 196cc) engine. It uses a direct-drive disk system with auto-feeding action that pulls material in without forcing it. A 4-stage cyclonic air filter protects the engine in dusty conditions. 

Your order includes a chip bag that holds 4.3 bushels for hassle-free clean up. The removable tow bar and drop stand make it easy to reposition around the yard. We think this is the best home wood chipper if you also want to process leaves and clippings throughout the year along with the branches and twigs that fall on your property. 

Choosing the Best Home Wood Chipper

You can’t go wrong with any of these machines, but which is the best home wood chipper for YOUR yard? That’s something only you can answer since you know:

• How big the material you’ll be processing is
• How expansive your property is
• How often you’ll use it
• Where you’ll use it
• Your budget

These are the things you have to consider when shopping for the best wood chipper for home use. Remember, a personalized recommendation is just a click or call away at Equipment Outfitters!

How Big is Your Yard?

The size of your yard correlates with how often you’ll use your wood chipper, and that makes it easier to assess the importance of durability. It also dictates what you can reasonably spend on a wood chipper.

An electric chipper like the SuperHandy GUT018 makes sense when you’re mainly handling thin branches and garden trimmings. It’s easy to carry (24.6 lb) and store on a shelf.

On the other hand, a compact gas chipper like the SuperHandy GUO035 is a strong middle ground for the average suburban lot that deals with seasonal pruning. 

It’s worth investing in something more rugged and high-powered like the compact gas chipper like the SuperHandy GUO035 is a strong middle ground for homeowners with acreage, wooded yards, or constant storm debris dropping down. 5” branch capacity changes what you can process in one pass. Speaking of which…

What Type of Branches Are You Dealing With?

Don’t buy based on “average branch size.” Buy based on the biggest stuff you’ll chip a few times per year. So, what size wood chipper do I need? Here’s a quick breakdown:

• Up to ~1.5” material: The GUT018 (1.57”) is built for this range - hedge cuttings, small limbs, and green trimmings are easy work.
• 2” to 3” limbs: The PowerKing PK0913DD (2.8”) covers common pruning limbs. The SuperHandy GUO035 (3”) works best for thicker material.
• 3” to 5” branches: The Detail K2 OPC525 (5”) is meant for substantial limbs that would overwhelm smaller chippers. We also have a 6-inch wood chipper collection if you need something bigger.

You need to take wood condition into account as well. Fresh green branches tend to feed easier. Dry, hard limbs demand more power and sharper blades.

Think About the Power Source and Portability

You’ll want to choose between a gas vs electric wood chipper early on in the decision process. This makes it easier to narrow it down to the best wood chipper for home use. There are pros and cons to both:

• Electric (120V): Quick setup and low maintenance. You have to work close to an outlet, though. The tradeoff is capacity (GUT018 tops out at 1.57”).
• Gas: Better when you need to chip away from the house, or you deal with thicker limbs. Gas models are smarter when feeding dense hardwood, too.

This is where portability comes into play. Electric models tether you to an outlet, limiting where you can work. Gas gives you more freedom. 

Think about weight as well if you plan on moving the machine around your yard. There are models ranging from just 25lbs to 300lbs+. Some need to be towed, others can be moved by hand relatively easily. 

Key Features in Home Wood Chippers

These are the features that change day-to-day use:

• Max capacity rating: Determines what you can feed without pre-cutting waste smaller.
• Reduction ratio: Higher reduction ratios mean chips take up less space in bags and bins (example: 17:1 on GUT018, 15:1 on GUO035).
• Discharge control: Adjustable chutes let you aim chips into a can or keep piles out of walkways.
• Maintenance access: Swing-open or quick-access chutes make blade service faster.
• Air filtration on gas models: A stronger filter setup matters in dusty conditions.

Budgeting For the Purchase

Budget should follow workload, not the other way around. But you do need to be realistic about what it makes sense to buy from a financial perspective. There’s something for every budget at Equipment Outfitters:

• Under $200: Electric chippers like the GUT018 are great for small material and quick cleanup.
• $400-$600: Compact gas machines like the GUO035 handle real branches without taking over your garage.
• $700-$1,100: The OPC53 and PowerKing PK0913DD are solid for homeowners who prune regularly and want more capacity than electric.
• $2,000+: The OPC525 is for heavy, frequent chipping. The 5” capacity saves hours of cutting and re-feeding.

The good news? Whether you’re looking for a wood chipper vs shredder, you’ll find the lowest prices online at Equipment Outfitters, guaranteed. Plus, we make it easy to buy the best home wood chipper without financial strain through hassle-free financing!

Closing Words on the Best Home Wood Chipper

We hope you have a solid grasp on the best wood chipper for home use based on your specific needs at this point. Every machine on this list has a place on a certain property. 

From compact electric models to heavy-duty gas chippers, we can help you narrow it down with one-on-one guidance. Reach out today and see why homeowners trust Equipment Outfitters!

Frequently asked questions

Are homeowner wood chippers worth it?

Definitely - as long as you get the best wood chipper for home use and use it regularly enough. It can save you repeated dump runs and lets you turn limbs into mulch on the spot instead of hauling them away.

Is it better to buy or rent a wood chipper?

Renting makes sense for a one-time cleanup. Buying is the better call when you prune seasonally or deal with storm debris every year, since rental costs add up quickly.

What to know before buying a wood chipper?

Know the largest branch diameter you’ll chip, whether you want electric or gas, and how much space you have to run and store the machine. Those three details determine the best home wood chipper more than anything else.