Bosch Garden Shredders -tested, explained by
Fred-in-The Shed
buying advice and
maintenance tips
Updated 17th May 2013

LATEST
NEWS
All 4 new top end models now available and initial technical glitches resolved
with new modifications
AXT 2000 HP & AXT 2200HP Quiet Shredders now
discontinued and unavailable
Beckham and Ronaldo get shredding
lessons from Fred at the Chelsea Flower Show

The 22D and 25D use the same cog mechanism as my old
favourite, the AXT2200HP, but now have built in collection boxes.
The AXT23TC and AXT25TC models use a new
turbine cutting mechanism that shreds hard and soft material. I am testing one
now.
Stocks of the old AXT2000HP, and AXT2200HP are gone . If you
see one it is going to be a graded return and best avoided.
Mail me
for the latest news or if you need
help or are confused (about shredders) or want my ongoing test results on the
new TC model - pictured above
FAQ's
Bosch shredders come with a 2
year warranty and excellent service backup.
23TC or 25TC models use the same size
turbine cutting blade, the 25 has 300w of extra power
I anticipate turbines will last 4-5 years, no problems
reported so far.
Had 4 reports of circuit board failure causing TC models to
stick in reverse . problem limited to one small batch
Garden shredders are designed for
WOODY plant material.
Please don't mail me to ask about
shredding food waste, nappies, cardboard or straw.
ALL domestic shredders have a small top opening that is
restricted by EU safety law
UK enquiries only please - there is only me in this
shed!
(and I like to get out now and again!)

Here is a choice of links to get the
best deals.
Option 1 - all models - (except AXT 22D - it is poor value compared to the AXT25D )
ALL NEW MODELS HAVE BUILT IN BOXES
FOR RAPID 2000, RAPID 2200,
&AXT23TC USE LINKS
BELOW-
FOR BEST PRICE
For AXT23TC & AXT 25D
CHECK ALL MY LINKS -
FOR BEST PRICE
Special deal (17.5.13)
AXT25 TC £369.99 inc free delivery
check prices and availability of all Bosch shredders at garden4less
WANT THE CHEAPER MODEL FOR SMALLER JOBS?
USE LINK BELOW AND GET A FREE SPARE BLADE
Buy Bosch AXT2200 Rapid with a spare blade

A SKIP LIKE THIS COSTS £190 AND YOU
CANT SELL IT ON EBAY AFTER USING IT!
A SHREDDER IS A BETTER DEAL AND WILL
PRODUCE FREE MULCH TOO.
I CHECK REGULARLY TO FIND YOU THE
BEST DEALS, THE BEST SUPPLIERS
AND UPGRADED STOCK WITH THE LATEST IMPROVEMENTS
PLEASE USE MY LINKS TO SUPPORT MY WORK AND SAVE YOU MONEY
(The rapid 2000 is currently
£159.99 at B&Q )
You can buy its even better, big
brother for much less using my link below
THE AXT2200 RAPID IS THE MOST POPULAR BUDGET SHREDDER AND YOU
CANT GO FAR WRONG WITH IT
However as it works like a food processor I recommend having a
spare blade as it will blunt at some stage.
spare blades currently cost £20 and take 5 minutes to change
Buy Bosch AXT2200 Rapid with a spare blade
click for Bosch shredder collection bag
GARDEN SHREDDERS TESTED
|
I have tested dozens of
shredders over the last 10 years, for domestic use I like Bosch shredders and am
happy to share my findings with my readers.
The reason I prefer
Bosch shredders is that they innovate rather than copy and supply all
spare parts & 2 year warranty
I test and compare the best with the rest!

Bosch verses Flymo -no contest
Click
here for my page of Reader Comments
|
Bosch have made 4 different types of garden shredder, ( 1 Rapid and
3 Quiet types)
There are 6 models currently in production (of 3
types!)
The Rapid type is simple but noisy and better for
softer material
The quiet types (not silent) self feed and crush woody material
The new TC models crush and cut both woody and green
material, and are also quiet
Unfortunately the model numbers are very similar and confusing (many retailers don't have a clue )
Which one is best? Fred-in-the-shed explains
|
|

Bosch rapid shredder
copied badly by numerous companies |

My old 2000 - 10 years ago
|
|
Bosch AXT 180 , AXT 200, AXT2000, AXT2200 Rapid Shredders
These use the spinning blade -(like a heavy duty food processor)
Not so long ago shredders were very expensive and the
cheapest ones were appalling to use due to noise and jamming up or
breaking. As shredders have become more popular the economies of
scale of mass production has reduced the prices further.
Some of the cheap shredders are still total rubbish and should be
avoided. There are a few cheap, but good ones available around the
£150 mark.
The Bosch AXT RAPID impact shredders were introduced in 2004 and
were designed to take soft foliage as well as woody branches up to 38mm. These machines have double (reversible)
blades unlike the single "razor blade type" of many cheap shredders.
One unique and innovative feature of the AXT rapid shredders is
the wide paddle that is used to push material into the top of the
machine. Other shredders give you a metal rod or stick which is not
as good.
A replacement blade that fits all the Bosch rapid shredders costs
about £15 and
takes me 5 minutes to change.
Some of my readers reported rapid blade wear in some machines
bought form Argos and in response
Bosch have developed a new improved blade made in Switzerland. (SEPT
06).
I strongly recommend that if you are buying a Bosch rapid
shredder or replacement blade that it is the new Swiss made one.
|
Bosch AXT 1600 HP , AXT 2000 HP and AXT 2200HP Quiet
Shredders
(all discontinued) This is the older range of Bosch shredders that are also
branded ATCO since Bosch owned the ATCO brand.
Like most equipment you get what you pay for and these Quiet shredders are more
expensive as they are well engineered and contain more components than
simple spinning blade shredders.
These were German made
machines and in normal use will last years. However eventually if you do a
lot of shredding even this machine will need new parts, (most probably the cog, or
screw, bearings or plastic roller)
Unlike spinning blade type shredders the Bosch AXT1600HP and AXT2000 HP are unique as they use a spiral screw to crush
the branches and pull them in. A replacement spiral screw costs about £80
and is quite a job to replace. Although these machines are good quality
they are most prone to problems so I prefer to recommend other machines and
would advised Bosch to discontinue them.( which they did!)
The Bosch AXT2200HP uses cogs to crush the branches which although more
robust than a spiral screw are still expensive to replace compared to
spinning blade. The crushing cog shredders are the toughest and I have had
the least complaints about them. Sadly Bosch discontinued this one too.
Many complaints about shredder failure are due to misuse, (I would say
about 50%). The rest are mostly about worn spirals and this is why I
don't recommend buying a Bosch AXT2000HP or 1600HP, which are now very old
and on their way to landfill heaven.
|
Garden Shredders
Explained
Different blade types - pros and cons
Reversible double edged blade to fit all Bosch Rapid Shredders
One size fits all!
click for Bosch rapid shredder blade
This is a simple blade as found on Bosch
Rapid or
cutting type shredders. . This Bosch one is reversible and has
2
cutting edges on each blade. Many cheap shredders
have only 1
blade with two cutting edges- that's one reason they are cr#p.

To replace a blade on a Bosch rapid shredder is easy.
Open the top and the Allen key required is sitting there in its little
slot!
Avoid soil in your shredder to prolong blade life.
Also wire, stones and knotty wood.!
|
The
AXT2200HP crushing cog type blade and bar
Now on AXT 22D and AXT25D
This is the more complicated cog and drum mechanism of the crushing
type shredders. These are reliable and well tested, they cannot be
sharpened but rarely need replacing as the softer plate is designed
to take most of the strain and wear.

On the old aXT2200HP the cog can be easily accessed by removing 4 hex bolts on the front
of the shredder.
|
|

Simple razor blade type shredder blade as found on cheap
"non Bosch" impact shredders
As you can imagine these blades literally "take a lot of
stick"
and go blunt very quickly. Also some manufacturers have increased motor
power without upgrading the blades, so they fail even quicker! On top of
this most "pile em up - sell em cheap" retailers will not sell blades,
or know where to get them. |

The helix or spiral cutter from the discontinued AXT1600HP and
AXT2000HP machines.
These spiral cutters make the machine extremely quiet and
self feeding. However the edges can be damaged by stones and wire so take
care what you put into this type of shredder. As a result I recommend buying
a rapid shredder or the new models with cog or turbine cutters. If you have
a Bosch AXT1600HP or AXT2000HP and it is not shredding properly, (stringy
shreddings), then the helix is probably damaged. Replacing
a helix will cost around £95 in parts and take 90 minutes to do.
Parts available from healystool.co.uk
(You will also need a circlip plier to remove it ) |
Which Shredder for Your needs?
(you can mail me for a free, personal recommendation)
|

The paddle will help you push in stringy material but the shredder
is better at long thin branches.
Be very careful not to get any soil in your shredder!
Due to the high speed even a small amount of soil can blunt a blade in
seconds
|
 |
|
The spinning blade shredders work like a food processor and can handle
soft stems and green foliage as well as long thin woody stems.
This is fine until your blades become blunt, then the cutting
efficiency is reduced and blockages occur and the "shreddings" become
long thin and stringy..
The blades can be sharpened but only a couple of times. Typically
replacement blades cost between £10 and £25 a set.
Wet green material often blunts blades very quickly, also dead hard
wood. Try to shred material whilst still soft and shortly after
pruning.
Buy Bosch AXT2200 Rapid with a spare blade
|
The crushing cog type shredders are fantastic at
pulling in big woody stems up to 38mm wide as long as you trim the
bottom side shoots off first.
However , crushing cog type shredders are not so
good at handling soft stems and green foliage, as some may pass
through uncut. Which is not really a problem as it will rot down
quickly anyway.
The shredder shown above is the AL-KO SP5000 which
is similar to the Bosch AXT2200HP but more expensive.
If you would rather buy an AL-KO shredder mail me
for a competitive price - please include model number and your
location.
Another similar shredder is the Wolf SDL 2500. This is also a Chinese copy of the Bosch
AXT2200HP but has a smaller crushing cog and did not perform as well
in my tests.
I tested the Flymo and although it worked ok it was not as good as
the Bosch AXT2200HP , but it is cheaper and the feature of folding into the inbuilt
collection box is a clever space saving idea.
|
|
AVAILABLE NOW - FOR BOSCH
RAPID SHREDDERS
IMPROVED SWISS MADE
LASER CUT BLADE
Upgrade your Bosch Rapid Shredder with the new
laser cut blade made in Switzerland
lasts up to 70% longer
click for Bosch rapid shredder blade
I also seriously recommend the special collection bag or small
tubrug as these new rapid shredders really spit out the waste and
make a mess of your garden.
click for Bosch shredder collection bag
Also spray your blades, before and after use with the lubricant
below to deter rust. It is UK made and also smells of lavender!
Ideal for all garden tools and machinery, bikes, door hinges etc etc
I use the Lux Optical safety glasses which are
superb value for money |
My favourite silent shredder was the Bosch AXT 2200
HP which uses a cog mechanism and is the most robust and heavy duty of
the Bosch shredders.
In 2009 this model was replaced by new versions known as the
AXT22 D and AXT25D that have built in collection boxes.
There are still some retailers clearing the
old models but they are likely to be graded, repaired stock.
Also if you see a Bosch shredder for sale at prices
significantly lower than you see on fredshed it is highly likely that they
will be graded (second hand) machines, or old stock lacking any recent
technical upgrades. There may be some good ones about
and if you find one good luck to you.
Whilst some products are ok when graded I don't think
shredders are one of them due to the high stresses placed on the
components.

Shredder repair tips
I have taken apart and repaired a number of shredders.
Parts are available for all Bosch shredders, including the obsolete ones.
For parts Try healystool.co.uk , I don't supply shredder parts.
If you bought a shredder from ebay or some discount suppler and have problems then please
contact them, not me.
First point of call for all repairs/ technical questions is Bosch. .For Bosch
repairs call 0844 736 0109, they do a collect and inspect service,
for approx £35 give you a quote and will dispose of
it if it is not viable to repair I am sorry I can
no longer answer queries on repairing obsolete machines.
I also don't have wiring diagrams for any shredder. |
|
|
|
|
The Honest Truth -
Do I know of any problems with Bosch Shredder?
Yes - but mostly small ones -
The silent shredders have been in production for
many years and remain unchanged. The problems that have occurred are
largely down to users trying to put oversize branches, wire, soil or
stones in the machines. Most problems occur with the AXT2000HP. The
AXT2200HP is virtually "bullet proof". The new AXT23TC,
25TC, 22D, and 25D suffered from some initial technical faults that
I helped Bosch identify and resolve. They are still not perfect but
very good and small improvements will probably follow.
The cheaper AXT rapid shredders were introduced in
2004 and are solid and robust. I have abused one constantly in my
testing and as long as the blades are kept sharp it performs very
well. Initially some were shipped with factory induced faults, and
became blunt very quickly. A new Swiss made blade is now available
that Bosch claim lasts up to 70% longer.
The new models with built in boxes had a few
issues at first too. Mainly the plate adjuster knob which was
completely redesigned and is now black, not green, on updated
models. I have also heard of 6 AXT25D models that have become stuck
in reverse and had to have new circuit boards fitted under warranty.
This, I am told by Bosch is down to one batch of circuit boards
only.
The Bosch websites do contain a lot of
information but are hard to navigate.
You can also ring the Bosch Garden customer care line on
0844 736 0108
Bosch Service Centre Robert Bosch Ltd.
P.O. Box 98
Broadwater Park
Denham, Middlesex
UB9 5HJ
|
Any machine in mass production will occasionally
suffer from manufacturing errors. In my experience these are very few
in the case of Bosch shredders and more importantly I don't know of
any design errors.
My research has discovered the following problems..
AXT200 rapid - a batch sold in Argos had blades that
were not tempered properly and were too soft - Bosch replaced them for
my readers and gave advice on forum webpage. Some readers have
complained of blades losing sharpness after very short periods of use.
NEW SWISS LASER CUT BLADES NOW
AVAILABLE
AXT200 rapid - faulty switch from new-manufacturing
error
batch of blades not hardened properly - now obsolete
AXT 180 - reader broke the plastic top cover- this
was caused by trying to pull through too large a branch with a hard
knot - solution - cut of knots and tough protrusions before feeding
onto shredder.
Both the above machines now replaced by new
models made in Swizterland
AXT 1600 HP Quiet Shredder- reader damaged blade
with wire that was attached to branch - my advice - take care when
feeding branches - also do not eat glass, nails carpets and
other items that may damage your stomach.
AXT2000HP Quiet shredder - clogging caused by
bucket under shredder filling up and not allowing "shreddings" through.
solution - empty bucket.
damage to spiral blade -probably wire or stones. (most
common problem)
damage to plastic cover - caused by thick knotted
branch
faulty switch mechanism
AXT2200HP - breakage of £16 plate that presses on cog - unknown
cause, most likely oversize and knotty wood. Some later models had
motor fans poorly fixed, No other known faults reported. |
What comes out of your Bosch Shredder?
|
Chippings from Bosch AXT D Cog crushing
models
These are the "chunkings" from a Buddliea that went
through my test model AXT2200HP shredder. The spiral cutting AXT1600HP
and AXT2000HP produce similar large size chunkings.
You will notice that the
pieces are quite large and some soft green leaves got through
relatively unscathed.
If you shred woody material these large "chunkings" make excellent
weed suppressing mulch that will take ages to rot down. If you want
small chippings to compost quickly then best get another type of
shredder. My personal opinion is that it is more environmentally
friendly to let soft material rot naturally in a well made compost
heap- if you have the space. Just shred the woody stuff and keep
anything over 40cm thick for firewood.
Chippings from Bosch AXT TC turbine cut models
These are the mixed size shreddings of various plants that
went through my test model AXT23 TC shredder.
I have placed a 50p piece in the middle so you
have an idea of scale. The size of material produced will vary with
what you put in but the main difference is that green material will
be more cut up and smaller than if it had been through one of the D
models.
|

Chunkings from Quiet Shredders ( D models)

Chippings from AXT TC models
|
|
Chippings from Bosch AXT rapid , spinning blade
( impact,) models
If you want smaller chippings or you want to shred
softer green material the RAPID shredders are for you.
My top tip is
to shred material shortly after pruning and try not to stuff too much
in at once.
Impact shredders will give stringy "shreddings" if you put too many
twigs down together, or the blades get blunt. If you want fine,
even shreddings, then single long stems are the best provider of this.
If you have a small garden or want a lightweight
shredder the rapid version is best.
Buy Bosch AXT2200 Rapid with a spare blade
|

Finer chippings from Rapid Shredders
|
Click
here for my page of Reader Comments

IF YOU FOUND THIS PAGE USEFUL PLEASE
CONSIDER USING MY LINKS WHEN MAKING YOUR PURCHASE AS THIS HELPS TO PAY FOR THE COST OF
RUNNING MY SITE.
ALSO I HAVE CAREFULLY SELECTED THE BEST
SUPPLIERS SO YOU WON'T GET FOBBED OFF WITH AN OLD MODEL OR GRADED PRODUCT.
THANKS
FRED-IN-THE-SHED

click here for my new page on cordless mowers
Click link below to see my new page on
Solar Garden Lights

Other Makes
of garden shredders I have tested
|

The JCB shredder was pants, the Makita was difficult to move and overpriced.
The old Bosch was best but new models are even better!
The Draper shredder was made well but performance was comparatively poor.
|

AL-KO SP5000 similar to Bosch AXT2200HP |
|
Shredding Leaves in a Garden Shredder
(JUST DON'T DO IT)
Ok if on branches- not if loose on
ground!
Many people ask which shredder is best for shredding fallen leaves and the
answer is a big one with a large hopper.
However, shovelling in piles of leaves is one of the best ways to kill any
shredder as so often stones and other debris sneak in and damage the blades
or worse.
Also the type of shredders that can cope with leaves are usually petrol
driven, heavy and expensive. To have a wide opening and meet safety
regulations means the distance from top to blade must be longer than the
longest arm, hence these machine are massive the top is often out of shovel
reach anyway.
I personally think that shredding leaves is a waste of time and a better way
of managing them is to let them rot down in a dedicated heap, container , or
in bio-degradable jute sacks. Fallen leaves are one of natures best
composts and provide the fertility for the forest floor and trees.
Leaves can take a couple of years to rot properly but then can be spread out
to form a fantastic fertile, and weed suppressing carpet.
Well rotted leaf mulch smells nice and is clean to handle.
How to Speed up Composting of shredded material
If you want to speed up the rate your shredded material composts then I
recommend a handful of Garotta every now and again.
Add some water at the same time as compost will not break down if it is too
dry. Cover the heap or container to keep the heat and moisture in.
I have used this product for over 20 yeas now and have found it to be very
effective.
Arguably peeing on your compost heap will achieve the same effect but I
think it is a bit smelly and not as convenient, especially for the ladies.
|
T I have tested the following shredders
AL-KO SP5000 Silent shredder, AL-KO Powerslider2500R
shredder, Atco 1800 Quiet shredder, Bosch AXT 180 Rapid Shredder, Bosch
AXT200 Rapid Shredder, Bosch AXT2000 HP Silent Shredder, Black & Decker GA
1600e shredder, Draper 1800w Shredder, JCB GSB 1800 Shredder, Makita
DSH201 Shredder, Powerdevil shredder.Wolf SDL2500.
my readers have provided feedback on the
Ryobi RGS 1500 Shredder, MTD 115E shredder, Viking GE35L
shredder, VikingGE103 shredder.Viking GE 250. B&Q performance 2100w Quiet shredder
Heavy Duty Garden Shredders
The image below shows the 9 blades found on Makita
Garden shredders. There are 2 models, one electric and one petrol - both
cut up to 50mm and are built to last.
price guide £600
but still not as easy to use as the AXT25D
or as effective as the AXT25TC

|
Tips on using shredders
Always have secateurs and loppers on hand!
|
BEST LOPPERS TO PREPARE BRANCHES FOR
SHREDDING A bit of preparation is essential for fast, easy
shredding.
Firstly have loppers and secateurs at hand to trim off
side branches and knotty wood. This will not only make shredding faster
and easier but will help to prevent unnecessary strain on your shredder.
The Fiskars Powegear Anvil loppers are very robust
and reliable loppers and have the added advantage of a gear mechanism to
give more cutting power. The slight downside is that you have to open them
wider than standard loppers. They are ideal for cutting branches to feed
into shredders.
Made in Finland the simple gear mechanism makes cutting
easier on thick stems.. If there were trees on the moon these would be the loppers used
by NASA! They cut branches up to 45mm (which is also the maximum
diameter for a domestic garden shredder)
They are made of a
new lightweight, but super strong material called "fibrecomp" .
If you want telescopic loppers my recommended ones are from Wolf
Garten. I have owned and tested dozens of loppers in the last 15 years
and these are my overall favourites as they give me extra reach, a great cut,
and are superb quality.
The Wolf Telescopic loppers are made in Germany and like all the best
loppers have oval section handles for ultimate strength.
What sets them apart from cheaper telescopic loppers is the durable and
rapid sliding handle adjusters. I have owned this pair for 10 years and
given them a lots of use - and only lightly sharpened the blade a couple
of times. They cost £40 and if you cant afford that go for the Bulldog
made Alan Titchmarsh loppers. They have a ratchet mechanism too so
require less strength to use
My recommended secateurs for shredding are these strong and cheap
Aluminium ratchet secateurs from Bulldog Tools and Alan Titchmarcsh.
They will cut through large branches easily and reduce your risk of RSI.
Please use the links below to buy at a great price and support this
page.
use link below to price compare Wolf Loppers with another Fredshed
partner
buy Fred's
favourite telescopic loppers

|
Fred's Favorite Loppers

My loppers are 10 yeas old and still cut perfectly
buy Fred's
favourite telescopic loppers

The Wolf Loppers are approx £39 in delivery
please use the link below
They are being replaced with a new more expensive model so buy soon
while stocks last.
buy Fred's
favourite telescopic loppers
Available with Anvil or Bypass type blade
Also used by Vern in his Technicolor dreamcoat! |
|
Essential Safety Equipment when using shredders
Gloves, goggles and even ear protection should be
used when shredding.. Make sure your goggles are
clean and your gloves fit properly.
If you have long hair tie -it back You could
end up with a very bad haircut or unusual mulch!
Make sure you clean and sharpen blades on impact
shredders regularly.
Empty the bucket that collects the "shreddings"
frequently and don't allow material to back up into the lower shute.
Brush or vacuum the motor vents occasionally to
prevent overheating and cutouts.
Be a real shredding fanatic and fit an outside
power socket!
|
Long stems shred easily- do one at a time to prevent clogging

|
|

Hope you liked my page?
Help me, and yourself by buying some safety gogs
using the links above
|
Spare Parts for Bosch Shredders
another garden machinery By law
manufacturers electrical equipment must supply spare parts for 10
years. Many companies who source their products
from China do not, and cannot meet this requirement. This includes
some household names. Bosch keep this promise
and provide operating manuals and parts diagrams for all
models and a dealer locator on their website .
Click here for all Bosch Shredder parts lists
I'm not saying the parts will be cheap or even
that a repair to your product is viable, ( skilled labour is
expensive) but all parts are available. Call 0844 736 0109 for
repairs and technical advice on your Bosch shredder |
Want my personal tip
for the best shredder for your garden?
e-mail me at
fred@fredshed.com
I always reply! (UK
only please)
If you found my advice helpful you can support my work
by returning to this page and using my links when purchasing your
secateurs. Also any products bought from Amazon using the links below will
produce a small commission that helps cover my hosting costs. thanks, Fred
If you found my site helpful and would like
to make a small donation please use the link below. Thank you. Fred
|
|
click on the shed to return to the homepage |
 |
other pages
Builders bits
cordless chainsaws Decorating
Tools Digging
Tools forks
& Spades
DIY
products garden
shredders lawn
tools
new products
mowers
cordless hedgetrimmers
Powered
garden equipment
Robot Mowers
pruning
tools Weekly
tips page
Workshop
tools
Torches
site plan
See My New
Page - Fred's Top 10 Practical Gifts
SEE MY NEW
PAGE ON KITCHEN TOOLS & GADGETS