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Electric Garden Shredders
Garden shredders are one of my favourite tools. Gone are
the days of smoky bonfires, neighbours complaining of smelly washing, dusty
cars and burned down homes. I now longer disguise my car as a mobile
forest and spend hours in a queue waiting to see the waste of an entire
city. Instead I sit happily beside a shiny machine feeding in branches and
receiving bags of woodchip mulch that I USED TO PAY ££££,S FOR.
Shredders are lovely, the equipment industry knows this and has flooded the
market with domestic shredders. Many unfortunately are rubbish.
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, Bosch AXT2000
Rapid Shredder, Bosch AXT2200 Rapid Shredder ,Bosch AXT2200HP Quiet
Shredder , Black & Decker GA
1600e shredder, Draper 1800w and 2400W Shredders, JCB GSB 1800 Shredder, Makita
DSH201 Shredder, Powerdevil shredder. Ryobi ESR2400. Flymo Pac-a-shred.
Wolf Shredder.
my readers have also provided good feedback on the
Ryobi RGS 1500 Shredder, MTD 115E shredder, Viking GE35L
shredder, VikingGE103 and GE250 shredders.
Want the best selling - award winning - Which recommended
garden shredder?
Both shredders are the same and use the same
blade
but the 2000 has 200w less power
which is barely noticeable
The links below can be used with the following voucher codes
to get you up to 10% off
from tooled-up.com
Use the codes at the checkout -until end of June
FVFFJUNE9
£5 off orders over £50
TNFFJUNE9
£10 off orders over £100
TWFFJUNE9
£20 off orders over £200
check
price of AXT2200 RAPID less voucher code discount
click for price on Bosch AXT2200HP from another supplier
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Top Tip - Always wear goggles and gloves when using garden shredders. If
you really want a poke in the eye let me know and I will see what I can
do.
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Some of the many garden shredders that I have extensively tested during the
last 8 years.
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Quiet Shredders - Crushing cog or Spiral screw mechanism?
My recommended crushing type (silent or quiet) shredder is
the Bosch AXT2200 HP. This machine is the most heavy duty and well made of
the Bosch machines.
It uses cogs to crush the branches into chunks rather than chippings.
it is more robust than the cheaper but equally effective Bosch AXT2000HP
machine that uses a spiral cutter.
for more details or to send me feedback on your shredder mail me - fred@fredshed.com
check shredder prices at garden4less.co.uk
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The Three Shredders You've
probably heard of the Three Tenors! well they are boring compared to the
Three Shredders I tested in my "shread to shread" showdown! Bosch
(Atco) Makita (Brill), and JCB and Draper did the job, (in different ways). Let me know if you have a shredder
that works well and we can tell the world. I have also
tested many more shredders that I would not allow in my shed and sourced
hundreds of shredders for my readers who supply me with feedback on
performance and longevity.. There are 2 basic types of electric shredder, cutting
(spinning blade) and crushing
(cog or spiral screw) shredders. There are pros and cons of each depending on what you want to
achieve. My favourite "silent" shredder
is the Bosch AXT2200HP.
I am not so keen on the Bosch AXT2000HP quiet shredder the spiral cutter
is less robust than the cog cutters.
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Cheapest Garden
Shredders
(Impact or Spinning Blade type)
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be very cheap and can be good at dealing with softer material. Some of
these cheap shredders are still total rubbish and should be avoided. The
cheapest ones have one blade like a razor blade and underpowered
motors.
In 2004 Bosch introduced the AXT "RAPID" impact shredders to
compete with the budget shredders. These machines can take
soft foliage as well as woody branches and have
double (reversible) blades similar to a rotary lawnmower.. However
some of my readers reported rapid blade wear and in response
Bosch have designed some new blades which are laser cut in Switzerland
and should be much better.
If you
are thinking of buying a cheap shredder or want to tell me about a
bad one please e-mail me at
fred@fredshed.com
and I will recommend the shredder for your needs
Breaking News -
the Bosch AXT180 and AXT200 have been upgraded to NEW BOSCH AXT2000
RAPID and AXT2200 RAPID
WITH MORE POWER AND IMPROVED SWISS MADE BLADE
Winner of the 2007 Golden Shed Award (and
later Which best buy!)
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A typical cheap impact or spinning blade shredder
This one has one (reversible) razor blade type cutter. The Bosch AXT
rapid shredders have 2 cutting blades on the end of a lawnmower
style cutting bar.
The most complained about products reported to fredshed are cheap
brands of garden shredders and bendy stainless steel garden forks
Do yourself and the planet a favour and avoid these largely Chinese
made products. Mail me if you need help sourcing good quality long
lasting garden power tools.
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Bosch AXT RAPID Shredders
Winner of the 2007 Golden Shed Award
(and then Which best buy)
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Upgrade your Bosch Rapid Shredder with the new laser cut blade made in
Switzerland
lasts up to 70% longer
£12 approx plus delivery
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STILL WANT TO
KNOW MORE ABOUT SHREDDERS ?
Click here
for my page dedicated to BOSCH GARDEN SHREDDERS
also links to Bosch Shredder parts
and repair tips!
Best Mains Powered Electric Hedge
trimmers
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If you are buying a mains powered electric hedge trimmer
then it is likely that you have a large hedge so go for one with plenty of
power and a long blade. More important is the quality of the blade since
this is a machine that is going to take a lot of stick!
Don't be tempted by really cheap hedge trimmers,
you will most likely be wasting your money.
Best Heavy Duty Electric Hedge Trimmer
Probably the most impressive mains electric hedge
trimmer I have tested is the Makita UH4850 from Japan.
This well made professional quality machine has
precision ground 48cm blades and a 500w motor that cuts even thick stems with ease.
It is priced well above Bosche and Black&Decker
models but
if you do a lot of hedge trimming then it may be worth the money. This
machine is really built to last and has been designed so you can easily change
the motor brushes. Makita models have a long market life and spares are
available for many years.
RRP £175
commonly discounted at around £100
If this is a bit too much to spend then a good alternative
is the excellent Bosch AHS 63 which does not have as much power but
a stonking 63cm top quality blade and some really good customer
reviews. |
 check
price of Makita UH4850 hedgetrimmer
Click the link below for a cheaper alternative.
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Gardengroom safety Hedge
Trimmer
Trim, Vac and Shred in
one go!
Many accidents happen with electric hedge trimmers,
either by cutting fingers or electrocution from cutting the cable.
Although my testing concluded that the Garden Groom is not the best
hedge trimmer per se. It is definitely the safest and the only one that
collects and shreds the trimmings.
The Garden Groom works best on well maintained hedges
that are not too wide. It is fairly heavy and the collecting box fills
quickly. However it is now supplied with a tube and large collecting bag
which works well if you have space beside your hedge.
Mail me for more information
Price guide £89, inc external collecting bag
Nominated for a 2007 Golden Shed
Award
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This is the Garden Groom Midi, there is also a
higher performance model known as the Garden Groom Pro
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Best electric grass
trimmer?
Cordless grass
trimmers tested and reviewed
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After testing most of the popular makes of electric
trimmer I was very disappointed. Many were either uncomfortable to use
or had ridiculously complicated nylon line dispensers that were very
hard to replace. Most of the battery powered ones just don't have the
umph required.
I know of at least 2 people who became so frustrated that they
smashed their trimmers against a
wall and threw them away!
Another annoying thing about electric grass trimmers is the cable -
that's why I much prefer the battery powered cordless grass trimmers.
The new cordless trimmers from Wolf and Bosch have a wheel that
supports the weight of the machine and the handles and shafts are
adjustable in every way to make the tools easier to use.
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The lightest cordless grass trimmer
Gtech ST05 with Lithium Ion battery
The Gtech ST05 is British designed and the lightest cordless trimmer I
can find. It is the upgraded version of the excellent ST05 that used a
separate 12v battery that you wear on a belt.
As with the ST04 it has a telescopic handle, rotating head, and uses plastic blades but they are larger and
thicker than the Bosch ones, which improves cutting performance.
The in-built 14.4v Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion) battery can be recharged in
about 30 minutes and gives a run time of up to 40 minutes |

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Under testing
New Bosch 14.4v Lithium Ion grass
trimmer
Also 18v model!
Like the Gtech trimmer these models also have telescopic
handle, rotating head, and uses plastic blades. They are heavier and
the small but powerful Li-Ion batteries have to be taken out to
re-charge which gives you the option of longer running times if you
get another battery.
A new development for Bosch is that the battery from these gardening
products is also used in some DIY tools like drills. Previously Bosch
garden and DIY used different batteries which annoyed me immensely. |
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Bosch Grass Trimmer Range
Pictured right is the Bosch ART 26 cordless trimmer.
This is a well balanced and easy to use trimmer and has the all
important swivelling head to enable you to trim the top and side edge
of your lawn. This battery powered trimmer also has the advantage of
using small plastic blades instead of a nylon spool.
Some people dislike the plastic blades as they tend to break easily on
concrete but many prefer them as they are so easy to change. unlike
most nylon line spools that are great when new but seize up with age
as they gather crud.
The Bosch range of trimmers has been improved for 2008 and are now
available with the lighter and more powerful Lithium Ion batteries
that are set to change the whole cordless powertool market.
The 2 Bosch Cordless trimmers are called Accutrim whilst the 3 corded
models are called Combitrim as they have a normal tap and go spool and
an extra strong spool as well.
I really like the idea of plastic blades on grass trimmers and found
that they perform well and are VERY easy to change when worn. A pack
of 24 for the ART23 and ART 26 Accutrim grass trimmers costs around
£4.99.
buy the latest model with Li-ion battery
use link below for combitrim line
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The plastic blades are not so good when cutting the edges against
concrete or brick as they are liable to shatter.
If you want to trim this type of edge use a line trimmer or better
still save the planet and use edging shears!

Plastic blades uses on the Bosch cordless trimmers -stored neatly in the handle
The ART 23 and ART 26 cordless trimmers use different size blades.
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Flymo 24 volt cordless grass trimmer
Most battery powered grass trimmers lack power due
to small batteries, or if they have large batteries they become heavy
or unwieldy.
Flymo has tackled this problem by using a large 24v
battery which you carry about your waist in a bag. This leaves the
trimmer as light as possible and makes for a good alternative to a
petrol trimmer for small to medium size areas.
As well as the decent battery the Flymo trimmer
forms part of the Sabre system so you can use the handle and battery
to power 3 other tools, which are,
Pole type light chainsaw
Hedgetrimmer
Leaf Blower
Click here to buy the Flymo 24v grass trimmer from a Fredshed
recommended retailer
click here for largest range of Flymo spares online |

The trimmer head can be easily turned to trim the
edges

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Mains Powered Grass Trimmers
Black and Decker GL690
Grass Trimmer The most powerful electric trimmer
available is the
Black & Decker GL690 Strimmer, which has a 630w motor. As
with other higher spec machines it has full adjustment and can be
used to trim the top or sides of your lawn. An interesting
feature with the GL690 is that is has two different and
interchangeable cutting cassette systems. One conventional spool of
nylon and then a "heavy duty" clip in blade like a big nylon cats
whisker.
see more trimmers from a Fredshed recommended supplier
DID YOU NOW?
The word "Strimmer" belongs to Black and Decker. If you call any
other make of grass trimmer a "strimmer" you could be sued!
The Wolf Trimmer featured here is the Wolf GT845. it
is mains powered and uses a twin line spool called a GTF8.
The cordless version of this grass trimmer is one of
the most expensive but has a good quality battery and is very well
made.
Many retailers and websites want to sell you the Grass Trimmer - but
can't be bothered to sell the line and spools you will need to
continue using it.
buy trimmer spool for Draper, Ryobi and Bosch Grass Trimmers |

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Black & Decker Trimmer Spares
Black and Decker trimmers use 3 types of nylon cutting systems. Manual
for the older and low spec models and reflex for later models. The
large machines like the GL680 GL685 and GL690 use the Reflex plus
system which has the option of the heavy duty "cats whisker" type
blade. I quite like the cats whisker blades as they are easier to
fit. Personally I hate nylon trimmer spools as I have wasted many
hours trying to fit or fix them. I have also wasted many hours gazing
at a rack of plastic in B&Q wondering which one to buy! If you
have a Black & Decker Strimmer the most likely spool you will need is
the one below, click for specific model details.
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Buy the cats Whisker heavy duty line for the Black & Decker GL680
GL685 and GL690 Trimmers

click here to buy nylon spool for the GL680/685/690 Trimmers
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Alternative to Nylon Grass Trimmers
Personally I don't like electric trimmers that cut
with Nylon cord. I find that the cord is likely to become brittle over
time and break, fail to self feed and can be hard to replace or find
replacement cord.
For small jobs I prefer an electric version of the
sheep shear that has long lasting metal blades and a
7.2volt lithium ion battery that can run for up to 125 minutes.
This type of tool has been around a long time and is
well tested. The Wolf tools version is the most versatile as it can be
fitted to a telescopic handle and have wheels attached.
You can also turn your Wolf grass trimmer into a
hedge shear
With a few simple clicks you can remove the grass shear blades
and replace them with a small hedge trimming blade!
check
recommended site for prices and info for Wolf Accu shear range
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The Wolf cordless shrubber attachment
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New Product - 2 Tools in 1
as above but with
Lithium Ion Battery!
Grass and shrub
trimming!
The Bosch ISIO can be converted from a grass shear
to a small shrub trimmer in seconds and is surprisingly efficient. I
also like the drop in charger base and metal tin that the tool comes
in.
Running time is very good thanks to the Li-ion
batteries and I get 20 minutes use which included some woody shrub
material. The softer the material you cut the longer the battery will
last between re-charges.
The Bosch Isio comes in 2 versions. The shrub
cutting version and the grass cutting version. .
The best accessory I think is the telescopic handle
which makes the Isio a joy to use on your lawn edges. The handle has
wheels and also allows the Isio to be turned on its side to cut
vertical edges.
Replacement blades are available for the Bosch Isio and I believe this
tool and it's spares will be available for many years unlike the cheaper
copies from discount chains and mail order catalogues.
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Telescopic handle and wheels.

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Best pressure washers
Coming soon, new Bosch
Aquatak clic with easy retractable hose
and powerlead!
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Decent pressure washers used to cost a fortune. More
recently bargain models have flooded the market. Many are complete
rubbish and break down, usually by leaking from failed plastic parts. Another common problem is
pumps that don't
turn off when you let go of the trigger- this causes the motor to burn out.
I have found pressure washers, along with garden vacs to be the most
fragile of all consumer electrical products and suggest extra
caution and research when making a purchase.
This is my patio after using the Bosch Aqautak 115plus. I
was amazed to discover its real colour. The tool is very therapeutic
to use (especially on a hot sunny day). It comes with a
range of accessories and a car washing brush. The Roto
nozzle is the best for cleaning slabs and the work shown above took
less than a minute.
The tough hoses that come with pressure
washers have to be one of the most annoying items ever. If you can
afford it do get a machine with on board hose storage as this will
save you a lot of work and swearing!
Karcher - The brand leader in Pressure washers
This is my neighbour Annette with cleaning her land
rover with a Karcher pressure washer. Karcher are a German company and
the recognised brand leader in pressure washers - but are they really
the best?
As Karcher specialise in powered cleaning products
you should get a well researched and reliable tool and not just a "me
too copy from the far East .
Many of my readers use Karcher pressure washers and
the feedback has been very good.
Also for cleaning patios both makes produce an
enclosed "hovering cover" device that prevents splashback and speeds
up cleaning. These devices only fit their own brand pressure washers.
The Bosch has 2 nozzles whilst the Karcher has brushes too.
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check price on the Bosch Aquatak 115 plus
The link above can be used with the following voucher codes to get
you up to 10% off any pressure washer or other product from this
retailer.
Use the codes at the checkout -until end of May
FVFFMAY9
£5 off orders over £50
TNFFMAY9 £10 off orders over £100
TWFFMAY9 £20 off orders over £200
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Best Garden Vacuums/Leaf Blowers
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After several years of testing I have decided that I
don't really like garden vacs- They are noisy, cover you in dust and a
pain in the **** to store. Also it is common for people to suck up
stones and trash the blade that does the shredding. They
also work better on blow than suck as wet leaves stick to the ground.
Contractors do use blowers and blow material onto a sheet in a corner.
This is more practical and dedicated blowers are very simple and
reliable machines.
I declare the electric garden shredder vac to be a triumph of
marketing over practicality. However if you really want one please use
the link below where you will see a range of them from a reliable
fredshed recommended retailer
click for prices of blowers and garden vacs |
 AL-KO Hurricane Blower Vac
One quality machine I tried was the AL-KO
Hurricane 2400. It was the least annoying and most effective of
the electric garden shredder vacs.
As with most other blower vacs it
has a roller on the front to take the weight.
The AL-KO 2400 Hurricane shredder/vac has been
in production for several years costs about £90 and is well backed
up for spare parts.
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The humble lawn rake has been around for hundreds of
years and using it will give you some healthy exercise without the
noise and dust of a powered machine.
The traditional design can be quite heavy but new
materials have improved this task
The design advantages of this new tool are that it
has an oval shaped aluminium handle which gives maximum strength but
minimum weight. Also the flexible nyglass* tines flick out the leaves
from lawns and off soil.
Nyglass is an advanced mix of plastic and fibreglass
that is more durable than most plastic used in garden tool.
Price approx £20
Click to buy from a Fredshed recommended supplier
The rake shown is the small version, 8 inches wide
but a wider version is available from the link above
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SAVE THE PLANET AND KEEP FIT
BUY
A RAKE NOT A GARDEN VAC!
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A NO-NONSENSE 5 STAR RATED GERMAN MADE HEDGE
TRIMMER AT A DISCOUNTED PRICE INCLUDING DELIVERY!
YOU COULD FIND A CHEAPER TOOL BUT IT WONT LAST
OR PERFORM LIKE THIS ONE! |
CREDIT CRUNCH TOOLS
Special offer!
If your really skint and need a rake get this one
made by my mates at Draper.
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IF YOU FIND
THIS PAGE USEFUL PLEASE CONSIDER RETURNING AND USING MY LINKS WHEN MAKING YOUR
PURCHASE AS THIS HELPS TO PAY FOR MY WORK AND THE COST OF RUNNING
THIS SITE.

AS WELL AS TESTING EVERYTHING
I HAVE ALSO CAREFULLY SELECTED THE BEST SUPPLIERS SO YOU WON'T GET RIPPED OFF
WITH AN OLD MODEL OR GRADED PRODUCTS.
THANKS
FRED-IN-THE-SHED
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Black & Decker Alligator Pruner
This unique tool from Black and Decker combines the
features of a small chainsaw with the action of loppers. The result is a
very effective pruning tool that is easy to use and most importantly very
SAFE.
The Alligator is light enough for me to use from my
wheelchair and the clamping jaws and double safety switches make it much
safer than any other powered pruning tool.
Americans please click on flag for special page on
electric power tools available in the USA

use link below to check latest price and further
details
check Alligator price from Fredshed
recommended supplier
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I
The Black and Decker Alligator has a 550w motor and
weights about 4KG. It will easily cut branches up to 100mm ( 4 inches)
This tool is fun to use but you still need to take care
with it to protect yourself and also make the tool last longer. This one got
abused and a small cog broke. Luckily Black & Decker spares are easily
available and the parts were only £3.
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Fredshed
test team - join the crew and share your experiences
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Doff Your Cap To Squire Jenkins - another official
Fredshed tester of power products.
At his Welsh country estate Squire Jenkins and his man
servant "Ted" can give even the most robust tools a thorough workout- and if
they don't come up to scratch - just like the peasants, they shoot em,.......pull
!
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Squire Jenkins, Purdey & Boss
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