AIVOLT Wood Chipper Shredder 1800W Electric Wood Shredder with Collection Bag 1.8-inch Cutting Diameter for Mulching, Composting and Yard Cleanup

A compact electric chipper that thrives on small brush

A Saturday’s worth of pruning is a good test for any chipper. I rolled the Aivolt electric chipper onto the patio with a pile of mixed trimmings—maple suckers, fruit tree water sprouts, and a few dead limbs—and got to work. It didn’t take long to figure out where this machine shines: steady, light-duty chipping of straight, small-diameter branches into useful mulch, without the fuss of gas engines or the mess of hauling brush to the curb.

Setup and first impressions

Assembly is straightforward but not tool-free. The stand, wheels, and hopper bolt together, and while none of it is complicated, the hardware is compact and the diagrams require a careful look. Give yourself 20–30 minutes and tighten everything methodically. The stand is lightweight and portable, but it does flex a bit if you yank the unit around by the hopper; once it’s parked on flat ground, stability is fine during use. The wheeled base is genuinely helpful for rolling the chipper across paved surfaces or short grass.

A 50-liter collection bag, feeding paddle, and two spare cutters are included. The bag clips over the discharge port; it works, but keep an eye on the fit as it fills—overpacking can tug it loose. I found it easiest to empty frequently rather than cramming the bag to the brim.

Safety and controls

The safety interlock is sensitive by design. If the top hopper isn’t seated and the locking knob fully tightened, the motor won’t start. That’s a good thing, though it can be confusing if you miss it the first time. My checklist before each session: knob tight, bag attached, cord connected to a GFCI outlet, then power on. The feeding paddle is more than a convenience—it keeps fingers out of the chute and helps move stringy material past the cutters. Use it.

Performance: stick to the sweet spot

Aivolt rates the chipper for up to about 1.77 inches in diameter. In practice, the sweet spot is smaller. The machine absolutely chews through straight twigs and branches in the 0.5–1.25 inch range. Feed those steadily and you’ll get a satisfying, consistent stream of chips. As you approach the top end—anything around an inch and a half—you need to go slow and keep the pieces clean and straight. Crooked or forked branches at that thickness will bog the motor and are more likely to cause jams.

The feed opening is narrow and long. That’s great for keeping hands out of the danger zone, but it forces you to prep material. Remove side branches and forks with loppers and aim for straight, manageable lengths. Soft, leafy stems can be run, but loose leaves on their own tend to mat and pack the chute rather than chip cleanly. This is a branch chipper first; think brush, not bags of leaves or fibrous vines.

Throughput is respectable for a 15-amp electric. On a typical pruning session I turned a loose pile of branches that would have filled two 30-gallon paper lawn bags into a single 50-liter bag of mulch in under an hour, including prep cuts. The resulting chips are on the fine side—great for pathways, garden beds, or compost browns.

Noise, vibration, and power draw

For an electric tool, it’s loud. You won’t rattle the neighborhood the way a gas chipper does, but ear protection is absolutely warranted. Vibration at the handles is mild and the machine doesn’t walk around during use. Because it draws the full 15 amps under load, use a short, heavy-gauge outdoor extension cord (12 AWG for anything beyond 25 feet) and a dedicated circuit to avoid nuisance trips.

Collection and cleanup

The included bag simplifies cleanup but benefits from a couple of habits:
- Don’t overfill—chips are surprisingly dense and the bag will sag off the port if you push your luck.
- Empty into paper yard bags or a wheelbarrow while the chips are still fluffy; they settle quickly.
- If you plan to store the chipper outdoors, the bag doubles as a dust cover over the hopper in a pinch, though a proper cover is better.

Chips are on the smaller side and break down quickly in mulch rings and compost. If you want decorative, uniform chips for front-of-house beds, a larger, slower, drum-style chipper makes a nicer chip. For utility mulch and compost feedstock, this output is ideal.

Maintenance and blades

Maintenance is light but not nonexistent. The cutters arrive sharp and the machine includes two backups, which is generous at this price point. The cutters are reversible—when the cutting edge dulls, you can flip each blade to a fresh edge before replacing or sharpening. Access is via the top once the hopper is opened and the unit unplugged.

How often you’ll need to flip or sharpen depends on what you feed it. Clean, dry hardwood dulls cutters faster than fresh, green trimmings. As a rough guide, after a few full bags of chips you’ll notice you need to feed more slowly and the machine draws harder. That’s your cue to flip blades or touch them up with a sharpener. Keep a hex key and a work surface handy for that task, and clear the housing of dust and stringy bits whenever you open it.

Portability and storage

At under the weight of a typical gas unit and with a small footprint, it stores neatly against a garage wall. The wheels are basic but serviceable. I wouldn’t drag it across rough ground or gravel by the hopper; tip it back and use the handle cutouts instead.

Tips for best results

• Pre-cut forks and side branches with loppers; feed straight sections.
• Aim for 0.5–1.25 inch diameter material for smooth, continuous chipping.
• Use ear and eye protection; gloves help when handling thorny brush.
• Keep the hopper latch fully tightened—if it won’t start, check the interlock first.
• Use a 12-gauge outdoor extension cord and a dedicated 15A circuit.
• Empty the collection bag before it’s overfull to prevent clogs and keep chips fluffy.
• Flip or sharpen blades as performance tapers; keep the interior clean.

Limitations to be aware of

Every tool has a lane. This one isn’t for:
- Thick, knotted limbs near the stated maximum—the motor will protest and you’ll spend time clearing jams.
- Loose leaves, wet thatch, or long fibrous vines—these tend to wad up instead of chipping cleanly.
- Heavy, all-day land clearing—this is a homeowner’s chipper for routine pruning, not acreage cleanup.

Who it’s for

If you routinely trim trees and shrubs and want to turn that brush into usable mulch rather than bundling it for pickup, this chipper earns its spot. It’s an especially good fit for small suburban lots where a gas engine would be overkill or unwelcome. The electric motor starts instantly, there’s no fuel or oil to manage, and aside from the cutters, there’s very little ongoing maintenance.

The bottom line

The Aivolt chipper is a capable, compact, light-duty solution for turning pruning waste into useful mulch. Its strengths are clear: simple electric operation, solid performance in its sweet spot (sub-1.5-inch straight branches), thoughtful safety interlocks, and a tidy collection system. The trade-offs are also clear: a narrow feed chute that demands material prep, a stand that feels lightweight, significant noise for an electric, and cutters that require periodic flipping or sharpening.

Recommendation: I recommend the Aivolt chipper for homeowners who primarily need to process small branches, twigs, and routine brush from seasonal pruning. It’s efficient, easy to live with, and converts waste into something useful. If your workload leans toward thick, gnarled limbs, piles of loose leaves, or heavy-duty clearing, a more powerful (and likely gas-powered) chipper or a drum-style shredder will serve you better. For regular light yard cleanup, though, this is a practical, portable, and genuinely helpful addition to the shed.