The Echo BearCat 70050 chipper-shredder will easily chew up and spit out branches and other organic yard waste. It's a solidly built homeowner version of BearCat's reliable tree-eating machines. It's a relatively expensive addition to your lawn care equipment, but many retailers include setup and training in safely using what can be a dangerous machine.

This 5.5-hp wood chipper uses a Briggs Intek OHV 206 cc gas engine with an anti-vibration feature to create chipping and shredding power. Two reversible steel chipper blades chip limbs up to 3 inches in diameter. The 45-degree angle cutting edge helps pull wood into the chipper. The staggered mounting of the eight free-swinging shredder knives makes shredding efficient. And the knives are reversible, effectively doubling the time before you need to sharpen or replace them. The unit also uses an exit screen that keeps large chunks in the machine for more chipping. A 14-gauge steel body houses the chipper-shredder. The stable unit sits on two pneumatic tires and two full-width front legs.

Even though it weighs 182 pounds, we were able to move the chipper-shredder by hand with the large handle because it balances nicely on its tires. The Briggs Intek OHV engine started easily and ran smoothly without excessive vibration, though it can be noisy. The 3600-rpm chipper rotor turned the chipper blades at an impressive speed. Straight branches fed easily into the chute, but we had to cut some odd-shaped pieces before they would feed properly. Small debris that was dropped into the hopper exited the chute nicely shredded and ready for spreading as mulch.

The Echo BearCat 70050 can also be hooked up to your tow vehicle with an optional hitch. A 1.5-inch discharge screen comes with the unit, but several other sizes are also available. The blower attachment available for other Echo BearCat shredders does not fit the 70050. The unit measures 22 inches wide by 40 inches long by 46 inches high.

If you have lots of yard waste that is 3 inches or less in diameter, the Echo BearCat 70050 will easily do the job, and it's affordable at $999.00. If you need more chipping capacity, check out Echo BearCat's bigger units.


Pros: Well-constructed unit from a reputable manufacturer, strong engine, easy to use
Cons: Heavy, noisy

Warranty
1 year, commercial use (limited); 2 years, residential use (limited);