Champion Power Equipment 3-Inch Portable Chipper-Shredder with Collection Bag

Why it's worth it

Champion's 3-inch chipper-shredder puts a 224cc engine behind a dedicated branch chute and a separate shredder hopper for leaves and soft debris. A rear clean-out port makes clearing a jam quick, and it comes with a 2-bushel collection bag.

The two-chute layout suits a mixed pile. Most yard cleanups aren't just branches — they're branches plus a mound of leaves and shrub trimmings. The main chute takes wood up to 3 inches; the top hopper handles leaves and soft debris under half an inch. You work through one pile without swapping machines or modes.

The rear clean-out port is the feature owners appreciate later. Every chipper jams eventually. On most, that means partial disassembly with tools you have to go find. Here you open the rear port and clear it. If you're feeding mixed, slightly damp material — which is when jams happen — this is the difference between a pause and an afternoon.

From our review of 8 wood chippers and shredders, by David Sinclair, Managing Editor

What we like

• +The two-chute layout suits a mixed pile
• +The rear clean-out port is the feature owners appreciate later
• +The 224cc engine has real reserve for 2- to 2.5-inch hardwood
• +Champion backs it longer than most brands here

What to know

• –The stiff rubber chute guards frustrate a lot of owners
• –The shredder hopper is finicky with small, light debris
• –Owner satisfaction is more mixed here than with our other picks