Bosch AXT 25 TC Turbine Cutting 3 in 1 Garden Shredder

Brian 23/06/2010 23:08:39

I must say i was a bit wary of going for the top of the range bosch shredder. It usually means over-priced and over-rated. I have worked with the cheap end garden shredders which die quick deaths after becoming very blunt very quickly, leading to clogging and frustration. Can you get spares? No chance! This axt 25tc is a relaxed muncher of garden trimmings. It has survived two large weekend clearances of woody shrubs with ease and looks like it will last for a good few years. The blades look fearsome but rotate with smooth power and the electronics look after overloading (although it has handled everything i have put through it with ease. Green stuff eventually is not cut as cleanly as when the blade is new, but is still mashed up enough for composting or mulching. The adjustment mechanism is brilliantly simple for getting clean cuts if you want to tweak it. It is also quiet. No buzzsaw racket, no ear defenders needed, it just hums and munches in a very pleasing way, it won't annoy even the most sensitive neighbours. It is heavy though. A two man lift at least. The wheels are too close together and when wheeling it around, it is quite unstable and liable to oscillate from wheel to wheel over the slightest uneven ground threatening to twist out of your grip and fall on its side. This said, it stores away remarkably well when the top feed section stores in the collection box. the mechanism is aimed towards general garden shredding which incudes softer material but handles green wood well, the other bosch axt 25d has a drum mechanism aimed at woodier stuff. Overall, this machine will serve a large garden well for some years and is a good alternative to hiring in a true industrial shredder. I wonder what it will be like getting spares though? I have dropped a star in the performance for it's shaky manouverability.

Gosport 10/05/2010 12:42:02

I'd recommend this product, and although it doesn't come cheap, i think it's well worth spending the extra money if you can afford it. the shredder chomps through thick, woody branches with ease, and draws the stuff through by itself, meaning that you don't have to waste time and energy standing there feeding it all in. my two small gripes with it are (1) that it could do with a longer lead; and (2) that you have to be a bit careful when wheeling it about otherwise it overbalances. but all in all, it is a very good machine. the cut material comes out in slightly bigger chunks than i'm used to from my last shredder, but it's still ok to put on the beds as mulch. it copes better with large, woody stuff than small bits, so i would say, if you primarily want a shredder for small bits that you've cut with secateurs, go for soemthing else. but if you want to deal with stuff that you've cut with garden loppers or a chainsaw, this is your machine.

Paul 01/03/2010 19:59:33

The best shredder i have come across, reducing anything that will enter its throat with ease. The only weakness is the plastic paddle which is used to encourage tricky bits to get sucked into the turbine cutters. I managed to shred mine the second time i used the machine.

Ian 20/12/2009 15:09:47

Very pleased so far, shreds tree loppings easily, although into larger pieces than my old shredder. We'll see how they compost.

Bob 18/12/2009 19:51:06

Excellent machine, definitely the best for the price.Buy it.

Steve 24/10/2009 20:11:11

The performance or this model far surpasses that of my previous ATX 1600. Being more powerful but just as quiet. The turbo cutter is quite different from the screw cutting mechanism of its predecessor. This machine copes well with leafy material and with the aid of the plastic paddle has managed to shred a mountain jasmine prunings, all be it with a little difficulty. Larger branches from a willow tree were dispensed with in no time. If the branch fits into the mouth of the shredder the cutters cope. There is a safety interlock so that the collecting bin must be in place for the machine to operate and will stop if the bin dislodged or removed. The only downside to this machine is the collecting box. Shredded material builds up as a cone inside the collecting bin and when only a third to a half full reaches the cutter. This impairs the cutters and prevents any leafy material from being processed efficiently. Never the less, emptying the collecting bin more frequently is not all bad when you consider just how heavy it can get. All in all a very good and quiet workhorse.