Garden shredder sound levels vary greatly between garden shredders. Impact shredders are the loudest, most raucous models on sale. It is not always easy to see how to compare garden shredder noise levels. Not all manufacturers publish sound figures.
Where the sound figures are published they are often hidden away in the small print. What’s more, sound levels are measured in decibels (dB). Unless you are a scientist, the decibel scale is not easy to understand.
So, in this article we are going to help you compare the noise levels of typical garden shredders. To do this we are going to answer 4 questions:
- Just how noisy are Garden Shredders?
- How do impact shredders compare to quiet shredders?
- What to the noise levels quoted actually mean?
- Do I need to be using ear protection?”
The answer to the last question is easy – “Yes, wear ear, eye and hand protection whenever you use any garden machinery”. There is a bit more to it than that of course.
Just How Noisy Are Garden Shredders?
Rapid Shredders Sound Levels
All rapid shredders are noisy. It is a feature of the way in which they work. A high speed motor, driving a high speed rotating blade which chops into the clippings you put in the Shredder is a recipe for lots of noise.
We include noise levels for some of the most popular rapid shredders below.
Note: clicking on images in this table will take you to see that Shredder on Amazon UK. As an Amazon Associate, gardenshredderreview.co.uk earns from qualifying purchases.
| Shredder | Image | Noise (dB) | Comment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bosch AXT 2200 |  | 107 | This is our current choice for best rapid garden shredder. Click on this link to see our full review of the Bosch AXT 2200 See it on Amazon |
| 2 | Einhell GH-KS 2440 |  | 112 | See it on Amazon |
| 3 | Dirty Pro Tools 2500 |  | 111 | See it on Amazon |
| 4 | TackLife PWSO2A | No products found. | 105 | No products found. |
To understand just how noisy these machines are requires an understanding of the decibel (dB) scale. That is beyond the scope of this web site but we have provided a bunch of links out to more detailed explanations elsewhere.
HSE regulations stipulate that employees working in an environment where the sound level is above 85dB should always wear ear protection. For most of us, short exposure to sound at this level will not cause lasting harm. However, exposure to sound in the 105-112dB range could cause hearing damage in as little exposure as 2 minutes per day.
For this post we have created the comparative table below. You can see that rapid shredders fit right in the middle of the red, dangerous zone.
While not scientific, a change of 10dB is normally agreed to represent a doubling of volume. While the Tacklife PWS02A at 105dB is well within the red zone, it is much less noisy than the Einhell at 112dB
How Do The Noise Levels of “Quiet” Garden Shredders Compare?
It’s not a surprise that impact shredders are do noisy. They rely on blades, rotating at high speed, to chop branches and cuttings into small pieces. All high speed rotating machinery is, unless heavily sound proofed, inherently noisy.
How then do the quiet or silent garden shredders compare?
We have summarised our findings in the following table.
Note: clicking on images in this table will take you to see that Shredder on Amazon UK. As an Amazon Associate, gardenshredderreview.co.uk earns from qualifying purchases.
| Shredder | Image | Noise (dB) | Comment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bosch AXT 25TC |  | 89 | This is our current choice for best electric garden shredder. Click on this link to see our full review of the Bosch AXT 25TC See it on Amazon |
| 2 | Bosch AXT25D |  | 90 | See it on Amazon |
| 3 | Makita UD2500/2 |  | 93 | See it on Amazon |
| 4 | TackLife PWSO2A | No products found. | 92 | The Tacklife is our current Best Quiet Garden Shredder 2020. Click on the link to see our full review. Frustratingly, it is currently (Nov 2020) showing as unavailable. It is worth checking out though. No products found. |
It is clear that, while quiet shredders are much quieter than impact shredders, they are still not quiet. The slower rotating crushers/cogs create much less external noise as expected. They can be very quiet at idle. When you start feeding them some challenging cuttings they still need to generate some power. That results in them generating more noise.
That said, I own a Bosch AXT 25D. We have put some pretty major branches through it. At no time have I found it to be loud. You can have a conversation next to it while it is in operation so it cannot be overly noisy.
The quietest of all the electric shredders is the wonderful Bosch AXT 25TC. It has been the best electric garden shredder you can buy for many years now. Only petrol machines can cope with larger branches. Petrol garden shredders are, without exception, very noisy.
Compare Garden Shredder Noise Levels
| Noise | Average decibels (dB) | Notes | Garden Shredder Review |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leaves rustling, soft music, whisper | 30 | Normal, background sounds | |
| Average home noise, refrigerator hum | 40 | ||
| Normal conversation, background music | 60 | ||
| Office noise, inside car at 60 mph | 70 | More noticeable sound. | |
| Vacuum cleaner, washing machine | 75 | ||
| Heavy traffic, noisy pub, power lawn mower | 80-85 | Bosch AXT 25TC, Turbine Cut Shredder | |
| Hand held hair dryer | 85-90 | Very noticeable sounds. Hearing protection is mandatory for people employed within areas with level of sound | Bosch AXT 25D Quiet Shredder TackLIfe PWS01A Forest Master 6HP |
| Petrol lawn mower | 90–95 | ||
| GoKart, motorcycle | 96–100 | ||
| Sporting events, premier league football crowd | 101–105 | Potentially Dangerous. Hearing loss can occur with relatively short exposure | VanHaus 3-in-1 Leaf Mulcher - estimated TackLife PWS02 rapid |
| Chainsaw, leaf blower | 106–115 | Bosch AXT 2200 Rapid Einhell GH-KS Rapid Dirty Pro Tools 2500W rapid Timberwolf 1375G Petrol Shredder - 111dB Zipper ZI-HAEK4100 - 115dB |
|
| Rock concert, sound next to fire alarms | 120–129 | ||
| Gun shot, loud fireworks | 140 |
There is only one sensible answer – “Wear ear protection if you are using any rapid shredder”
If you get something like the combined helmet, visor and ear defenders below, you will be set up for just about any circumstances.
- A ratchet system to allow the user to alter the size of the helmet with a simple twist of a knob, one size fits all.
- A steel mesh visor allowing maximum visability and protection which can be positioned at a 90 degree angle when not in use.
- High quality ear muffs which can also be positioned over the helmet when not needed.
- The helmet is manufactured from high density polyethylene material.
Last update on 2024-12-03 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API