Bosch AXT Rapid 2200 Review

Best Impact Garden Shredder 2019, 2020, 2021

Read our Bosch AXT Rapid 2200 review. In our opinion it is still the best impact garden shredder you can buy today. It combines a great combination of shredding performance, build quality and price

Bosch Garden Shredder AXT Rapid 2200 (2200 W, 230 Volt System, Cutting Capacity 40 mm, in Carton Packaging)

Judging by the Amazon reviews the Bosch AXT Rapid 2200 is just about the most popular Electric Garden Shredder in the UK.  It has received over 1700 customer reviews with a star rating that remains well over 4 – that’s more reviews than all the other shredders sold on Amazon put together. 

As one of the reviews puts it – “This Machine is the best one I have had”.

A Which review in November 2007 claimed it was, “the most efficient garden shredder we have ever tested”.  For me the fact that this shredder has been on sale since 2007 is also a testament to its popularity and reliability.  If it wasn’t any good Bosch would have pulled it off sale long ago.

So that’s it then?  With reviews like that there is no choice to make – this is the only electric shredder worth buying?

Not quite.  It’s great value for money but it there are now several other models that have good ratings and are cheaper. Let’s find out if the 2200 Rapid is right for you.  Read the rest of our Bosch AXT Rapid 2200 Review to discover why.

Let’s consider the good and the bad points. To get started we’ll take a look at some technical details.

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Technical Details

FeatureValueComment
1Throughput90kg/hr
2Motor2200 Watt Bosch 'Powerdrive'
3Shredding MechanismRotary - impact cutUnique, reversible blade gives extra life
4Max diameter that can be cut40mm
5Collection box capacityNot suppliedThe purpose made collection bags work really well with this shredder
6Cable length4mNot bad but you will still need a heavy duty, outdoor extension lead so you can easily move the shredder to where you want to do the shredding.
7Other features3,650rpm cutting
Leads to operating noise in the 103dB to 106dB
It rotates faster that most impact shredders. That's why it works do well.
It really is noisy though.
8Weight12kg
9Guarantee/Warranty2yrs parts and labourExtendable to 3years when registering the shredder

What’s good, what’s not

The Good

The AXT copes with a very wide range of garden waste.  Even pretty big branches, right up to the claimed 40mm upper limit, are efficiently chopped into 1mm chips ideal for composting.  We’ve fed it a mixed diet of laurel, leylandii, apple, bramble, elm, plum, beech, rose, holly and pyracantha.  Everything gets chopped up neatly and efficiently.  Even the thorny stuff like brambles, holly and the particularly vicious pyracantha are reduced to such small pieces that the thorns are no longer an issue and the shredded waste is safe to handle.

Bosch Garden Shredder AXT Rapid 2200 (2200 W, 230 Volt System, Cutting Capacity 40 mm, in Carton Packaging)Bosch Garden Shredder AXT Rapid 2200 (2200 W, 230 Volt System, Cutting Capacity 40 mm, in Carton Packaging)Bosch Garden Shredder AXT Rapid 2200 (2200 W, 230 Volt System, Cutting Capacity 40 mm, in Carton Packaging)

The blades spin so fast that blockages are few and far between.  It will happily run for a couple of hours pretty much continuously and the only time we had blockages was when we fed it heavy, dry branches.  Luckily the blockages are easily cleared so you can continue your shredding pretty quickly.

Other users comment that the Bosch AXT Rapid will block more quickly as the blades become blunt.  Keeping the blades sharp is an obvious requirement for maintaining optimum shredding efficiency.  The reversible blades mean that you can be back up and running quickly even once the blade becomes blunt. 

Bosch Home and Garden F016800276 Replacement Blade for AXT Rapid 2000/2200

However, the blades are not meant to be re-sharpened.  As you can see – the Bosch blade is quite chunky.  To stop vibration the blade needs to stay balanced.  Sharpening, unless done professionally, is likely to unbalance the blade.  Using an impact shredder with unbalanced blades create vibration and increased noise levels.

We know of plenty of people who have happily resharpened the blades.  Just be aware, Bosch say not to do it.

Once you have reversed the blade it will need replacing at a current cost of £25.00.

Ear defenders are very much recommended – sound levels from this shredder are around 103-105dB.  This is well into the danger zone.  Obviously it gets noisier while it is chopping wood.  You might like to consider a quieter model if you have particularly sensitive neighbours.

There’s practically no assembly to do so you will be up and running in next to no time.  Most users claim they have the shredder out of the box and in use within about 5 minutes.

One of the most common questions we are asked about garden shredders is “what power rating should I go for?”  Motor power rating is only one consideration when comparing shredders but there is no doubt that this shredder is more than powerful enough.  The 2200 Watt Bosch ‘PowerDrive’ motor and that high rotational speed cope with most things that you are likely to throw at it.  Even with pretty large branches being fed the shredder doesn’t slow down that noticeably.

We’ve already mentioned that the Bosch AXT Rapid has been around for a while.  It was designed and constructed to last – a particular Bosch trait.  Where problems do occur Bosch’s customer service is second to none.  You really can’t go wrong.

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The not so good

About the only thing regularly criticised about this machine is some people complain about short blade life.  There are a minority of users that claim it is only fit for light duties and the blade will still go blunt far too quickly.

Looking after the blades is the key to getting good performance from any impact shredder.  You need to take care to avoid any abrasive material getting into the shredder (soil or small stones etc) as these will blunt the blades very quickly.

The Bosch comes with a “double sided, laser-cut precision blade that delivers approximately 7 times more cutting power than conventional blade shredders”. 

No idea what this means other than the double sided bit.  That means that you can turn the blades over and get twice the cutting life out of them.

When customers have complained to Bosch about any problems they all seem to have had their shredders replaced quickly and without question.  Bosch is renowned for their customer care.

Cable length is an unimpressive 4m.  For most practical purposes you are likely to need to use an extension lead.  Remember, that 2200W motor uses a fair bit of current.  You will need a heavy duty, 13amp fused, outdoor extension lead.  It’s a minor inconvenience but an inconvenience nevertheless.

Unlike the crusher style shredder the AXT 2200 doesn’t suck branches in – you need to feed them in by hand.  While this is not a major problem it can be a little slow and frustrating to use.  Remember, as with all electric garden shredders, the feed slot is pretty small.

Bosch Garden Shredder AXT Rapid 2200 (2200 W, 230 Volt System, Cutting Capacity 40 mm, in Carton Packaging)

Bosch provides excellent customer service.  Complaints are dealt with quickly and several users comment on getting replacement models very quickly when they reported problems.

Conclusion – Is The Bosch AXT Rapid 2200 Impact Shredder Right For you

Should you buy it?

Possibly the only questions are “Is your garden waste predominantly woody” and, “Do I want a quieter self feeding model?”  If so, take a look at our current, overall garden shredder of the year – Bosch Garden Shredder AXT Rapid 2200 (2200 W, 230 Volt System, Cutting Capacity 40 mm, in Carton Packaging) 

Bosch Garden Shredder AXT Rapid 2200 (2200 W, 230 Volt System, Cutting Capacity 40 mm, in Carton Packaging)
  • Fitted with 2200 W Bosch PowerDrive motor
  • Patented large capacity hopper for quick and easy feed
  • Practical plunger for increased material throughput
  • 40 mm high precision laser-cut, twin edged blade, reversible for extended life, lightweight with wheels for easy transportation
Our view

With the overwhelmingly positive reviews it would be difficult to advice anyone not to buy the Bosch AXT Rapid 2200.  It remains our best pick impact shredder for the time being. It is now looking a bit expensive and some of the newer competition is getting positive reviews.

Take a look at our roundup review of  The 5 Best Impact Garden Shredders 2021

Here are a few you could take a look at on Amazon now.

The Handy THISWB Electric Garden Shredder with 40L Collection Box for Woody Prunings and Soft Cuttings 2500W - 2 Year Warranty
Einhell GC-KS 2540 Electric Garden Shredder -- Reversible Steel Blades, Large Funnel Opening, Safety Shut-Off -- 2500W Garden Mulcher For Leaves And Branches With Debris Bag
Mac Allister Garden shredder/Chipper
The Handy THISWB Electric Garden Shredder with 40L Collection Box for Woody Prunings and Soft Cuttings 2500W - 2 Year Warranty
Einhell GC-KS 2540 Electric Garden Shredder -- Reversible Steel Blades, Large Funnel Opening, Safety Shut-Off -- 2500W Garden Mulcher For Leaves And Branches With Debris Bag
Mac Allister Garden shredder/Chipper
£149.95
£89.95
£228.40
The Handy THISWB Electric Garden Shredder with 40L Collection Box for Woody Prunings and Soft Cuttings 2500W - 2 Year Warranty
The Handy THISWB Electric Garden Shredder with 40L Collection Box for Woody Prunings and Soft Cuttings 2500W - 2 Year Warranty
£149.95
Einhell GC-KS 2540 Electric Garden Shredder -- Reversible Steel Blades, Large Funnel Opening, Safety Shut-Off -- 2500W Garden Mulcher For Leaves And Branches With Debris Bag
Einhell GC-KS 2540 Electric Garden Shredder -- Reversible Steel Blades, Large Funnel Opening, Safety Shut-Off -- 2500W Garden Mulcher For Leaves And Branches With Debris Bag
£89.95
Mac Allister Garden shredder/Chipper
Mac Allister Garden shredder/Chipper
£228.40

There are some truly great offerings – many at substantially lower prices.

Take a look here if you would like to see our pick of all  the best electric garden shredders.

Last update on 2024-03-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API