>Do you think it's worth it to spend money on one of >these machines? Or should I just rent one to chip my initial load of branches >and then occasionally rent one every year or so to do additional chipping and >mulching? > >
I think it might be best for you to rent one at first and see how often you
need it. They are large, heavy machines that require a certain amount of
maintenance and space for storage. You probably won't be hauling it out every
time you garden, so, unless you find that you need it fairly regularly, I would
say rent one a couple of times a year.