Note: Maybe they should put something in the FAQ for this group about this
subject since it seems to be a recurring question.
I will say, as I've said before, that I think that chipper/shredders are
inappropriate for most home gardens. They are heavy, take up lots of room,
noisy, and polluting. And, at best, most homeowners only need them once or
twice a year. Better to rent one when you need it, I think.
I always suggest people rent one and try it out for the work they have on hand
to see if it would be worth investing in. I have always found them too
inconvenient to use with any regularity.
When you have big chunks of stuff--like after a yearly brush clean-up or tree
pruning--you can just rent a big one and do it all in one day/weekend.