PTO wood chipper vs. gas: Which powers your chipping needs best?

What type of chipper best suites your property maintenance needs? Let's find out

When it comes to wood chipping, what's better? A gas powered or PTO wood chipper?

Gas chippers rely on their own fuel while PTO powered chippers rely on the power of your tractor, and both have their advantages.

So which one is best for you? Do you need a gas powered or PTO chipper? Here are a few things to think about before you make your purchase:

Should I get a PTO wood chipper?

What is a PTO wood chipper and why might it be better suited for your property maintenance needs?

PTO stands for Power Take Off, and that's the drive shaft at the back of your tractor. Most subcompact and compact tractors will come with a PTO, so make sure your tractor is compatible first.

The PTO turns the PTO shaft of the wood chipper, which spins the flywheel and powers the wood chipper.

Most PTO wood chippers can also come with:

Hydraulic Feed System: When you feed branches into opening of the chipper, the in-feed rollers will grab onto the material and pull it into the flywheel, where blades will sheer off wood chips and they fly out of the chute. This self feeding technology means you can place a branch into the in-feed rollers and they will automatically pull in the rest without your help.

Twin Flywheel Technology: This Woodland Mills' patented system means there will be two flywheels operating independently, one to chip material and the other to pick it up and throw it through the discharge chute. This creates a more efficient chipping experience that makes for an easier time chipping greener, leafier material.

Regardless of whether you have small branches or thicker foliage, PTO driven chippers should be able to convert your tractor's horsepower into chipping power and remove any brush from your property. Not all PTO wood chippers have this hydraulic infeed system or Twin Flywheel so check the product description before purchasing.

One of the benefits of PTO wood chippers is they rely on your tractor's horsepower, so you only need to fuel one machine. They also attach to your tractor's three-point hitch, so they can easily be hauled across your property.

Should I get a gas wood chipper?

Is a PTO powered unit better vs a gas powered chipper?

With a gas chipper, a separate machine is not required. The wood chipper is a standalone unit that can be hauled on its own, and can even be placed in the back of a truck bed or trailer and taken to a job site.

So while a PTO wood chipper requires you own a tractor, a gas chipper is a different story. Most users may not even own a tractor, and it's helpful for smaller property owners who don't have a lot of equipment.

Woodland Mills' gas wood chipper, the TFG55 GAS, comes with Twin Flywheel technology, and has its own beneficial features:

Gravity Feed System: Instead of a hydraulic power feed, this in-feed system relies on the angle of the feed chute to directly deliver the material to the flywheel, creating a steady and predictable infeed action, far superior to gravity alone.

Portability: One of the key benefits to gas-powered wood chippers is mobility, since they can be hauled by an ATV or on the bed of a truck and can go places where a tractor can't. Rough or uneven terrain can't stop you from chipping in the most remote areas when you have a gas chipper.

A gas powered wood chipper can be equally as effective in getting rid of small branches, and the TFG55 GAS can chip materials up to 3" (8 cm) in diameter.

If you have a large property with many hills where a tractor might struggle to navigate, a gas chipper can be easily attached to an ATV or UTV and hauled across difficult terrain.

It also has its own engine, so if your tractor requires maintenance and is down for a time you can still perform wood chipping and get rid of brush or other tree debris on your property.

So which one is better?

That's going to depend on your needs and what kind of property and equipment you currently have?

Some questions you should ask yourself include:

• • What size of wood chipper do I need?

  • Can I haul this model across my property?

  • Do I have a tractor with a PTO?

  • What features, like hydraulic infeed and Twin Flywheel, do I want?

A PTO wood chipper may be the best option if...

If you own rural acreage and already own a tractor, be it a small lawn tractor or a heavy-duty piece of farm equipment, then you may want to consider a PTO chipper. These wood chippers are convenient because you can use your existing machine to power it and haul it across your property.

A gas powered wood chipper may be the best option if...

Gas powered wood chippers may be your preference if you're looking for portability and independence from a tractor. You don't need any existing farm or property maintenance equipment, just start cutting down material and feed it into your gas wood chipper and watch as it turns your branches and brush into a pile of mulch and chips.

Want to learn more?

If you have any more questions about what wood chipper is best for you, including whether you'd prefer a gas or PTO chipper, feel free to connect with our customer service team, or reach out to the Woodland Mills Product Owners and Community Facebook group, where a community of avid saywers and acreage owners can share their wood chipping knowledge and experience.