Wood Chipper Rental Prices: What You Should Know Before Renting

Having all wood chipper rental prices in mind is the only way to avoid being overwhelmed when you get the bill at the end of the day.

Before renting a wood chipper, you need to calculate all the associated costs and safety measures.

Doing your calculations beforehand will also help you determined which option between renting and buying is better.

Below are some of the factors that determine wood chipper rental prices.

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Factors that Determine Wood Chipper Rental Prices

1. Engine Displacement

The engine displacement determines the wood chipper’s power. A chipper with a big cylinder engine is much powerful than one with a small one.

Depending on the amount of debris you are dealing with, you should choose a chipper that will get the job done efficiently.

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A more powerful wood chipper will cost more to rent, but it may be a much cheaper option in the long run.

Since most renters offer the wood chippers at a daily rate, you are better off with a powerful chipper at a slightly higher price for a day than a less powerful one.

This way, you can take a shorter duration to complete the job.

2. Automatic or Manual

Wood chippers are available in two styles, automatic and manual.

The automatic varieties are self-feeding, and this can only translate to reduced effort on your part.

If you get a manual wood chipper, you will have to push the wood in the chipper for the machine to do its job.

This may work if you do not have a lot of wood, but the process is much slower and tiring.

It is always a great idea to go with self-feeding chipper.

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The rental price may be higher for the automatic varieties, but it will make your work easier and hasten the chipping process.

3. Throat Size

Wood Chippers come with different throat sizes.

The one with a thicker throat is perfect for cleaning thick wood debris.

Have the general thickness of your wood debris in mind when selecting a chipper.

Go for the option whose throat can handle most, if not all, your wood debris.

4. Reduction Ratio

This is the ratio of the wood chippings that will be produced. The best ration is 10:1.

This means that for every 10 backyard waste containers, the chipper will create one chippings container.

Renters may charge more for the more efficient varieties, but these will leave you with much less wastage to deal with.

5. Weight and Size

Wood chippers come in different weights and sizes.

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The extremely large varieties may require licensing for transportation, and this will add on to the rental prices.

If you do not want to pay for a license, get a small chipper that can be towed with a small vehicle.

However, if you are handling a huge project, you may need to consider getting a license, so you get a large enough chipper to handle the job.

6. Power Source

Wood Chippers can be electric, gas, or diesel-powered.  The electric-powered varieties will only make sense if you are working close to a power source.

The gas- and diesel-powered varieties are more mobile since you do not need to plug them to a power source. However, they cost slightly more when compared to electric chippers.

7. Towable or Trackable

The trackable wood chippers are recommended if the terrain you are working on is rough.

On the other hand, a towable unit is perfect if you want an extremely mobile option.

There will be costs associated with towing so you will need to consider that if you choose the towable option.

8. Drums or Discs

Wood chippers either have drum or disc mechanism.

If you are looking for an energy-efficient piece, choose a chipper with disc mechanism.

The disc-mechanism chipper is perfect if you are clearing an area filled with strings and vines.

It will cut these materials more efficiently, making your work easy.

9. Overall Construction

You want to rent a wood chipper with solid construction.

The last thing you want is a rented chipper malfunctioning in your hands.

10. Specialized Features

Different manufacturers make use of a variety of technologies to make your work easier.

For example, some chippers come with a SmartFeed feature that stops and reverses the feed roller in order to better process large wood material.

Another feature is the Ecoldle control systems that are supposed to conserve fuel and ensure that the chipper runs more quietly.

Most Vermeer Corporation chippers come with this feature.

You will also find remote-controlled chippers that allow you to operate them from different distances.

Whatever feature you are looking for, be sure to specify to the company you are renting from.

You need to be sure that the machine you take home can handle the job you plan to accomplish. (Source)

11. Rent or Buy, Which is Better?

Your choice should be based on whichever option makes economic sense to you.

Wood Chipper Rental prices vary depending on your location and specific features that you are looking for.

In most areas, rental price ranges between $70 for four hours to $100 for the whole day.

Weekly prices can go up to $400 per week and $1200 per month.

Delivery costs can move these prices even higher, not to mention the fact that some companies may charge much higher for the chippers.

If it only takes you a day or two to clean your backyard, then renting is a much better choice.

You will not have to worry about the cost of maintenance, and it is possible to get the most advanced chipper whenever you want to make your work easier.

You also have to remember that it’s necessary to reserve your chipper of choice beforehand.

The last thing you need is to go to the store only to find that someone else has already rented the chipper you want for a month.

If you often need to do some chipping, you may need to consider investing in a chipper.

A good one can cost anywhere between $1500 and 2000.

Instead of paying the same amount for a rental, you are better off with your own chipper that you can use whenever you want.

You can even rent the chipper to your neighbours and use this amount to keep your unit in perfect condition.

Conclusion on Wood Chipper Rental Prices

The information above on wood chipper rental prices will help you choose which type of wood chipper will suit you depending on the nature of work and your budget.

Go for a wood chipper that you can afford but also make sure that it is capable of performing the task at hand.

I hope you found the article informative and you’ve got the answers you were looking for.