Earthwise LM71313 Amp 13-Inch Corded Electric Leaf Mulcher/Shredder, Green

This is a powerful shredder and is very easy to assemble and maneuver. It throws a lot of dust but I have improvised on how to use it to contain the dust better. I rake my leaves into a large tote and feed them in and turn the tote onto the hopper as I load it. It cuts down on the dust considerably and I can use the corner of the tote to jam the leaves into the center cutout. This machine does well with my oak leaves and small sticks, but sticks in excess of about 1/2 inch really tear up the whip lines. (Check them frequently. They are easy to replace and fresh ones make a huge difference. I used a slightly thicker line that has edges made for better cutting and they held up better than the supplied filaments.) If I could make a suggestion to the product engineers, it would be to make the center hole slightly wider. That would make it easier to feed the leaves in through the top. The efficiency of this device is fantastic, and it is amazing what a large pile of leaves will fit into a 39 gallon bag. I gave it four stars for safety because it really would be easy to push your hand down in there. Be careful and use common sense. It takes a little getting used to, but this is a dandy little shredder.

First use today, glad I got it, worked fineTop like: can directly attach paper yard bagTop suggestion: if windy, make sure you you rake leaves behind, so you never have to walk infront - mulcher creates lots of fine dust and particles that gets every where

Easy to put together. It shreds leaves quickly. Plan on changing the line about every few hours. I like that bags fit under, but wish there was a rack to set them on so I could move the shredder without having to take a half empty bag off

Due to the many trees on and around our property, many leaves fall onto our lawn every autumn. I bought this shredder to reduce the time spent gathering and moving leaves to our four compost bins.The mulcher is versatile, lightweight, and shreds leaves very effectively. If you have a large property like ours, have long extension cords available. To improve your success with the mulcher, here are a few suggestions:1. Wet leaves can quickly clog the shredder, so I use the mulcher only when the leaves are dry.2. It's important not to overfill the leaf bin. Feed the leaves at a pace that the mulcher can handle. This is not a high-capacity, commercial-grade mulcher, and feeding it too quickly can cause jamming, which can be frustrating.3. Remove twigs from the mulcher, as it cannot grind them. Twigs will jam the unit and quickly wear down the flex-a-line.4. Needle-nose pliers help me thread new lines through the small holes designed to secure them.5. Be aware that the line grinding the leaves will eventually wear out. When I tried to restock them, I was disappointed that the company had none available. As a solution, I measured the length and diameter (with my micrometer) of the line and found a suitable replacement (although a different company) on Amazon -https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0879JS7YR?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=16. I use a large container under the mulcher to collect the mulched leaves, which are dumped into one of our four compost bins.7. It is essential to pay close attention to the recommended safety features. I always wear heavy-duty gloves, safety goggles, a dust mask, and earmuffs to protect my ears from noise damage. Do not remove the safety guard from the bin to create more room for leaves; it is designed to prevent high-velocity debris from shooting out and potentially hitting you in the face.8. After finishing, I wash and dry the unit before storing it in the shed.In summary, I appreciate this shredder because it operates effectively now that I have learned to use it properly and understand its limitations (see points two and three above). The shredded leaves decompose much quicker in our compost bins, creating nutrient-rich fertilizer for my wife’s gardens.

This machine does the job of shredding leaves well. However, it is an enclosed string trimmer, and, like all string trimmers, the monofilaments wear out and here there is no auto feed They need to be replaced quite often. I needed a needle nose pliers to remove the remnants of the worn ones and help feed the new ones into their proper places. As to quality, the rotating head is held on by a nut, and it fell off after less than two hours of use. I called the company's phone and was told it would be a long wait. I emailed them to find out what the nut size was, and a day later they offered to send a replacement but did not tell me the information about the size. I figured out it was a metric 8 x 1.25, and got put a nylon-insert nut with lock washer on before receiving the reply. The instructions needed a beta test. With the figures so small, it was hard to tell easily what to do with the nuts and bolts and which hole of three to use in one case. It did not help that they called a metal washer a nut gasket. It is a useful machine, and the important head holding the filaments is made of plastic. I would like to have an extra one on hand, but could find no part number or source to order one either in the manual or on the website.