GreatCircle 7HP 212cc Gas Heavy Duty Multi-Function Wood Chipper/Shredder

I myself study product reviews prior to purchase so I hope this helps anybody interested in buying a product like this. I have used it for several moths now and ready to review. First of all I must say I am greatly impressed by this chipper and it has exceeded my expectations. This thing is a real work horse and does everything as advertised. I was skeptical when I first unboxed it thinking for its size it would not handle the job I bought it for but boy was I wrong. I had a overgrown fence row that needed clearing but no way of hauling off debris, the man I have that does my tree trimming told me he would have to charge a hefty price to do it because of the man hours involved. This thing chewed up and shredded everything. What I didn't use for mulch or to big to shred someone picked of for mulch and firewood for themselves . But be CAREFUL like I said this thing is a real hoss and you have to pay attention to what youre doing especially if you have never used one. Please read instructions and heed warnings. After a bad storm I lost two trees and again this thing was put to the test and it do a fantastic job. When it came time for the annual leaf clearing this was a real time saver and made work much easier than years past. Second thing is the customer service. My chipper arrived damaged from shipping so me and the UPS guy took pictures and he advised to contact the manufacturer and see about replacement parts. I sent photos and emailed to Great Circle and within a few hours I had a reply outlining corrective measures to ensure my satisfaction. I had replacement parts (along with some extras) sent out that evening. That kind of customer service is really rare these days. Third is the engine . Again I had doubts the 7hp engine could handle driving blades to shred a 3 inch diameter limb but it sure did and it starts very easy. Closing Ill say I am completely satisfied with this purchase and if you are considering purchasing a shredder I recommend this one. If you have a wooded lot or just a lot of trees and shrubs this thing is great. With my fence row project, storm damage and fall clean up mine has paid for itself this year.

Given the very high rating from my fellow purchasers, I had high hopes when I made the purchase of the Great Circle Chipper Shredder. I was particularly pleased when the package arrived a day early. My enthusiasm was quickly dampened, however, upon inspecting the box and even more so when I started to unpack and eventually assemble the device. Here is my story in the order of my disappointments:SHIPPING PROBLEMS1. The package was delivered by UPS. It doesn’t look like they were particularly careful in shipping as the box was canted in the truck and the driver complained about the weight (130#). He had no dolly nor automated lift so I offered, and he accepted, my help in carrying the box to my garage. When I opened the cardboard box I found that several of the wood packing slats had broken, the chipper had broken free from its restraints, and there was visible cosmetic damage to the unit.2. The shredder hopper had several dents and one corner was dinged pretty badly with a shard of steel protruding from the side of the hopper. Presumably this is related to the shipping.3. There was packing material (wood and plastic wrap) jammed inside or bolted into the exhaust manifold. It wasn’t clear that this was related to the shipping. Perhaps when the unit was packed this occurred. There is no way to tell for certain.PRODUCT PROBLEMS4. There was a steel bracket suspended from the air intake filter box but attached to nothing else. The other end was near the oil plug so I even tried removing the plug to see if I could make the bracket connect there. It didn’t fit. Why is this engine only partially assembled? To leave this bracket in place, it will only rattle and possibly cause damage. It serves no functional purpose in its current configuration.5. The assembly kit was short one nut. The chipper cone was to be attached to the chipper body, but there were only two nuts on the three threaded studs. I looked everywhere for the final nut, but was unable to find it.6. One of my biggest surprises was the fact that the axle on one side didn’t even have a cotter pin hole. How exactly am I supposed to attach the second wheel? How does something like that get overlooked? This, along with the other complaints above, really make me question the quality and workmanship of this product.At this point, I can’t speak about the performance of the unit. I’m afraid to start it without first talking to the manufacturer. I also fear that should it start, the second wheel may fall off (not secured) and create new problems or void any warranty. I also want to remove the wood and plastic packing materials stuck in the engine manifold after talking to Great Circle.Assuming that I can edit this review, I’ll report back after talking to Great Circle tomorrow. For now, I’m sorry to report, buyer beware!UPDATE (Tuesday, 6/26/2018): I spoke with Great Circle today. They said that they are going to send a replacement unit and it should arrive in the next 5 days. Will update you and the review when chipper #2 shows up...UPDATE (Tuesday, 7/3/2018): As promised, Great Circle shipped a replacement unit and it arrived a day early. There was still extensive damage to the packaging and minor damage to the product. I maintain that their shipping protection is substandard given the weight of the chipper. As others before me have found, the air filter was damaged and I ended up duct taping it which worked adequately.The reason for the bump up from 1-star to 4-stars is related in part to the amazing customer service in which they shipped a replacement right away. The other reason is the performance of the product. I gave the chipper its maiden voyage today and it worked like a charm. It was pretty simple to get it started and it ripped through the branches and brush pretty readily. The resulting chips/mulch was much finer than I expected, and I suspect that will make it perform better where I placed it on bare soil. The large branch feeder (<3") worked best, though the branches had to be pretty straight to fit. The small branch hopper (<1/2") was more difficult to feed and it sometimes took a bit of work to get the blades to engage with the branches and pull them into the chipper.All-in-all, I'm happy with the purchase and, once again, tip my hat to Myesha and the Customer Service Team for addressing my situation so promptly.

We've had it about a week. It took about an 1 1/2 hrs to assemble. I'd watched videos online so it wasn't that hard. Might have been faster if I hadn't been watching a movie at the same time.After gas and oil, it started right up on the first pull. First use was a pile of branches that was over a year old, so pretty dry and they shredded easily. About the worst thing I can say about it is the output - it really could use a longer output thingy.Oh, be careful with the "3 inch" rule. And remember that "3 inch" means the absolute widest part of anything going in the chute. Anything over 1 inch should go in the chute. 1 inch and under will work best in the big hopper.