How Much Does a Wood Chipper Rental Cost?
A wood chipper, also called a tree chipper, is a machine used to reduce tree limbs or trunks into chips or small pieces of wood.
This is usually done for two main reasons: first, to get rid of large tree parts without having to haul them away; second, to make wood chips that can then be sold or used for another project.
Since it can be pricey to rent a wood chipper, and most only need it for the day, many opt to rent it at a local rental company.
How much does it cost to rent a wood chipper?
Depending on the size of the wood chipper, how long you want to rent it and where you rent it from, the costs to rent a wood chipper will range anywhere from $70 to as much as $400 per day. Smaller wood chippers will be around $100 a day, while a 6- to a 12-inch wood chipper, commonly used for commercial purposes can cost up to $175 to $400 per day.
At the Home Depot, they had a 2-inch wood chipper with a Honda GX270 engine that you could rent anywhere from as little as four hours to as long as four weeks. The store we received a quote from said it could cost $96 per day, $384 per week or up to $1,152 for the month. To reserve, you would have to place a $150 deposit, which would be returned when the equipment was brought back in good condition.
United Rentals offered a 12-inch brush chipper for $361 per day or $1,098 for the week. This quote was received from a location based in Michigan.
Refer to our table below to see what the average wood chipper may cost in your area:
| Wood Chipper Type | 4 Hours | Daily | Weekly | Monthly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 390cc w/ 2-inch diameter | $65 | $95 | $400 | $1,150 |
| Small w/ 16-hp gas motor and maximum four-inch diameter | $45 | $70 | $300 | $425 |
| 25-hp gas engine w/ 6-inch diameter | $200 | $250 | $750 | $1,800 |
| 85-hp diesel engine w/ 12-inch diameter | $425 | $500 | $1,400 | $3,500 |
NOTE: These are the average prices we had found online and created an average. Do note that your area may have higher or even lower prices than this.
Renting a wood chipper
Most rental companies will allow you to rent a wood chipper for either a half day, full day, the week or a month.
Most wood/brush chipper will run either on gas or diesel and the horsepower can range from as little as 16 to more than 85 for a diesel-based engine. As for the diameter, which is the maximum sized limb you can feed through the machine and grind, this can range from three to 20 inches wide.
What are the extra costs?
You will be responsible for the gasoline when you return it. Like a rental car, you will need to return it with the same amount of gas when you rented it initially.
If you’re unable to transport it on your own, some rental companies may be able to deliver it to you for a small fee, usually around $50.
How can I save money?
The longer you rent the wood chipper, the more you’re going to be able to save.
Choose a wood chipper that is appropriate for your project. Using a machine that is too small for your project will just slow you down and require an extended time to finish.
Gather your wood ahead of time to a specific area prior to the actual chipping work so you can save time when you bring the chipper home.
Instead of paying for a wood chipper, consider selling or giving away the wood as firewood.
In some circumstances, you may be better off burning the wood pile or even taking the load to a local dump.
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Average Reported Cost: $141
How much did you spend?
- Derek (Bedford, Texas) paid $141 and said:
$141 for the day or $600 for the week
Was it worth it? Yes
