The Sun Joe Chipper Joe CJ601e Electric Wood Chipper/Leaf Shredder[/amazon_tracker] is designed to chip wood branches up to 1 ½ inches in diameter and can also be used to shred leaves to reduce down their size. The wood chips produced by the Chipper Joe can be used as mulch around trees or in the garden. The chipper’s 14 Amp motor runs at speeds up to 4300 RPM, and features a safety hopper that prevents motor operation while the unit is open. Made for portability, the CJ601E weighs 26 pounds and has 6 inch wheels. The Sun Joe Chipper is covered by a 2-year manufacturer’s warranty.
Sun Joe Chipper Joe CJ601E Electric Wood Chipper– Product Specs
- Chips/Shreds sticks and leaves up to 1 ½ inches in diameter
- Instant-on starting
- 14 Amp motor with speeds up to 4300 RPM
- Safety hopper prevents motor operation while the unit is open
- Chipper weighs 26 pounds
- Two 6-inch wheels
What the reviewers said…
Assembly
The Sun Joe Chipper Joe CJ601E is very easy to assemble and only takes about 10-15 minutes max. The assembly only consists of attaching the chipper to the base with a couple of screws, as well as attaching the two wheels. The Chipper Joe is very compact and lightweight at only 26 pounds. The lightweight design along with the 6-inch wheels makes it easy to move the unit around to wherever you need it in the yard, and makes it easy to store away when you’re done.
Chipping/Shredding Performance
The CJ601E does a good job of chipping sticks in the ¼ inch to 1 ½ inch range and the 14 Amp motor has plenty of power to accomplish the task. There is a slot in the top of the hopper that acts as a guide for the branches being run through, and also provides a good reference for the size of sticks that can be fed into the hopper. It’s takes some time to learn the best way to feed the branches into the chute, but once you have it down the process goes fairly smooth.
What Type/Size Material Chips best with the Sun Joe Chipper
While using the Sun Joe Chipper Joe CJ601E there will be times when the unit will jam. This is a common issue with many of the electric chippers. The larger the diameter of stick, the greater the chance you will run into jamming issues. The Chipper Joe seems to operate best when you are chipping material in the ½ inch to 1 ¼ inch range. Any larger than that and you will have to feed branches into the chute slowly, and use an up and down motion while turning to minimize jamming.
This unit is also more effective at chipping larger sizes if you are working with dry or brittle sticks as opposed to ones that have been freshly cut. If there is a jam in the chipper, it’s quick and easy to clear, by simply unplugging the unit, turning the red knob on the back to open the hopper, and clearing out the material that’s blocking the blades.
Easy open chipper provides access to the cutting system with a turn of the red knob.
When chipping large amounts of material, the blades can become dull rather quick, but they are double-edged meaning they can be easily taken off and turned around to get twice the use out of them.
Blades are easy to replace and are double sided for extended use.
Leaf Shredding Performance
While the Sun Joe Chipper Joe does a good job of mulching the smaller sized sticks (¼ inch inch to 1 ¼ inch), it is not very effective at shredding leaves. Most leaves (and very small sticks) just pass through without being chipped or shredded. The sticks that pass through are not a big issue because they are small enough to be mixed with any finished mulch. When it comes to the leaves though, a shredder like this one specifically designed for that task might be a better option.
THE GOOD
- Easy to assemble
- Lightweight, and easy to store
- Very Portable
- Works well to chip branches (¼ inch to 1 ¼ inches)
THE BAD
- Larger-sized sticks will jam up the blades
- Not good at shredding leaves
THE BOTTOM LINE
The Sun Joe Chipper Joe CJ601E is a solid entry level electric chipper, that will work well if you have a constant supply of small, woody sticks that you want to turn into useful mulch for your yard or garden. It’s probably not the best option if you have lots of large heavy-duty chipping jobs, or piles of leaves you want shredded. It is compact, portable, and with a little practice operating the unit, can be very useful in cleaning up the yard.
Have you used or already own the Sun Joe Chipper Joe CJ601E Electric Wood Chipper Shredder? Let us know about your experience with this product by leaving a comment below.
