They both have advantages and disadvantages. Typically, drums are used in residential areas and discs used in unrestricted, rural areas with no houses or traffic. If flying debris is a concern, then a drum should probably be used. If the customer doesn’t care about the finished product and are in an unrestricted area, then a disc mulcher is usually preferred. 

Discs are for speed and are much more productive and efficient for cleared area/time. They can process an entire tree in a split second and the mulched material doesn’t pile up. 

Drums are more productive at processing felled material, leave less mess during initial knock down, produce a finer mulched finish and have better debris control. 

Drums can get below ground level (great for stumps), discs can cut flush with the ground. 

Quick Comparison Summary  

• Drum = Quality: slower, nicer finish, some debris control, diverse environments, mulch below grade, higher operating cost, more expensive upfront cost  
• Disc = Speed: faster, messier finish, debris uncontrollable, unrestricted environments, mulch ground level, lower operating cost, less expensive upfront cost 

There are three tooth options which can be mixed and matched on the drum. The optimal choice depends on ground conditions, ground contact required and chip size requirements.

Steel planer teeth are the most productive and provide the smallest and finest mulched finish. They can be resharpened and rotated 180 degrees for twice the life.

Carbide Planer teeth are a hybrid between the steel planer and carbide hammer. It provides high productivity and can handle minimal ground contact.

Carbide Hammer teeth are for significant ground engagement and will provide the largest chip size. They also require the most loader power to operate since they are pulverizing material instead of slicing and cutting.

Steel Planer

• For max productivity and the finest mulch without ground contact
• Have two razor sharp edges to quickly slice through wood and pick up material off the ground
• Made from high-grade alloy steel and heat treated
• Reversible and need to be sharpened regularly to maintain high production
• Stay off the ground and out of sand with steel teeth or the edges will dull quickly

Carbide Planer

• Sharp cutting angle and curved body profile for higher productivity than hammer teeth with minimal ground contact
• Requires no maintenance – no sharpening required
• Abrasion resistant carbide tips for durability in rocky & sandy environments
• Produce slightly larger wood chips than steel planer with similar productivity

Carbide Hammer

• For significant ground engagement in rocky and sandy conditions, less productive than planer teeth
• Produces largest mulch and the least amount of ground suction – pulverizes and rips material instead of cuts
• Requires no maintenance – no sharpening required
• Ideal option if mulcher is primarily used to mix mulch into the soil
• Most abrasion resistant option with lowest cutting performance and productivity
• Requires more power from the loader to operate