Both are value-import brands selling direct with no dealer network. The interesting part is that the cheaper-feeling one has the better reputation — and the more expensive one has the better engines.
This is the comparison people actually search, and unlike most brand matchups these two really do compete. Both Farmry and MechMaxx are import brands selling direct to consumers with no dealer network, both ship free from US warehouses, and both land in the same $700–$2,000 bracket for their core machines.
The result is counterintuitive. On buying experience, Farmry wins clearly: 4.4 out of 5 from 472 Trustpilot reviews and no BBB complaint record, against MechMaxx’s 2.9 and a BBB rating of “F” with nine complaints. On hardware, MechMaxx wins where it matters most for a gas chipper: it offers genuine Honda GX engines and 2-year coverage on commercial models, where Farmry runs Chinese DUCAR and Rato engines on 12 months.
So the honest answer splits by what you are buying rather than which brand is “better”.
| Spec | FarmryWCAP5 | MechMaxxBX42S | FarmryCG84 | MechMaxxB150 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Farmry | MechMaxx | Farmry | MechMaxx |
| Power | pto | pto | gas | gas |
| Engine | PTO-driven, 15–45 HP tractor | PTO-driven, 18–45 HP tractor | 13.5 HP DUCAR DH420 420cc, 12V electric start | 15 HP Zonsen GB460B (Honda GX390 variant at $3,499) |
| Max branch | 5"✓ | 4" | 4" | 6" |
| HP requirement | 15–45 HP | 18–45 HP✓ | 13.5 HP | 15 HP |
| Feed | Manual | Self-feeding✓ | Manual | Self-feeding |
| Weight | 412 lb | 397 lb✓ | 425 lb | 573 lb |
| Warranty | 1 yr | 1 yr | 1 yr | 2 yr |
| Price | $1,698✓ | $1,699 | $1,999 | $2,599 |
| Feature | Farmry | MechMaxx |
|---|---|---|
| Trustpilot score | ✓4.4 / 5 (472 reviews) | 2.9 / 5 |
| BBB rating | ✓No profile found | F — 9 complaints, not accredited |
| PTO chippers in lineup | ✓2 models (both 5 in) | 1 model (BX42S, 4 in) |
| Gas chippers in lineup | 3 models (two are 2 in) | ✓5 models (4 in through 8 in) |
| Genuine Honda engine available | No — DUCAR and Rato only | ✓Yes — DCH7 and PowerDCH7 |
| Longest warranty offered | 1 year | ✓2 years (commercial tier) |
| Cheapest 5-inch PTO chipper | ✓$1,698 (WCAP5, 4 in dry) | None — tops out at 4 in |
| Hydraulic-feed options | WCPH6 listed but not orderable | ✓2 (PowerDCH7, CROBA TX1000) |
| Electric start on gas models | Yes — CG84 | Yes — B150 and up |
| Individually priced spare parts | ✓Yes — published per component | Available, less transparent |
| Return policy published | Linked but terms not stated | 15% cancellation fee reported |
| Also sold on Amazon | No | ✓Yes — easier return protection |
| Independent owner reports | Effectively none for chippers | ✓Limited but present on forums |
Rows flagged in green show where that brand has a category advantage.
This is the clearest split between the two, and it runs against what the pricing implies. Farmry holds 4.4 out of 5 across 472 Trustpilot reviews on a claimed profile, and we found no BBB profile or complaint record. MechMaxx holds 2.9 on Trustpilot and a BBB rating of “F” with nine complaints, five of which the BBB profile shows went unanswered.
The complaint patterns differ in kind, not just volume. MechMaxx’s recurring problems are shipping damage on arrival, deliveries well past quoted dates, and difficulty getting refunds on damaged goods. Farmry’s recurring problem is narrower: stock showing as available at order time and then taking two weeks or more to ship. Reviewers typically dock a star for it and then praise the machine.
Neither has a dealer network, so neither offers in-person warranty service. But Farmry routes pre-sale, logistics, and after-sales warranty to three separate email addresses, and multiple reviewers name individual reps who solved problems — one repeat chipper buyer had Farmry techs fabricate a custom quick-hitch bracket for him. That is a better-organised support operation than MechMaxx’s.
Both brands, notably, publish warnings about counterfeit storefronts trading on their names. Farmry disowns farmry-usa.shop; MechMaxx has issued similar notices. Order from the real domains only.
MechMaxx makes exactly one tractor attachment, the BX42S — a 4-inch gravity-feed unit for 18–45 HP tractors at $1,699 with a 1-year warranty. Farmry makes two 5-inch PTO machines at $1,698 and $1,899, plus a 6-inch hydraulic WCPH6 that is listed but not currently purchasable.
Head to head at the same money, the Farmry WCAP5 is the better-specified machine: a 25-inch disc with four reversible blades and a 5 × 9 inch throat at 412 lb, against the BX42S’s 4-inch rating. Both are gravity feed, both include a PTO shaft, and both carry 12 months of coverage.
The caveat matters though. Farmry’s own page rates the WCAP5 at 4 inches in dry wood and 5 inches in fresh or wet wood. On seasoned hardwood the two machines are effectively matched on capacity at effectively the same price — $425 per inch each. Farmry’s advantage then rests on the wider throat, the extra blades, and the service record rather than on raw capacity.
One thing to avoid: do not assume Farmry’s “PRO” model is the upgrade. The CP85 / WCAP5 PRO costs $201 more than the WCAP5 and has a smaller 22-inch disc, two blades instead of four, and 26 lb less mass. It buys disc speed through a gearbox, not machine.
Here the comparison reverses. Farmry’s only gas chipper above 2 inches is the CG84: 4 inches, a 13.5 HP DUCAR DH420 with electric start, $1,999. MechMaxx sells five gas models from the 4-inch GS650 at $1,299 up to the 8-inch CROBA TX1000, including two 7-inch hydraulic-feed machines.
Engine brand is the decisive factor on a gas chipper, because the engine is the part most likely to need service and the hardest to substitute. The MechMaxx DCH7 runs a genuine 22 HP Honda GX — serviceable at any Honda small-engine dealer in the country, with parts off the shelf. The CG84’s DUCAR is a Chinese engine whose parts route back through Farmry or generic import channels.
MechMaxx also offers longer coverage at this tier: 2 years on the DCH7, PowerDCH7, and CROBA TX1000, against Farmry’s flat 12 months on everything. Be aware that MechMaxx’s own consumer models drop to 1 year, so the warranty advantage only applies above the GS650 and B150.
Where the CG84 does answer back is equipment detail: a four-way discharge chute (0/90/180/270°) against the MechMaxx chutes’ more limited rotation, an emergency stop at the feed hopper, and an axle adjustable between 38 and 46 inches. It is the better-appointed machine; the DCH7 is the better-engined one.
Both brands import, and both now say so. Farmry’s Our Story page describes “overseas production partners” and sums up its position as “global manufacturing, proudly supported in the USA.” MechMaxx manufactures in China and distributes from US warehouses as a US-based importer.
The component evidence for Farmry is checkable from its own parts catalog: bearings specified to GB/T standards, 4CrSi blade steel, and DUCAR and Rato engines — all Chinese. MechMaxx uses Zonsen engines, themselves Chinese-built Honda GX derivatives, except on the DCH7 and PowerDCH7 where the Honda is genuine.
Forum posters routinely group Farmry, MechMaxx, and Titan as the same import pattern and assume a shared factory. We want to be careful here: the pattern is the same, but we found no evidence of a specific shared factory between Farmry and MechMaxx and we are not going to assert one. The community research suggesting MechMaxx and Woodland Mills share certain OEM suppliers is a separate and better documented claim.
Practical upshot: neither brand is a domestic manufacturer, so choose on service record, engine brand, and warranty rather than on origin. On origin they are the same answer.
Question 1: Do you own a tractor with 15+ PTO HP?
Question 2: How big are the branches, and does engine support matter to you?
Question 3: Can you stretch past $2,400?
“I run a 25 HP compact tractor on 4 acres and want a 3-point chipper for under $1,800.”
Farmry WCAP5 at $1,698. Against the MechMaxx BX42S at $1,699 you get a bigger 25-inch disc, four blades instead of the BX42S's arrangement, and a wider 5 × 9 inch throat — plus a far better service record. Just plan around 4 inches in dry hardwood, which is what Farmry actually rates it for.
“5-acre property, no tractor, regularly clearing limbs in the 5–7 inch range.”
MechMaxx DCH7 at $8,599 (or the Zonsen-powered PowerDCH7 at $6,399 if budget matters more than the Honda). This is the single clearest win for MechMaxx — Farmry's gas line stops at a 4-inch DUCAR-powered CG84, and the DCH7's Honda GX is serviceable at any Honda dealer. Accept the weaker MechMaxx service record as the cost of the engine.
“I want a gas chipper I can key-start, four inches is plenty, and I don't want to fight a pull cord.”
Farmry CG84 at $1,999 — 12V electric start, a four-way discharge chute, an emergency stop at the hopper, and an axle adjustable from 38 to 46 inches. The MechMaxx B150 is the alternative at 6 inches, but you trade Farmry's better service record and the DUCAR engine's parts support is the open question.
“Occasional pruning waste, two inches at most, and I want to spend as little as possible.”
MechMaxx GS650 at $1,299 gets you a genuine 4-inch rating. Farmry's cheaper GS65V ($799) and GS65S ($719) are 2-inch drum machines — effectively yard shredders. If 2 inches truly is your ceiling the GS65V is the better of that pair, but the GS650 is the better machine for $300 more.
“I've read horror stories about import brands and damaged freight. I want the lowest-risk purchase in this price bracket.”
Farmry, on the evidence — 4.4/5 across 472 Trustpilot reviews and no BBB complaint record, against MechMaxx's 2.9 and BBB 'F' with five unanswered complaints. Expect a possible shipping delay rather than damage. If risk is your main concern though, a Woodland Mills WC46 at $2,415 has a 30-day return window and 3-year warranty.
“Small tree-care side business, moving between properties, need a towable machine.”
MechMaxx CROBA TX1000 at $14,699 — 8-inch hydraulic feed on a tow-behind frame. Farmry has nothing in this tier at all; its largest machine is a 5-inch 3-point implement. Above this you're into Vermeer and Bandit dealer territory.
