Tackling an old stump can be one of those jobs that looks simple from a distance and turns into a headache the second the tools come out. A new chainsaw attachment aims to make that work easier by turning a compatible Stihl saw into a compact stump grinder, but the convenience comes with a hefty price tag and a few tradeoffs worth thinking about.
Once a tree is cut down, the stump is often the stubborn part that lingers. Roots can hold tight, and yanking one out with a truck sounds dramatic until it goes sideways, which is why purpose-built stump grinders exist in the first place. These machines use a rotating grinding wheel with carbide-tipped teeth to shred the wood down to ground level.
Terminator Stump Grinders, a U.K. company, has taken a different path with the Terminator Pro 500 and Terminator Pro 800. Instead of buying a full machine, the idea is to bolt an attachment onto select Stihl chainsaws and let the saw do the heavy lifting. The setup uses a pivoting grinding wheel driven by the chainsaw chain, turning a familiar tool into something far more specialized.
Both models stay under 60 pounds, which is a big part of the appeal. They ride on a support leg with a wheel, so moving the unit to the stump is easier than dragging around a bulky dedicated grinder. According to the company, the Pro 500 and Pro 800 can chew through a 14-inch stump in about 10 minutes, which is a pretty brisk pace for gear that still fits in a car.
Getting the Terminator Pro ready is not especially complicated, but it is more involved than snapping on a small accessory. The Pro 500 works with Stihl 500i, 660, and 661 models, while the Pro 800 is designed for the 880 and 881. No specialty tools are needed, but the process does take a few minutes and involves removing several original parts before the modified hardware goes on.
That means taking off the tensioner cover, bumper spikes, sprocket, and the original clutch bearing, then installing the replacement bearing supplied with the attachment. After that, the long arm is fitted over the sprocket cover and tightened down, the grinding wheel is bolted into place, and a safety guard with a skirt is added behind it. The grinder teeth are secured with an Allen wrench, and the support leg with its wheel is attached last.
The real draw here is portability. A tool that can fit into a car and still handle stump removal has obvious appeal for property owners, landscapers, and anyone who needs to work in cramped spots where bigger machines cannot easily go. That compact size also means better maneuverability around fences, narrow yards, and other awkward spaces where a full-sized stump grinder can feel like overkill.
But the price changes the conversation fast. The attachment lists for more than $3,337 before tax, which is higher than some stand-alone stump grinders on the market. For comparison, one dedicated machine, the Power King 11-inch Gas Powered Stump Grinder, comes in at $2,999 and brings 14 horsepower, more grinding teeth, and self-propelled operation to the table.
There is also the issue of wear and tear. Terminator says the attachment can put extra strain on the chainsaw engine, and that matters when the compatible saws are already expensive pieces of equipment. The Stihl MS 881 alone is priced at $2,689.99, so the math starts looking a lot less exciting when a pricier attachment may also increase the risk of damaging a costly saw.
That is why a dedicated grinder may make more sense for some buyers, especially if stump removal is not a regular part of the job. For many households, renting a stump grinder when needed can be the smarter play, with daily rates sometimes starting around $189. It keeps the big-ticket purchase off the books and avoids turning a chain saw into the weak link in an already demanding job.
