There are plenty implements available to help you split wood, both manual and mechanical. But, without a doubt, the mechanical implements make your life the easiest. Gas-powered, electric, and hydraulic wood splitters are capable of splitting enormous amounts of wood in very little time, and with very little effort from you. On that note, if you're looking to purchase a log splitter anytime soon, you might want to take a look at some of the best log splitters of 2018 reviews before.
This guide will tell you everything there is to know about log splitters, and will also provide you with a compilation of the 5 best currently on the market.
To put it simply, a log splitter is a machine that’s designed to split logs into smaller pieces, turning them into firewood. Using a log splitter is, by far, the easiest way to split large amounts of wood in very little time.
There are log splitters of all types available on the market with the most common being gas-powered, electric, and hydraulic log splitters. Each of these types of splitters is more appropriate for specific purposes, all working toward making your life easier.
Not all log splitters are created equally. In fact, they are all radically different. For instance, while one splitter may be able to produce a maximum or 7 tons of splitting force, another splitter may be able to produce a maximum of 20 tons of splitting force. Of course, the more powerful a log splitter is, the more expensive it’s going to be.
Axes, hammers, and splitting wedges have their place, but if you want to split as much wood as possible in a short amount of time, you need to own a log splitter. While they can be a little expensive, they easily provide enough value to be worth their price.
While log splitters are undoubtedly useful, they are pieces of machinery. Like all pieces of machinery, they can be dangerous. For this reason, it’s important to always take a few safety precautions before operating them. Taking a few wise precautions will minimize the chance of any undue accidents:
In general, there are three types of log splitters. These include gas, electric, and hydraulic wood splitters. Each type carries its own benefits and drawbacks, with particular ones being more suited for particular purposes. Let’s cover them in more detail, shall we?
If you’re looking for the best commercial log splitter on the market today, you might very well be interested in the YARDMAX YU2866. Though it’s certainly expensive, it provides tons of splitting power and is the best rated log splitter on our list.
Made out of tough and durable steel, this machine is designed to withstand years and years of abuse whether used in a controlled workshop or an uncontrolled forest.
Equipped with a small hitch as well as two tires, it can be dragged from place to place via truck. When you’re not dragging it with a truck, you can grab its ergonomic handle and pull it to where it’s needed.
A highly-functional splitter, it’s capable of splitting logs both vertically and horizontally. It’s about as powerful as they come, and is available on 25, 28 and 30-ton models. This is more than enough power to split the majority logs you’ll come across.
Overall, this YARDMAX log splitter is the best gas log splitter on the market. Powerful, portable, and possessing top-notch construction quality, it’s designed to offer you top-notch functionality through many years of use.
Our next log splitter review will be on the Southland Outdoor Power Equipment SLS20825. Another gas-powered splitter, it provides value comparable to the YARDMAX splitter reviewed above. This is due to its exceptional portability, construction quality, and power capabilities.
Made out of tough and durable steel, this splitter is manufactured to thrive through years of heavy use.
It can withstand the wear and tear of both garages and heavily wooded areas. Equipped with a truck hitch, it can be fairly easily transported anywhere. If you ever need to drag it by hand, you can do so with its equipped handle.
As far as power goes, this splitter is just a step below the YARDMAX. It’s available in one model, a 28-ton model which splits the majority of logs with general ease. Capable of splitting logs both vertically and horizontally, it takes around 17 seconds for it to entirely split a log.
All in all, the Southland SLS20825 is a terrific gas-powered log splitter. While it’s on the expensive side, it offers more than enough value to make it worth its while. You certainly won’t be disappointed with its functionality.
Interested in the best electric wood splitter on the market? If so, you’re interested in the Boss Industrial ES7T20. Coming from the best log splitter brand as far as electric models go, it possesses superb construction, excellent functionality, and fantastic portability.
This splitter is made out of tough and durable steel, and is capable of withstanding quite a bit of wear and tear, whether in a garage, shed, or heavily wooded area. For portability purposes, it’s equipped with two wheels and two ergonomic handles.
Weighing in at around 100 pounds, it’s fairly easy to drag from place to place. A 7-ton log splitter, it is capable of splitting logs up to around 10 inches in diameter consistently. Possessing an automatic ram return, it’s ridiculously easy to use. Simply pull the lever, and wait for it to set back up. This allows you to almost effortlessly crush loads of wood in a rather short amount of time.
All in all, the Boss Industrial ES7T20 is the best log splitter under 1000 dollars. It’s not going to split huge logs but can split small and medium sized logs with great consistency. For a splitter at its price, you can’t ask for much more.
If you’re looking for the best wood splitter for the money, you’d be wise to consider the Goplus 6-ton Electric Hydraulic Log Splitter. Available for about half the price of the Boss reviewed above, it offers very similar functionality, plus equal construction and portability.
This splitter is made out of tough and durable steel, enabling it to withstand quite a bit of wear and tear.
Equipped with two wheels and two ergonomic handles, it’s exceedingly easy to transport from place to place. This allows it to be dragged to anywhere on your property, provided that there’s a power outlet nearby.
Possessing 6 tons of splitting power, it can split logs up to 10 inches in diameter, but most consistently splits logs up to around 5 inches in diameter. Equipped with a 2-hand operation mechanism for increased protection, it does everything in its power to keep you safe.
All in all, the GoPlus 6-ton Electric Hydraulic Log Splitter is a great splitter for around-the-house use. It’s not the top electric log splitter, but still offers quite a bit of value for its price.
While it’s not the best log splitter on the market, the Sun Joe LJ10M Logger Joe is the best hydraulic log splitter. While it takes a little more effort to operate than the gas and electric models on our list, it still offers quite a bit of power.
Made out of tough and durable steel, this splitter is designed to withstand loads of wear and tear. Due to its rather small construction, it is capable of fitting into rather small areas. So, what it lacks in portability, it makes up for in store-ability.
At its peak, this log splitter can produce 10 tons of splitting power, allowing it to consistently split small and medium sized logs. At its peak, it will split log of 8 inches in diameter and 18 inches in length. All you have to do is place the log on its splitting surface, pump its handles, and do so until the log is completely split.
Overall, the Sun Joe LJ10M is a terrific splitter. It may necessitate a little more effort from its user, but it still produces the same results as electric and gas-powered splitters. Plus, it’s small enough to store in small, compact areas.
While all log splitters perform the same function, they are far from the same. There are a number of different things which make a splitter better or worse than another. Taking these things into deep consideration will ensure that you purchase the overall best splitter for you. They include its power, portability, construction, noise, ease of use, and splitting ability.
If you’ve never operated a wood splitter before, you’re probably a little clueless as to how you use one. Well, let’s get it cleared up, shall we?
And that’s that! As you can see, using a log splitter is relatively easy. They are all just a bit different, but in general, this is how they are operated.
While a hammer and a wedge work for splitting tiny amounts of wood, if you’re looking to split huge amounts of wood, you’ll be best served by a log splitter. Log splitters are designed to split logs in an effortless and timely manner, allowing you to get a huge workload done in just a short amount of time.
There are tons of great log splitters on the market today, from gas-powered splitters to electric splitters, to hydraulic splitters, and everything in between. The best overall log splitter on the market today is the Yardmax YU2866 28 Ton Full Beam Gas Log Splitter. A hugely powerful gas log splitter, it is capable of splitting at intensities of up to 28 tons, breaking up just about any log you throw at it. Don’t spend hours and hours laboring over your wood. Invest in a log splitter and let it do almost all of the work for you.