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Want to skip the long reading?
Here’s our Best Log Splitter Reviews 2020 winner:
And the 2020 winner of best log splitter reviews is: Boss Industrial ES7T20 Electric Log Splitter with powerful 2 HP motor and 7 tons of splitting force will be your best friend during the cold days. Operational by one hand and with automatic ram return, this is absolutely the best log splitter you can invest in 2020.
Convenient and portable, but stable and powerful enough to tackle any wood project, Boss Industrial ES7T20 will save you from harmful gas-powered machines and hassle.
Spending time by cozy fire during the cold winter nights surely is one of the most common romantic dreams, but when it comes to getting that firewood ready, there’s not much romance in it.
If you’re one of those do it yourself guys, you surely know that splitting the logs is a heavy task, but thanks to the modern commodities we have nowadays, it can be done with minimum hassle. With a good investment in the best log splitter for your needs, it can become a quick, hassle-free and safe job to do. To make your pick easier, I put together the best log splitter reviews you’ll probably find online.
The 9 best log splitter reviews 2020
The idea of this article was to put together the best log splitter reviews that will help you choose the best log splitter for your needs. I contacted a few experts on the topic and asked for their opinion. With their help and a lot of testing on my own, I manage to put together 9 log splitter reviews that stood out.
So whether you’re looking for hydraulic, electric or gas log splitter, vertical or horizontal wood splitter or you need a manual log splitter for the camping, below you’ll find the reviews of currently the best products on the market.
Kindling Cracker Firewood Kindling Splitter
Between cheaper options, the Kindling Cracker Firewood Kindling Splitter is an excellent choice for splitting the fire into kindling. Made of high-quality cast iron and literally maintenance-free, this splitter will help you break logs with way less force than with standard ax.
Of course, your hands will still have a lot of work, so this is not the best option for those lazy cats. Pay attention that the inside diameter of the top ring is 6.5 inches, so this is also not a good option for wider logs.
Kindling Cracker Firewood Kindling Splitter is also very safe to use. Yet, this is an affordable way to speed up things and get that cozy fire burning as soon as possible, so I had to mention this one among our best log splitter reviews.
Pros
- Made of quality iron
- Easy to use
- Maintenance-free
- Cheap
- Portable
Cons
- Good for smaller logs only
- Slow
Quality Craft Foot-Operated Manual Log Splitter
Possibly the most popular cheap manual log splitter judging by the number of people who recommended it. This log splitter is actually foot-operated, which is unique in rest of our log splitter reviews. Even if it is super-portable, it still has the splitting force of 1.5 ton.
This manual log splitter can split logs up to 18 inches long and up to 10 inches in diameter with a single hop. It uses your body weight as an additional force and is great for those who need portable and power-free log splitter.
However, it may not be suitable for those who have a lot of logs to clean on their way, as some powered splitter could be more convenient there.
Pros
- Cheap
- Portable
- Simple to use
- 1.5-ton splitting force
Cons
- Not quite fast
- Not good for larger logs and greater volume of wood
Sun Joe LJ10M Logger Joe Manual Log Splitter
This 10 ton manual log splitter made by Sun Joe handles logs up to 18 inches long, same as the previous one and up to 8 inches wide. That may not be good for larger logs, but it surely does a great job when you compare its capabilities and its price.
Its hydraulic ram builds up a magnificent 10-ton splitting force and has 2 speeds. The log cradle prevents the wood from falling out. It has steel construction and comes with a 2-year warranty, which speaks a lot about its quality.
Another great side of this manual log splitter is that is lightweight, which can really come in handy when camping.
Pros
- Easy to use
- Affordable
- Lightweight
- 10-ton splitting force
Cons
- Not great for large logs and volumes
- Not quite fast
NorthStar Deluxe 37-Ton Heavy-Duty Log Splitter
Now we get to another type of log splitters, those powered by gas. This beast has Honda GX390 engine in its belly and is capable of splitting the wood with 37-ton splitting force.
It’s actually one of the best investments if you have large loads of wood to handle because it’s super quick and super powerful. Overheating safe, this heavy-duty log splitter has an I-beam which keeps the wood from moving and even precisely cuts into larger pieces. Plus, this machine does the horizontal and vertical splitting.
All in all, it’s great heavy-duty log splitter for those doesn’t mind the gas and its price (it’s the most powerful one among all tested for our best log splitter reviews). This would be my pick for best gas log splitter for heavy-duty use.
Pros
- Super powerful (for heavy-duty use)
- Quick
- Precise
- Good for larger loads and logs
- Overheating-safe
Cons
- Runs on gas
- Pricier
Champion Power Equipment 90720 – Best Gas Log Splitter For Domestic Use
Let’s get back a bit into the middle priced category and check another great gas log splitter option, but now for homeowners. 90270 by Champion Power Equipment is a small beast of 7-ton splitting power.
With a 20 second cycle time and auto-return system, this gas log splitter will handle even heavier logs (up to 19 inches long) in no time. It is powered by an 80cc OHV engine and has an automatic shut-off sensor when your oil level gets low.
It uses oil and fuel mix (two 0.4 tanks) which is not in my taste and its handle might be a bit longer because its profile is quite low. Quite portable for its power and quite affordable for its capabilities, I must say.
In my opinion, this is probably the best gas log splitter for homeowners, especially if you include a price. I’m glad I had a chance to include this one in our log splitter reviews.
Pros
- Affordable
- Portable
- Powerful
- Low profile
Cons
- Operates on mixture of fuel and engine oil
- Short handle
Titan Attachments 30 Ton Hydraulic Log Splitter
Another horizontal + vertical hydraulic log splitter that has a magnificent 30-ton splitting force of pure hydraulic power. It is generally, one of the best hydraulic log splitters for heavy duty use.
It has a 4-way splitting blade that can cut logs up to 24 inches exactly how you want it. Skid steer quick attach is responsible for changing the settings quite easily and allows you to easily control this beast.
When I say beast, I mean also on its size because this one is way over portable category – it weighs 570 pounds to be exact, which is where its tractor mount comes in hand.
Another surprise is that its price is super affordable, counting its capabilities.
Pros
- Fast
- Handles large loads and logs up to 24 inches
- Hydraulic
- Affordable
- Powerful (for heavy-duty use)
- Precise
Cons
- Heavy (has to be mounted on tractor)
- Not for home use
Powerhouse XM-380 Hydraulic Log Splitter
When it comes to hydraulic log splitters for home use, I’d say this one is the most recommended. A few friends of my own it and it does a great job for their firewood during the cold season.
With 3Hp motor inside that runs on 2500 Watt and has 3500 RPM, this machine will split your logs with 7-ton force, which is more than enough for its capacity – around 20 inches long logs.
A long cord really comes in hand and the only downside I’ve heard is that is not quite lightweight, so you won’t be thrilled to wear 104 pounds around the house. Overall this might be the best hydraulic log splitter for home use.
Pros
- Powerful for home use
- Electric-hydraulic
- Cuts logs up to 20ish inches
- Long power cord
Cons
- Quite heavy
- Requires both hands to operate
WEN 56206 – Best Electric Log Splitter For The Money
I think this might be best electric log splitter for the money. Might be the best electric log splitter if you’re on the budget or don’t want to pay a lot. In any case, Wen log splitter won’t let you down.
It does great work with its 2HP copper-wound motor and is really quiet, which captured my attention in the first place because I have an infant in the house. It has a 6-ton splitting force that does a great job in the common household and cuts logs up to 20.5 inches in length.
It’s portable and the only downsides I found are that it requires both hands to operate – when you finally realize it because the user manual is not very clear about instructions.
Pros
- Portable
- Quiet
- Cuts log up to 20 inches
- Affordable
- 6-ton splitting force
Cons
- Instructions for use are not very clear
- Requires both hands to operate
Boss Industrial ES7T20 – Best Electric Log Splitter
Now we come to the best electric log splitter in my opinion… Boss Industrial is for me that thing that fulfills a boyish dream when it comes to gadgets. Its 2 HP electric motor is super powerful for my needs around the house, somewhat more than the previous one, with its 7-ton splitting force and a lot simpler, because it requires only one hand to operate.
It has automatic ram return, which improves the speed of the cycle so things go pretty fast with it. This electric log splitter is made by Boss Industrial, I’d say the most credible brand when it comes to these things, but super affordable when it comes to its price.
This is one of those machines that will be serving me much, much longer than its warranty, as I can hear from my fellows. The only, small downside is that it is not quite lightweight with its 106 pounds of weight, but hey, it has wheels, so that can really be counted.
Pros
- Super powerful for home use
- 7-ton splitting force
- Simple to use
- Can be operated by one hand
- Affordable
- Quality made
Cons
- Not really lightweight
- Not great for heavy-duty use
How to decide which log splitter is the best for you?
Well, it all comes down to your needs, basically, so I’ll try to write a short size guide here. If you need a log splitter for home use, there’s no real need to use a 40-ton splitting force and waste your money – 6 or 7 tons will do.
Manual log splitters are much less powerful and may not be the best log splitter choice except for really small logs. For the commercial project, you need heavy-duty log splitters, around 30 or 40 tons. Of course, if you have larger loads and want your job done faster, aim for more powerful log splitters so you don’t end up splitting the wood up to the midst of the winter.
Common sense comes in handy here because no one else then you can precisely tell you what your needs are. So when it comes to size, the best log splitter is the one that fits your needs.
Log splitter types
When it comes to our best log splitter reviews, we tried to include all types of log splitters. The usual types are electric, hydraulic, manual, gas and hybrid types of log splitters (meaning they use combined powers, for example, electric hydraulic log splitter).
Electric log splitters are cost-efficient and usually somewhat more compact and lighter when it comes to weight if that plays a role to you. They are most recommended to average users who need it for occasional splitting (for example, wood for the fireplace in cabins).
Gas log splitters are more suitable for larger loads as they usually have more splitting force, thus their size is usually bigger. Plus, you need to remember always to carry extra fuel with you. That’s why they are mostly recommended for industrial use, although there are some good for home use also.
Manual log splitters are not for heavy use because you’ll get tired very easily and won’t be able to cut larger logs. It is recommended to use them for lighter projects as camping and when you don’t want to wave the ax to make a fire.
Additionally, there are two categories: vertical and horizontal log splitters. Horizontal log splitters are more suitable for home use and smaller logs and vertical is usually more suitable for industrial use because vertical log splitters are usually more powerful than horizontal ones. But as you can see in our log splitter reviews, there are also splitters that are both types in one.
Where to buy log splitters from this list?
I would like to add one secret that one of my friend’s dads shared with me – the Amazon has excellent deals when it comes to these machines. Actually, you can find all those that we mention in our best log splitter reviews on Amazon.com. The prices are competitive because there are tons of sellers out there and usually lower than in hardware stores (including the delivery).
Plus, it gives you the ability to compare products by comfortably sitting in your home and the direct insights in customers’ reviews, which was of great help for me and I hope it will be to you, too.
So that would be it – a crash course into the types and sizes of log splitters and some of the best products that you can invest in this year. I hope the effort of my friends will help someone else as well as it helped me to find the best log splitter for my home.
George Ramone says
Are electric and hydraulic ones worth that extra money? With the manual, I would save money and exercise a bit :).
Editorial team says
I would definitely choose electric or hydraulic over the manual. But if you’re looking to save money and you have time any energy, you can go with the manual.